NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Deciphering the epigenetic signatures associated with invasive capacity in mixed seagrass communities

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The proposed research addresses the great debate of whether nature (genetics) or nurture (environment) drive biological invasions, i.e., the process where introduced species become harmful, threatening biodiversity and natural ecosystems outside their normal range.

It is known that nature and nurture work in conjunction to produce biological traits. Traits are controlled by genes, and the expression of these genes (or how much these genes are turned on) will change depending on the environment that they are in. Not all introduced species become invasive, and this research will help understand how environmental changes are linked to invasions for conservation biology.

The outcomes of this research will be to determine which factors and habitat characteristics modify gene expression and promote invasion success. This is particularly important as invasive species can be global threats to local ecosystems, like seagrass meadows, which support a wide variety of life (e.g. fish, sea turtles, manatees and birds); thus, it can have implications on society by altering ecosystem services that people depend on.

This project will provide high quality research opportunities to traditionally excluded groups, and indirectly help management in recovery of seagrass communities.

The fellow will use both field work and epigenetic technologies to understand the function and modifications of anthropogenic stressors in seagrass meadows and determine what role epigenetic mechanisms play in biological invasions. The fellow will test the hypotheses of whether species interactions, epigenetics, and microbial communities induce the epigenetic signatures of the seagrass invasion and determine the physiological mechanisms that promote an invasive phenotype.

For that purpose, this work will characterize epigenetic modifications, microbial populations, and their interaction with energetic networks (e.g. nutrient acquisition) to promote induced competitive phenotypes linked to acclimatization. In doing so, the fellow will broaden participation by developing a culture-based support program called ‘SALTI: Science Acceleration and Learning Techniques Inclusivity’ week, where NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates students and their families learn hands-on approaches to conducting marine science in South Florida.

The proposed program will produce engaging science-communication films. By facilitating family support, the diversity of people who are engaged in science will strengthen, and they and others can gain a deeper understanding of its ecological importance and feel empowered to protect the marine environment.

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.