CAREER: The Influence of Gene Flow on Inbreeding Depression and Local Adaptation: Replicated Experiments in Isolated Wild Populations

大多数物种都是由多个种群组成的，它们在某种程度上交换了基因。这种遗传物质的交换对种群持续性的影响是积极的还是消极的，这是进化生物学中一个长期存在但仍未解决的问题。这个问题在生境破碎化的背景下具有保护意义。栖息地破碎化是许多物种自然种群的主要威胁，因为它阻止了遗传交换并隔离了种群。小型和孤立的种群往往遭受遗传多样性的丧失，近亲繁殖增加，适应新环境条件的能力降低。该项目的目标是通过实验在孤立的天然鳟鱼种群中诱导遗传交换，作为了解基因流影响的窗口。这项工作将有助于解决进化生物学中长期存在的问题，并有助于为保护和管理提供信息。人们对利用动植物的战略性易位来帮助拯救孤立的种群免于灭绝有着极大的兴趣。然而，对基因交换可能产生的负面后果的担忧限制了这种管理方法的应用。这项研究的教育部分将教管理专业人员和蒙大拿州的学生，在所有教育水平，关于遗传学原则的保护应用。该项目将测试在美国东部和西部将基因流注入孤立的鳟鱼种群的实验脉冲的成本和效益。在第一个研究系统中，从远交移民到近交受体群体的实验基因流被预测通过减轻近交具有积极的适应性效应。在第二个研究系统中，从近交系移民到近交系受体群体的实验基因流预计具有可忽略的健身效果，因为近交系移民不会掩盖近交系受体群体中的有害等位基因。这项工作将在两个研究系统中研究基因流在生物体和基因组水平上可能产生的负面影响。该项目还将使用创新的教育方法，以增加目前的野生动物专业人员，未来的专业人员目前就读于全国领先的野生动物生物学计划的本科生，和蒙大拿州农村中学生的遗传原理的知识。

Most species are comprised of multiple populations that exchange genes to some extent. Whether this exchange of genetic material has positive or negative effects on population persistence is a longstanding but still unresolved issue in evolutionary biology. This issue has conservation relevance in the context of habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to natural populations of many species because it prevents genetic exchange and isolates populations. Small and isolated populations often suffer from a loss of genetic diversity, increased inbreeding, and a reduced ability to adapt to new environmental conditions. The goal of this project is to experimentally induce genetic exchange in isolated natural trout populations as a window into understanding the effects of gene flow. This work will help resolve longstanding questions in evolutionary biology and will help to inform conservation and management. There is substantial interest in using strategic translocations of animals or plants to help save isolated populations from extinction. However, concerns about the possible negative consequences of genetic exchange have limited the application of this management approach. The educational components of this research will teach management professionals and Montana students, at all educational levels, about the application of genetic principles to conservation. This project will test the costs and benefits of experimental pulses of gene flow into isolated populations of trout in both the eastern and western United States. In the first study system, experimental gene flow from outbred immigrants into inbred recipient populations is predicted to have a positive fitness effect through the alleviation of inbreeding. In the second study system, experimental gene flow from inbred immigrants into inbred recipient populations is predicted to have negligible fitness effects because inbred immigrants will not mask deleterious alleles in inbred recipient populations. The work will examine the possible negative effects of gene flow at organismal and genome levels in both study systems. The project will also use innovative educational approaches to increase knowledge of genetic principles in current wildlife professionals, future professionals currently enrolled as undergraduates in the nation's leading Wildlife Biology program, and rural Montana middle school children.