COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Comparative and temporal biodiversity genomics of Ethiopian Highland montane forest passerine birds

人类已经影响了地球的景观，包括大规模的森林破碎。虽然研究人员已经记录了由于人类影响造成的生态系统退化或物种丧失，但对特定物种种群如何对森林破碎化作出反应的研究较少，特别是在没有长期监测的地区。随着栖息地的日益破碎和种群规模的缩小，森林物种更容易受到偶然的极端自然事件的影响，物种内遗传变异的减少降低了未来的适应潜力。研究人员将使用埃塞俄比亚高地的森林鸣禽作为模型系统来研究种群随时间的变化，他们将使用当代样本以及自然历史收藏中大约100年前的档案样本来测量当前和过去的遗传变异和种群统计数据。因此，该项目将深入了解过去一个世纪的森林破碎化如何影响森林特有物种的种群趋势。该项目产生的信息和结果将用于改善STEM教育，包括基因组学研究的正式本科和研究生培训，以及在德克萨斯理工大学开发一门新的以研究为重点的本科基因组学课程。本研究中使用的博物馆标本将用于提高公众的科学素养和参与度，包括通过Brain Scoop YouTube视频系列进行数字和面对面的宣传，以及在芝加哥菲尔德自然历史博物馆的Grainger科学中心进行动手科学发现，两者都使用20世纪20年代至40年代的鸟类标本来展示如何利用博物馆标本来了解生物多样性的变化。这项研究将确定过去100年来森林破碎化如何影响埃塞俄比亚山地森林雀形鸟（雀形鸟）的时间种群基因组变异。利用来自现代和历史样本的全基因组序列数据，研究人员将估计人口统计学历史、种群内遗传多样性、种群间遗传分化和基因流动的相对速率，以验证以下假设：(1)多样化的时空模式和过程；(2)形成多样化的物种特异性特征（如扩散能力）；或是过去一个世纪的侵蚀。该项目的最终产品将包括开放埃塞俄比亚几种森林鸟类的基因组资源，通过演讲、报告和手稿向美国、埃塞俄比亚和全球的听众进行结果的科学交流，以及对学生进行研究各方面的培训，包括实地研究、基因组序列生成、生物信息学和传播。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。

Humans have impacted Earth’s landscape, including large scale forest fragmentation. While researchers have documented ecosystem degradation or species loss due to human impacts, how populations of particular species have reacted to forest fragmentation has been less studied, particularly in regions without long term monitoring. With increasingly fragmented habitats and smaller population sizes, forest species are more susceptible to chance extreme natural events, and reduced within-species genetic variation decreases future adaptive potential. Using forest songbirds from the Ethiopian Highlands as a model system to study population changes through time, the researchers will measure current and past genetic variation and population demographics using contemporary samples as well as archival samples from ~100 years ago housed in natural history collections. Consequently, this project will provide insight about how the past century’s forest fragmentation has impacted population trends in forest-specialized species. The information and results generated by this project will be used to improve STEM education, including formal undergraduate and graduate training in genomics research as well as development of a new research-focused undergraduate genomics course at Texas Tech University. Museum specimens used in this research will be utilized to increase public scientific literacy and engagement, including digital and in-person outreach through the Brain Scoop YouTube video series and hands-on science discovery at the Grainger Science Hub at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, both using bird specimens from the 1920s-40s to show how museum specimens may be used for understanding changes in biodiversity through time.This research will determine how forest fragmentation has shaped temporal population genomic variation in Ethiopian montane forest passerine birds (Aves: Passeriformes) over the past 100 years. Using whole-genome sequence data from modern and historical sampling, the researchers will estimate demographic histories, genetic diversity within populations, genetic differentiation between populations, and relative rates of gene flow to test hypotheses about (1) spatiotemporal patterns and processes of diversification, (2) species-specific characteristics (e.g., dispersal ability) shaping diversification, and (3) patterns of population genomic diversity generation, maintenance, or erosion through the past century. The project’s final products will include open genomic resources for several species of Ethiopian forest birds, science communication of results via presentations, reports, and manuscripts for audiences in the US, Ethiopia, and globally, and student training in all aspects of the research including field studies, genomic sequence generation, bioinformatics, and dissemination.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.