Niche Conservatism: A Population Dynamic Perspective

小行星9528602 随着环境变化的浪潮无情地在我们周围兴起，了解物种的反应能力变得越来越紧迫。 对化石记录的研究表明，物种在适应环境变化的能力方面存在很大差异。 有些物种似乎很容易适应变化，而另一些物种在其基本的“生态位”（即，一个物种的种群在没有重复移民或外来新个体引入的情况下能够持续存在的环境条件）。 该研究项目的目的是建立一个概念框架，用于解释物种生态位的保守性和快速变化，将当代对种群遗传变化的理解与对种群规模变化的决定因素的理解相结合。 所采取的基本方法是使用数学和计算机分析，结合联合收割机生态学（控制种群规模）和遗传学（控制种群的遗传构成），以研究物种如何在遗传和数量上对环境中的不同变化作出反应。 例如，气候变化可以在短时间内导致整个物种范围内的环境改变，或者可能只是其部分范围。 因此，我们考虑了一系列的情况下，包括环境变化的时间和地理位置的变化。 这项研究的结果将解决生物学中的重大基本问题-为什么有些物种在面对环境变化时很容易适应，而另一些物种适应得较慢（或根本不适应）。 这项研究对重要的应用问题有影响，例如保护计划的设计和了解害虫生物对控制计划的遗传反应。

9528602 Holt As the tide of environmental change rises inexorably around us, it is becoming increasingly urgent to understand the capacity of species to respond. An inspection of the fossil record suggests that species vary widely in their abilities to adapt to changed circumstances. Some species seem to adapt very readily to change, whereas others are quite conservative in their basic "ecological niches" (i.e., the environmental conditions in which populations of a species can persist without repeated immigration or introductions of new individuals from external sources). The aim of this research project is to develop a conceptual framework for interpreting both conservatism and rapid change in species' niches, combining a contemporary understanding of genetic change in populations with an understanding of the determinants of change in population size. The basic approach taken is to use mathematical and computer analyses which combine ecology (controls on population size) and genetics (controls on the genetic makeup of populations) to examine how species respond both genetically and numerically to different kinds of variation in their environments. For example, climate change can lead to either an altered environment across the entire range of a species, or possibly just part of its range, in a short period of time. We thus consider a range of scenarios that incorporate both environmental change in time and variations across geographic locations. Findings from this research will address significant fundamental problems in biology--why some species adapt readily and others more slowly (or not at all) in the face of environmental change. The research has implications for important applied problems, such as the design of conservation plans and understanding genetic responses of pest organisms to control programs.