Molecular phylogeny and speciation within a regional fauna

我的研究计划的中心目标是了解生物多样性的起源和持久性， 多层次-从特定遗传位点的等位基因变异到物种的组合， 地理比例尺。具体来说，我的研究计划的长期主题是：（i）记录自然种群内和自然种群之间的进化分歧模式，（ii）测试假设 关于这种变化的起源和持续性及其与当地气候变化等过程的关系， 适应和物种形成，以及（iii）将这些知识应用于生物多样性的保护。我用 淡水和海洋鱼类，主要是在北美西北部和北极，作为模型系统，以解决这些主题，构成中央调查有机体和进化生物学。我 研究提出了一些问题，如：物种之间的进化相互关系是什么， 什么地理过程（例如，地质构造、海平面变化、气候变化） 多样性？什么过程影响物种间杂交的程度和结果？什么 生境特征影响种群间适应性和中性变异的程度和模式？ 我们整合了对数百万年来作用过程的研究， 代我们采用遗传学和生态学方法进行假设检验。 的意义 拟议的研究包括：（i）解决进化中的一个基本问题-什么过程产生和维持生物多样性？(ii)提供分类学和生物多样性方面急需的培训， 加拿大，（三）在相对较差的北方和北极地区强调（一）和（二） 已知的生态系统，以及（iv）将（i）-（iii）中的所有知识应用于有效设计 面对人类引起的环境变化的保护计划。

The central goal of my research program is to understand the origins and persistence of biodiversity at multiple levels - from allelic variation at specific genetic loci to the assemblage of species at a biogeographic scale. Specifically, the long-term themes of my research program are to: (i) document the patterns of evolutionary divergence within and among natural populations, (ii) test hypotheses concerning the origins and persistence of this variation and its relevance to processes such as local adaptation and speciation, and (iii) to apply this knowledge to the conservation of biodiversity. I use freshwater and marine fishes, principally in northwestern North America and the Arctic, as model systems to address these themes which constitute central inquiries in organismal and evolutionary biology. My research poses questions such as: what are the evolutionary interrelationships amongst species and what biogeographic processes (e.g., tectonics, sea level changes, climate change) have shaped extant diversity? What processes influence the extent and outcome of hybridization between species? What habitat features influence the extent and patterns of adaptive and neutral variation among populations? We integrate studies of processes acting over millions of years to those acting across single years and generations. We employ both genetic and ecological methods in hypothesis testing. The significance of the proposed research involves: (i) addressing a fundamental query in evolution - what processes generate and sustain biodiversity?, (ii) providing much needed training in taxonomy and organismal diversity in Canada, (iii) providing some emphasis for (i) and (ii) in northern and Arctic areas which are relatively poorly known ecosystems, and (iv) applying all of the knowledge in (i)-(iii) in the effective design of conservation programs in the face of human-induced environmental change.