Comparative Phylogeography of Central African Duikers

了解热带高物种多样性背后的历史和生态过程一直是人们非常感兴趣的主题，并导致了许多多样性假说的提出。特别是，热带森林“避难所”、河流屏障和生态梯度在促进物种形成方面的作用一直是最近辩论的主题。这项研究将使用分子方法，通过比较一组森林羚羊物种遗传变异的空间模式，来测试这些潜在的多样化机制。然后，这项研究的数据将被用来测试与这些不同的多样化模式相关的遗传变异的预测模式，并检查它们的相对重要性。为了实现这项研究所需的密集地理采样，该项目将使用自然种群的粪便作为DNA的来源。这一项目的实施在很大程度上依赖于合作主办机构的参与，这些机构包括加蓬弗朗西维尔国际医学研究中心(CIRMF)、加蓬马苏库科学与技术大学(USTM)和总部设在纽约的保护非政府组织野生动物保护协会(WCS)的加蓬计划。通过这一合作，该项目将促进非洲和美国参与者之间的专业知识交流，并为国家之间的技术转让提供机会。这项研究不仅将提供关于非洲热带物种多样化的潜在机制的重要信息，而且还将提供物种分布的分子清单和可靠的遗传数据库，为中部非洲森林羚羊的长期保护管理提供信息。该奖项由EPSCoR和国际科学与工程办公室(OISE)共同资助。

Understanding the historical and ecological processes underlying high species diversity in the tropics has been the subject of intense interest and led to the formulation of many diversity hypotheses. In particular, the role of tropical forest "refuges", river barriers and ecological gradients in promoting speciation has been the subject of much recent debate. This study will use a molecular approach to test for these potential mechanisms of diversification by comparing spatial patterns of genetic variation in a suite of forest antelope species. Data from this study will then be used to test predicted patterns of genetic variation associated with these different diversification modes and examine their relative importance. In order to achieve the intense geographical sampling required for this study, this project will use dung from natural populations as a source of DNA. The implementation of such a project relies heavily on the participation of collaborating host institutions comprising the Centre International de Recherches Medicales in Franceville, Gabon (CIRMF), the Universite des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku in Gabon (USTM) and the Gabon Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a conservation NGO based in New York. Through this collaboration, this project will stimulate exchange of expertise between African and U.S. participants and provide opportunities for technology transfer between countries. This study will not only provide important information on the potential mechanisms of diversification in the Afro-tropics but will also provide a molecular inventory of species distributions and solid genetic database for informing long-term conservation management of central African forest antelope. This award was co-funded by both EPSCoR and the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).