The National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology awarded Auburn University $377,330 on January 1, 2027, under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to investigate genetic redundancy and the tempo of polygenic adaptation in small natural populations.
The project combines long-term field data, genome sequencing, and computational analyses to determine whether wild guppy populations in Trinidad adapt to environmental change through identical genetic modifications or through different genetic solutions that produce equivalent adaptive outcomes. The work tests fundamental predictions of polygenic adaptation theory using four replicated guppy populations that independently evolved following invasion by a predator species. Understanding how populations adapt to emerging diseases, invasive species, and habitat alteration informs conservation strategy as wildlife faces accelerating environmental pressures.
The project runs through December 31, 2030, with place of performance at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. Auburn University serves as the prime recipient. The award will support research opportunities for high school, undergraduate, graduate, and early-career scientists through training programs at the University of Notre Dame, Auburn University, and field programs in Trinidad, while generating data, analytical tools, and educational activities intended to build scientific capacity and advance public understanding of evolutionary adaptation.