DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Quantifying Rapid Adaptation in an Aquatic Invasive Algal Species.

该项目将调查导致非本地藻类物种星形石藻（starry stonewort）在美国北部湖泊建立并入侵的遗传因素。水生入侵物种对人类和自然群落产生了严重的影响，并且管理成本很高。星石草在欧洲和亚洲的原产范围内被认为是罕见的，但自从20世纪70年代在北美被发现以来，它已经大量传播并成为入侵物种。研究人员将比较从本地和非本地范围以及不同时期收集的藻类标本的整个基因组数据，以确定导致该物种快速适应美国新栖息地的基因。研究结果将有助于开发管理有害入侵物种的工具和策略。该项目将涉及对本科生的指导，包括来自科学领域代表性不足的群体的个人。此外，该项目还将为纽约市的高中和其他K-12学生开发藻类多样性课程。研究人员将对钝尖Nitellopsis obtusa的基因组和基因进行调查，以验证该物种的等位基因频率变化与入侵范围内新的化学和营养制度以及新的气候条件的快速适应有关的假设。遗传数据将以干燥的植物标本馆标本的形式从本地和入侵范围的新鲜材料和自然史收集，在入侵的早期和后期的时间点。这种空间和时间采样将允许追踪等位基因的频率变化，以确定在引入的范围内是否发生了重大变化。本研究将对原生和外来个体的黑藻核基因组进行测序，以检测其与其他绿藻和陆生植物的基因含量和组织结构。总共48个候选基因，代表了一系列关键功能，将从暂时分层的本地和入侵样本中测序。研究结果将为该物种的基因型-表型研究以及绿藻的系统发育和基因组分析奠定基础。

This project will investigate genetic factors that have enabled the non-native algal species, starry stonewort, to establish and invade northern lakes in the United States. Aquatic invasive species have serious impacts on human and natural communities, and are very expensive to manage. Starry stonewort is considered rare in its native range of Europe and Asia, but has spread prolifically and become invasive since it was discovered in North America in the 1970s. The researchers will compare whole genomic data for algal specimens collected from both the native and non-native range and at different time periods to identify genes responsible for the rapid adaptation of this species to novel habitats in the United States. Results of this work will help in the development of tools and strategies for managing harmful invasive species. The project will involve mentoring of undergraduates, including of individuals from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. In addition, the project will develop an algae diversity curriculum for high school and other K-12 students in New York City. Genomes and genes of Nitellopsis obtusa will be surveyed to test the hypothesis that allele frequency shifts in this species are associated with rapid adaptation to novel chemical and nutrient regimes and novel climatic conditions of the invasive range. Genetic data will be collected from both fresh material and natural history collections, in the form of dried herbarium specimens, from the native and invasive ranges, at time points early and late in the invasion. This spatial and temporal sampling will allow allele frequency shifts to be tracked through time, to determine if significant changes have occurred in the introduced range. The nuclear genome of N. obtusa from native and invasive individuals will be sequenced to test gene content and organization relative to other green algae and land plants. A total of 48 candidate genes, representing an array of key functions, will be sequenced from the temporally stratified native and invasive samples. Results will lay the groundwork for future genotype-to-phenotype studies in this species and phylogenetic and genomic analyses of green algae.