Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Habitat Modification and Gene Flow In An Endangered New World Primate

景观变化和异质性被认为在灵长类动物进化中起着核心作用。因此，灵长类动物生态学和进化研究应明确考虑景观异质性，特别是在灵长类动物栖息地日益丧失和改变的情况下。中美洲松鼠猴（sammiri oerstedii）是一种濒危灵长类动物，在哥斯达黎加中部太平洋地区经历了严重的历史和正在进行的栖息地改变。本研究将利用景观生态学的理论和工具与种群遗传学模型相结合的方法，对异源景观中灵长类动物生态学和进化的研究进行深入的探讨，包括：1)描述异源景观对灵长类动物基因流动模式的影响；2)描述景观异质性对基因流动模式的影响；将收集野生弓形虫种群的粪便样本，进行非侵入性DNA提取、基因分型和测序。景观遗传学方法将被用于描述soverstedii的局部基因流动模式，并将这些模式与景观异质性的测量相关联。通过对灵长类动物进行首次景观遗传学研究，该研究将有助于发展和完善灵长类动物的景观遗传学方法，并将为未来研究异质景观如何影响灵长类动物生态、种群分化和进化提供信息。这个项目的结果还将与哥斯达黎加的研究人员合作，纳入一个基于科学的oerstedii保护管理计划。具体而言，本项目提供的传播模式信息将有助于确定需要特别关注的孤立的oerstedii种群，并指导森林片段之间生物走廊的建设。

Landscape change and heterogeneity are hypothesized to play central roles in primate evolution. Thus, studies of primate ecology and evolution should explicitly consider landscape heterogeneity, especially as primate habitats are increasingly lost and modified. Central American Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri oerstedii) are endangered primates experiencing severe historical and ongoing habitat modification in the Central Pacific of Costa Rica. This study will 1) describe patterns of gene flow among wild populations of S. oerstedii, 2) describe the effects of landscape heterogeneity on gene flow patterns, and 3) improve future studies of primate ecology and evolution in heterogeneous landscapes by integrating theory and tools from landscape ecology with models of population genetics. Fecal samples from wild S. oerstedii populations will be collected non-invasively for DNA extraction, genotyping, and sequencing. Landscape genetics methods will be used to characterize localized gene flow patterns for S. oerstedii and correlate those patterns with measures of landscape heterogeneity. By conducting one of the first landscape genetics studies in a primate, the proposed research will help develop and refine landscape genetics methods for primates and will inform future studies of how heterogeneous landscapes influence primate ecology, population divergence, and evolution. The results of this project will also be incorporated into a science-based conservation management plan for S. oerstedii in collaboration with Costa Rican researchers. Specifically, information on dispersal patterns provided by this project will help to identify isolated populations of S. oerstedii that need particular attention, and guide the construction of biological corridors between fragments of forest.