NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

将早期生长和存活与种群动态联系起来，使用分层贝叶斯模型和鱼类生活史特征的全球数据库研究调节种群人口统计学的过程，如密度依赖的生长和存活，提供了对理解物种如何在其环境中共存和繁荣至关重要的知识。海洋种群尤其难以研究，因为其生命周期的某些部分，如幼体或幼体阶段，仍然是个谜。这项研究的目的是开发一个生活史模型，可以参数化的公共数据从海洋鱼类种群评估。这些关于数百种海洋物种种群动态的数据由地球仪的国际和联邦机构收集。随着最近开发的统计方法，这些数据可以用来间接推断生活史性状（包括鸡蛋的大小和数量）和许多物种的人口弹性之间的关系。这在以前几乎是不可能做到的，因为以前的统计方法和可用数据的限制。这种比较的方法将提供新的观点的关键生活史特征，决定物种？除了这些影响外，这项研究还可以在新的统计技术方面对早期职业科学家进行培训。它还提供了教学和与其他人合作解决保护问题的机会，包括生态学家，资源管理者和政策制定者。通过作为NSF博士后研究员接受的培训，PI将能够继续开发跨学科方法来应对海洋生物当前面临的挑战。

Linking early growth and survival with population dynamics, using hierarchical Bayesian models and a global database of fish life-history traits Studying the processes that regulate population demography, such as density dependent growth and survival, provides knowledge that is critical to understanding how species coexist and thrive in their environment. Marine populations, in particular, are very difficult to study because parts of their life cycle, such as larval or juvenile stages, remain a mystery. The objective of this research is to develop a life-history model that can be parameterized with public data from marine stock assessments of fished populations. These data on the population dynamics of hundreds of marine species are collected by international and federal agencies around the globe. With recently developed statistical methods, these data can be used to indirectly infer the relationship between life-history traits (including egg size and number) and population resilience for many species. This was previously almost impossible to do, because of the limitations of prior statistical methods and available data. This comparative approach will provide new perspectives on the key life-history traits that determine species? resilience to environmental change.In addition to these impacts, this research allows for the training of an early career scientist in novel statistical techniques. It also provides opportunities to teach and work with others tackling problems in conservation, including ecologists, resource managers, and policy makers. With the training received as an NSF postdoctoral fellow, the PI will be able to continue developing interdisciplinary approaches to the current challenges facing marine organisms.