Dissertation Research: The Effects of Phenotypic Variation on Food Web Architecture and Ecosystem Fluxes: A Dual Tracer Isotope Approach

论文研究：表型变异对食物网结构和生态系统通量的影响：双示踪同位素方法

• 批准号: 1209385
• 负责人: Nelson Hairston
• 金额: $ 1.47万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-06-01 至 2014-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1209385&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Effects; Phenotypic; Variation

The primary goal of this study is to determine how variation within a single species can influence the transfer of energy and materials in stream food webs. The proposed research will use a model system for evolutionary studies, the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), to determine how two phenotypes of a single species can influence ecosystem processes in streams. Streams on the island of Trinidad occur in parallel watersheds that have similar environmental gradients with locally adapted populations of guppies. Two phenotypes have been established in previous studies: guppies from streams with predators, and guppies from streams without predators. These two guppy phenotypes are likely to influence the ecosystem in unique ways because of differences in how they feed and what they eat. This study uses a replicated experiment to examine how both guppy phenotype and resource availability influence ecosystems.A better understanding of how within-species variation affects ecological processes will provide additional insight into interactions between ecological and evolutionary processes, which may be widespread and significant. Many people are familiar with guppies because of their prominent role in the aquarium trade, making them an accessible system to communicate scientific research about evolutionary ecology. This work will also inform studies of how land use change alters stream ecosystems.

这项研究的主要目标是确定单个物种内部的变化如何影响溪流食品网中能量和材料的转移。 拟议的研究将使用用于进化研究的模型系统，即特立尼达鸟鸟（Trinidadian Guppy）（poecilia neticulata），以确定单个物种的两个表型如何影响流中的生态系统过程。 特立尼达岛上的溪流发生在平行流域，这些流域具有相似的环境梯度，并具有局部适应的孔雀鱼。 先前的研究中已经建立了两种表型：来自捕食者的溪流的孔雀鱼，以及没有捕食者的溪流的孔雀鱼。 这两种孔雀鱼表型可能会以独特的方式影响生态系统，因为它们的喂食方式和饮食方式有所不同。 这项研究使用了一个复制的实验来研究孔雀鱼表型和资源可用性如何影响生态系统。更好地理解种类内部变化如何影响生态过程，将为生态和进化过程之间的相互作用提供更多的见识，这可能是广泛而重要的。 许多人因为在水族馆贸易中发挥着重要作用而熟悉孔雀厂，使其成为传达有关进化生态学的科学研究的可访问系统。 这项工作还将告知有关土地使用变化如何改变溪流生态系统的研究。