How does seasonal migration influence genetic migration? Testing the evolutionary consequences of a widespread life history adaptation in a species assemblage of boreal birds

动物生态学和进化中最重要的过程之一是分散，即个体从它们出生的地方迁移到它们最初繁殖的地方。扩散对进化很重要，因为它影响到在不同地方发现的种群交换基因的数量（基因流动），从而影响到它们是进化成不同的物种还是保持一个整体。然而，由于追踪小动物的困难，分散很难研究和理解。例如，候鸟每年进行惊人的往返迁徙，但这些迁徙如何影响种群之间的基因运动尚不清楚。本研究利用基因组工具和迁徙跟踪标签来研究候鸟基因流动的动态。这样一来，这项研究将阐明长途迁徙是如何以及为什么进化的。该项目将在自然历史博物馆开发一个多媒体公共展览，探索迁徙生物学和候鸟面临的威胁。研究人员还将召开一个研讨会，讨论如何减轻候鸟因建筑物碰撞而死亡的问题，以及如何将鸟类建筑物碰撞的数据用于科学和保护目的。最后，本研究将为学生提供追踪候鸟的体验式学习机会。这项研究将探究季节性迁徙（广泛的生活史适应季节性环境）和遗传迁徙（构成种群分化基础的基因运动）之间的关系。长期以来，人们一直认为季节性迁徙会影响扩散，从而影响基因流动，但人们对长距离季节性迁徙是促进还是限制基因流动仍知之甚少。本研究提出了一种新的比较框架，结合种群基因组学来检验季节性迁移对基因流动影响的相互竞争的假设。利用全基因组测序，研究人员将测量在北美北方森林繁殖的32种共分布鸟类中每种鸟类繁殖范围内的种内基因组差异。这些物种在冬天的位置不同，因此它们的迁徙距离也不同，这些距离将通过用轻型地理定位器跟踪个体来测量。然后，研究人员将使用系统发育比较方法来评估遗传分化、迁移距离和其他关键特征之间的关系。该项目将促进对生命史变化如何影响种群遗传分化的物种进化轨迹的理解。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。

One of the most important processes in animal ecology and evolution is dispersal, the movement of individuals from the places where they are born to the places where they first reproduce. Dispersal is important for evolution because it influences how much populations found in different places exchange genes (gene flow), and therefore whether they will evolve into different species or stay connected as one. However, dispersal is difficult to study and poorly understood owing to the difficulty of tracking small animals. Migratory birds, for example, undergo staggering round trip migrations each year, but it remains unclear how these migratory movements influence the movement of genes between populations. This research uses genomic tools and migration tracking tags to investigate the dynamics of gene flow in migratory birds. In so doing, the research will shed light on how and why long-distance migration evolved. The project will develop a multimedia public exhibit at a natural history museum that explores the biology of migration and the threats facing migratory birds. The researchers will also convene a workshop to address how migratory bird deaths from building collisions can be mitigated and how data from bird building collisions can be used for scientific and conservation purposes. Finally, the proposed research will facilitate experiential learning opportunities for students to track migratory birds.The research will interrogate the relationship between seasonal migration—a widespread life history adaptation for seasonal environments—and genetic migration—the movement of genes that underlies population differentiation. Seasonal migration has long been thought to influence dispersal and therefore gene flow, but whether long-distance seasonal migration promotes versus constrains gene flow remains poorly understood. This proposal uses a novel comparative framework coupled with population genomics to test competing hypotheses on the influence of seasonal migration on gene flow. Using whole genome sequencing, the researchers will measure intraspecific genomic differentiation across the breeding ranges of each of 32 co-distributed bird species that breed in North American boreal forest. These species vary in their winter locations and thus their migration distances—distances that will be measured by tracking individuals with light-level geolocators. The researchers will then use phylogenetic comparative methods to assess the relationship between genetic differentiation, migration distance and other key traits. The project will advance understanding of how variation in life history influences species’ evolutionary trajectories of population genetic differentiation.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.