DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Linking genomics, oceanography and ecology in understanding adaptive variation in space and time in amphidromous gobies of the Hawaiian Islands

在海洋物种中，远距离海洋扩散促进了个体在不同地点之间的流动，但这可能会阻碍种群进化适应环境差异的能力。在夏威夷攀爬瀑布的虾虎鱼中，岛屿种群通过海洋幼体扩散联系在一起，但进入每个岛屿淡水溪流的幼体在上游迁徙过程中遇到不同的环境压力。我们的研究使用洋流、环境特征、土地利用实践和溪流之间自然选择的强度的模型来预测夏威夷群岛上成年人和青少年的生存和分布。我们将把这些预测模式与遗传和形态特征的实测值进行比较，以更好地理解自然选择、海洋分散和机会在维持这种本土夏威夷鱼类种群存活方面的相对作用。我们的结果将确定最有可能持续存在的种群和对未来繁殖成功最关键的种群。这些结果将有助于夏威夷水产资源部制定计划，保护这种独特的、具有重要文化意义的夏威夷鱼类。此外，克莱姆森大学的本科生和在职公立学校教师将通过SC Life接受基于探究的研究以及分子和计算技术方面的培训。

In marine species, movement of individuals between sites is facilitated by long distance ocean dispersal but this may hamper the ability of populations to evolve adaptations in response to differences in environments. In the Hawaiian waterfall-climbing goby fish, Sicyopterus stimpsoni, island populations are connected through oceanic larval dispersal but juveniles entering freshwater streams on each island encounter different environmental pressures during migration upstream. Our study uses models of ocean currents, environmental features, land use practices, and the strength of natural selection between streams to predict survival and distribution of adults and juveniles across the Hawaiian Islands. We will compare these predicted patterns to measured values of genetic and morphological traits to better understand the relative roles of natural selection, ocean dispersal, and chance in maintaining viable populations of this native Hawaiian fish.Our results will identify populations most likely to persist and those most critical to future reproductive success. Such results will aid the Hawai?i Division of Aquatic Resources in designing plans to protect this unique and culturally important Hawaiian fish. In addition, undergraduates at Clemson University and in-service public school teachers, through SC Life, will be trained in inquiry-based research and molecular and computational techniques.