Insect diversity at multiple scales: from genes to communities

很少有单一的生物多样性项目跨越基因、物种和群落，但这三者是联系在一起的：遗传多样性是物种形成的原材料；物种是比较生境和地点的货币；群落受到物种相互作用的强烈影响。通过在这三个尺度上评估多样性，我们对多样性的机制和结果模式有了更深入的了解。我在遗传、物种和生态尺度上探索昆虫的多样性。我的研究分类是苍蝇（双翅目），这是加拿大种类最多的昆虫。我的短期目标是在多个空间尺度上记录所有三个层次的多样性模式，特别是在苍蝇占主导地位的北极。我的长期目标是建立一个系统发育和生态框架，以解决有关苍蝇多样性和优势性的问题。我们探讨了三个主题：

Few single biodiversity programs span genes, species and communities, yet the three are linked: genetic diversity is the raw material for speciation; species are the currency for comparison of habitats and sites; and communities are strongly influenced by species interactions. By assessing diversity at all three scales, we move toward a greater understanding of mechanisms and resulting patterns of diversity. I explore insect diversity at genetic, species and ecological scales. My study taxon is the flies (Diptera), Canada's most diverse order of insects. My short-term objective is to document patterns of diversity at all three levels at multiple spatial scales, especially in the arctic where flies dominate. My long-term objective is to build a phylogenetic and ecological framework to address questions on the diversity and dominance of flies. We explore three themes: 1. TAXONOMY: Good ecology is rooted in good taxonomy, especially in the diverse insects. The core of my taxonomic work is the family Chloropidae, a large family that is dominant in most terrestrial systems. Chloropids have enormous ecological diversity, but understanding this diversity is hampered by undescribed species and unresolved relationships. The Nearctic chloropid fauna will be the focus of our proposed taxonomic work, making names and phylogenies available for ecological studies. We will also target other Diptera families that are particularly diverse but poorly known in the arctic; 2. PHYLOGENY: We require phylogenetic hypotheses to test questions about community assembly and structure. The distribution of arctic Diptera is strongly influenced by survival in refugia and postglacial dispersal but phylogeographic analyses at the genetic level is needed to identify the footprint of glacial events; 3. COMMUNITY ECOLOGY: Many Diptera families are similar in species-richness, abundance and body size, but show a great range of ecological specialization. We will use these families to test the effect of ecological diversity on community structure. We will also test whether phylogeny, ecology or neutral processes drive community assembly in these taxa at different spatial and temporal scales.