An Integrated Approach to Understanding Evolutionary Transformations in Craniodental and Locomotor Specializations

食肉动物（熊，狼，狮子，海豹和亲戚）是现代生态系统中的主要捕食者。理解它们的进化关系是解释其他来自食肉动物研究的知识（生物学，医学，生态学）的基础。通过发展最全面的框架来研究活的和化石食肉动物的相互关系（100个物种）使用400个解剖学特征和30，000多个遗传特征，并整合了新颖的3D成像，数学和工程衍生的计算机建模工具，这项研究将重建食肉动物的进化关系，并破译它们随着时间的推移对关键生态系统角色的适应。为了研究头骨随时间的变化，以及物种如何在主要的栖息地过渡（陆地到水，树木到地面）期间发展运动和认知专业化，这项研究将严格测试以前的假设，即这些变化代表了对过去6500万年来重大环境变化的反应。该项目将利用对这些魅力十足的哺乳动物的前沿研究来丰富博物馆的展览，并创建在线多媒体（每年为500万游客[50万学童]和1200万在线学习者提供服务）。 该项目还将实施高中和大学教育和研究培训计划，包括研讨会，开发新的研究生课程，培训三名博士后科学家，以及为数十名高中生和本科生提供教学计划。

Carnivores (bears, wolves, lions, seals and relatives) are key predators in modern ecosystems. Understanding their evolutionary relationships is fundamental to interpreting other knowledge (biological, medical, ecological) derived from carnivore research. By developing the most comprehensive framework for interrelationships of living and fossil carnivores (100 species) using 400 anatomical and over 30,000 genetic characteristics, and integrating novel 3-D imaging, mathematical, and engineering-derived computer modeling tools, this research will reconstruct carnivore evolutionary relationships and decipher their adaptations for critical ecosystem roles over time.Analyzing how feeding function of skulls changed over time, and how species developed locomotion and cognitive specializations during major habitat transitions (land-to-water, tree-to-ground), this research will rigorously test previous hypotheses that these changes represent responses to significant environmental changes over the past 65 million years. This project will use cutting-edge research on these charismatic mammals to enrich museum exhibitions and create online multimedia (serving 5 million visitors [500,000 schoolchildren] and 12 million online learners annually). This project will also implement high school and college education and research training programs, including workshops, development of new graduate courses, training for three postdoctoral scientists, and instructional programs for dozens of high school students and undergraduate students.