An automated system for small mammal population monitoring

我的计划旨在了解生态学和人口学如何与种群基因组过程相互作用，以产生和限制进化变化。我用灰松鼠对城市的殖民来回答我的问题。城市化使种群碎片化，塑造了扩散模式，改变了选择压力，并在空间中复制，这使其成为探索当地适应的理想自然实验。我的团队目前的研究重点是量化假定的适应性等位基因如何影响自然环境中的人口、生态和生活史变化。 要以最好的方式回答这些问题，既需要种群水平的DNA测序，也需要对跨越环境、整个生命周期和世代的大量个体进行密集的生态监测。现在，生成种群基因组数据很简单。然而，生成长期的全年生态数据仍然很困难。这是因为，对于大多数研究小组来说，雇用一组全职长期实地技术人员进行日常诱捕和跟踪在财务上是不可行的。我建议在技术上解决这个问题，建议设计和购买一个自动化监测系统，能够全年监测数百只标记松鼠的数量。自动化意味着这个系统具有成本效益，而且从长远来看是可持续的。 每年在温尼伯，我和我的学生都会给300只松鼠皮下注射包裹在生物兼容玻璃中的射频识别(RFID)芯片。我设计的监控系统就是利用这种打标的方法。它由28个自动RFID微芯片读取器组成，天线固定在有诱饵的喂食箱上。每个单元记录通过天线的松鼠的日期、时间、ID和位置数据。此外，每个单位将收集环境和生活史数据(例如，群众)，并记录未标记的个人的访问，这对人口模型很重要。可以通过可编程调度器限制获得食物，以便能够获得模仿短暂食物资源的食物。还可以根据RFID代码限制特定个人获得食物，这允许进行实验性喂养研究。每个单元通过蜂窝网络自动将所有数据传送到服务器。 该系统产生的数据将极大地增强我的新研究计划的范围和影响，以及我继续培训HQP使用尖端人口监测系统、空间人口模型和人口基因组学的能力。通过提供将基因组选择与物种生态联系起来的能力，这个系统将使我们能够回答有关局部适应的速度、规模和性质的困难问题。从长远来看，这个系统产生的数据将是我研究计划的基石。

My program aims to understand how ecology and demography interact with population genomic processes to both produce and constrain evolutionary change. I use the colonisations of cities by grey squirrels to address my questions. Urbanisation fragments populations, shapes dispersal patterns, alters selective pressures, and is replicated in space, which makes it an ideal natural experiment with which to explore local adaptation. My group’s current research focuses on quantifying how putatively adaptive alleles affect demographic, ecological, and life history variation in natural settings. Answering such questions in the best possible way requires both population-level DNA sequencing and intensive ecological monitoring of a large number of individuals across environments, entire lifetimes, and generations. Generating population genomic data is now straightforward. However, generating long-term year-round ecological data remains difficult. This is because it is not financially feasible for most research groups to hire a team of full-time permanent field technicians for daily trapping and tracking. I propose to solve this problem technologically with the proposed design and purchase of an automated monitoring system capable of year-round population monitoring of hundreds of marked squirrels. The automation means that this system is cost effective and sustainable over the long-term. Each year in Winnipeg my students and I inject >300 squirrels subcutaneously with radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips encased in biocompatible glass. The monitoring system I have designed takes advantage of this method of marking. It is comprised of 28 automated RFID microchip readers with antennas affixed to baited feeding boxes. Each unit logs date, time, ID, and location data for squirrels that pass through antennas. In addition, each unit will collect environmental and life history data (e.g., mass) and record visits by unmarked individuals, which is important for demographic modelling. Access to food can be restricted via a programmable scheduler so that availability can be made to mimic ephemeral food resources. Access to food can also be restricted to particular individuals based upon RFID codes, which allows for experimental feeding studies. Each unit automatically communicates all data to a server via cellular networks. Data generated by this system will greatly enhance the scope and impact of my new research program and my ability to continue to train HQP in the use of leading edge population monitoring systems, spatial demographic modelling, and population genomics. By providing the ability to link genomic selection to species ecology, this system will enable us to answer difficult to address questions about the pace, scale, and nature of local adaptation. In the long-term, data generated by this system will be the cornerstone of my research program.