DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phenotypic plasticity, sexual size dimorphism and Rensch's rule in freshwater turtles.

体型影响动物的繁殖力、存活率，从而影响种群的成功，特别是在乌龟等冷血脊椎动物中。不同性别(性别大小二态或SSD)和不同纬度的个体大小可能不同，但脊椎动物之间这种差异的确切原因和结果仍不清楚。该项目将探索(1)海龟SSD的广泛地理和分类模式，以及(2)环境对两种海龟生长的影响，这两种海龟在北美和南美洲表现出截然不同的SSD(雄性-较大与雌性-较大的SSD)。这将促进我们理解塑料对环境条件(温度、食物可获得性的质量和数量)的反应在塑造物种内部和跨物种以及纬度的SSD模式方面的重要性。该项目通过培训一名哥伦比亚博士生，并通过与委内瑞拉非政府组织(Fudeci)的合作，加强了执行支助股的国际视野。该项目对濒危未被研究海龟的保护先行计划具有影响，并将建设当地的研究能力。来自执行支助大学荣誉和妇女科学与工程方案的少数族裔女学生继续参与这一项目，有助于将研究和教育结合起来，并加强代表不足的群体对科学的参与。

Body size influences animal fecundity, survival, and consequently, population success, particularly in cold-blooded vertebrates such as turtles. Body size can differ between sexes (sexual size dimorphism or SSD) and with latitude, but the exact causes and consequences of such differences in vertebrates remain obscure. This project will explore (1) broad-scale geographic and taxonomic patterns of SSD in turtles and (2) environmental effects on the growth of two turtle species exhibiting contrasting SSD (male-larger versus female-larger SSD) in North and South America. It will advance our understanding of the importance of plastic responses to environmental conditions (temperature, quality and quantity of food availability) in shaping SSD patterns within and across species, and with latitude. This project enhances ISU's international dimension though the training of a Colombian PhD student, and through the collaboration with a Venezuelan NGO (FUDECI). This project has implications for the conservation headstart programs of endangered understudied turtles, and it will build local research capacity. The continued participation of female minority students from the Honors and the Program for Women in Science and Engineering at ISU in this project helps integrating research and education, and enhances the participation of underrepresented groups in science.