Ecologically-informed Evolutionary Developmental Biology in Threespine Stickleback

群体如何保持产生表型变异的能力，尽管随着时间的推移，选择有减少变异的趋势？我的研究计划的长期目标是调查表型变异变得可用并被维持以供选择以采取行动的方法，从而导致物种内的适应性变化。表型变异是三个主要生物学领域相互作用的结果：遗传信息、发育过程和环境因素。虽然每个领域的范围非常大，但本提案侧重于了解领域之间的相互作用空间，以此作为阐明每个领域对变异产生的相对贡献的一种手段。我提出了三个目标，旨在测试表型变异的三个关键来源如何相互作用，以促进适应性变化：性别二型性、表型可塑性和祖先。三刺鱼(Gastersteus Aculeatus)是测试探索这些现象的理想生物，因为它有能力快速在新的栖息地定居，倾向于与殖民事件相关的平行进化变化，以及它易于在野外研究和在实验室中驯化。我的实验室是第一批将高通量定量表型和基因组学技术应用于自然种群的实验室之一。我利用世界一流的设施和班菲尔德海洋科学中心(BMSC)促进的培训合作，为总部提供一个独特的环境，让他们在培训期间协调发展现场和板凳技能。我们的几个现场地点位于正在进行大规模自然资源开发和扩张的地区，这可能会对当地动植物产生重大的、可能是负面的影响。此外，有几个遗址位于或毗邻华爱第一民族的传统领地，因此提供了一个独特的合作机会，以更好地了解这些地方的历史以及资源开发对动物栖息地和当地人类种群的影响。我的HQP将做出实质性的科学发现，同时利用无与伦比的专业发展和指导机会，因为他们发展新知识，并提出关于自然系统变异的性质及其在环境不稳定情况下的生产的复杂问题。

How do populations retain the ability to produce phenotypic variation, despite the tendency for selection to reduce variation over time? The long-term objective of my research program is to investigate the means by which phenotypic variation becomes available and is maintained for selection to act upon, resulting in adaptive change within species. Phenotypic variation is characterized as resulting from the interaction of three major biological domains: genetic information, developmental processes, and environmental factors. Although each domain is very large in scope, the present proposal focuses on understanding the interaction spaces between domains as a means of elucidating the relative contributions of each domain to the production of variation. I propose three Objectives designed to test how three key sources of phenotypic variation interact to facilitate adaptive change: sexual dimorphism, phenotypic plasticity, and ancestry. The threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is an ideal organism in which to test explore these phenomena, due to its capacity for rapid colonization of new habitats and propensity for parallel evolutionary change related to colonization events, as well as its ease of study in the wild and tractability in the laboratory. My laboratory is among the first to apply high-throughput quantitative phenotyping and genomics techniques to natural populations. I leverage world-class facilities and training collaborations facilitated by the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre (BMSC) to provide a unique environment for HQP to develop field and bench skills in concert during their training. Several of our field sites are located in areas undergoing substantial natural resource development and expansion that threatens substantial, likely negative, impact on local flora and fauna. Further, several sites are on or adjacent to the traditional territories of the Huu-ay-aht First Nation, and therefore present a unique opportunity for collaboration to better understand the history of these localities and the impacts of resource development on both animal habitat and local human populations. My HQP will make substantial scientific discoveries while taking advantage of unparalleled opportunities for professional development and mentorship as they develop new knowledge and ask complex questions about the nature of variation in natural systems and its production in the face of environmental lability.