Population and community dynamics in complex environments

复杂环境中的人口和群落动态

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-04795
• 负责人: Lutscher, Frithjof
• 金额: $ 3.21万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 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=658136
• 关键词: Population; community; dynamics; complex; environments

Ecological theory aims to explain observed spatio-temporal patterns of population extinction and persistence, spatial distribution, and community composition. An understanding of processes that generate these patterns is essential to predict the response of ecological communities to human activities such as development or harvesting, and to natural environmental variation. Ecologists use mathematical models to explore general theories for how processes on smaller scales interact to create patterns on larger scales. My vision is to advance ecological theory by using sophisticated mathematical tools integrating individual-level behaviour with population-dynamic interactions into tractable models that help predict population and community patterns. My particular focus is on individual movement behaviour in response to complex environmental features. The applications of my research to ecosystem health, conservation biology, and human management of natural systems are of central importance to Canadians and people worldwide. In this program, I will work on the three following aspects of environmental complexity to tackle fundamental questions in ecology.******1. Rivers provide essential services to humans, yet are in severe peril worldwide. Fish populations are threatened by fragmentation, degradation, and competition of non-native invasive species. Movement barriers (e.g. dams, culverts) severely limit dispersal pathways for fish and can easily disconnect parts of the river network. Through my research program, I will elucidate the mechanisms through which physical structure and individual behaviour in a river network affect population distribution and species extinction. ******2. Human activities create increasingly fragmented landscapes for biological species. Transportation corridors disrupt contiguous habitat and pose movement barriers or opportunities. Agriculture and infrastructure subdivide habitat into patches of varying quality. Population survival in such landscapes depends on how individuals navigate through this maze, utilize resources and avoid dangers. Through my research program, I will integrate individual movement behaviour with population-dynamic interaction to understand conditions for survival, threats of extinction, and large-scale spatial distribution patterns of species in patchy landscapes. ******3. Seasonal changes in environmental conditions such as temperature or precipitation affect most ecosystems, and the variability of these changes is predicted to increase under global change scenarios. Many ecological models do not explicitly include seasonal variation and are of limited use to predict ecosystem responses to global change. Through my research program, I will integrate seasonally varying individual behaviour and environmental conditions with population dynamics to predict population patterns under seasonal variation. **

生态学理论旨在解释观察到的种群灭绝和持续的时空模式、空间分布和群落组成。对产生这些模式的过程的了解对于预测生态群落对人类活动(如开发或收获)以及对自然环境变化的反应至关重要。生态学家使用数学模型来探索小尺度上的过程如何相互作用来创造大尺度上的模式的一般理论。我的愿景是通过使用复杂的数学工具来推进生态学理论，将个体水平的行为与种群动态相互作用整合到易于处理的模型中，以帮助预测种群和群落模式。我特别关注的是个体在复杂环境特征下的运动行为。我的研究在生态系统健康、保护生物学和自然系统人类管理方面的应用对加拿大人和世界各地的人们都具有核心重要性。在这个项目中，我将从环境复杂性的三个方面着手，以解决生态学中的基本问题。1.河流为人类提供基本服务，但在全球范围内处于严重危险之中。鱼类种群受到非本土入侵物种的碎片化、退化和竞争的威胁。流动障碍(如堤坝、涵洞)严重限制了鱼类的扩散路径，很容易切断部分河网的连接。通过我的研究计划，我将阐明河网中的物理结构和个体行为影响种群分布和物种灭绝的机制。2.人类活动为生物物种创造了越来越零散的景观。交通走廊扰乱了毗邻的栖息地，并造成了流动障碍或机会。农业和基础设施将栖息地细分为不同质量的斑块。在这样的环境中，种群的生存取决于个体如何在这个迷宫中导航、利用资源和避免危险。通过我的研究计划，我将把个体运动行为与种群动态相互作用结合起来，以了解物种在斑块景观中的生存条件、灭绝威胁和大规模空间分布模式。*3.温度或降水等环境条件的季节性变化影响大多数生态系统，预计在全球变化情景下，这些变化的可变性将增加。许多生态模型没有明确包括季节变化，在预测生态系统对全球变化的反应方面作用有限。通过我的研究计划，我将把季节变化的个人行为和环境条件与种群动态结合起来，预测季节性变化下的种群模式。**