Ecological Diversity, Systematics, and Conservation of Hawaii's endemic Hyposmocoma

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。夏威夷群岛被认为是理解多样化，进化和生态一般模式的重要模式。地方性蛾属Hyposmocoma包含400多个物种，代表了可能是最具生态多样性的夏威夷血统，包括独特的蜗牛和水生物种。然而，它的进化和生态历史是未知的。这项研究将使用DNA序列和形态学为这些物种构建一个进化框架，这将揭示多样化的机制和模式，例如在夏威夷发生的频繁和快速的陆生/水生转变和食肉动物，但在其他地方基本上仍然未知。结果将揭示在这个异常多样化的群体的进化，也提供了深入了解的机制，导致全球罕见的生态现象，集中在夏威夷。许多夏威夷物种很容易灭绝，使Hyposmocoma一个难得的机会，研究在一个仍然多样化的夏威夷血统的进化。该项目将对研究生、少数民族大学生和高中生进行野外生物学、DNA和形态学技术以及保护生物学方面的培训。通过科学教育交流，有前途的高中生将在Rubinoff实验室度过一个夏天和/或学年，从事研究的各个方面。该项目将有助于理论和应用科学，提高本科生和高中生的科学素养。结果将通过出版物、网站和演示文稿传播。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The Hawaiian Islands are recognized as an important model for understanding general patterns of diversification, evolution and ecology. The endemic moth genus Hyposmocoma contains over 400 species, representing perhaps the most ecologically diverse Hawaiian lineage, including unique snaileating and aquatic species. However, its evolutionary and ecological history is unknown. This research will construct an evolutionary framework for these species using DNA sequences and morphology, which will reveal mechanisms and patterns of diversification such as how frequent and rapid terrestrial/aquatic shifts and carnivory occurred in Hawaii, yet remain essentially unknown elsewhere. Results will shed light on evolution in this spectacularly diverse group and also provide insight into the mechanisms leading to globally rare ecological phenomena that are concentrated in Hawaii.Many Hawaiian species are vulnerable to extinction, making Hyposmocoma a rare opportunity to study evolution in a still-diverse Hawaiian lineage. This project will train graduate, minority undergraduates, and high school students in field biology, DNA and morphological techniques and conservation biology. Through a science education exchange, promising high school students will spend a summer and/or academic year in the Rubinoff lab working on all aspects of the research. This project will contribute both to theoretical and applied science and increase scientific literacy in undergraduate and high school students. The results will be disseminated via publications, websites and presentations.