Early life-history sex determination in reef fishes

许多鱼类的性别受孵化后所经历的环境条件的影响。然而，人们对性别决定的时间、线索和发育途径知之甚少。本研究将确定幼年期的环境条件如何控制珊瑚鱼的性别决定模式，并确定性别分化是对局部或大范围环境线索的反应。个体的性别对其生物学的各个方面都具有深远而重要的影响，性别决定的机制对种群生态学具有重要意义。该项目将检验进化生态学的理论，并极大地有利于珊瑚礁渔业的管理。

In many fishes, gender is influenced by environmental conditions experienced after hatching. However, the timing, cues, and developmental pathways of sex determination are poorly understood. This research will establish how environmental conditions during the juvenile phase control patterns of sex determination in reef fishes and determine if sex differentiation is a response to local- or broad-scale environmental cues. An individual's gender has profound and significant consequences for all aspects of its biology and the mechanism of sex determination has important implications for population ecology. This project will test theory in evolutionary ecology and greatly benefit the management of reef fisheries.