NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2009

Warren Dan L, Esparto CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2009. The fellowship supports a research and training plan entitled "Evolutionary and ecological determinants of community composition in Caribbean reef fishes" for Dan Warren. The host institution for this research is the University of Texas at Austin, and the sponsoring scientist is Dan Bolnick. Despite decades of research, evolutionary ecologists are still left with major questions about the interactions between species' ecology and their co-occurrence within communities. This research program employs publicly available databases to address fundamental questions regarding evolutionary ecology and biogeography in reef fishes. Specifically, two questions are addressed: how does ecological similarity between species at one scale affect similarity at other scales? Second, what are the primary determinants of reef fish community composition? This research contributes both to understanding of marine fish community composition and to the methodological toolbox that future investigators can use to study the evolution of communities in all systems. The data set resulting from this research also helps investigators and managers predict how future global climate change will affect reef fish distribution and community composition. Training plans include developing advanced skills in programming, Geographical Information Systems, statistical analysis, and interpretation of ecological patterns at multiple scales. The results from this research are being disseminated through publications and presentations, and educational activities include mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Texas-Austin. Other outreach activities include working with the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) to discuss results of this research and to promote citizen participation in data collection.