NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Evolution of eastern gray squirrels in urban environments

Carlen, Elizabeth J, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the Fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. This research addresses how urbanization and associated landscape changes alter the evolutionary patterns of urban wildlife. Scientists have recently pointed to the need to incorporate socio-cultural features beyond the physical landscape, such as mold complaints, access to grocery stores, and illegal trash dumping. These features contribute to non-adaptive urban wildlife patterns in ways that have yet to be uncovered and which will provide vital information on how to transform our cities to better support both wildlife and humans. Additionally, urban wildlife are expected to encounter adaptive selection pressures that differ from the surrounding non-urban area. Understanding how phenotypes change in response to the urban environment, and which genes underlie those changes, can provide empirical evidence for rapid evolution and urban eco-evolutionary dynamics, two fields which are in the relatively early stages of development. By understanding the extent of these changes and where in the genome they occur, scientists can build a better model for how urbanization shapes the evolution of wildlife. The Fellow will conduct outreach to K-12 students from diverse backgrounds to enhance their understanding of the role of wildlife in urban environments. To assess nonadaptive evolution, this project will collect DNA from Eastern Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in the St. Louis metropolitan area and use DNA sequencing to amplify thousands of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs). These SNPs will be used for landscape genetics modeling to detect barriers and corridors in the landscape. To assess adaptive evolution, this project will collect morphological data from S. carolinensis in the St. Louis metro area and in the surrounding non-urban forests. These morphological trails will be combined with whole genome sequences to conduct a Genome Wide Association Study and detect genes that may be under selection in the urban population. This work will examine the impacts of environmental management decisions on wildlife while teaching local students about evolutionary biology, mammalogy, and field research. The results of this project will influence city planning and provide greater equity of access to wildlife for residents who are often overlooked by programs meant to connect people with nature. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.