NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: From genomes to geographic distributions: testing the eco-evolutionary mechanisms of species range limits

该行动资助了NSF 2020财年生物学博士后研究奖学金，研究基因组，环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则的综合研究。该奖学金支持将以创新方式对生活规则领域作出贡献的研究员的研究和培训。生态学和进化生物学的一个核心问题是，是什么限制了物种的分布——既然自然选择能够产生适应新环境的能力，为什么每个物种只占据地球栖息地的一小部分？与此相关的是，是什么使得入侵物种能够迅速扩大它们的活动范围，而许多本地物种已经在同一个地方生活了数百代？一个物种扩大其活动范围的能力将取决于环境在空间和时间上的变化有多快，以及适应新环境的基因。本研究将利用实验、基因组学和建模来揭示促进和阻碍种群适应的因素，同时对本科生进行关键研究方法的培训，并支持非正式的公共科学教育。当限制物种分布的因素已知时，将有可能更好地管理入侵物种，并更准确地预测物种的范围将如何在不断变化的气候中变化。该项目将使用一套互补的方法来阐明促进和阻碍生态梯度适应的生态进化动力学。首先，研究员将利用红粉甲虫（Tribolium castaneum）的实验进化来测试梯度形状、扩散潜力和时间环境变化对范围扩展和适应新环境的潜在相互作用。本研究将利用本实验的种群基因组数据来了解在范围扩展过程中适应的遗传变化，在稳定范围限制下阻止适应的遗传机制，以及梯度类型、分散和时间变化如何通过种群遗传效应影响范围动态。最后，将建立一个新的基于个体的仿真模型，用实验数据进行参数化，并通过在选择性环境中包含时间变化来扩展最近的范围极限模型。该研究员将通过怀俄明州研究学者计划（Wyoming Research Scholars Program）招募本科生，重点关注STEM领域代表性不足的群体，并通过拟议的研究和对个别项目的支持指导这些学生。在校外，他将在非正式的公共场所讲授引人入胜的生物学课程。在完成奖学金后，研究员将在一系列理论，实证和基因组学方法方面拥有广泛的，互补的经验。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 2020, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. One of the central questions of ecology and evolutionary biology is what limits species’ distributions — given the power of natural selection to produce adaptations to novel environments, why does every species occupy only a small portion of the Earth’s habitat? Related to this, what enables invasive species to rapidly expand their range while many native species have been in the same place for hundreds of generations? The ability of a species to expand its range will be determined by how quickly the environment changes across space and time, and the genetics underlying adaptation to new environments. This research will use experiments, genomics, and modeling to uncover the factors that promote and hinder adaptation of populations expanding across the landscape, while training undergraduates in key research methods and supporting informal, public science education. When the factors limiting species’ distributions are known, it will be possible to better manage invasive species, and more accurately predict how species’ ranges will shift in a changing climate. This project will use a complementary suite of approaches to elucidate the eco-evolutionary dynamics that promote and hinder adaptation across ecological gradients. First, the fellow will use experimental evolution of the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) to test the potentially interactive effects of gradient shape, dispersal potential, and temporal environmental variation on range expansion and adaptation to novel environments. The research will then use population genomic data from this experiment to understand the genetic changes underlying adaptation during range expansion, the genetic mechanisms preventing adaptation at stable range limits, and how gradient type, dispersal, and temporal variation influence range dynamics through population genetic effects. Finally, a novel individual-based simulation model will be built, parameterized with the experimental data, and extends recent range limit models by including temporal variation in selective environments. The fellow will recruit undergraduate students through the Wyoming Research Scholars Program, focusing on groups underrepresented in STEM fields, and mentor these students through the proposed research and support of individual projects. Outside the university, the fellow will bring engaging biology lessons to informal, public venues. Upon completion of this fellowship the fellow will have extensive, complementary experience in a range of theoretical, empirical, and genomics approaches.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.