Systematics and Influence of Coral Reefs on Diversification in Tetraodontiform Fishes

珊瑚礁对四齿鱼多样化的系统学及其影响

• 批准号: 0842397
• 负责人: Michael Alfaro
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-02-15 至 2013-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0842397&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Systematics; Influence; Coral; Reefs; Diversification

Coral reef fishes are an astonishingly diverse group of vertebrates. They are rich in number and extraordinarily varied in shape, size, and ecology. This project will investigate how coral reefs have shaped marine fish biodiversity by examining diversification patterns and processes in tetraodontiform fishes (a group including pufferfishes, porcupine fishes, and triggerfishes). The investigators will construct an evolutionary tree for this group by analyzing DNA sequences, key morphological features, and the fossil record. This tree will provide a framework for comparing rates of evolution of fins, body shape, and jaws between reef and non-reef species. The research team will test whether reef species have evolved changes in their feeding and swimming systems more quickly than non-reef species and whether major evolutionary changes correspond with key historical events, such as the closing of sea-ways or periods of rapid climate change. This work will provide important new insights into how coral reefs, one of the planets most unique habitats, have shaped biodiversity in marine fishes. By revealing how paleoclimatic events have affected historical patterns of species richness, this study will improve the understanding of the impacts of human-caused global changes on reef fish biodiversity. Outreach efforts - including mentoring, seminars, and workshops - will provide training for new scientists from underrepresented groups and advance the use of newly developed analytical methods to the national research community.

珊瑚礁鱼是一群惊人的脊椎动物。它们的数量丰富，形状，大小和生态学变化。该项目将通过检查四齿鱼类（包括puffer鱼，猪鱼和柠檬鱼）的多样化模式和过程来研究珊瑚礁如何通过检查海洋鱼类生物多样性。研究人员将通过分析DNA序列，关键的形态特征和化石记录来为该组构建进化树。这棵树将提供一个框架，用于比较鳍，珊瑚礁和非Reef物种之间的鳍，身体形状和下颌的进化速率。研究小组将测试礁石物种是否比非Reef物种更快地进化了其进食和游泳系统的变化，以及重大进化变化是否与关键的历史事件相对应，例如海路的关闭还是快速气候变化的时期。 这项工作将为珊瑚礁（最独特的栖息地之一）如何在海洋鱼类中塑造生物多样性提供重要的新见解。通过揭示古气候事件如何影响物种丰富度的历史模式，这项研究将提高人们对人为造成的全球变化对珊瑚礁鱼类生物多样性的影响的理解。包括指导，研讨会和研讨会在内的外展工作将为来自代表性不足的团体的新科学家提供培训，并推动向国家研究界使用新开发的分析方法。