RUI: Collaborative Research: Reasons for Rarity? Exploring Acclimatory and Adaptive Constraints to Commonness

在自然界中，所有的物种都不是平等的。也就是说，虽然有些物种是常见的，但其他物种是罕见的。科学家们并不完全理解为什么物种丰度存在这种差异，特别是稀有物种如何继续存在。 由于自然界是动态的，为了生存，物种必须成功地应对它们所经历的环境变化。可能的方法包括适应和驯化。适应涉及到一个群体在几代人之间的遗传变化。这种适应能力受到种群内发现的变异的影响，这种变异可能局限于稀有物种，这些物种通常数量很少。适应涉及一个人在其一生中适应不同条件的能力。在面对环境的迅速变化时，适应可能特别重要，因为适应需要时间。这项研究将研究常见和稀有植物物种如何适应和适应环境变化，以了解每种植物如何持续生存。这项研究的结果将有助于指导珍稀物种的保护，并将促进植物园和几所本科重点大学的研究人员之间的合作。这项研究将支持学生体验式学习，以及指导和包容来自自然科学和社区学院代表性不足群体的学生。最后，该项目还将通过科学咖啡馆和植物园的外展机会吸引公众参与。为什么有些物种是罕见的，而另一些物种是常见的问题是持久的，对生态理论，稀有物种的保护和生物多样性模式的理解具有重要意义。这项研究将使用多方面的方法来解决为什么有些物种是罕见的，而另一些是常见的。首先，评估潜在的驯化和适应性的限制与物种的共性，实验室实验，使用受控环境，以及实地调查，将进行比较的遗传多样性和生态生理可塑性内和跨一套罕见的地方性和常见的同源植物物种。第二，框架实证调查和了解与植物稀有性相关的性状，现有的主要文献的综合将进行。第三，为了预测稀有物种的表现和持久性，将使用经验推导的基于性状和可塑性的数据来开发基于性状的机械模型。这项研究所支持的合作研究工作将提供更深入的物种稀有性的概念理解和保护工作的指导。

In the natural world all species are not represented equally. That is, while some species are common, others are rare. Scientists do not fully understand why such differences in the abundance of species exist and in particular how rare species can continue to persist. As the natural world is dynamic, in order to persist, species must successfully respond to the environmental changes they experience. Possible ways to do this include adaptation and acclimation. Adaptation involves a genetic change in a population over generations. This ability to adapt is influenced by the variation found within a population and this variation may be limited for rare species, which often are found in small numbers. Acclimation involves the ability of an individual within its life-time to adjustment to different conditions. Acclimation may be especially important in the face of rapid environmental change because adaptation takes time. This study will examine how common and rare plant species adapt and acclimate to environmental change to understand how each can persist. The results of this study will help guide the conservation of rare species and will foster collaborations among researchers at botanical gardens and several undergraduate focused universities. This research will support student experiential learning, as well as the mentoring and inclusion of students from underrepresented groups in the natural sciences and community colleges. Finally, this project will also engage the public through science cafés and outreach opportunities at botanical gardens.The question of why some species are rare while others are common is enduring and has important implications for ecological theory, the conservation of rare species, and the understanding of biodiversity patterns. This study will use a multi-faceted approach to address why some species are rare while others are common. First, to assess the potential acclimatory and adaptive constraints associated with the commonness of species, laboratory experiments using controlled-environments, as well as field surveys, will be conducted to compare the genetic diversity and ecophysiological plasticity found within and across a suite of rare endemic and common congeneric plant species. Second, to frame empirical investigations and understand the traits associated with plant rarity, a comprehensive synthesis of the existing primary literature will be conducted. And third, to predict the performance and persistence of rare species, empirically derived trait and plasticity based data will be used to develop mechanistic trait-based models. The collaborative research efforts supported by this study will provide a deeper conceptual understanding of species rarity and guidance for conservation efforts.