Award Abstract # 0456972
Molecular Systematics, Biogeography, and Invasion Identity of Neogobiin Fishes

NSF Org: DEB
Division Of Environmental Biology
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO
Initial Amendment Date: October 27, 2004
Latest Amendment Date: February 7, 2008
Award Number: 0456972
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Maureen Kearney
mkearney@nsf.gov
 (703)292-8239
DEB
 Division Of Environmental Biology
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: August 15, 2004
End Date: April 30, 2009 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $0.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $322,669.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2004 = $299,784.00
FY 2006 = $16,885.00

FY 2007 = $6,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • Carol Stepien (Principal Investigator)
    stepienCA@si.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Toledo
2801 W BANCROFT ST
TOLEDO
OH  US  43606-3328
(419)530-2844
Sponsor Congressional District: 09
Primary Place of Performance: University of Toledo
2801 W BANCROFT ST
TOLEDO
OH  US  43606-3328
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
09
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): XA77NAJYELF1
Parent UEI: EWRDP9YCDDH5
NSF Program(s): PHYLOGENETIC SYSTEMATICS,
Systematics & Biodiversity Sci
Primary Program Source: app-0104 
app-0106 

app-0107 
Program Reference Code(s): 1171, 1355, 9169, 9178, 9251, EGCH, SMET
Program Element Code(s): 117100, 737400
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

The objectives of the investigation are to elucidate the evolutionary history, species identifications, and biogeographic diversification patterns of a remarkable endemic "species flock" of fishes native to the Black and Caspian Seas that has become a growing problem in its invasions of North American and Eurasian ecosystems. Many ecologists believe that such introductions of exotic species pose one of the most serious threats to native ecosystems worldwide. For example, the ecology of the North American Great Lakes has been restructured by waves of invaders that were accidentally introduced from ships' ballast water, including the Ponto-Caspian round goby and its zebra mussel prey. Two goby species - the round goby and the tubenose goby - invaded in the early 1990's, and the former spread rapidly to all five Great Lakes. Invasions by suites of related taxa increasingly appear to characterize exotic communities, which may facilitate one another. Several other neogobiin species also have been "on the move" in Eurasian waterways due to construction of canals, shipping, and habitat disturbances. Some of these - including the monkey, bighead, and racer gobies - are predicted to invade North America and may already be here, but are not yet identified. This study will develop diagnostic DNA sequence characters and construct taxonomic keys to permit correct identification of the neogobiins at all life history stages. In addition, the sequence data will provide the means to elucidate the sources of exotic invasions, identify cryptic species, analyze whether relatived species also invade or are likely to, and determine whether new colonizations arise from spread or from independent introductions. Results will be of fundamental use to ecologists, environmental managers, and international agencies such as the Aquatic Nuisance Task Force in allowing rapid and cost-effective identification of taxa, and delineating their population area of origin.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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(Showing: 1 - 10 of 15)
Brown JE; Stepien CA "Ancient divisions, recent expansions: Phylogeography and population genetics of the round goby Apollonia melanostoma across Eurasia" Molecular Ecology , v.17 , 2008
Brown, JE; Stepien, CA "Ancient divisions, recent expansions: phylogeography and population genetics of the round goby Apollonia melanostoma" MOLECULAR ECOLOGY , v.17 , 2008 , p.2598 View record at Web of Science 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.03777.
Brown, JE; Stepien, CA "Invasion genetics of the Eurasian round goby in North America: tracing sources and spread patterns" MOLECULAR ECOLOGY , v.18 , 2009 , p.64 View record at Web of Science 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2008.04014.
Feldheim, KA; Willink, P; Brown, JE; Murphy, DJ; Neilson, ME; Stepien, CA "Microsatellite loci for Ponto-Caspian gobies: markers for assessing exotic invasions" MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES , v.9 , 2009 , p.639 View record at Web of Science 10.1111/j.1755-0998.2008.02495.
Kvach Y; Stepien CA "Metazoan parasites of introduced round and tubenose gobies in the Great Lakes: Support for the ?enemy release hypothesis?" Journal of Great Lakes Research , v.34 , 2008
Kvach Y; Stepien CA "The invasive round goby Apollonia melanostoma (Actinopterygii:Gobiidae): a new intermediate host of the trematode Neochasmus umbellus (Trematoda: Cryptogonimidae) in Lake Erie, Ohio, USA" Journal of Applied Ichthyology , v.24 , 2008 , p.103 10.1111/j.1439-0436.2007.01024x
Kvach Y; Stepien CA "The invasive round goby Apollonia melanostoma (Actinopterygii:Gobiidae): a new intermediate host of the trematode Neochasmus umbellus (Trematoda: Cryptogonimidae) in Lake Erie, Ohio, USA" Journal of Applied Ichthyology , v.24 , 2008 , p.103 10.1111/j.1439-0436.2007.01024x
Neilson ME; Stepien CA "Evolution and phylogeography of the tubenose goby genus Proterorhinus (Gobiidae: Teleostei): Evidence for new cryptic species" Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , v.96 , 2009 , p.664 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2008.01135.x
Ohayon, J.L.; Stepien, C.A. "Genetic and biogeographic relationships of the racer goby Neogobius gymnotrachelus (Gobiidae: Teleostei) from exotic and native Eurasian locations" Journal of Fish Biology , v.71(C) , 2007 , p.360 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01659.x
Ohayon, J.L.; Stepien, C.A. "Genetic and biogeographic relationships of the racer goby Neogobius gymnotrachelus (Gobiidae: Teleostei) from exotic and native Eurasian locations" Journal of Fish Biology , v.71(C) , 2007 , p.360 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2007.01659.x
Stepien, Carol A. and Tumeo, Mark A. "Invasion genetics of Ponto-Caspian gobies in the Great Lakes: A cryptic species, absence of founder effects, and comparative risk analysis." Biological Invasions (Springer) , v.8 , 2006 , p.61 10.1007s/1053-005-0237-x
(Showing: 1 - 10 of 15)

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