EVO-LTER: Building collaborations to investigate the effects of urbanization on eco-evolutionary dynamics across the LTER network

生物体受到生态和进化力量的强烈影响。因为生态和进化过程是不断相互作用的，所以很难完全理解它们对生物体生物学的影响。生态进化动力学理论为在当代时间尺度上理解生态学与进化之间的相互作用提供了一个强有力的框架。长期生态研究(LTER)网络成立于1980年，拥有20多个地理研究站点，拥有丰富的历史和当代数据，涉及各种生物群中的许多物种。重要的是，许多LTER遗址都嵌入了城市化的景观中，那里的生态进化动力可能特别强。有必要将在城市生态进化动力学方面具有研究专长的学者和LTER研究人员聚集在一起，以(I)在明确的城市背景下整合LTER方法和生态进化动力学框架，以及(Ii)以综合科学方法培训未来的LTER生态进化动力学研究人员。这个项目的目的是开发促进包容性和公平性的研究倡议，同时促进生态学和进化生物学的科学。将主办两个讲习班，以实现这些目标。预期成果包括编写几份手稿，总结数据合成活动并概述长期热核实验场生态进化研究的未来。另一个成果是形成了关于城市化对整个LTER网络生态进化动态的影响的新假设，以刺激未来合作和变革性研究的计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Living organisms are strongly shaped by both ecological and evolutionary forces. Because ecological and evolutionary processes are constantly interacting, it can be difficult to fully understand their effects on the biology of organisms. Eco-evolutionary dynamics theory provides a powerful framework for understanding interactions between ecology and evolution on contemporary time scales. The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network, which was launched in 1980 and has over two dozen geographic research sites, has rich historical and contemporary data for many species across a diversity of biomes. Importantly, many LTER sites are embedded in urbanizing landscapes, where eco-evolutionary dynamics may be particularly strong. There is a need to bring together scholars with research expertise in urban eco-evolutionary dynamics and LTER researchers to (i) integrate LTER approaches and the eco-evolutionary dynamics framework in an explicitly urban context, and (ii) train future LTER eco-evolutionary dynamics researchers in an integrative science approach. The intention of this project is to develop research initiatives that promote inclusion and equity while advancing the science of ecology and evolutionary biology. Two workshops will be hosted to meet these goals. Anticipated outcomes include the preparation of several manuscripts that summarize data synthesis activities and outline the future of eco-evolutionary research at LTER sites. Another outcome is the formation of new hypotheses about the effects of urbanization on eco-evolutionary dynamics across the LTER network to stimulate plans for future collaborative and transformative research.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.