DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Ecological Costs and Benefits of Secondary Compounds in Fleshy Fruits

论文研究：肉质水果中次生化合物的生态成本和效益

• 批准号: 1210884
• 负责人: M. Deane Bowers
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: University of Colorado at Boulder
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-08-01 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1210884&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Ecological; Costs; Benefits

Because plants are rooted in place, their ability to colonize new areas often depends on animals, who consume fruits, move elsewhere, and then deposit the seeds contained in those fruits. This form of seed dispersal is essential for the natural regeneration of forests. To attract seed dispersers, plants produce nutritious and colorful fruits; however, the nutrients in those fruits can also attract fruit pests, such as insects and fungi that cause fruits to rot. As a defense against such enemies, plants produce an array of chemical compounds, called natural products or secondary compounds, that can act as insecticides or fungicides. These compounds are often used by humans as organic pesticides or in the treatment of infections, but very little is known about the variety of compounds produced in fruits and how they affect the animals that depend on fruits for food. This research will examine a group of these fruit natural products, the amide-alkaloids, that are found in tropical pepper plants (family Piperaceae), a large group that includes several economically important species (such as Piper nigrum, the fruits of which are the source of black pepper). A series of experiments will test the effects of individual amide-alkaloids on the organisms that consume pepper fruits in tropical forests. These organisms include fruit-feeding bats, which are the main beneficial seed dispersers of pepper fruits, as well as fruit pests such as insects and fungi. All field experiments will be conducted at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, an area where pepper plants and their associated fruit-feeding bats, insect pests and fungi are found in high abundance.The benefits of the study include an improved understanding of seed dispersal and the natural defense of fruits against pests -- two processes that are critical for plant survival and have direct relevance for agriculture and forest management. In addition, this study will create excellent opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student training due to its integrative approach that combines biology and chemistry. The research team will include students from both the US and Costa Rica, providing opportunities for international collaboration and cultural exchange. The results will be disseminated through scientific publications, as well as educational activities for K-12 students and the general public.

由于植物植根于适当的地方，因此它们定居新区域的能力通常取决于动物，这些动物消耗果实，移动到其他地方，然后将所含种子沉积在这些水果中。这种形式的种子扩散对于森林的自然再生至关重要。 为了吸引种子分散剂，植物生产营养丰富的水果；但是，这些水果中的营养素也会吸引果实害虫，例如昆虫和真菌腐烂。 作为对这种敌人的防御，植物会产生一系列称为天然产物或次要化合物的化合物，可以用作杀虫剂或杀真菌剂。 这些化合物通常被人类用作有机农药或感染的治疗，但是对水果中产生的各种化合物以及它们如何影响依赖食物水果的动物知之甚少。 这项研究将检查一组这些水果天然产物，即酰胺类卵生生物，这些产物在热带胡椒植物（家庭哌啶科）中发现，这是一群包括几种经济上重要的物种（例如派珀·尼格鲁姆（Piper Nigrum），其果实是黑胡椒的来源）。 一系列实验将测试单个酰胺类卵生生物对在热带森林中食用胡椒果实的生物的影响。 这些生物包括水果喂食蝙蝠，这是胡椒果实的主要有益种子分散剂，以及昆虫和真菌等水果害虫。 所有现场实验都将在哥斯达黎加的La Selva生物站进行，在该区域中发现了胡椒植物及其相关的水果喂食的蝙蝠，虫害和真菌，研究的好处包括对种子扩散的理解，对种子分散的理解以及对害虫的自然防御 - 对种植的自然防御 - 对种植的生存和培养至关重要的是对种植的相关性，并且对生存的待遇至关重要。 此外，由于结合生物学和化学的综合方法，这项研究将为本科和研究生培训创造绝佳的机会。研究团队将包括来自美国和哥斯达黎加的学生，为国际合作和文化交流提供机会。结果将通过科学出版物以及K-12学生和公众的教育活动来传播。