An Integrative Approach to Understanding Speciation in Salamanders of the Ensatina Eschscholtzii Complex

理解 Ensatina Eschscholtzii 复合体蝾螈物种形成的综合方法

• 批准号: 0641078
• 负责人: Craig Moritz
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-02-01 至 2011-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0641078&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Integrative; Approach; Understanding; Speciation; Salamanders

This proposal will trace the history and mechanisms of divergence in a textbook example of speciation, salamanders of the Ensatina eschscholtzii complex of western North America, to further understanding of how new species are formed. The investigators will test hypotheses about the evolutionary processes that have shaped patterns of geographic variation using DNA sequence data at a broad scale, in concert with highly variable DNA microsatellites to scrutinize interactions between individuals at contact zones between differentiated populations. Controlled mating experiments will be used to test hypotheses about the origin and maintenance of reproductive isolating barriers to elucidate how species remain distinct from other, closely related species where they cooccur.Ensatina salamanders represent one of only two known cases of a ring species. Ring species have been called the perfect demonstration of speciation because we can trace the history of divergence through the intermediate forms connecting the two terminal parts of a continuum of populations that act as distinct species. Results will be communicated to the scientific community via publication in journals, and directly to the public via the award winning Understanding Evolution website, developed and maintained by UC Berkeley which provides evolution education resources to teachers and students.

该提议将在北美西部的Ensatina Eschscholzii Complex的salamanders的教科书示例中追踪差异的历史和机制，以进一步了解如何形成新物种。研究人员将测试有关使用DNA序列数据大规模的地理变异模式的进化过程的假设，该假设与高度可变的DNA微卫星一致，以仔细检查差异人群之间的接触区的个体之间的相互作用。受控的交配实验将用于测试有关生殖隔离障碍的起源和维持的假设，以阐明物种如何保持与其他密切相关的物种不同的物种。环种类被称为形成的完美证明，因为我们可以通过连续形式的中间形式追踪差异的历史，这些形式连续了一个人群的两个终端部分，它们充当了不同的物种。结果将通过期刊上的出版物传达给科学界，并直接通过屡获殊荣的理解进化网站直接传达给公众，该网站由加州大学伯克利分校开发和维护，该网站为教师和学生提供了进化教育资源。