Postdoctoral Fellowship: OCE-PRF: Ecological Genomics of Adaptation in a Rocky Shore Predator-Prey Interaction

University Of Vermont & State Agricultural College, Burlington VT

Investigators

Abstract

Understanding the genetic basis of trait variation is a major goal for many fields of biology. However, exploring this variation in nature is a challenge because it is seldom possible to link trait differences in wild species to underlying genetic variation, as well as determine the role that natural selection plays in driving these patterns. In contrast to many plant and animal populations on land, those in the sea were historically thought to be well mixed and genetically similar across large regions because of the expansive nature of the ocean and the broad dispersal of many marine species. Thus, studies of adaptation in marine environments have lagged behind those on land in and other ecosystems. The project PI is studying a striking example of trait variation in the sea – a predatory marine snail that can successfully drill through thick-shelled mussels in some regions of the west coast of the United States, but not in others. The proposed research will be one of the first to combine extensive trait data and laboratory evolution experiments with ecological genomics in a marine study system. This project will identify genetic signatures of adaptation across space and time in this snail to better understand patterns of evolution in the marine environment. In addition, this project will increase diversity, awareness, and accessibility of STEM through undergraduate mentorship, graduate level filmmaking courses, and a panel to introduce high school students to opportunities in ecology and evolutionary biology. Despite the open nature of marine ecosystems, there is growing evidence that many species display complex patterns of genetic differentiation across their geographic range. The proposed work builds on research exploring the interaction between the drilling dogwhelk, Nucella canaliculata, and the mussel Mytilus californianus, a foundation species that forms large mussel beds along the west coast of North America. Previous research has shown that this marine predator displays genetically controlled variation in drilling ability across its geographic range. This project has three goals: 1) determine the level of migration and gene flow among populations of a low dispersing invertebrate, 2) identify genomic patterns of selection using environmental data and detailed phenotypic data from lab-reared individuals, including investigating potential mechanisms of parallel adaptation, and 3) identify signatures of rapid adaptation and selection imposed in laboratory experiments by variation in early-life diet. Investigating these patterns of genomic variation will allow us to better understand the nature of selective forces in marine environments and the potential for rapid adaptation as climatic conditions change. 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.