DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Linking mechanism to pattern in community assembly: ant-mediated seed dispersal in tropical pioneer trees

论文研究：群落组装模式与机制的联系：热带先锋树中蚂蚁介导的种子传播

基本信息

批准号：
1701501
负责人：
Andrew Suarez
金额：
$ 1.54万
依托单位：
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-07-01 至 2021-06-30
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1701501&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
DISSERTATION RESEARCH Linking mechanism pattern

项目摘要

A central goal of ecology is to understand why species live where they do. We already know that different species have different requirements to survive, grow, and reproduce. For example, some trees can thrive in the shade whereas others need lots of sunlight. These light-loving trees are called "pioneer" species because they are usually the first to colonize open areas after a disturbance topples large trees that once grew there. How do their seeds get there? Either they are dispersed after an area becomes sunny or they are dispersed much earlier, become buried in the soil, and "wait" for trees above them to die. In both cases, plants often rely on animals to move their seeds. Ants are one of the most important seed dispersers because they both move seeds and "plant" them in the soil. Most of what scientists know about seed dispersal by ants comes from studies investigating seeds that provide a food reward for the ants. However, most plant seeds, including those of most commercially important crops, do not provide a food reward for ants. The scientists doing this study have discovered that ants may move these types of seeds, despite the lack of a reward. They think that ants are chemically "tricked" to carry seeds that smell good but can't be eaten. The goal of this project is to test this idea and figure out what the good-smelling chemicals may be. Results will help land managers understand how plants move into new places, which is an important process in forest restoration. This research will use a tropical tree species and a common, ground-dwelling ant to determine possible chemical cues that promote seed dispersal. The approach includes fractioning, identifying, synthesizing, and field-testing seed extracts to identify which chemicals attract ants. Seed extracts will be tested both in tropical and temperate environments to help determine which species engage in ant-mediated seed dispersal. The results will help guide strategies for plant conservation, restoration, and invasive species management. In addition, a graduate student will be mentored in laboratory techniques and field research.

生态学的一个中心目标是了解物种为何生活在它们所在的地方。我们已经知道，不同的物种有不同的生存、生长和繁殖的要求。例如，有些树可以在阴凉处茁壮成长，而另一些树则需要大量阳光。这些喜光的树木被称为“先锋”树种，因为在一次干扰导致曾经生长在那里的大树倒塌后，它们通常是第一个在开阔地区定居的树种。他们的种子是如何到达那里的？它们要么在某个地区变得阳光明媚后分散，要么更早分散，埋在土壤中，“等待”上方的树木死亡。在这两种情况下，植物通常都依赖动物来移动种子。蚂蚁是最重要的种子传播者之一，因为它们既能移动种子，又能将种子“种植”在土壤中。科学家对蚂蚁传播种子的了解大部分来自对为蚂蚁提供食物奖励的种子的研究。然而，大多数植物种子，包括最具商业重要性的作物种子，并不为蚂蚁提供食物奖励。进行这项研究的科学家发现，尽管没有奖励，蚂蚁仍然可以移动这些类型的种子。他们认为蚂蚁是被化学物质“欺骗”来携带闻起来很香但不能吃的种子的。该项目的目标是测试这个想法并找出气味好的化学物质可能是什么。结果将帮助土地管理者了解植物如何迁移到新的地方，这是森林恢复的重要过程。这项研究将使用热带树种和常见的地面蚂蚁来确定促进种子传播的可能化学线索。该方法包括分离、识别、合成和现场测试种子提取物，以确定哪些化学物质会吸引蚂蚁。种子提取物将在热带和温带环境中进行测试，以帮助确定哪些物种参与蚂蚁介导的种子传播。研究结果将有助于指导植物保护、恢复和入侵物种管理的策略。此外，研究生还将接受实验室技术和现场研究方面的指导。

项目成果

期刊论文数量（4）

专著数量（0）

科研奖励数量（0）

会议论文数量（0）

专利数量（0）

Can variation in seed removal patterns of Neotropical pioneer tree species be explained by local ant community composition?

新热带先锋树种种子去除模式的变化可以用当地蚂蚁群落组成来解释吗？

DOI：
10.1111/btp.12904
发表时间：
2021
期刊：
Biotropica
影响因子：
2.1
作者：
Ruzi, Selina A.;Zalamea, Paul‐Camilo;Roche, Daniel P.;Achury, Rafael;Dalling, James W.;Suarez, Andrew V.
通讯作者：
Suarez, Andrew V.

Ambush Predation of Stingless Bees (Tetragonisca angustula) by the Solitary-Foraging Ant Ectatomma tuberculatum

独居觅食蚂蚁 Ectatomma tuberculatum 对无刺蜂（Tetragonisca angustula）的伏击捕食

DOI：
10.1007/s10905-018-9694-9
发表时间：
2018
期刊：
Journal of Insect Behavior
影响因子：
1
作者：
Ostwald, Madeleine M.;Ruzi, Selina A.;Baudier, Kaitlin M.
通讯作者：
Baudier, Kaitlin M.

Species identity influences secondary removal of seeds of Neotropical pioneer tree species

物种身份影响新热带先锋树种种子的二次去除

DOI：
10.1007/s11258-017-0745-7
发表时间：
2017
期刊：
Plant Ecology
影响因子：
1.7
作者：
Ruzi, Selina A.;Roche, Daniel P.;Zalamea, Paul-Camilo;Robison, Abigail C.;Dalling, James W.
通讯作者：
Dalling, James W.

From eDNA to citizen science: emerging tools for the early detection of invasive species