SGER: Effects of an extreme flood event on fish populations in Tabasco, Mexico

极端自然事件，如大洪水，非常罕见，难以记录，因为它们是不可预测的。然而，很明显，它们必然对地质学、植物群和动物群的许多方面产生深远的影响。大规模洪水对水生生态系统具有明显的重要性。水的数量和它暂时流动的力量将在物理上摧毁或取代许多水生生物。只有在洪水发生之前就有相关数据，并能够在洪水发生之后立即收集比较数据，才能利用这种情况。这项研究建立在对墨西哥塔巴斯科几个地点的鱼类群落和鱼类种群遗传学的长期研究基础上，这些地点最近受到2007年11月该地区发生的大洪水的影响。洪水前的大量数据提供了一个无与伦比的机会，利用现代形态学和分子遗传学技术研究对鱼类群落和种群丰度和遗传结构的影响。 这项研究将调查洪水对鱼类物种丰富度和种群丰富度的影响，并在几个先前采样的网站，并检查人口的遗传后果Poecilia mexicana.This研究将有助于我们了解大规模的天气事件如何影响社区和人口。 预计这种天气事件的频率将随着全球变化而增加。 此外，这项研究将为本科生提供国际研究经验，并将促进与墨西哥科学家的国际合作。

Extreme natural events, like major floods, are very rare and difficult to document because they are unpredictable. It is clear, however, that they must have profound effects on many facets of geology, flora and fauna. Large-scale floods are of obvious importance for aquatic ecosystems. The amount of water and the force with which it is flowing temporarily will physically destroy or displace many aquatic organisms. Only if one has relevant data from just before a flood and is able to collect comparative data right after a flood, can one take advantage of such a situation. This research builds on a long-term study of fish communities and population genetics of fishes from several sites in Tabasco, Mexico that have recently been impacted by the large flood that occurred in the region in November 2007. The extensive data from before the flood provides an unparalleled opportunity to examine the impacts on fish communities and population abundance and genetic structure using modern morphological and molecular genetic techniques. This study will investigate the consequences of the flood on species richness and population abundance of fish at several previously sampled sites and examine population genetic consequences for Poecilia mexicana.This research will contribute to our understanding of how large-scale weather events impact communities and populations. The frequency of such weather events are predicted to increase with global change. In addition, this study will provide international research experiences for undergraduate students and will foster international collaboration with Mexican scientists.