Comparative and Convergent Aspects of Natural Selection

进化生物学的一个关键问题是，不同地区相似的环境条件是否会导致动物相似的表型。 如果人们能够证明自然选择在独立但环境相似的地区以同样的方式运作，那么这将是适应力克服随机或随机化力量的力量的有力证据。 加勒比海的阿诺利斯蜥蜴提供了一个很好的机会来研究这个问题，因为相同的表型独立出现在不同的大安的列斯群岛，但没有研究调查是否自然选择以同样的方式对这些独立进化的物种。 自然选择对运动性能和形态的强度将在两个不同的岛屿（牙买加和巴哈马）的六个不同种类的阿诺利斯蜥蜴进行量化。 运动表现特别适合测试上述想法，因为蜥蜴必须快速奔跑以避开捕食者并捕获猎物。 这六个研究物种是长期选择研究的理想选择，因为它们的数量多，家庭范围小，而且很容易在实验室中捕获和操纵。 在每个岛上，蜥蜴将被捕获，标记，并测量形态和运动性能。 如果不同岛屿上的相同表型经历了相同的选择压力，那么这将为适应力在塑造阿诺利斯蜥蜴的群落结构中发挥重要作用提供强有力的证据。 来自新奥尔良教区（新奥尔良，洛杉矶）的当地高中教师将参与拟议的研究。 具体来说，这些学校的老师将对阿诺利斯蜥蜴的选择进行实地研究，分析得出的数据，并参与出版过程。 这一额外的组成部分可能对来自贫困地区的大量少数群体学生通过其教师的中学教育获得教育机会产生深远影响。

A key issue in evolutionary biology concerns whether similar environmental conditions in different areas will result in similar phenotypes of animals. If one can show that natural selection operates in the same manner in independent but environmentally similar areas, then this would represent strong evidence for the power of adaptive forces overcoming stochastic or randomizing forces. Caribbean Anolis lizards provide an excellent opportunity for investigating this issue because the same phenotypes have independently arisen on different Greater Antillean islands, but no studies have investigated whether natural selection operates in the same manner on these independently evolved species. The strength of natural selection on both locomotor performance and morphology will be quantified for six different species of Anolis lizard on two different islands (Jamaica and the Bahamas). Locomotor performance is particular appropriate for testing the above ideas because lizards must run quickly to avoid predators and to capture prey. The six study species are ideal for long-term studies of selection because of their abundance, small home-ranges, and the ease with which individuals can be captured and manipulated in the laboratory. On each island, lizards will be captured, marked, and measured for both morphology and locomotor performance. If the same phenotypes on different islands experience the same selection pressures, then this would provide strong evidence for adaptive forces being important in shaping the community structure of Anolis lizards. Local high school teachers from Orleans Parish (New Orleans, LA) will participate in the proposed research. Specifically, these school teachers will conduct field research on selection in Anolis lizards, analyze the resulting data, and also participate in the publishing process. This additional component could have a profound impact on the educational opportunities of a large number of minority students from disadvantaged areas via secondary education for their teachers.