OPUS: CRS Conceptual and Analytical Synthesis of Ecomorphological insights into diversification and adaptation

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One of the hallmarks of biological diversity is the unparalleled variation in form among species across taxonomic groups. Insights into the origin of new species and adaptation in the wild are often based on the characterization of morphological traits that enhance feeding, use of novel habitats, evading predators, or attracting mates. A core goal of this project is to determine how morphological traits are related to ecological function and exploitation of habitats. The research is based on the key concept of the form-function complex, which describes how morphology influences performance, ecology, and fitness. Thus, demonstrating the adaptive significance of a trait requires showing how it affects survival or reproduction. A second goal of this project is to demonstrate the role of morphology in predicting species habitat occupancy and community organization. Furthermore, the work will investigate how morphological traits drive diversification patterns as well as evaluate the adaptive basis of morphology by comparing disparity between clades that differ in species number.This project synthesizes ecomorphological approaches used in micro- and macroevolutionary analyses and makes available a large database to stimulate future research. The core data are derived from the PI's work on the covariation between morphology (900+ species) and physiological performance (300+ species) in ecological and evolutionary contexts using lizards as a model system. The published and unpublished data amassed over the past 30+ years will provide the largest synthetic analysis of ecomorphology across an extensive phylogenetic sample of species and provides the opportunity to test hypotheses regarding variation in trait diversification, whether morphological disparity promotes functional disparity, convergent evolution in form-function complexes and the roles of morphology and physiological traits in promoting adaptive radiations. Based on these data the analyses will 1) result in a comprehensive analysis of morphological diversification among major lizard clades, 2) test hypotheses pertaining to the influence of ecological traits (habitat, diet) in influencing phylogenetic diversification, morphological diversification, and functional diversification 3) estimate interspecific performance gradients using a phylogenetically informed analyses, 4) describe temporal and spatial variability of the performance gradient, and 5) determine the link between morphology, performance, and fitness using a long-term database. The results of the synthetic analysis of ecomorphological data will include the submission of a monograph. Concomitantly, the data associated with the synthesis will be made available as a phenotypic database to increase the accessibility to other researchers interested in ecomorphology.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.