Current Grants

[Project 1 | | Project 2 | Project 3 ]

Project 1

Title: Local adaptation across latitudes: spatial scales, gene flow, and correlates of countergradient growth variation

Start date: 10-15-2007
End date:
Funding agency: National Science Foundation

Funding: USD

Principal Investigator and Project Manager:
David O. Conover, Professor
Dean and Director
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000

Co-Investigator:
Paul H Barber
Boston University
Biology/Marine Program
881 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA. 021151303

Summary
Knowledge of geographic patterns in adaptive genetic variation is crucial to species conservation yet in marine systems our understanding of this phenomenon is virtually nil. Until recently, the belief has been that because most marine species have highly dispersive or mobile life stages, local adaptation could occur only on broad geographic scales. This view is supported by comparatively low levels of genetic variation among populations as indexed by surveys of DNA markers neutral to selection. Phenotypic variation is expected to be largely of environmental origin, especially for physiological traits that are highly sensitive to environmental conditions. Stimulated by studies of the Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia) and other species, these long-held beliefs are rapidly changing. The silverside shows dramatic evidence of highly structured local adaptation in a suite of coevolving physiological and morphological traits tightly associated with climate change across latitudes along the east coast of North America. Yet preliminary data from molecular genetic surveys suggest extensive gene flow along the entire latitudinal range. This proposal addresses two central problems. The first concerns the micro-geography of local adaptation. How finely scaled is it? How is it influenced by gene flow? Is it closely tied to physical features of the coastline? Do multiple traits co-vary similarly along the same gradient? The second problem focuses on the evolution of growth rate, a trait that strongly displays countergradient latitudinal variation not only in the silverside but also in numerous other taxa. Recent experiments show that growth rate can evolve very rapidly in response to size-selective mortality, including genetic changes caused by fishing. This project will examine the correlates of growth rate evolution. We will study how trade-offs with growth rate influence development, behavior, morphology, and the ability of animals to defend against disease. Our research integrates biogeography, physiology, quantitative and molecular genetics, behavior, immunology, and developmental biology. It draws upon natural and experimentally evolved populations, thereby allowing rigorous testing of hypotheses that would be impossible in most other marine species.

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Project 2

Title: Survey of Atlantic Sturgeon Population; Ocean Trawl Survey for Subadult Atlantic Sturgeon

Funding agency: New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
Pending Funding

Principal Investigator and Project Manager:
David O. Conover, Professor
Dean and Director
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000

Co-PI
Sean Moser, Postdoctoral Research Assoc.
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000

Summary
Due to continued low levels of recruitment, ASMFC is concerned that sturgeon recovery has been hindered by losses in the near shore ocean. We know little about abundance and habitat use of Atlantic sturgeon in the ocean off the 100 miles of coastline on the south side of Long Island. However, fishermen have mentioned capturing small Atlantic sturgeon south of Long Island. One fisherman brought pictures of juvenile sturgeon approximately 1.5 - 2 feet long that were caught off the beach near Moriches Inlet. Another fisherman said this summer that he caught so many sturgeon near shore between Fire Island and Shinnecock Inlet that he had to stop fishing. An Anadromous Sturgeon Symposium was held this summer at the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. Several presenters described aggregations of sturgeon in near shore ocean habitat. We propose a two year survey of New York StateÕs ocean habitat to determine where and when sturgeon occur off the south shore of Long Island. This information is needed to determine potential impacts from bycatch in non-directed fisheries and proposed Energy projects such as pipelines, cables, and wind generation. In addition, information on other species of special concern will also be collected through this survey including: horseshoe crabs, winter flounder, spiny dogfish, and American lobsters. This information will be useful for assessment purposes.
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Project 3

Title: Annuals beach-seine surveys of the abundance of young-of-the-year fishes in the Hudson River estuary.

Start date: 05/01/2004
End date: 04/31/2008
Funding agency: New York Department of Environmental Conservation.
Funding: USD

Principal Investigator and Project Manager:
David O. Conover, Professor
Dean and Director
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000

Co-PI
Sean Moser, Postdoctoral Research Assoc.
Marine Sciences Research Center
State University of New York
Stony Brook, NY 11794-5000

Summary
This project involves the continuation of a >20 year-old survey of the abundance of YOY fishes in the Lower Hudson River, focusing primarily on striped bass. Beach seine sampling is conducted at 25 sites within the Lower Hudson River every two weeks from July through November. This long-term data base provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate factors associated with recruitment variability of a diverse community of estuarine fishes. A variety of specific research projects will be developed after initial statistical analyses of the overall database are completed.

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