The timing and modes of macroevolutionary change: molecules, morphology, and simulations

宏观进化变化的时机和模式：分子、形态和模拟

• 批准号: 2776110
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Manchester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2776110
• 关键词: timing; modes; macroevolutionary; change; molecules

Project overview: Macroevolution can be studied using real-world (empirical) data, and computer simulations. This project will identify and investigate evolutionary patterns in deep time by combining these approaches. It will use a meta-analysis of real world phylogenetic data coupled with a custom-built evolutionary simulation software to explore evolutionary rates, common patterns in species and clade history, and the mechanisms of evolutionary change underlying them. Methods: There is a wealth of data available in the form of published morphological and molecular (i.e. total-evidence) phylogenetic studies that can be repurposed to investigate macroevolution. A key objective for this PhD will be to conduct a meta-analysis of these. The student will collect phylogenetic data, and then derive Bayesian phylogenies (using e.g. BEAST, MrBayes) with uncoupled morphological and molecular branch lengths. Fossil calibration points can then be used to recover rates, which will be compared across clades using the R language and a range of statistical approaches. This will allow the student to identify and quantify common patterns. The relationships between rates and potential drivers - such as periods of environmental change, extinctions, and the appearance of evolutionary novelties - can then be assessed. The differing impact of these factors on rates (and how this varies between the phenotype and genotype) will also be studied using the custom-built software REvoSim. This has been developed over the last eight years by members of the supervisory team (RJG and MDS) and was recently published. It already shows potentially exciting relationships between rates and speciation events, for example - and how these relate to the rate of environmental change.Project objectives: 1. Measure phenotypic and genotypic evolutionary rates using metaanalysis of combined molecular and morphological datasets (time-calibrated Bayesian phylogenies) and characterise the patterns and interrelationships of these rates. 2. Test hypotheses relating to the relative timing of evolutionary shifts such as the origin of clades, major transitions/novelties, and extinction events. 3. Conduct evolutionary simulations in REvoSim to identify the parameters under which patterns observed in the empirical data are replicated in silico, and study the effects of modifying these.

项目概述：宏观进化可以使用真实世界（经验）数据和计算机模拟进行研究。这个项目将通过结合这些方法来识别和研究深时间的进化模式。它将利用对真实的世界系统发育数据的元分析，再加上定制的进化模拟软件，探索进化速率、物种和进化支历史的共同模式以及它们背后的进化变化机制。研究方法：有丰富的数据，可在出版的形态学和分子（即全证据）系统发育研究，可以重新用于调查宏观进化的形式。这个博士学位的一个关键目标是对这些进行荟萃分析。学生将收集系统发育数据，然后推导贝叶斯系统发育（使用例如BEAST，MrBayes）与非偶联形态和分子分支长度。然后，可以使用化石校准点来恢复速率，这将使用R语言和一系列统计方法在分支之间进行比较。这将使学生能够识别和量化常见的模式。然后可以评估速率和潜在驱动因素之间的关系--例如环境变化的时期、预防措施和进化新事物的出现。还将使用定制软件REvoSim研究这些因素对发生率的不同影响（以及表型和基因型之间的差异）。这是由监督团队成员（RJG和MDS）在过去八年中开发的，最近出版。它已经展示了速率和物种形成事件之间潜在的令人兴奋的关系，例如-以及这些如何与环境变化的速率相关。项目目标：1.测量表型和基因型的进化率，使用荟萃分析的组合分子和形态数据集（时间校准贝叶斯遗传学），并分析这些速率的模式和相互关系。2.测试与进化转变的相对时间有关的假设，如分支的起源，主要的转变/新奇和灭绝事件。3.在REvoSim中进行进化模拟，以确定在经验数据中观察到的模式在计算机中复制的参数，并研究修改这些参数的效果。