NSF PRFB FY 2023: Resilience of animal social systems to environmental and demographic disturbances

这项行动资助了2023财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，综合研究调查了基因组，环境和表型之间的生命管理相互作用的规则。该研究金支持研究员的研究和培训，以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。社会行为与动物生活的多个方面相互作用，包括空间使用，生存和繁殖。在一个不断加速变化的世界里，了解社会行为如何帮助动物适应不断变化的环境，以及社会行为何时限制动物适应新的环境至关重要。该项目使用理论模型和对野生亚洲象种群的长期观察来研究：1）遗传和环境因素如何影响动物社会系统的结构; 2）社会系统如何应对栖息地退化和种群更替。这项研究的结果为保护政策提供了信息，以保护濒危的亚洲象种群，并减轻南亚和东南亚的人象冲突。此外，该研究员为K-12、本科生和研究生开发的教学材料和推广活动直接有助于STEM的教育和招聘。该研究员使用数学模型和现有的行为观察，从三个地理和遗传隔离的亚洲象岛屿种群（包括三个姐妹物种）调查改变社会行为的因素：斯里兰卡、苏门答腊和婆罗洲的亚洲象。该项目开发了理论模型，以评估遗传和环境因素对社会表型的作用，使用多智能体模拟和社会网络分析。模型用于预测不同土地利用情景和可变周转率下的社会动态和人口持续性，为土地利用管理提供信息预测。培训活动包括获得以下技能：1）研究本身的定量研究方法，2）通过与UC San Diego全球政策战略学院和非营利组织Trunk Leaves合作，保护政策和社区参与&&，以及3）通过为UC San Diego本科生现场方法课程开发材料，在保护生物学学会年会上的研究生/年轻专业人员研讨会，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 2023, 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. Social behaviors interact with multiple facets of an animal’s life, including space use, survival, and reproduction. In a world of accelerating change, it is critical to understand how social behaviors can help animals adapt to changing environments and when social behaviors restrict animals from adapting to new conditions. This project uses theoretical models and long-term observations from wild Asian elephant populations to ask 1) how genetic and environmental factors influence the structure of animal social systems and 2) how social systems change in response to habitat degradation and population turnover. The outcomes of this research inform conservation policy to protect endangered Asian elephant populations and mitigate human-elephant conflict across South and Southeast Asia. Additionally, teaching materials and outreach activities developed by the fellow for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students directly contribute to education and recruitment in STEM.The fellow investigates factors altering social behavior using mathematical models and existing behavioral observations from three geographically and genetically isolated island populations of Asian elephant, encompassing the three sister species: Sri Lankan, Sumatran, and Bornean Asian elephants. The project develops theoretical models to assess the role of genetic and environmental factors on social phenotypes using multiagent simulations and social network analysis. Models are used to predict social dynamics and population persistence under different land use scenarios and variable turnover rates to provide informative projections for land use management. Training activities include gaining skills in 1) quantitative research methods from the research itself, 2) conservation policy and community engagement through collaborations with the UC San Diego School of Global Policy & Strategy and the non-profit organization Trunk & Leaves, and 3) teaching and mentorship through developing materials for a UC San Diego undergraduate field methods course, a graduate/young professionals workshop at the Society for Conservation Biology annual meeting, and outreach events for K-12 students in collaboration with the UC San Diego education programs, CREATE and Library NExT.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.