Habitat Selection and the Ecological Consequences of Life History Evolution in Daphnia

许多研究证明了大量的遗传变异 在同一物种的种群之间和种群内。 研究 对这种变异的性质的研究发现， 种群间的生态分化， 在同一人群中。 私家侦探我们提议 研究这种物种内的，遗传的 竞争的生态互动。 他们的系统是小湖泊的浮游生物群落， 密歇根州西南部 两种浮游动物（水蚤 pulicaria和D. galeata mendotae）是主要的食草动物， 通过垂直栖息地划分在这些湖泊中共存。 的 研究表明， 这些物种之一的种群，并有初步的证据， 它代表了生态专业化， 生境选择 私家侦探更广泛地测试这个 假设2）描述了生态和遗传权衡， 维持种内生境特化，然后3） 通过实验来确定这一点的生态后果 种间竞争和群落反应的变异 到捕食 结果应该广泛适用于许多 生态社区。 拟议的工作将有助于本科， 研究生和博士后培训水生生态学和 进化生物学 这笔赠款将资助一名博士后 与私家侦探合作关于合并社区问题 生态学和生活史进化。 两个不同的博士学位 候选人将参与拟议的工作，提供他们 在实验室和现场（电泳， 培养技术、田间操作等）。 我们将涉及 本科生在三个层次; REU的，现场帮助，和 正式的课程工作。 在过去，PI。选择了一些学生 从那些限制研究的小型大学 本科生的机会（1989年REU的是詹妮弗Welser 佛蒙特大学;安德鲁·杨-斯沃斯莫尔学院）。 这些 学生进行自己的，从补助金派生项目。 在 每年都有一名本科生现场助理（Jennelle Marceau，1989年）。 最后私家侦探教授湖沼学课程 （夏季），生态进化（秋季）和定量方法 （Spring）. 本科生在这些课程提供了一个 加入私家侦探的机会的研究。

Numerous studies document substantial genetic variation among and within populations of the same species. Research intothe nature of this variation has discovered important ecological differentiation among populations and even among genotypes within the same population. The P.I.'s propose to examine the significance of this within-species, genetic variation to the ecological interactions of competition. Their system is the plankton community of small lakes in southwestern Michigan. Two species of zooplankton (Daphnia pulicaria and D. galeata mendotae)are dominant herbivores that coexist i these lakes via vertical habitat partioning. The investigations have documented large genetic variance within populations of one of these species and have preliminary evidence that it represents ecological specialization via habitatselection. The P.I.'s 1) more broadly test this hypothesis 2) describe the ecological and genetic trade-offs that maintain intra-specific habitat specialization, and then 3) experimentally determine the ecological consequences of this variation to interspecific competition and to community response to predation. The results should be broadly applicable to many ecological communities. The proposed work will contribute to undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training in aquatic ecology and evolutionary biology. The grant would fund one postdoctoral scholar to work with the P.I. on merging issues of community ecology and life history evolution. Two different Ph.D candidates will be involved in the proposed work, providing them with training in both the laboratory and field (electrophoresis, culture techniques, field manipulations, etc.). We will involve undergraduate students at three levels; REU's, field help, and formal course work. In the past the P.I. has selected students from smaller universities that have restricted research opportunities for undergraduate (1989 REU's were Jennifer Welser University of Vermont; Andrew Young - Swarthmore College). These students conduct their own, spin-off projects from the grant. In each year one undergraduate field assistant is hired (Jennelle Marceau in 1989). Finally, the P.I. teaches courses in Limnology (Summer), Ecology & Evolution (Fall), and Quantitative Methods (Spring). Undergraduate in these courses are provided an opportunity to get involved in the P.I.'s research.