An automated system for small mammal population monitoring

用于小型哺乳动物种群监测的自动化系统

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00564
• 负责人: Garroway, Colin
• 金额: $ 8.34万
• 依托单位: University of Manitoba
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616711
• 关键词: automated; system; small; mammal; population

My program aims to understand how ecology and demography interact with population genomic processes to both produce and constrain evolutionary change. I use the colonisations of cities by grey squirrels to address my questions. Urbanisation fragments populations, shapes dispersal patterns, alters selective pressures, and is replicated in space, which makes it an ideal natural experiment with which to explore local adaptation. My group’s current research focuses on quantifying how putatively adaptive alleles affect demographic, ecological, and life history variation in natural settings. Answering such questions in the best possible way requires both population-level DNA sequencing and intensive ecological monitoring of a large number of individuals across environments, entire lifetimes, and generations. Generating population genomic data is now straightforward. However, generating long-term year-round ecological data remains difficult. This is because it is not financially feasible for most research groups to hire a team of full-time permanent field technicians for daily trapping and tracking. I propose to solve this problem technologically with the proposed design and purchase of an automated monitoring system capable of year-round population monitoring of hundreds of marked squirrels. The automation means that this system is cost effective and sustainable over the long-term. Each year in Winnipeg my students and I inject >300 squirrels subcutaneously with radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips encased in biocompatible glass. The monitoring system I have designed takes advantage of this method of marking. It is comprised of 28 automated RFID microchip readers with antennas affixed to baited feeding boxes. Each unit logs date, time, ID, and location data for squirrels that pass through antennas. In addition, each unit will collect environmental and life history data (e.g., mass) and record visits by unmarked individuals, which is important for demographic modelling. Access to food can be restricted via a programmable scheduler so that availability can be made to mimic ephemeral food resources. Access to food can also be restricted to particular individuals based upon RFID codes, which allows for experimental feeding studies. Each unit automatically communicates all data to a server via cellular networks. Data generated by this system will greatly enhance the scope and impact of my new research program and my ability to continue to train HQP in the use of leading edge population monitoring systems, spatial demographic modelling, and population genomics. By providing the ability to link genomic selection to species ecology, this system will enable us to answer difficult to address questions about the pace, scale, and nature of local adaptation. In the long-term, data generated by this system will be the cornerstone of my research program.

我的计划旨在了解生态学和人口学如何与人口基因组过程相互作用，以产生和限制进化变化。我用灰松鼠对城市的殖民来回答我的问题。城市化使人口碎片化，形成分散模式，改变选择压力，并在空间中复制，这使其成为探索当地适应的理想自然实验。我的小组目前的研究重点是量化pupperial适应等位基因如何影响人口，生态和生活史的变化在自然环境中。 要以最好的方式解决这些问题，就需要进行群体水平的DNA测序，并对大量个体的整个生命周期和几代人的环境进行密集的生态监测。现在，生成人口基因组数据非常简单。然而，生成长期的全年生态数据仍然很困难。这是因为，对于大多数研究小组来说，聘请一个全职的永久性实地技术人员团队进行日常诱捕和跟踪在经济上是不可行的。我建议从技术上解决这个问题，建议设计和购买一个自动监测系统，能够全年监测数百只有标记的松鼠。自动化意味着该系统具有成本效益和长期可持续性。 每年在温尼伯，我和我的学生都会给300多只松鼠皮下注射包裹在生物相容性玻璃中的射频识别（RFID）芯片。我设计的监控系统就利用了这种标记方法。它由28个自动RFID微芯片阅读器组成，天线固定在诱饵喂食箱上。每个单元记录通过天线的松鼠的日期、时间、ID和位置数据。此外，每个单位将收集环境和生活史数据（例如，这对人口建模很重要。可以通过可编程的调度程序限制对食物的访问，以便可以模拟短暂的食物资源。食物的获取也可以根据RFID代码限制在特定的个人，这允许实验性喂养研究。每个单元通过蜂窝网络自动将所有数据传输到服务器。 该系统生成的数据将大大提高我的新研究计划的范围和影响，以及我继续培训HQP使用前沿人口监测系统，空间人口建模和人口基因组学的能力。通过提供将基因组选择与物种生态学联系起来的能力，该系统将使我们能够回答有关当地适应的速度，规模和性质的难题。从长远来看，这个系统产生的数据将成为我研究计划的基石。