RUI: Evaluating selection via ocean acidification and evolutionary responses of two coastal fishes

大气中二氧化碳的持续增加改变了海洋的酸度，这可能影响海洋生物的生长和生存。 对鱼类而言，海洋pH值的预计下降可能导致幼体和幼鱼阶段的死亡率严重增加。反过来，这些影响可能导致成鱼的数量和大小大幅减少，渔业产量损失，以及依赖海洋为生的人的收入损失。然而，如果物种能够在遗传上适应海洋酸化条件，那么进化反应可能会在种群的长期动态中发挥作用。该项目研究了海洋酸化如何改变两种鱼类在一系列育种实验中的自然选择模式，这些实验测试了不同遗传谱系对低pH值的耐受性。 这些实验正在确定这些种群中存在的遗传能力，以适应未来的条件，并抵消海水化学变化的负面影响。该项目的更广泛的影响包括两名研究生和至少九名本科生在一个机构，这是公认的既是一个西班牙裔服务机构和亚裔美国人，美洲原住民和太平洋岛民服务机构的培训，是世界上最具文化多样性的大学之一。其他更广泛的影响包括通过当地水族馆开展公共宣传活动，以及与当地城市和海滩管理人员定期举行会议。报告着重于两种具有文化和经济价值的鱼类的长期种群预测，该项目的目标是了解海洋酸化将如何影响后代存活和母体健康。该项目将定量遗传研究与实验室实验和种群建模相结合，以研究在目前和预测的海洋酸化条件下繁殖力和后代生存之间的权衡。育种实验正在评估幼虫性状背后的自然遗传变异。实验方案包括测试亲本的影响，通过暴露成鱼高pCO 2海水配子发生过程中，并测量后代的生存经历的海洋酸化的条件。目前正在通过数学模型研究海洋碳酸盐化学变化引起遗传变化的能力。定量评估包括：1）随着海水化学变化，选择如何运作; 2）作为幼虫性状基础的遗传（共）变异水平; 3）非遗传遗传是否可能影响对海洋酸化的反应; 4）进化变化是否足够快，足以影响相关时间范围内的种群动态（例如，10-100年）。该项目正在开发一个遗传模型，用于描述海洋化学变化如何推动自然选择。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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来支持。

Ongoing increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide have changed the acidity of the ocean, which could affect growth and survival of marine organisms. For fishes, the projected decreases in ocean pH could cause severe increases in mortality during the larval and juvenile stages. In turn, these effects may lead to major reductions in the numbers and size of adult fish, loss of fishery yields, and a loss of income for people whose livelihoods depend on the sea. However, if species can genetically adapt to become more tolerant of ocean acidification conditions, then evolutionary responses may play a role in the long-term dynamics of populations. This project examines how ocean acidification may alter patterns of natural selection for two species of fish in a set of breeding experiments that test tolerances to low pH of different genetic lineages. These experiments are determining the genetic capacity present in these populations to adapt to future conditions and offset the negative effects of changes in seawater chemistry. Broader impacts of this project include the training of two graduate students and at least nine undergraduates at an institution that is recognized as both a Hispanic Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institution, and is one of the most culturally diverse universities in the world. Additional broader impacts include public outreach activities through local aquaria and regular meetings with local city and beach managers. Presentations focus on long-term population predictions of two fish species that are culturally and economically valuable.The goal of the project is to understand how ocean acidification will affect both offspring survival and maternal fitness. The project combines quantitative genetic studies with laboratory experiments and population modeling to examine tradeoffs between fecundity and offspring survival under present and predicted ocean acidification conditions. Breeding experiments are assessing the natural genetic variance underlying larval traits. The experimental protocol includes testing for parental effects by exposing adult fishes to high-pCO2 seawater during gametogenesis and measuring the survival of offspring experiencing conditions of ocean acidification. The capacity for genetic change in response to changes in ocean carbonate chemistry is being investigated through mathematical models. Quantitative evaluation includes 1) how selection operates as seawater chemistry changes; 2) levels of genetic (co)variation underlying larval traits; 3) whether non-genetic inheritance may affect responses to ocean acidification; and 4) whether evolutionary changes are fast enough to affect the dynamics of populations over relevant timeframes (e.g., 10-100 years). The project is developing a genetic model for describing how changes in ocean chemistry are driving natural selection.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.