U.S.-Australian Cooperative Research: Pollination Ecology and Selection in Plants that Mimic Insects

美澳合作研究：模仿昆虫植物的授粉生态学和选择

• 批准号: 9015133
• 负责人: Steven Handel
• 金额: $ 3万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University New Brunswick
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1991
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1991-08-15 至 1995-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9015133&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: U.S.; Australian; Cooperative; Research; Pollination

This award will support a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Steven N. Handel, Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, and Professor Andrew J. Beattie, School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. The activity takes place under the U.S.-Australia Cooperative Science Program. The scientists will study the ecology and evolutionary biology of so-called sexually deceptive plants (plants with flowers that mimic female insects, thus attracting male insects to mate and thereby effecting pollen transport). The mimicry is known to occur only within the orchid family, and though unusual, it is observed among hundreds of species in Australia, and to a much lesser extent elsewhere. The investigators wish to explore the hypothesis that the genetic structure of these plant populations is significantly different from those in which pollination is the result of an insect foraging strategy based on food rewards (nectar or pollen). Specific species of the orchid genus Chiloglottis, pollinated by male thynnine wasps, will be studied. Field observations of the wasp flight movements among the flowers, as well as pollen transfer dynamics, will be carried out. The effects of varying average inter-flower distance and flower height on pollinator behavior will be investigated. In addition, plant samples will be taken from representative populations in the field and their genetic profiles determined, using the technique of gel electrophoresis. Correlations between the observed pollination patterns and gene flow in these species will be sought. This research in evolutionary ecology will provide an independent test of current theoretical generalizations that insect movement patterns determine the genetic structure of plant populations. In addition, the work has implications for the conservation of these orchids, some of which are endangered species. The cooperating scientists in this project bring complementary research strengths to the study. Professor Handel's expertise is in plant ecology, especially pollination biology and gene flow dynamics. Professor Beattie has considerable experience in population genetics and the biochemical analysis of plant populations. The field studies will be carried out at selected Australian locations, and the laboratory analyses performed at Macquarie University, in Sydney.

该奖项将支持罗格斯大学生物科学系史蒂文·N·汉德尔教授与澳大利亚悉尼麦格理大学生物科学学院的安德鲁·J·比蒂教授之间的三年合作研究项目。 该活动是根据美国 - 澳大利亚合作科学计划进行的。 科学家将研究所谓的性欺骗性植物的生态和进化生物学（带有模仿雌性昆虫的花朵的植物，从而吸引雄性昆虫伴侣，从而产生花粉的运输）。 众所周知，模仿仅发生在兰花家族中，尽管不寻常，但在澳大利亚数百种物种中观察到，在其他地方的程度较小。 研究人员希望探讨以下假设：这些植物种群的遗传结构与基于食物奖励（花蜜或花粉）的昆虫觅食策略的结果是显着不同的。 将研究由雄性胆红素黄蜂授粉的兰花属的特定物种。 将对花朵之间的黄蜂飞行运动以及花粉转移动态进行现场观察。 将研究平均花间距离和花高度对传粉媒介行为的影响。 此外，使用凝胶电泳技术，将从该田中的代表性种群中获取植物样品及其遗传谱。将寻求观察到的授粉模式与基因流之间的相关性。 这项进化生态学的研究将对昆虫运动模式确定植物种群的遗传结构的当前理论概括提供独立的检验。 此外，这项工作对这些兰花的保护具有影响，其中一些是濒临灭绝的物种。 该项目中的合作科学家为研究带来了互补的研究优势。 汉德尔教授的专业知识是植物生态学，尤其是授粉生物学和基因流动动力学。 Beattie教授在人群遗传学和植物种群的生化分析方面拥有丰富的经验。 现场研究将在选定的澳大利亚地点进行，并在悉尼的麦格理大学进行实验室分析。