CAREER: Investigating Biogeographic Hypotheses and Drivers of Diversification in Neotropical Harvestmen (Opiliones: Laniatores) Using Ultraconserved Elements

职业：利用超保守元素研究新热带收获者（Opiliones：Laniatores）多样化的生物地理学假设和驱动因素

• 批准号: 2337605
• 负责人: Daniel Proud
• 金额: $ 88.8万
• 依托单位: Moravian University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2028-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2337605&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Investigating; Biogeographic; Hypotheses; Drivers

Understanding processes that generate biodiversity, and explaining the distribution of species on Earth, are fundamental goals in studies of evolutionary history and biogeography. The arachnid order Opiliones, known as harvestmen or daddy long-legs, provides a powerful model for understanding the factors that affect the distribution of species. This project will advance our scientific knowledge of how species diversity has been shaped by evolutionary processes linked to complex geological and climatic histories. The research will focus on harvestmen in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. The discovery of new species will promote conservation efforts of critical habitats and educate the public about biodiversity science. A postdoctoral researcher and many undergraduate students will participate in mentored research. They will be trained to use powerful bioinformatic tools, cutting-edge molecular approaches, and advanced microscopy techniques. Additional undergraduate students, including non-science majors, will engage in international travel and research through a new course-based undergraduate research experience. Public facing educational materials about harvestmen and other arachnids will be developed, in English and Spanish, for distribution on social media and in communities where field work takes place. The global dimensions of this project will advance public scientific literacy and build strong collaborations within a global network of arachnologists.Researchers will construct a phylogenomic framework based on UCEs (ultraconserved elements) for two clades of Neotropical harvestmen. A robust taxon sample will be assembled by leveraging the taxonomic and geographic strengths of several natural history museum collections combined with field expeditions. The phylogenomic framework will be used to test biogeographic hypotheses, investigate patterns of richness and diversification, and facilitate a modern integrative approach to systematics. Estimating time-calibrated phylogenies and testing biogeographic hypotheses will elucidate the relative role of vicariance and dispersal in producing present-day species distributions in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. Spatial, clade-based, and trait-based patterns of species richness will be explored by comparing the timing and tempo of diversification between multiple lineages in different landscapes (islands and continents). A modern integrative approach to harvestmen systematics will use phylogenetically informative characters to delimit taxa and will contribute to the inventory of global biodiversity. The phylogenomic framework represents a transformative step towards advancing knowledge of harvestmen ecology and evolution and will enable future studies to address species- or clade-specific questions. Curation of citizen science data in iNaturalist and digitization of types and vouchers in museum collections will improve publicly accessible databases. Ultimately, this project will advance our understanding of the diversity of life and provide novel insight into the origins and diversification of a fascinating group of Neotropical arachnids.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.

了解产生生物多样性并解释物种在地球上的分布的过程是进化史和生物地理学研究的基本目标。 Arachnid Order Operiones（称为Harvestmen或Daddy Longe）提供了一个强大的模型，以了解影响物种分布的因素。该项目将通过与复杂的地质和气候历史相关的进化过程来促进我们对物种多样性的科学知识。该研究将重点放在中美洲和加勒比海群岛的收割者上。发现新物种将促进关键栖息地的保护工作，并向公众提供有关生物多样性科学的教育。博士后研究人员和许多本科生将参加指导研究。他们将接受培训，可以使用强大的生物信息学工具，尖端的分子方法和高级显微镜技术。包括非科学专业在内的其他本科生将通过新的基于课程的本科研究经验从事国际旅行和研究。公开面对有关收割机和其他蛛网的教育材料将以英语和西班牙语开发，以在社交媒体和实地工作的社区中分发。该项目的全球维度将提高公共科学素养，并在全球蛛网科医生网络内建立强大的合作。研究人员将针对两个新热带收获者的UCES（超级保守元素）构建一个基于UCES（超级保守元素）的系统基因组框架。通过利用几种自然历史博物馆收藏的分类学和地理优势和实地考察的分类学和地理优势，将组装出强大的分类单元样本。系统基因组框架将用于测试生物地理假设，研究丰富性和多样化的模式，并促进现代的系统综合方法。估计时间校准的系统发育和测试生物地理假设将阐明田鼠和扩散在中美洲和加勒比群岛生产当今物种分布中的相对作用。通过比较不同景观（岛屿和大陆）多种谱系之间的多样化的时机和节奏，可以探索物种丰富度的空间，基于进化枝和基于特质的物种丰富度模式。一种现代化的综合方法来收割机系统学，将使用系统发育内容丰富的特征来界定分类单元，并有助于全球生物多样性的清单。系统基因组框架代表了迈向了解收获生态学和进化知识的变革性步骤，并将使未来的研究能够解决物种或特定于物种的问题。 inaturalist公民科学数据的策划以及博物馆收藏中类型和代金券的数字化将改善公开访问的数据库。最终，该项目将促进我们对生活多样性的理解，并提供有关新热带蛛网动物的起源和多样化的新颖见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的审查标准来通过评估来支持的。