Collaborative: AccelNet: Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks (GBatNet): Bats as a model for understanding global vertebrate diversification and sustainability

蝙蝠在全球生态系统中发挥着重要作用。然而，蝙蝠生物学的关键方面，从人口下降的原因和后果到它们将病毒传播给人类的能力，仍然知之甚少。该项目建立了全球蝙蝠多样性网络联盟（GBatNet），以填补关键的知识空白，并创建一个国际结构，以加速跨学科和跨国界的发现。网络的网络通过协调联合研究、教育和推广，为全球研究交流开辟了新的途径。 GBatNet将14个区域和全球网络联系起来，共同解决蝙蝠生物学中与生态系统和人类健康直接相关的紧迫问题。 GBatNet将促进对蝙蝠生态和进化机制的理解，并解决NSF的大想法理解生命规则。 网络的网络锻造了古生物学、进化、形态学、生态学、病毒学、基因组学和保护专家之间的新联系。GBatNet将解决3个广泛的问题：（1）生态进化动力学-生态功能，进化适应和快速变化的环境之间的反馈是什么？(2)代谢稳态-个体如何维持代谢稳态，以及对种群和物种的进化贡献和生态后果是什么？（3）性树--基因组重排，特别是性染色体重排的进化和生态后果是什么？ 年度会议，跨学科综合会议，蝙蝠多样性热点的国际参与将促进下一代专业人员的协调和准备。除了制作研究综合报告和开发公共宣传材料外，该项目还将综合现有数据集，以创建跨学科工具和协议，从而深入了解复杂系统。GBatNet将建立和测试物种对持续的栖息地变化、新出现的传染病和气候变化的脆弱性的预测模型。 GBatNet将为全球蝙蝠研究和保护提供无与伦比的合作机会，美国科学界将在全球蝙蝠多样性热点地区和跨学科网络中获得更多的研究机会。通过国际网络对网络合作加速研究该计划旨在加速科学发现的进程，并为下一代美国研究人员进行多团队国际合作做好准备。 该计划支持美国研究网络和海外互补网络之间的战略联系，这些网络将利用研究和教育资源来应对需要重大协调国际努力的重大科学挑战。该奖项的共同资金由人口和社区生态计划（BIO/DEB）和生理机制和生物力学计划（BIO/IOS）的生物科学理事会提供。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Bats play critical roles in ecosystems globally. However, key aspects of bat biology, from the causes and consequences of population declines to their ability to transmit viruses to people, remain poorly understood. This AccelNet project establishes the Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks (GBatNet) to fill key knowledge gaps and create an international structure to accelerate discoveries across disciplines and borders. The network of networks fosters new avenues for global research exchange through coordination of joint research, education, and outreach. GBatNet links 14 regional and global networks with a shared vision to address pressing questions in bat biology of direct relevance to ecosystem and human health. GBatNet will advance understanding of mechanisms that govern the ecology and evolution of bats, and address NSF’s Big Idea Understanding the Rules of Life. The network of network forges novel connections among experts in paleontology, evolution, morphology, ecology, virology, genomics, and conservation. GBatNet will address 3 broad questions : (1) eco-evolutionary dynamics – what are the feedbacks between ecological function, evolutionary adaptation, and rapidly changing environments?, (2) metabolic homeostasis – how do individuals maintain metabolic homeostasis, and what are the evolutionary contributions and ecological consequences for populations and species?, and (3) tree of sex – what are the evolutionary and ecological consequences of genomic rearrangement, especially in sex chromosomes? Annual meetings, interdisciplinary synthesis sessions, international engagement in bat diversity hotspots will foster coordination and preparation of the next generation of professionals. In addition to producing research syntheses and developing public outreach materials, the project will synthesize existing datasets to create interdisciplinary tools and protocols to gain insights to complex systems. GBatNet will build and test predictive models of species vulnerability to ongoing habitat change, emerging infectious diseases, and climate change. GBatNet will provide unparalleled collaborative opportunities for bat research and conservation worldwide, and the U.S. scientific community will gain expanded research opportunities in global bat diversity hotspots and with networks across diverse disciplines.The Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet) program is designed to accelerate the process of scientific discovery and prepare the next generation of U.S. researchers for multiteam international collaborations. The AccelNet program supports strategic linkages among U.S. research networks and complementary networks abroad that will leverage research and educational resources to tackle grand scientific challenges that require significant coordinated international efforts. Co-funding for this award is being provided by the Directorates for Biological Sciences from the Population and Community Ecology Program (BIO/DEB) and the Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics Program (BIO/IOS).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.