RCN: Evolution in Changing Seas

海洋物种将如何应对不断变化的环境和气候尚不清楚。虽然海洋学和生态过程之间的相互作用使人们对海洋物种的生态学有了相当深入的了解，但海洋物种的进化反应并没有很好地纳入这一框架。该项目研究协调网络“变化中的海洋进化”（ECSRCN）将把海洋科学家与在种群遗传学、生态进化动力学和系统遗传学方面具有专长的进化生物学家聚集在一起，以更好地了解和预测海洋物种对气候压力的进化反应。ECS-RCN将通过加强不同领域科学家之间的合作，增加海洋系统进化研究的影响。此外，通过制定实验设计和统计分析标准，特别是基因组数据分析标准，这些研究的经验稳健性也将得到提高。ECS-RCN将通过专门为早期职业参与者开设的讲习班、与多元化团体进行广告宣传以及拨出资金来增加多样性，建立一个多元化的网络。该项目将支持一名博士后，该博士后将在协调网络科学活动中发挥关键作用，并通过网络活动接受跨学科培训，有力地定位他们成为该领域的领导者。ECS-RCN还将建立一个持久的网络基础，通过建立一个列表服务，开放获取出版物，开发一个网站，以及开发本科和研究生课程的教学模块。具体而言，ECS-RCN将考虑海洋学和进化过程之间的耦合如何从基因组的基本水平扩大到整个种群，形成对气候变化的适应性和可塑性响应。在这一主题下，ECS-RCN的目标是综合目前的知识状况，优先考虑将推进海洋和进化生物学知识的探究线，确定适当的实验设计和统计方法，以可靠地测试这些探究线（包括基因组学方法），并为多样化和持久的网络建立基础。这些目标将在三年的时间里实现，从一年级的综合研讨会开始，建立工作组，然后在二年级举行工作组会议并组建基因组学小组委员会，最后在三年级举行针对早期职业科学家的整合和培训研讨会。为了促进工作坊的综合和自组织，工作坊将采用开放空间的形式。ECS-RCN将促进生物海洋学的进化思维，并将海洋生命史的独特方面纳入进化原理。ECS-RCN还将通过合成和发展融合基因组学和生态学的框架，推进海洋生物学和进化生物学方面的知识。这些活动将为海洋生态学和进化生态学中的紧迫问题提供新的见解，例如：是什么驱动了地方适应和可塑性的地理模式？产生适应性和非适应性可塑性的机制是什么？基因型依赖的扩散在适应中的作用是什么？功能价值性状适应气候变化的遗传制约是什么？以及表观遗传修饰如何在适应性和可塑性之间起中介作用？最终，RCN的目标是对气候变化的生态响应与进化响应的相对重要性进行定量理解。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

How marine species will react to changing environment and climate is not well understood. While the interaction between oceanographic and ecological processes has yielded considerable insight into the ecology of marine species, the evolutionary responses of marine species are not well integrated into this framework. This project research coordinated network on "Evolution in Changing Seas" (ECSRCN), will bring marine scientists together with evolutionary biologists having expertise in population genetics, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and phylogenetics to better understand and predict the evolutionary responses of marine species to climate stressors. ECS-RCN will increase the impact of evolutionary studies in marine systems through increasedcollaboration among scientists from diverse fields. Furthermore, the empirical robustness of these studies will also be improved through the development of standards for experimental design and statistical analysis, especially for genomics data analysis. ECS-RCN will build a diverse network through a dedicated workshop for early-career participants, by advertising with diversity groups, and by dedicating funds to increase diversity. This project will support one postdoctoral researcher who will play a key role incoordinating scientific activities of the network as well as receive interdisciplinary training through network activities, strongly positioning them to become a leader in the field. ECS-RCN will also build the foundation for a lasting network through establishment of a listserv, open access to publications, development of a website, and development of teaching modules for undergraduate and graduate curriculum.Specifically, ECS-RCN will consider how coupling between oceanographic and evolutionary processes shape adaptive and plastic responses to climate change, from the fundamental level of genomes scaled up to entire populations. Under this theme,the objectives of ECS-RCN are to synthesize the current state of knowledge, to prioritize lines of inquiry that will advance knowledge in marine and evolutionary biology, to determine the appropriate experimental designs and statistical approaches for robustly testing these lines of inquiry (including genomics approaches), and to build a foundation for a diverse and lasting network. These goals will be realized over the course of 3 years, starting with a Synthesis Workshop in Year 1 where working groups will be established, followed by working group meetings and formation of a Genomics Subcommittee in Year 2, and ending with an Integration and Training Workshop aimed at early career scientists in Year 3. To promote synthesis and self-organization at workshops, the workshops will employ the Open Space format. ECS-RCN will promote evolutionary thinking in biological oceanography and integrate unique aspects of marine life-histories into evolutionary principles. ECS-RCN will also advance knowledge in both marine and evolutionary biology through synthesis and the development of frameworks for merging genomics and ecology. The activities will provide novel insights into pressing questions in both marine and evolutionary ecology, such as: what drives geographic patterns of local (mal)adaptation and plasticity?; what are the mechanisms that generate adaptive vs. nonadaptive plasticity?; what is the role of genotype dependent dispersal in adaptation?; what are the genetic constraints on adaptation of function-valued traits to climate change?; and how do epigenetic modifications act as a mediator between adaptation and plasticity? Ultimately, the RCN aims to develop a quantitative understanding of the relative importance of ecological versus evolutionary responses to climate change.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.