Newman 9733276 This project is based on two premises: 1) that unique insights into fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes can be gained by integrating molecular genetic techniques and ecological field studies; and 2) that science and environmental education and training at all levels (grade school through graduate school) can be integrated synergistically with high quality basic research. The focus of the research is the impact of environmental variation on adaptive evolution and population growth. The range of variation experienced by a population depends on geographic and temporal patterns of variation, relative to movement patterns of individuals. Over an extended period of time, many factors determine whether populations adapt to a wide range of conditions or to a narrower range of local conditions. These factors include the distribution of populations, relative survival and reproductive success in different locations, and interbreeding among these locations. These factors also help determine the extent to which local abundance of populations is affected by environmental variation over a wide area, or is more a function of local habitat quality. These questions are fundamental to our understanding of basic population processes, and are critical to more applied concerns such as conservation of species in fragmented habitats or altered landscapes. The research will focus on wood frogs of the northern Great Plains. This region contains numerous, diverse wetlands, or prairie potholes, that support a variety of wildlife. Prairie pothole wetlands vary in several environmental factors, such as pond duration and water chemistry, that affect survival and reproduction. The surrounding landscape is equally diverse, including fragments of relatively undisturbed grassland, more disturbed grazing land, and large tracts of intensively managed agricultural land. The research will quantify environmental variation in the wetlands used for breeding, variation in tadpole growth and dev elopment as a function of habitat characteristics, and dispersal of frogs between wetlands. In order to determine long-term patterns of interbreeding, DNA "markers" will be used to quantify patterns of genetic similarity of frogs from different wetlands. The project also offers an excellent opportunity to integrate research with scientific training and environmental education at all educational levels. The integration of research and education is a natural one; the best way to learn ecology and to gain an appreciation for the process of knowledge generation and application is to be involved in research. Students with exposure to research will be better prepared for higher education and potential careers in science, and just as importantly, they will become more insightful citizens. Each year during the spring semester, two graduate students, two undergraduates and two students from a local high school will participate in a course in wetland ecology. The course will be followed by a summer of research activities. During the fall semester students will prepare written reports and develop presentations on wetland ecology that they will deliver to K-12 science classes in their school district. The University of North Dakota Biology Department curriculum--as well as science education in rural North Dakota--will both be enhanced, thus benefiting the next generation of farmers and rural landowners.
