Population connectivity of native and invasive species in the Fens: what are appropriate habitats for conservation?

这个全额资助的项目为积极进取的学生提供了学习保护科学前沿技能的机会，并为英国最大湿地的保护和恢复做出了重要贡献。学生将：1）获得群体遗传学和基于个体的建模技能，2）提供与解决改善原生物种栖息地连通性同时最大限度地减少入侵物种传播之间的权衡有关的国际相关科学，3）与自然保护组织中的生态学家和从业者密切合作英格兰东部的沼泽地恢复提供有效的策略。沼泽地是一个重要的生态区，面积为3900平方公里，为13,000多个物种提供重要的栖息地（其中1500个物种受到保护，50个物种是沼泽地特有物种）。然而，由于密集的土地使用，只有不到1%的栖息地保持完整。目前正在努力恢复剩余栖息地片段之间的连通性，以保护这一宝贵生态系统的生物多样性。然而，沼泽地也是许多入侵物种的家园，改善栖息地斑块之间的连通性可能会加速这些物种的传播。该项目将直接应用于沼泽地的保护决策，并将解决更广泛的全球性问题，这些问题涉及在入侵生态系统的背景下改善本地物种连通性的挑战。对于这个项目，学生将进行实地考察和遗传分析，以评估一系列本地和入侵物种的连接性，这些物种专门研究湿地栖息地，并在沼泽地拥有当地据点。学生还将使用一套新的建模方法来预测各种保护策略的后果，并有机会为日益流行的软件工具RangeShifter的持续开发做出贡献，以了解生态进化动力学以及土地管理和保护策略的后果。

This fully-funded project provides the opportunity for a motivated student to learn cutting-edge skills in conservation science and to make an important contribution to the conservation and restoration of the UK's largest wetland. The student will: 1) gain skills in population genetics and individually-based modelling, 2) deliver internationally relevant science related to resolving trade-offs between improving habitat connectivity for native species while minimising the spread of invasive species, and 3) work closely with ecologists and practitioners in the conservation organisation Natural England, to deliver effective strategies for restoration of the Fens in eastern England. The Fens is an ecologically important area, covering 3900 km2 and providing critical habitat for >13,000 species (1500 of which are of conservation concern and 50 of which are Fens endemics). However, due to intensive land use, less than 1% of this habitat remains intact. Efforts are currently underway to restore connectivity among remaining habitat fragments, to conserve the biodiversity of this valuable ecosystem. However, the Fens are also home to a number of invasive species, and improving connectivity among habitat patches may have the unwanted consequence of hastening the spread of these species. This project will have a direct applied relevance to conservation decisions for the Fens, and will also address broader, global issues relating to the challenge of improving native species connectivity in the context of invaded ecosystems. For this project, the student will conduct fieldwork and genetic analyses to assess connectivity for a range of native and invasive species that specialise on wetland habitats, and which have a local stronghold in the Fens. The student will also use a suite of new modelling approaches to predict the consequences of various conservation strategies, with an opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the increasingly popular software tool RangeShifter for understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics and the consequences of land management and conservation strategies.