DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolutionary History and Contemporary Gene Flow of Cave Crayfishes

洞穴仍然是地球上最濒危的生态系统之一，因为在黑暗的地下发现了独特的盲动物群。 美国约95%的洞穴动物被认为濒临灭绝，主要是由于地表活动和地下水污染的影响。 然而，在美国东南部没有任何专门的洞穴居民的分子遗传种群水平的研究，该地区被认为是地下生物多样性的全球热点。 利用分子遗传学技术，本论文项目解决了一个独特的组的盲目洞穴居住的小龙虾沿着坎伯兰高原，横跨从东部肯塔基州北方亚拉巴马的保护需求。 将收集有关遗传多样性、种群规模和基因流动的信息，以制定管理计划，避免近亲繁殖和隔离，这两种力量导致濒危物种灭绝。这项研究的更广泛影响包括1）绘制当前地下水路径，2）遗传方法的本科生培训，3）为保护机构对地下生物多样性进行科学评估。 洞穴和地下水系统之间的水文联系将通过使用现代DNA指纹分析方法追踪高流动性盲小龙虾的当前遗传模式来阐明。 本科生还将学习分子遗传技术，用于他们独立的保护研究项目。 最后，目前的洞穴管理做法，如门入口和限制访问，是面向洞穴生物群落的整体保护。 保护生物多样性的个体物种同样重要，这项研究将是了解地下生命的第一步。

Caves remain one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet because of the unique blind fauna found in the dark underground. About 95% of cave fauna in the United States is considered endangered, mostly due to the impacts of surface activities and groundwater pollution. Yet, there are no molecular genetic population-level studies of any obligate cave-dweller in the southeastern United States, an area considered to be a global hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. Using molecular genetic techniques, this dissertation project addresses the conservation needs of a unique group of blind cave-dwelling crayfishes along the Cumberland Plateau, which spans from eastern Kentucky to northern Alabama. Information about genetic diversity, population sizes, and gene flow will be gathered to develop management plans for avoidance of inbreeding and isolation, two forces that drive endangered species to extinction.The broader impacts of this study include 1) mapping current groundwater paths, 2) undergraduate training in genetic methods, and 3) a scientific assessment of subterranean biodiversity for conservation agencies. Hydrological connections between caves and groundwater systems will be elucidated by tracing the current genetic patterns of the highly-mobile blind crayfishes using modern DNA fingerprinting methods. Undergraduate students will also learn molecular genetic techniques for their independent conservation research projects. Finally, current cave management practices, such as gating entrances and limiting access, are geared toward overall protection of the cave biome. It is just as important to protect the individual species, the units of biodiversity, and this research will be the first step in understanding subterranean life.