This Project Grant from the National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities, under the Integrative Activities federal grant program (CFDA 47.083), provides $166,686 to fund experimental research on speciation and reinforcement in Drosophila melanogaster populations at the University of South Carolina from August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2025. The award supports tracking the evolution of reproductive barriers between experimental fly populations over time under varying conditions of gene flow and selection against hybridization. Researchers will examine how initial barriers change or strengthen to determine when and how reinforcing selection can overcome gene flow and complete speciation. The work also includes science education and outreach activities to promote STEM interest among underrepresented groups.
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