Diversity created by threats: the evolutionary explosion of molluscan fauna in Russia and Vietnam

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04611
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Chiba Satoshi 東北大学, 東北アジア研究センター, 教授 (10236812)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 生物多様性 / 種分化 / 適応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Field survey and molecular phylogenetic analysis of terrestrial and freshwater molluscs in the Russian Far East, Vietnam and surrounding areas indicate that niche diversity potentially increase speciation rates and contribute to species diversity. On the other hand, in some cases, the abundance of resources (the amount of calcium carbonate required for shell formation) is likely to increase population density and thus, ecologically neutral processes can promote speciation and increase species diversity. The present results suggest that the predator-prey relationship increase phenotypic diversity and promote speciation and increase species diversity. These results indicate that ecological processes play an important role in the evolution of species diversity .

Free Research Field

生態学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来、たロシア極東地域とベトナム―中国南部の生物相は、生物多様性のホットスポットとして重視されながら、その実態が未知であった。本研究は、その形成要因を、陸、淡水貝類をモデルとして解明し、環境が多様性をもたらすの鍵であることを示すことができた。この成果は、本地域の生物相が、保全上の高い価値を持つことを示す。さらにこの成果は、現在急速に劣化しつつある本地域の生物相を保全することの重要性と緊急性を示している。