Genetic change and genetic accommodation allow singing insects to adapt to temperature change

遗传变化和遗传适应使唱歌昆虫能够适应温度变化

基本信息

批准号：
1656818
负责人：
Kasey Fowler-Finn
金额：
$ 48万
依托单位：
Saint Louis University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Continuing Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-03-15 至 2023-02-28
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1656818&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Genetic change genetic accommodation allow

项目摘要

Non-technical Abstract: Temperature affects all living organisms, from the speed of cellular processes to their behavior. However, little is known about how temperature influences animal reproduction and behavior, particularly in insects. Insects play critical roles in the health and welfare of human society from pollination of food crops, to nutrient cycling, and movement of diseases; understanding their responses to temperature variation is critical for understanding their impact on people. Because insects often live and mate within specific temperature ranges, daily and yearly changes in temperature could reduce mating activity at critical times; for example, during times when food is abundant. Furthermore, insect songs and behavior used to attract mates vary with temperature, thus increasing the difficulty of identifying potential mates. This project investigates these challenges in treehoppers. These insects create plant stem vibrations to communicate, a behavior very sensitive to changes in temperature. The project combines controlled laboratory experiments that manipulate temperature, detailed behavioral observations, and breeding outcomes to understand the role of genetics in insect responses to temperature changes. The results will allow for unprecedented tests of how insects deal with temperature, and the impact on population and species health and function. A creative broader impact of this work includes a collaboration with an artist to create sound installations that demonstrate how insect vibrational songs vary with temperature, paired with artist-scientist public talks. Additionally, this work provides training for students and a postdoctoral researcher with a strong focus on supporting diversity in STEM.Technical Abstract: This project explores two major reproductive challenges that ecothermic animals face under variable temperature conditions. First, mating often occurs only within critical temperature windows, and changes and fluctuations in temperature can restrict the availability of this window. Second, the signals males produce to attract females can vary dramatically with temperature, posing challenges to females attempting to identify mates, and even the potential to identify the right species. This project uses Enchenopa treehoppers, insects that communicate through songs that travel through plant stems. The main goals are to determine how populations along a latitudinal gradient have evolved in response to temperature variation, and to determine the potential for individual populations to adapt to temperature changes and fluctuations. To achieve these goals, this project will combine classic quantitative genetics breeding designs with controlled behavioral assays to measure phenotypic and genetic variation in thermally-sensitive reproductive traits. The results will allow insight into how current patterns of variation have been shaped by past selection, and identify thermally-sensitive traits that are most likely to allow the insects to adapt to temperature changes. This work provides independent and collaborative training for students and a postdoctoral scholar in a laboratory with a strong focus on supporting diversity in STEM. The team of researchers will work together with a sound artist, the Saint Louis Zoo, and a media expert to create two immersive sound installations, Insectarium exhibits, and online videos and resources that educate the public about vibrational songs, and how temperature affects behavior and reproduction in animals.

非技术摘要：温度会影响所有生物体，从细胞过程的速度到其行为。但是，对于温度如何影响动物的繁殖和行为，尤其是在昆虫中，知之甚少。昆虫在人类社会的健康和福利中起着至关重要的作用，从粮食作物的授粉到营养循环以及疾病的运动；了解他们对温度变化的反应对于理解他们对人的影响至关重要。由于昆虫通常在特定温度范围内生活并交配，因此每天和每年的温度变化可以减少关键时间的交配活动；例如，在食物丰富的时候。此外，用来吸引伴侣的昆虫歌曲和行为随温度而变化，从而增加了识别潜在伴侣的困难。该项目在TreeHoppers中调查了这些挑战。这些昆虫会产生植物茎振动以进行交流，这种行为对温度变化非常敏感。该项目结合了受控的实验室实验，可以操纵温度，详细的行为观察和繁殖结果，以了解遗传学在昆虫对温度变化的反应中的作用。结果将允许对昆虫如何处理温度以及对种群和物种健康和功能的影响进行前所未有的测试。这项工作的创造性更广泛的影响包括与艺术家的合作，以创建声音装置，展示昆虫振动歌曲如何随温度而变化，并与艺术家科学家公开演讲搭配。此外，这项工作为学生和博士后研究人员提供了培训，他们强烈着重于支持STEM的多样性。技术摘要：该项目探讨了生态热动物在变化可变的温度条件下面临的两个主要生殖挑战。首先，交配通常仅在临界温度窗口内发生，并且温度的变化和波动可能限制此窗口的可用性。其次，雄性产生的信号会随着温度而产生的吸引女性，对试图识别伴侣的女性构成挑战，甚至可能识别合适的物种。该项目使用enchenopa treehoppers，这些昆虫通过通过植物茎传播的歌曲进行交流。主要目标是确定如何响应温度变化而演变的沿纬度梯度的种群，并确定各个种群适应温度变化和波动的潜力。为了实现这些目标，该项目将将经典的定量遗传学繁殖设计与受控的行为测定相结合，以测量热敏感生殖特征的表型和遗传变异。结果将允许深入了解当前的变异模式如何通过过去的选择形成，并确定最有可能允许昆虫适应温度变化的热敏性状。这项工作为学生和实验室的博士后学者提供了独立和协作的培训，他们强烈着重于支持STEM的多样性。研究人员团队将与一位声音艺术家，圣路易斯动物园和媒体专家一起创建两个沉浸式的声音装置，昆虫库展览以及在线视频和资源，这些视频和资源使公众了解振动歌曲，以及温度如何影响动物的行为和繁殖。