Experimental ecology and evolution in quasi-natural conditions

准自然条件下的实验生态学和进化

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-03846
• 负责人: Bell, Graham
• 金额: $ 4.74万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=645048
• 关键词: Experimental; ecology; evolution; quasi; natural

*********The purpose of this research is to decide whether the results of simple laboratory experiments help us to understand processes in large complex ecosystems. The only way in which theories of ecological or evolutionary processes can be decisively tested is through experiments. The problem is that these processes often take place on large scales of space and time. Experiments which require entire lakes, forests or parts of the ocean to be manipulated are laborious, expensive and often impracticable. It is much easier to manipulate microbial communities in small vials in the laboratory, where experiments involving hundreds of communities can be completed in a few weeks or months under highly controlled conditions. For example, whether or not a population will survive in a deteriorating environment may depend on the rate of deterioration, on how variable the population is, and on whether it receives migrants from outside. These factors can all be evaluated in laboratory experiments, but it has been questioned whether the results can be applied to natural systems that are much larger and more complex. My research program will bridge the gap between the laboratory and the field.*******We have built a research facility in a nature reserve near Montreal to carry out this research. It consists of a secure fenced area holding 96 1000-L experimental ponds and a dedicated laboratory building. The ponds can be fed with water from a nearby lake, so each represents a miniature version of the lake community. We shall use this innovative infrastructure to analyse the phenomenon of ‘evolutionary rescue', which is the process by which a population or community can survive a potentially lethal stress through the spread of resistant types before it becomes extinct. Our main experiment proceeds in two phases. In the first phase, each pond is acidified to a certain level. This lasts for several weeks, giving the community an opportunity to adapt to the stress. In the second phase, every pond is strongly acidified, such that the original community would have been completely wiped out. Laboratory experiments have shown that communities are more likely to be rescued if they have previously experienced a severe but non-lethal stress, or if they are connected to such a community. Our experiment will show whether the laboratory results can be extrapolated to systems that are ten million times larger and contain much more diverse communities.*******This project and others made possible by the new infrastructure link theory and laboratory work to the field. It is an essential step in understanding and predicting how ecosystems will respond to he stresses they experience through human activities that cause pollution, eutrophication and climate change.***

** 这项研究的目的是确定简单的实验室实验的结果是否有助于我们理解大型复杂生态系统中的过程。 生态学或进化过程的理论能够得到决定性检验的唯一方法是通过实验。 问题是，这些过程往往发生在大尺度的空间和时间上。需要操纵整个湖泊、森林或部分海洋的实验既费力又昂贵，而且往往不切实际。 在实验室中操纵小瓶中的微生物群落要容易得多，在高度受控的条件下，涉及数百个群落的实验可以在几周或几个月内完成。 例如，一个种群是否能在恶化的环境中生存，可能取决于恶化的速度、种群的可变性以及是否接受外来移民。 这些因素都可以在实验室实验中进行评估，但人们质疑这些结果是否可以应用于更大更复杂的自然系统。 我的研究计划将弥补实验室和实地之间的差距。我们在蒙特利尔附近的自然保护区建立了一个研究设施来进行这项研究。 它包括一个安全的围栏区域，拥有96个1000 L实验池和一个专用的实验室大楼。这些池塘可以从附近的湖泊中取水，因此每个池塘都代表了湖泊社区的微型版本。 我们将使用这种创新的基础设施来分析“进化拯救”现象，这是一个过程，通过这种过程，一个种群或社区可以通过传播抗性类型在灭绝之前生存下来。 我们的主要实验分两个阶段进行。 在第一阶段，每个池塘都酸化到一定程度。 这将持续数周，让社区有机会适应压力。 在第二阶段，每一个池塘都被强烈酸化，这样原来的群落就被完全消灭了。 实验室实验表明，如果社区以前经历过严重但非致命的压力，或者如果他们与这样的社区有联系，那么他们更有可能被拯救。 我们的实验将显示实验室的结果是否可以外推到一千万倍大的系统，并包含更多样化的社区。这个项目和其他项目通过新的基础设施将理论和实验室工作与实地联系起来。 这是理解和预测生态系统如何应对人类活动造成的污染、富营养化和气候变化所带来的压力的重要一步。