NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Investigating the genetic and eco-evolutionary mechanisms underlying life history polymorphisms

这一行动为NSF 2021财年生物学博士后研究奖学金提供了资金，综合研究调查了支配基因组、环境和表型之间相互作用的生命规则。该奖学金支持研究员的研究和培训，这些研究员将以创新的方式为生活规则领域做出贡献。生活史策略被定义为物种的生存和繁殖模式，并受到生长、繁殖和维持等重要因素的影响。生活史策略可以是快(早期繁殖和短寿命)到慢(后期繁殖和长寿命)，以及介于两者之间的一切。快速或缓慢生命史的成本和收益取决于环境条件。持续的和资源丰富的环境有利于快速的生活史。相比之下，在资源可获得性波动的环境中，较慢的寿命史更受青睐。由于环境变异性随着全球气候变化而增加，生命史可以帮助保护物种和生态系统免受负面后果或种群减少的影响。为了能够预测物种在新环境中适应和坚持的潜力，这项研究将促进我们对支撑生命历史进化的机制的理解。为了扩大代表不足的群体在学术界的参与，该研究员将开发和促进关于包容性指导和领导的研讨会。这项研究将利用具有生活史多态的模型系统，即翼-二型可变领域蟋蟀，Gryllus lineaticep。大量分离分析将确定在飞行能力和繁殖能力之间权衡的长翼和短翼板球变种的翅膀形态和繁殖时机的遗传变异。这将检验这样一种假设，即控制发育开关和生理过程速率的基因控制着重大生活史事件的时间安排，并决定着生活节奏。这位研究员还将开发一个吉莱斯皮生态进化模型(GEM)来研究翅膀二型性的进化。该模型将确定遗传和环境的相互作用如何改变替代生活史策略的适应成本和收益，从而能够预测生活史多态的进化轨迹。为了扩大参与，该研究员将通过举办包容性导师培训研讨会，帮助研究生指导来自低收入、第一代和少数族裔背景的本科生。此外，领导力研讨会将为研究员和其他博士后提供领导力战略方面的培训，这些战略可用于促进更具协作性、包容性和公平的实验室和研究环境。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. Life history strategies are defined as the pattern of survival and reproduction for a species, and are informed by important factors such as growth, reproduction, and maintenance. Life history strategies can be fast (early reproduction and short lifespan) to slow (late reproduction and long lifespan), and everything in between. The costs and benefits of fast or slow life histories depend on environmental conditions. Constant and resource rich environments favor fast life histories. In contrast, in environments where resource availability fluctuates, slow life histories are favored. Since environmental variability is increasing with global climate change, life history could help protect species and ecosystems from negative consequences or population declines. To enable predictions about the potential for species to adapt and persist in new environments, this research will advance our understanding of the mechanisms that underpin life history evolution. To broaden participation of underrepresented groups in academia the fellow will develop and facilitate workshops on inclusive mentorship and leadership.The research will leverage a model system with a life history polymorphism, the wing-dimorphic variable field cricket, Gryllus lineaticeps. A bulk segregant analysis will identify genetic variants underlying wing-morphology and timing of reproduction in long- and short-wing cricket morphs that trade-off between flight-capability and reproduction. This will test the hypothesis that genes regulating developmental switches and rates of physiological processes control the timing of major life history events and set the pace of life. The fellow will also develop a Gillespie eco-evolutionary model (GEM) for the evolution of wing dimorphism. The model will determine how genetic-and-environmental interactions alter the fitness costs and benefits of alternative life history strategies, enabling predictions about the evolutionary trajectory of life history polymorphisms. To broaden participation, the fellow will prepare graduate students to mentor undergraduate students from low-income, first generation, and minority backgrounds by facilitating inclusive mentorship training workshops. Additionally, leadership workshops will provide the fellow and other postdocs training in leadership strategies that can be applied to foster more collaborative, inclusive, and equitable laboratory and research environments.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.