NSFDEB-NERC: Collaborative Research: Informing population models with evolutionary theory to infer species' conservation status

海洋物种很难进行普查。对于大型高价值鱼类尤其如此，这些鱼类因其生物学特性而容易受到过度捕捞的影响。例如，已知三分之一的鲨鱼和鳐鱼物种在近代历史中有所减少，但尚不清楚其余三分之二的大多数物种是否也在减少，或者是否稳定。同样，由于密集捕捞，石斑鱼和金枪鱼等掠食性鱼类的种群规模大幅下降，但人们对其中一些物种的下降程度和灭绝风险知之甚少。该项目利用经过充分研究的相关物种的进化历史来估计很少研究的渔业物种的基本人口特征和保护重要性。这些知识为指导管理工作提供了重要信息，例如对捕捞和贸易的限制，直到可以进行更直接的研究。研究人员还将参与针对本科生的数学生物学和针对公众的海洋生物多样性科学的教育推广。即使缺乏种群层面的信息，科学家通常也对许多相关鱼类的个体特征有一些了解，例如繁殖行为、寿命和代谢率。进化论可以预测不同群体的这些独特性状组合的共同进化。该理论可用于推断人口比率和预测物种状况，但之前的努力并未纳入每个物种生物学的独特细节。该项目将开发综合理论，将这些特征的进化与金枪鱼、石斑鱼、鲨鱼和鳐鱼的物种状态预测联系起来。现代统计方法将允许来自数据丰富的物种模型的信息（经过正式评估）与类似栖息地中研究不足的物种或亲戚共享。有了对人口轨迹的新认识，该团队将提出建议，供国际自然保护联盟等组织以及管理者和科学家使用。

Marine species are very hard to census. This is especially true of large, high value fishes that are vulnerable to overfishing because of their biology. For example, one third of shark and ray species are known to have declined in recent history, but it is unknown whether most of the remaining two-thirds are also declining, or if they are stable. Likewise, population sizes of predatory fishes such as groupers and tuna have decreased substantially due to intense fishing, yet little is known about the extent of decline and risk of extinction for some of these species. This project uses the evolutionary history of well-studied related species to provide estimates of basic demographic properties of little-studied species of fisheries and conservation importance. This knowledge provides important information to guide management efforts, such as limits on catch and trade, until more direct research can be carried out. The researchers will also engage in educational outreach on mathematical biology for undergraduates and on marine biodiversity science for the general public. Scientists often have some knowledge of individual traits such as reproductive behavior, lifespan, and metabolic rates of many related fish species, even in the absence of population-level information. Evolutionary theory can predict the co-evolution of these unique trait combinations of various groups. This theory can be used to infer demographic rates and project species' status, but previous efforts have not incorporated the unique details of each species' biology. This project will develop comprehensive theory linking the evolution of these traits to species status projections for tunas, groupers, and sharks and rays. Modern statistical methods will allow information from models of data-rich species, which have formal assessments, to be shared with poorly studied species in similar habitats, or with relatives. With this new understanding of population trajectories, the team will produce recommendations for use by organizations like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, as well as managers and scientists.