Biocomplexity: The Evolution and Radiation of Eucaryotic Phytoplankton Taxa (EREUPT)

这一多学科研究计划的重点是了解导致主要真核浮游植物类群选择和辐射的历史起源和环境条件，以及有助于它们在当代海洋中继续取得成功的生态过程。这项研究利用地质学、分子生物学、生态学和建模方法的组合来解决地球系统科学中一个重要而复杂的难题。主要目标是在古生态和进化推断的基础上，建立现代海洋真核浮游植物群落结构的第一个定量模型。这个项目提出的中心问题是：为什么三种不同的真核、单细胞藻类在生态上如此成功？关于地球的历史和真核浮游植物适应未来变化的能力，它们的进化史告诉了我们什么？这项研究试图检验一套三个相关的假说，从这些假说中，将开发出当代海洋中关键浮游植物类群的进化和生态成功(优势)的概念模型。因此，研究计划包含三个基本要素：(1)一个专注于重建中生代关键时期古生态的地质/地球化学小组；(11)一个分子生物学/生化小组，致力于阐明古生态过程如何选择特定的表型特征，从而导致主要类群的起源和随后的进化速度；(111)一个实验生态生理学/模拟小组，定量评估表型特征与历史和现代海洋中特定类群的生态成功之间的关系。这三个要素将跨越传统的学科界线进行整合，并将包括协调一致的实地、实验室和建模工作。建模工作将针对利用观测和实验信息对关键浮游植物种群的成功进行事后预测和预测。研究方案还与旨在为本科生和研究生提供广泛接触和机会的强有力的教育努力相结合，以及旨在将地球系统科学纳入中小学课程的K-12和教师培训方案。

The focus of this multidisciplinary research program is to understand the historical origins and environmental conditions that led to selection and radiation of the major eucaryotic phytoplankton taxa, and the ecological processes that contribute to their continued success in the contemporary ocean. The research utilizes a combination of geological, molecular biological, ecological, and modeling approaches to address an important and complex puzzle in Earth system science. The primary goal is to develop the first quantitative models of eucaryotic phytoplankton community structure in the contemporary oceans based on paleoecological and evolutionary inference. The central question raised in this project is: Why have three phylogenetically diverse groups of eucaryotic, unicellular algae been so ecologically successful and what does their evolutionary history tell us about the history of Earth and the ability of eucaryotic phytoplankton to accommodate to change in the future?The study seeks to test a set of three related hypotheses, from which a conceptual model for evolution and ecological success (dominance) of key phytoplankton taxa in the contemporary ocean will be developed. Thus the research program contains three basic elements: (1) A geological/geochemical team focussing on reconstructing the paleoecology at key periods in the Mesozoic; (11) A molecular biology/biochemical team engaged in elucidating how paleoecological processes have selected specific phenotypic traits that led to the origin and subsequent tempo of evolution of the major groups, and (111) An experimental ecophysiology/modeling group that quantitatively evaluates how phenotypic traits relate to the ecological success of specific taxa in the historical and contemporary ocean. These three elements will be integrated across traditional disciplinary lines and will include coordinated field, laboratory and modeling efforts. Modeling efforts will be directed towards hindcasting and forecasting the success of key phytoplankton groups using observational and experimental information.The research program is also coupled to a strong educational effort, designed to provide a broad exposure and opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a K-12 and teacher training program designed to integrate Earth system science in primary and secondary school curricula.