Phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in the morphology, life history traits and bioenergetics of introduced species

我的探索基金在这个周期的研究将集中在入侵鱼类种群的生活史、形态、遗传学和生物能量学；它们对新环境带来的新机会的反应能力以及对当地环境的适应丧失。这些假说将被测试，以识别和解释观察到的本地和非本地种群之间的生活史差异，随着入侵物种扩大其范围，生活史特征的动态变化，迁移到新地区的个体的适应优势，入侵种群的形态可塑性，以及入侵种群对新的热环境的能量适应。 范围扩大的动态方面将在安大略省的一个圆形虎鱼上进行评估，我们自2006年以来一直在研究该项目。种群和生活史特征将在其扩展范围的边缘与前一年的边缘进行比较，以测试该物种是否会迅速改变生活史策略。种群密度和栖息地数据将被纳入我们开发的范围扩展模型中。将进行现场试验，以确定虾虎鱼生物量、深度、速度和底物对虾虎鱼EDNA的影响，并将根据这些数据开发EDNA可探测性模型。 将分析本地和非本地南瓜种子的线粒体和微卫星DNA，以确定该物种入侵的伊比利亚半岛的原产地和范围扩大的机制。利用西班牙和安大略省来源种群在当地建立的南瓜种子群体的后代，将对幼虫进行营养共同环境实验，以评估形态可塑性，并测试其他假说，以解释对当地热制度的适应丧失。这些群体的后代的生活史特征将被评估，以确定遗传和表型可塑性对观察到的生活史差异的相对贡献。这项拟议的研究提供了一个独特的机会来解释为什么特定物种在一些地区是成功的入侵者，而在另一些地区却不是。

My Discovery Grant research in this cycle will focus on the life history, morphology, genetics and bioenergetics of invasive fish populations; their ability to respond to new opportunities presented by novel environments and the loss of adaptations to the native environment. Hypotheses will be tested that identify and explain observed life history differences between native and non-native populations, the dynamic alteration of life history traits as invasive species expand their range, fitness advantages to individuals that migrate into new areas, morphological plasticity in invasive populations, and energetic adaptations of invasive populations to a novel thermal regime. Dynamic aspects of range expansion will be assessed on a Round Goby in Ontario that we have studied since 2006. Population and life-history traits will be compared at the edge of its expanding range with those of its previous-year edge to test whether this species rapidly shifts life history strategies. Population density and habitat data will be incorporated into a range expansion model we developed. Field trials will be conducted to determine the effect of goby biomass, depth, velocity and substrate on goby eDNA, and an eDNA detectability model will be developed from these data. Mitochrondrial and microsatellite DNA will be analyzed from native and non-native Pumpkinseed to identify the area of origin and mechanisms of range expansion in the Iberian Peninsula where the species is invasive. Using progeny from Pumpkinseed colonies established locally from source populations in Spain and Ontario, trophic common environment experiments will be conducted with juveniles to assess morphological plasticity and to test alternative hypotheses to explain the loss of adaptations to native thermal regimes. Life-history traits of progeny from these colonies will be assessed to determine the relative contribution of inheritance and phenotypic plasticity to observed life history differences. The proposed research provides a unique opportunity to explain why particular species are successful invaders in some regions but not others.