Molecular and evolutionary ecology of species' geographical distributions

所有物种都有其地理分布的限制--从只在富氧环境中生存的细菌到只生活在世界一个小角落的植物。什么生物因素(即历史、生态和遗传学)决定了一个物种可以和不能在哪里生存，这是当今生物学家和自然资源保护者面临的一个持久但尚未解决的问题。一方面，我们寻求在未来全球化和气候情景下预测和管理动植物的分布。另一方面，我们面临着理解决定物种当前分布的关键因素的挑战。归根结底，一个物种可能只出现在与其基因构成相适应的栖息地，即它所适应的环境中。这是一个物种地理分布及其与生态环境相互作用的遗传基础，我的研究将致力于此。我们对与地理分布相关的因素的许多预期都是基于公认的、但很少被检验的理论模型。我的研究将建立在我目前测试植物适应和地理分布的生态学和遗传学的记录的基础上。我将评估栖息地和扩散与海岸沙丘植物的中性和功能性(即对适合性很重要)遗传变异的相互作用。Cakile edentula(十字花科)，海火箭，是海滩和沙丘植物区系中富有魅力的重要成员，具有远距离扩散的能力，分布在北美东部和西部的海岸线上。将现代分子技术、田间生物学和实验操作相结合，将为教学和发现提供极好的机会。

All species have limits to their geographical distributions - from the bacteria that survive only in oxygen rich environments to the plant that lives only in one small corner of the world. What biological factors (i.e. history, ecology and genetics) determine where a species can and cannot survive is an enduring yet unresolved question facing biologists and conservationists today. On the one hand, we seek to predict and manage the distributions of plants and animals under future globalization and climatic scenarios. On the other hand, we are tasked with the challenge of understanding the key factors that determine species' current distributions. Ultimately, a species may only occur in habitats that are compatible with its genetic make-up, that is, the environments to which it is adapted. It is the genetic basis to a species' geographic distribution and its interaction with ecological environments that my research will address. Many of our expectations for the factors associated with geographical distributions are based on well established, but infrequently tested theoretical models. My research will build on my current record of testing the ecology and genetics of adaptation and geographical distributions in plants. I will assess the interplay of habitat and dispersal with neutral and functional (i.e. important for fitness) genetic variation in a coastal dune plant. Cakile edentula (Brassicaceae), sea rocket, is a charismatic and important member of the beach and dune flora, has the ability for long distance dispersal, and occurs along both eastern and western North American coastlines. The combination of modern molecular techniques, field biology and experimental manipulations that characterize the research proposed here will provide an excellent opportunity for teaching and discovery.