IRFP: Characterizing species boundaries with an integrated genetic, ecological and behavioral approach; Implications for mountain zebra conservation in Namibia

国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9至24个月的研究。该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，以及使用独特或互补的设施，专业知识和国外的实验条件。Kamath将与英国卡迪夫的卡迪夫大学的Michael Bruford博士合作。在自然界中，密切相关的物种之间的生殖障碍的破坏经常被观察到，其影响存在争议，特别是当涉及受威胁和濒危物种时。 虽然渐渗杂交是一种自然现象，在物种中发挥着重要作用？适应和进化过程中，快速的人类介导的生态变化可以创造的情况下，不自然地促进其发生，如通过物种的变化？行为和分布。杂交已被证明具有破坏性的后果，脆弱的物种，导致当地适应性特征的丧失或完全？基因灭绝？的物种。迄今为止，有一个令人惊讶的缺乏数据的过程中运行的混合区，从而使预测的进化结果难以确定。 本研究采用综合的方法，结合遗传，空间，人口和行为数据，以评估渐渗杂交的程度和潜在的生态和行为过程驱动其发生在野生动物系统：普通平原斑马（驴）和脆弱的山区斑马（E。斑马）在纳米比亚。它的具体目标是（1）遗传特征的方向，频率和斑马物种之间的基因流的空间范围和（2）阐明行为和生态因素影响交配选择和杂交适合度。 此外，基于聚结的贝叶斯模型将被开发，以解决复杂的假设有关的混合时间，父母的贡献和可能性的多个混合events.This研究将确定人口和行为因素，既防止和促进物种边界的崩溃在性质。最终，斑马物种之间的杂交在纳米比亚的同域带的遗传和空间范围的特性将阐明的严重程度的风险，为山区斑马和援助作出明智的保护管理决策。此外，揭示混合的方向、程度和时间对于区分自然和人介导的杂交是必要的。 除了科学和管理方面的贡献，这项研究将有助于建立纳米比亚野生动物保护研究的当地能力。 此外，它还将在英国卡迪夫的卡迪夫大学的研究小组之间建立有价值的国际合作。英国纽卡斯尔的纽卡斯尔大学（M。高斯林），纳米比亚自然基金会（M。Gosling）和纳米比亚环境和旅游部Etosha生态研究所（J. Werner Kilian）。

The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support an eighteen-month research fellowship by Dr. Pauline L. Kamath to work with Dr. Michael Bruford at the University of Cardiff, Cardiff, United Kingdom. The breakdown of reproductive barriers between closely related species has been frequently observed in nature, and its implications debated, particularly when involving threatened and endangered species. Although introgressive hybridization is a natural phenomenon playing a significant role in species? adaptations and the evolutionary process, rapid human-mediated ecological alterations can create situations that unnaturally promote its occurrence, such as through changes in species? behavior and distribution. Hybridization has been shown to have devastating consequences for vulnerable species, leading to the loss of locally adaptive traits or complete ?genetic extinction? of the species. To date, there is a surprising paucity of data on the processes operating within hybrid zones, thereby making predictions of evolutionary outcomes difficult to ascertain. This study employs an integrative approach, combining genetic, spatial, demographic and behavioral data, to evaluate the degree of introgressive hybridization and the underlying ecological and behavioral processes driving its occurrence in a wildlife system: between the common plains zebra (Equus quagga) and vulnerable mountain zebra (E. zebra) in Namibia. It specifically aims to (1) genetically characterize the direction, frequency, and spatial extent of gene flow between zebra species and (2) elucidate behavioral and ecological factors influencing mate choice and hybrid fitness. Furthermore, coalescent-based Bayesian models will be developed to address complex hypotheses concerning the time of admixture, parental contribution and possibility of multiple admixture events.This research will identify the demographic and behavioral factors that both prevent and promote the breakdown of species boundaries in nature. Ultimately, the characterization of the genetic and spatial extent of hybridization between zebra species across their sympatric zone in Namibia will elucidate the severity of the risk for mountain zebra and aid in making informed conservation management decisions. In addition, uncovering the direction, degree and timing of admixture will be imperative for distinguishing between natural and human-mediated hybridization. Beyond both scientific and management contributions, this research will help build local capacity for wildlife conservation research in Namibia. Furthermore, it will establish a valuable international collaboration between research groups at the University of Cardiff, in Cardiff, UK, (Dr. M. Bruford), the University of Newcastle, in Newcastle UK (Dr. M. Gosling), the Namibia Nature Foundation (Dr. M. Gosling) and the Etosha Ecological Institute, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia (J. Werner Kilian).