DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Historical dynamics of American beech at its northern range limit

论文研究：美国山毛榉在其北部范围界限的历史动态

• 批准号: 1210454
• 负责人: Jason McLachlan
• 金额: $ 1.48万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 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 2013-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1210454&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Historical; dynamics; American

Climate-driven shifts in distribution towards higher latitudes are expected to occur for many tree species. The ability of a species to move will depend mostly upon dispersal and colonization by individuals from populations at the poleward edge of its range, and the details of these migration processes are likely to determine the genetic structure of the new populations for millennia to come, and hence their ability to adapt to their new environment. This research seeks to anticipate this future by examining the past northward migration after glacial retreat and the present genetic population structure of a dominant tree of the temperate deciduous forests of the eastern U.S., American beech. By analyzing genetic data from pollen and macrofossils preserved in lake sediments for thousands of years in Upper Michigan, the project will elucidate the important patterns of colonization by beech patterns and show how these led to patterns of genetic diversity. By further integrating these historical data with genetic analyses of beech populations today, the project will help understand the long-term genetic consequences of climate-driven migration. Understanding how climate change will affect forests and biological diversity is important to society, because we depend upon forests for many products and upon diversity for maintaining a well-functioning environment. The project will also contribute to forest conservation and management by helping suggest which populations are genetically at risk and need immediate conservation attention. Moreover, the project will train undergraduate students in the process of scientific research.

气候驱动的许多树种的分布预计将发生向高纬度地区的转变。一个物种的迁移能力主要取决于来自其分布范围极地边缘的种群中的个体的扩散和殖民，这些迁移过程的细节很可能决定未来几千年新种群的遗传结构，并且因此他们有能力适应新环境。这项研究旨在通过研究冰川退缩后过去的向北迁徙以及美国东部温带落叶林的优势树种美国山毛榉目前的遗传种群结构来预测这一未来。 通过分析上密歇根州湖泊沉积物中保存了数千年的花粉和大型化石的遗传数据，该项目将阐明山毛榉模式的重要殖民模式，并展示这些模式如何导致遗传多样性模式。通过进一步将这些历史数据与当今山毛榉种群的遗传分析相结合，该项目将有助于了解气候驱动的迁徙的长期遗传后果。了解气候变化将如何影响森林和生物多样性对社会很重要，因为我们依赖森林提供许多产品，并依赖多样性来维持运转良好的环境。 该项目还将通过帮助建议哪些种群面临遗传风险并需要立即进行保护，从而为森林保护和管理做出贡献。此外，该项目还将在科学研究过程中培养本科生。