Comparative and experimental studies of developmental plasticity and evolution

在地球漫长的历史中，各种各样的动物和其他有机体是如何进化成现在的形式的？ 新的形式是如何产生的？ 这是进化生物学家提出的两个大问题，关于最佳答案存在激烈的争论。 就像其他科学家争论我们每个人是受遗传还是环境的影响最大（“先天vs.后天”之争）一样，进化生物学家争论遗传和环境的相对影响。 这场辩论可以追溯到100多年前。 我的研究通过详细研究选定的动物来解决这些更大的进化问题。 我们主要关注海洋动物，这给了我们很大的回旋余地-成千上万的物种可供选择！ 我们将研究四个主题，以更好地了解基因型和环境在控制动物形态方面的作用：1）海胆幼虫在食物丰富或合适栖息地稀缺时克隆自己的显着能力--我们是第一个在海胆，沙元和海参的幼虫中发现这种能力的，2）当水流速度较低或个体较拥挤时，藤壶和瓷蟹能够长出更长的腿，以便更有效地过滤进食--我们是第一个发现藤壶腿长随波浪作用而精确变化的人，3）父母的形式和温度对眼睛一侧的影响，在一个不寻常的比目鱼物种，有时眼睛在右边，有时在左边，所以我们可以更好地理解一个显着的地理梯度：在日本100%的鱼是左眼，而在加州只有50%！，以及4）利手（偏好使用肢体--右侧或左侧）对蟹爪或石蛾幼虫管中形态不对称发育的影响--这些研究可以为我们理解一些动物是如何进化出明显不对称结构提供突破。 在我们的大多数研究中，将使用现场和实验室实验来帮助我们更好地了解动物在生长过程中改变其形态的机制。

Over the long history of the earth, how did the extraordinary variety of animals and other organisms evolve to their present form?  How did new forms arise?  These are two of the big questions evolutionary biologists ask, and lively debate exists over the best answers.  Just as other scientists argue about whether each of us is most influenced by heredity or environment (the "nature vs. nurture" debate), evolutionary biologists argue about the relative influence of genetics and environment.  This debate extends back over 100 years.      My research attacks these larger evolutionary questions by studying selected animals in detail.  We focus mainly on marine animals, which gives us lots of leeway -- thousands of species to choose from!  We will study four subjects to better understand the roles genotype and environment play in controlling the forms of animals:  1) the remarkable ability of sea urchin larvae to clone themselves when food is abundant or suitable habitat scarce -- we were the first to discover this ability in the larvae of sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers, 2) the ability of barnacles and porcelain crabs to grow longer legs for more efficient filter feeding when water velocities are lower or individuals are more crowded -- we were the first to discover that leg length in barnacles varies rather precisely with wave action, 3) the effects of parent form and temperature on eye-side in an unusual flatfish species that sometimes has eyes on the right side and sometimes on the left, so we can better understand a remarkable geographic gradient:  in Japan 100% of fish are left-eyed whereas in California only 50% are!, and 4) the effects of handedness (preferred limb use- right or left side) on the development of morphological asymmetries in crab claws or the tubes of caddisfly larvae-- these studies could provide a breakthrough in our understanding of how some animals evolved conspicuously asymmetrical structures.      In most of our studies, will use both field and laboratory experiments to help us better understand the mechanisms by which animals change their form in response to conditions they experience during growth.