Genetic Models of Speciation by Reinforcement

强化物种形成的遗传模型

• 批准号: 9973221
• 负责人: Mark Kirkpatrick
• 金额: $ 40万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-11-01 至 2005-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9973221&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Genetic; Models; Speciation; Reinforcement

Abstract: Genetic models of speciation by reinforcementPrincipal investigator: Mark Kirkpatrick Most species remain distinct from one another simply because they avoid interbreeding. A major theory for the evolution of this reproductive isolation is the "reinforcement" hypothesis, which holds that mating preferences evolve to decrease the chance of producing unfit hybrid offspring. As a result, reproductive isolation evolves and speciation occurs. This hypothesis is controversial because it is unclear whether isolation can evolve in the face of the genetic introgression that accompanies hybridization. This project will develop a comprehensive picture of how, when, and why speciation by reinforcement can operate. The approach is to develop mathematical models that describe the evolution of genes for mating preferences and other isolating mechanisms. The research will investigate how three key factors influence the process: the mechanism that prevents interbreeding (e.g. mating preferences, habitat preferences, flowering time differences, etc.), the genetic factors that make hybrids less fit, and the geography of parental populations (e.g. whether they are contiguous or completely overlapping). Results will make qualitative predictions about where we can expect to find speciation by reinforcement, and offer quantitative predictions that can be tested directly against data from natural populations. Novel mathematical methods will be developed that hold promise for use in a wide variety of other problems in evolutionary genetics. Modern evolutionary biology has a quite comprehensive understanding of how genes evolve within populations, but a relatively poor understanding of how one population splits into two. This research will illuminate the mechanisms of speciation, providing insights into the fundamental processes that regulate biodiversity on earth.

摘要：增强原理研究者的物种形成遗传模型：Mark Kirkpatrick大多数物种仅仅是因为它们避免了杂交而彼此不同。 这种生殖隔离的演变的主要理论是“加强”假设，该假设认为，交配偏好的发展以减少产生不合适的混合后代的机会。 结果，生殖隔离会发展和物种形成。 这一假设是有争议的，因为目前尚不清楚隔离是否可以在伴随杂交的遗传渗入中演变。该项目将制定全面的了解，介绍如何，何时以及为什么通过增强形成能够运作。 该方法是开发数学模型，以描述与交配偏好和其他隔离机制的基因演变。 该研究将研究三个关键因素如何影响过程：防止杂交的机制（例如，偏好，栖息地偏好，开花时间差异等），使杂种较低的遗传因素以及杂种较少的拟合度以及父母种群的地理位置（例如，它们是连续性还是连续或完全重叠）。 结果将对我们期望通过加强找到物种的位置做出定性的预测，并提供可以直接针对自然种群数据进行测试的定量预测。 将开发出新的数学方法，以在进化遗传学中使用多种其他问题。现代进化生物学对基因在人群中的进化有一个非常全面的了解，但对一个人群如何分为两个人的理解相对较差。 这项研究将阐明物种的机制，从而提供有关调节地球生物多样性的基本过程的见解。