Interactions among closely-related species and the evolution of biodiversity

密切相关物种之间的相互作用和生物多样性的演变

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04452
• 负责人: Martin, Paul
• 金额: $ 2.91万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=658902
• 关键词: Interactions; among; closely; related; species

What factors promote or constrain local biodiversity, and why does it vary in space and time? These questions are central to our understanding of nature, and yet we lack the answers necessary to accurately predict and mitigate the impacts of human activities on biodiversity. The goal of our proposed research program is to advance our understanding of biodiversity by studying how closely-related species coexist. We focus on closely-related species because they represent the earliest stages in the evolution of local biodiversity, and their shared ecological preferences and traits provide a challenge to coexistence.******Objective 1. Understand how and why closely-related species partition resources. Seven species of Nicrophorus burying beetle live together in southern Ontario, all relying on small vertebrate carrion for breeding. We will study species that partition resources by breeding at different temperatures and occupying distinct habitats – two environmental axes that influence many species in nature. The goal of this work is to understand the mechanisms that underlie resource partitioning among species, using a tractable system for detailed selection, transplant, competition, and thermal tolerance experiments. ******Objective 2. Understand the evolutionary consequences of direct, competitive interactions among species. Species are continuously signalling, displacing, and fighting with each other, revealing the importance of direct competitive interactions in nature. We will examine the consequences of direct interactions among species for signals, hybridization, and evolution by comparing species of birds that interact aggressively, with a consistently dominant and subordinate species. ******Objective 3. Identify broad processes and constraints that influence resource partitioning and the response of species to environmental challenges. Repeated patterns of resource partitioning in nature suggest recurrent underlying selective pressures and constraints. Using an extensive dataset on birds, we will test the hypotheses that adaptation to new and challenging environments compromises competitive ability, and that species confronted with environmental challenges will either struggle to persist when confronting additional new challenges, or will be preadapted to novel challenges as they occur. ******Impact. An understanding of the processes that structure biodiversity should play a central role in guiding how we interact with nature, from conserving species to managing resources. The research proposed here will improve our understanding of biodiversity by elucidating the mechanisms underlying resource partitioning, the consequences of direct interactions among species, and the broader processes that constrain how species partition resources, and thus determine when and how species can live together in nature. The proposed work would train 4 PhD, 5 MSc, and 12-15 BSc students.

哪些因素促进或限制了当地的生物多样性，为什么它在时空和时间上有所不同？这些问题对于我们对自然的理解至关重要，但是我们缺乏准确预测和减轻人类活动对生物多样性的影响所必需的答案。我们提出的研究计划的目的是通过研究与亲密关系的共存方式来提高我们对生物多样性的理解。我们专注于与密切相关的物种，因为它们代表了局部生物多样性的最早阶段，它们的共同生态偏好和特征为共存提供了挑战。****目标1。了解如何以及为什么密切相关的物种分配资源。安大略省南部的七种烟虫埋葬甲虫一起生活在一起，都依靠小脊椎动物进行繁殖。我们将通过在不同温度下繁殖并占据不同的栖息地来研究该物种，这是两个影响许多物种在自然界中的环境轴。这项工作的目的是了解物种之间资源分配的机制，使用可拖动系统来详细选择，移植，竞争和热耐受性实验。 *****目标2。了解物种之间直接竞争相互作用的进化后果。物种是连续的信号传导，流离失所和互动，揭示了自然界直接竞争相互作用的重要性。我们将通过比较积极相互作用的鸟类与一致的主要和下属物种来研究物种之间直接相互作用在信号，杂交和进化中的后果。 *****目标3。确定影响资源分配以及物种对环境挑战的反应的广泛过程和约束。自然界中资源分配的重复模式表明，反复出现的基本选择压力和约束。使用鸟类的广泛数据集，我们将测试适应新的和挑战环境的假设损害了竞争能力，而在面对额外的新挑战时，与环境挑战相抵触的物种要么努力持续存在，要么在发生新的挑战时会持续存在。 *****影响。对结构生物多样性的过程的理解应在指导我们如何与自然互动，从保护物种到管理资源方面发挥核心作用。此处提出的研究将通过阐明资源分配的机制，物种之间直接相互作用的后果以及限制物种分区资源的更广泛过程，从而确定何时以及物种如何在自然界生活在一起的更广泛的过程，从而提高我们对生物多样性的理解。拟议的工作将培训4博士学位，5个MSC和12-15名BSC学生。