The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $334,317 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) to investigate the interaction between phenotypic plasticity and natural selection in the early stages of speciation in threespine stickleback fish. The 3-year research project will examine how differences in juvenile development within the same species can lead to divergence in body size and mating preferences, potentially driving the formation of new species over time. The study will combine field observations, behavioral experiments, and genomic analyses to assess interbreeding between freshwater and marine stickleback populations in Alaskan lakes. Undergraduate students will participate in all aspects of the research, and the findings will be used to develop K-12 educational modules. The grant reflects NSF's strategic goals of advancing scientific knowledge and supporting interdisciplinary research with broader societal impacts.
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