Aquatic Faunal Survey of the Alto Purus National Park, Peru

路易斯安那大学拉斐特分校被授予一个奖项，以支持一个项目，该项目将编制一份完整的阿尔托普鲁S国家公园水生动物物种清单，该公园位于秘鲁亚马逊热带雨林中，是一个鲜为人知的脆弱地区。主要目标是：(1)发现科学新物种；(2)保存在自然历史博物馆的研究和教学收藏品；(3)因特网和印刷的实地指南，包括图文并茂的识别钥匙、照片和相关数据库；(4)用于检验关于复杂热带生态系统中物种起源和维持假说的数据；(5)长期生物多样性监测计划。该项目将协调来自北美、南美和欧洲的科学家的努力，提供多种学生培训机会，并促进对生物多样性的了解，该地区拥有丰富但受到威胁的生物资源。本科生和研究生将接受先进的分子和形态分析方法培训。约6000种新热带鱼类占世界淡水鱼的一半以上，约占所有脊椎动物物种的10%。这一物种一级详细调查的结果将直接解决有关物种丰富的热带水生动物群的起源和维持的假说，并有助于阐明亚马逊水生生物多样性的结构。国际科学与工程办公室正在协助资助这一奖项，以表彰美国学生强大的国际合作和国际经验。

An award is made to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in support of a project will produce a complete list of the aquatic animal species of the Alto Purús National Park, a poorly known and vulnerable region of tropical rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon. The main goals are: (1) Discovery of species new to science; (2) research and teaching collections deposited in museums of natural history; (3) internet and printed field guides with illustrated identification keys, photographs and associated databases; (4) data for testing hypotheses on the origins and maintenance of species in a complex tropical ecosystem; and (5) a long term biodiversity monitoring plan. This project will coordinate efforts of scientists from North and South America and Europe, provide multiple student training opportunities, and advance knowledge of the biodiversity a region with rich but threatened biological resources. Undergraduate and graduate students will be trained in advanced methods of molecular and morphological analysis. The approximately 6,000 species of Neotropical fishes represent over half of the world's freshwater fishes, and about 10% of all vertebrate species. The results of this detailed species-level inventory will directly address hypotheses on the origins and maintenance of species-rich tropical aquatic faunas, and help illuminate the structure of Amazonian aquatic diversity. The Office of International Science and Engineering is assisting in funding this award in recognition of the strong international collaboration and international experience for US students.