Evolutionary and ecological processes in human-altered environments

人类改变的环境中的进化和生态过程

• 批准号: 39464-2009
• 负责人: Gross, Mart
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2009-01-01 至 2010-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=421149
• 关键词: Evolutionary; ecological; processes; human; altered

Through human population growth, technology and consumption, Earth's ecosystems are modified to the extent that altered environments are the predominant habitat for biodiversity. Evolutionary ecology should therefore move beyond the study of biodiversity in its natural settings to understanding its evolutionary trajectories in human-altered environments. Establishing how evolution contributes to the success or failure of biodiversity in novel habitats expands our understanding of the potential for life to respond to anthropogenic influence. Our long-term objective is a comprehensive understanding of the evolutionary and ecological processes underlying adaptation and colonization, as illuminated by salmon. Perhaps more than any other vertebrate taxa, salmonid fishes have been translocated to many regions of the world where they experience natural selection in novel environments. In addition, salmon are produced both within and outside their range, by artificial propagation centers or hatcheries to meet the dual roles of production and conservation. By building on twenty-five years of research on salmon, including in their natural environment, we will now examine their evolution and ecology in human-altered environments: natural range with propagation, exotic range with propagation, and exotic range without propagation. Specifically, through field and lab studies in all three altered environments, we will: (1) quantify selection and the resulting fitness consequences to the population; (2) determine which processes either promote or discourage successful adaptation, and (3) characterize the potential for further evolution of biodiversity. Results from these three different types of human-altered environments will reveal the potential for divergence and expose the evolutionary and ecological processes at play. This will provide an advanced understanding of how biodiversity evolves in human-altered environments, and offer greatly improved control over wildlife through management. Thus the research will have both pure (discovery) and applied (conservation and exploitation) applications. We will train highly qualified personnel for research and its application to wildlife, and generate publications of high relevance to the disciplines of evolution and ecology. Because we are working with salmon, our research is economically important to Canadians and our students are certain to be in demand in private, government and academic sectors.

通过人口增长、技术和消费，地球的生态系统被改变，改变的环境成为生物多样性的主要栖息地。因此，进化生态学应该超越对自然环境下生物多样性的研究，去理解其在人类改变的环境中的进化轨迹。确定进化如何影响新栖息地生物多样性的成功或失败，扩大了我们对生命对人为影响作出反应的可能性的理解。我们的长期目标是全面了解适应和殖民化的进化和生态过程，正如鲑鱼所阐明的那样。也许比任何其他脊椎动物分类，鲑科鱼类已经转移到世界上许多地区，在那里他们经历了自然选择的新环境。此外，鲑鱼在其范围内和范围外，通过人工繁殖中心或孵化场进行生产，以满足生产和保护的双重作用。通过对鲑鱼25年的研究，包括在它们的自然环境中，我们现在将研究它们在人类改变的环境中的进化和生态：繁殖的自然范围，繁殖的外来范围和没有繁殖的外来范围。具体来说，通过在所有三种改变的环境中进行实地和实验室研究，我们将：(1)量化选择和由此产生的适应度对种群的影响；(2)确定哪些过程促进或阻碍了成功的适应；(3)描述生物多样性进一步进化的潜力。这三种不同类型的人类改变环境的结果将揭示分化的可能性，并揭示正在发挥作用的进化和生态过程。这将提供对生物多样性在人类改变的环境中如何演变的先进理解，并通过管理大大改善对野生动物的控制。因此，该研究将具有纯（发现）和应用（保护和开发）的双重应用。培养野生动物研究和应用方面的高素质人才，出版与进化、生态等学科高度相关的出版物。因为我们研究的是鲑鱼，所以我们的研究对加拿大人来说具有重要的经济意义，我们的学生肯定会在私人、政府和学术部门受到需求。