NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Evolution of body shape in carnivoran mammals

本行动资助NSF 2019年度生物学博士后研究奖学金，利用生物馆藏进行研究。该奖学金支持研究和培训将以创新的方式利用生物收集的研究员。哺乳动物的体型千差万别，从健壮的像坦克一样的大象到细长的啮齿动物。是什么导致了这种体型的变化？为什么一些关系密切的物种表现出相似的体型（例如小鼠和大鼠），而另一些物种却属于几乎不相似的群体（例如大象和海牛）？能不能确定导致哺乳动物体型多样性的统一的进化或生态模式？这些模式会导致我们在灵长类动物甚至人类谱系中观察到的主要转变吗？为了回答这些问题，该项目将建立一个记录哺乳动物体型的数据库，并测试有关体型的生态学和进化以及导致不同体型的潜在形式的问题。他还将在美国自然历史博物馆工作，展示哺乳动物身体形态的巨大多样性。了解表型变异的主要模式和适应性意义是进化生物学的中心目标。在脊椎动物中，体型多样性是表型变异的最显著特征之一，它可以导致进化分支中多样化、生态位特化和创新的增加。然而，生物学家仍然缺乏对体形多样性的潜在形态学成分的充分了解，特别是在哺乳动物等吸热脊椎动物中。因此，人们对哺乳动物体型的形态学、生态学和进化以及导致不同体型的潜在特征知之甚少。本研究将检验有关颅、轴和尾部组成部分的进化整合的假设，这些组成部分有助于身体形状的多样性，以及身体形状的适应意义。为了实现这些目标，本研究将利用自然历史博物馆保存的骨骼标本，生成第一个哺乳动物体型的定量数据库，并测试以下假设：H1)骨骼成分对食肉动物体型多样性的贡献是进化整合的；H2)哺乳动物体型和肢体长度之间的关系遵循与变温脊椎动物相似的趋势；H3)运动和饮食生态影响食肉动物体型的进化。他还将在美国自然历史博物馆（American Museum of Natural History）工作，展示哺乳动物颅骨、轴骨和尾骨的巨大多样性，以及它们对哺乳动物多样性和差异性的贡献。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. Mammals vary by a magnitude of shapes from robust tank-like elephants to elongate rodents. What contributes to this range of body shapes? Why do some closely related species exhibit similar body shapes (e.g. mice and rats) whereas others belong to groups with members that hardly resemble one another (e.g. elephants and manatees)? Can unifying evolutionary or ecological patterns that led to this diversity in mammalian body shapes be identified? And could these patterns have led to the major transitions that we observe in primates and even human lineages? To answer these questions, this project will assemble a database that records body shapes in mammals and test questions about the ecology and evolution of body shapes and the underlying forms that contribute to diverse body plans. The fellow will also work the American Museum of Natural History to showcase the great diversity of mammalian body forms.Understanding the major patterns and adaptive significance of phenotypic variation is a central goal of evolutionary biology. In vertebrates, body shape diversity is one of the most prominent features of phenotypic variation that can lead to increased diversification, niche specialization, and innovations within a clade. However, biologists still lack a full understanding of the underlying morphological components that contribute to body shape diversity, particularly in endothermic vertebrates such as mammals. Consequently, little is known about the morphology, ecology, and evolution of mammalian body shapes as well as the underlying traits that contribute to different body plans. This research will test hypotheses pertaining to the evolutionary integration of the cranial, axial, and appendicular components that contribute to body shape diversity, and the adaptive significance of body shapes. To accomplish these goals, this research will generate the first quantitative database of mammalian body shapes using skeletal specimens held at natural history museums and test the following hypotheses: H1) skeletal components contributing to body shape diversity in carnivorans are evolutionarily integrated, H2) the relationship between body shape and limb length in mammals follows a similar trend as ectothermic vertebrates, and H3) locomotor and dietary ecologies influence the evolution of carnivoran body shapes. The fellow will also work the American Museum of Natural History to showcase the great diversity of mammalian cranial, axial, and appendicular skeletons and their contributions towards generating diversity and disparity in mammals.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.