DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Microbial mediation of polliator performance

论文研究：传粉者表现的微生物调节

• 批准号: 1311156
• 负责人: Rebecca Irwin
• 金额: $ 0.89万
• 依托单位: Dartmouth College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-05-01 至 2014-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1311156&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: DISSERTATION; RESEARCH; Microbial; mediation; polliator

Floral nectar is a fundamental resource important for mediating interactions between plants and pollinators. As the primary energy source for most pollinating animals, nectar not only fuels their flight, but also can be an important determinant of pollinator reproduction. Considering its nutritional value, it should be of no surprise that microorganisms such as yeasts often colonize nectar. Yeasts may exploit nectar at the potential expense of plants and pollinators. For example, yeast metabolic activity has the potential to modify the taste and nutritional value of nectar, which may affect pollinator attraction, behavior, and subsequent plant reproduction. Given that yeasts may affect the nutritional value of nectar, they may also have effects on the performance and reproduction of pollinators. This research project will experimentally test the degree to which yeasts in floral nectar affect bumble bee pollinator behavior and reproduction, and also examine the mechanisms involved utilizing laboratory experiments. Results from this research will highlight a previously unstudied factor in plant-pollinator interactions, yeast, whose growth in nectar may mediate the mutual benefits received by plants and pollinators from one another. Bumble bee pollination is a critical ecosystem service that facilitates both native plant reproduction and agricultural crop yield, as approximately 90% of flowering plants rely on insects or other animals for pollination. This research project will identify interactions and mechanisms that may limit bumble bee development and reproduction, insight that may be important for conservation and commercial enterprises seeking to preserve or develop species for pollination services. Moreover, by conducting this research with a commercially important pollinator for agricultural services, our results may have application to mechanisms that affect its success. Understanding mechanisms through which microbial organisms affect plant-animal systems will fill a void in our knowledge of the ecology of microbial organisms and the role they play in ecological communities.

花蜜是介导植物与传粉媒介之间相互作用重要的基本资源。作为大多数授粉动物的主要能源，花蜜不仅为它们的飞行增添了飞行，而且可以成为授粉媒介繁殖的重要决定因素。考虑到其营养价值，诸如酵母等微生物经常在花蜜殖民的情况下，不足为奇。酵母可能会以植物和传粉媒介的潜在费用来利用花蜜。例如，酵母代谢活性有可能改变花蜜的味道和营养价值，这可能会影响授粉媒介的吸引力，行为和随后的植物繁殖。鉴于酵母可能会影响花蜜的营养价值，因此它们也可能对传粉媒介的性能和繁殖产生影响。该研究项目将在实验上测试花蜜中酵母影响大黄蜂授粉媒介和繁殖的程度，并检查使用实验室实验的机制。这项研究的结果将突出以前未研究的植物 - 托管剂相互作用的因素，酵母的增长可能会介导植物和传粉媒介彼此所获得的互惠益处。 大黄蜂授粉是一种关键的生态系统服务，可促进本地植物繁殖和农作物的产量，因为大约90％的开花植物依靠昆虫或其他动物进行授粉。该研究项目将确定可能限制大黄蜂开发和繁殖的互动和机制，这对于寻求保护或开发授粉服务物种的保护和商业企业可能很重要。此外，通过使用商业上重要的农业服务传粉媒介进行这项研究，我们的结果可能会适用于影响其成功的机制。了解微生物影响植物动物系统的机制将填补我们对微生物生态的知识及其在生态群落中所起的作用的空白。