EVO-LTER: Building collaborations to investigate the effects of urbanization on eco-evolutionary dynamics across the LTER network

生物体受到生态和进化力量的强烈影响。由于生态和进化过程不断相互作用，因此很难完全理解它们对生物体生物学的影响。生态进化动力学理论为理解当代时间尺度上生态学与进化之间的相互作用提供了一个强有力的框架。长期生态研究（LTER）网络于1980年启动，拥有20多个地理研究站点，拥有丰富的历史和当代数据，涵盖多种生物群落中的许多物种。重要的是，许多LTER网站嵌入在城市化景观，生态进化动力学可能特别强大。有必要汇集在城市生态演化动力学和LTER研究人员的研究专业知识的学者（一）集成LTER方法和生态演化动力学框架中明确的城市背景下，（二）培训未来的LTER生态演化动力学研究人员在一个综合的科学方法。该项目的目的是制定促进包容和公平的研究举措，同时推进生态学和进化生物学科学。为实现这些目标，将举办两次讲习班。预期成果包括编写几份手稿，总结数据综合活动，并概述未来的生态进化研究在LTER网站。另一个成果是形成了关于城市化对整个LTER网络的生态进化动态影响的新假设，以刺激未来合作和变革研究的计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得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来支持。

Living organisms are strongly shaped by both ecological and evolutionary forces. Because ecological and evolutionary processes are constantly interacting, it can be difficult to fully understand their effects on the biology of organisms. Eco-evolutionary dynamics theory provides a powerful framework for understanding interactions between ecology and evolution on contemporary time scales. The Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network, which was launched in 1980 and has over two dozen geographic research sites, has rich historical and contemporary data for many species across a diversity of biomes. Importantly, many LTER sites are embedded in urbanizing landscapes, where eco-evolutionary dynamics may be particularly strong. There is a need to bring together scholars with research expertise in urban eco-evolutionary dynamics and LTER researchers to (i) integrate LTER approaches and the eco-evolutionary dynamics framework in an explicitly urban context, and (ii) train future LTER eco-evolutionary dynamics researchers in an integrative science approach. The intention of this project is to develop research initiatives that promote inclusion and equity while advancing the science of ecology and evolutionary biology. Two workshops will be hosted to meet these goals. Anticipated outcomes include the preparation of several manuscripts that summarize data synthesis activities and outline the future of eco-evolutionary research at LTER sites. Another outcome is the formation of new hypotheses about the effects of urbanization on eco-evolutionary dynamics across the LTER network to stimulate plans for future collaborative and transformative research.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.