CAREER: Investigating Biogeographic Hypotheses and Drivers of Diversification in Neotropical Harvestmen (Opiliones: Laniatores) Using Ultraconserved Elements

了解产生生物多样性的过程，解释物种在地球上的分布，是进化史和生物地理学研究的基本目标。被称为收割者或长腿爸爸的蛛形纲为理解影响物种分布的因素提供了一个强有力的模型。这个项目将推进我们对物种多样性是如何通过与复杂的地质和气候历史相关的进化过程形成的科学知识。这项研究将集中在中美洲和加勒比群岛的收割机上。新物种的发现将促进重要栖息地的保护工作，并教育公众有关生物多样性的科学知识。一名博士后研究员和许多本科生将参与指导研究。他们将接受培训，使用强大的生物信息学工具、尖端的分子方法和先进的显微镜技术。额外的本科生，包括非科学专业的学生，将通过新的基于课程的本科生研究经历，从事国际旅行和研究。将以英语和西班牙语编写有关收割机和其他蛛形纲动物的面向公众的教育材料，以便在社交媒体和开展实地工作的社区分发。该项目的全球范围将提高公众的科学素养，并在全球蜘蛛学家网络内建立强有力的合作。研究人员将构建一个基于UCEs（超保守元件）的新热带收割机两个分支的系统基因组框架。利用几个自然历史博物馆收藏的分类和地理优势，结合实地考察，将收集一个可靠的分类群样本。系统基因组学框架将用于测试生物地理学假设，调查丰富度和多样化模式，并促进现代综合方法的系统分类学。估计经过时间校准的系统发育和测试生物地理学假设将阐明变异和扩散在产生中美洲和加勒比群岛当今物种分布中的相对作用。通过比较不同景观（岛屿和大陆）中多个谱系之间多样性的时间和速度，将探索物种丰富度的空间、枝基和性状基础模式。一种现代的综合方法将利用系统发育信息特征来划分分类群，并将有助于全球生物多样性的清查。系统基因组学框架代表着朝着推进收割者生态学和进化知识迈出的革命性的一步，并将使未来的研究能够解决特定物种或分支的问题。《自然主义者》中公民科学数据的管理和博物馆藏品的类型和凭证的数字化将改善公众可访问的数据库。最终，这个项目将促进我们对生命多样性的理解，并为一群迷人的新热带蛛形纲动物的起源和多样化提供新的见解。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。

Understanding processes that generate biodiversity, and explaining the distribution of species on Earth, are fundamental goals in studies of evolutionary history and biogeography. The arachnid order Opiliones, known as harvestmen or daddy long-legs, provides a powerful model for understanding the factors that affect the distribution of species. This project will advance our scientific knowledge of how species diversity has been shaped by evolutionary processes linked to complex geological and climatic histories. The research will focus on harvestmen in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. The discovery of new species will promote conservation efforts of critical habitats and educate the public about biodiversity science. A postdoctoral researcher and many undergraduate students will participate in mentored research. They will be trained to use powerful bioinformatic tools, cutting-edge molecular approaches, and advanced microscopy techniques. Additional undergraduate students, including non-science majors, will engage in international travel and research through a new course-based undergraduate research experience. Public facing educational materials about harvestmen and other arachnids will be developed, in English and Spanish, for distribution on social media and in communities where field work takes place. The global dimensions of this project will advance public scientific literacy and build strong collaborations within a global network of arachnologists.Researchers will construct a phylogenomic framework based on UCEs (ultraconserved elements) for two clades of Neotropical harvestmen. A robust taxon sample will be assembled by leveraging the taxonomic and geographic strengths of several natural history museum collections combined with field expeditions. The phylogenomic framework will be used to test biogeographic hypotheses, investigate patterns of richness and diversification, and facilitate a modern integrative approach to systematics. Estimating time-calibrated phylogenies and testing biogeographic hypotheses will elucidate the relative role of vicariance and dispersal in producing present-day species distributions in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. Spatial, clade-based, and trait-based patterns of species richness will be explored by comparing the timing and tempo of diversification between multiple lineages in different landscapes (islands and continents). A modern integrative approach to harvestmen systematics will use phylogenetically informative characters to delimit taxa and will contribute to the inventory of global biodiversity. The phylogenomic framework represents a transformative step towards advancing knowledge of harvestmen ecology and evolution and will enable future studies to address species- or clade-specific questions. Curation of citizen science data in iNaturalist and digitization of types and vouchers in museum collections will improve publicly accessible databases. Ultimately, this project will advance our understanding of the diversity of life and provide novel insight into the origins and diversification of a fascinating group of Neotropical arachnids.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.