Flower visitation on two wings: the impact of Diptera as pollinators

两只翅膀的花访：双翅目作为传粉者的影响

• 批准号: RGPIN-2021-03239
• 负责人: Young, Andrew
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=761839
• 关键词: Flower; visitation; two; wings; impact

Flies (Diptera) are among the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, with over 160,000 described species. In particular, flower flies (Syrphidae) have been recognized in recent years for their important role in pollination. Visiting over 50% of global crop plants, their economic value has been estimated at $300 billion USD per year, and they have also been recorded visiting over 70% of animal-pollinated wildflower species in Europe. Syrphidae is a large family of flies, with about 6,300 species described worldwide, and just over 800 species known to occur in continental North America. The group's diversification is relatively well understood at the sub-familial level, thanks to several recent publications, but important questions remain-especially concerning the subfamily Eristalinae, a group widely understood as a collection of unrelated lineages. My research program has three long-term goals: 1) To understand the evolution and diversity of flower flies worldwide through phylogenetic analyses and taxonomic revisions; 2) To facilitate access to flower fly species concepts for other researchers through the publication of user-friendly identification tools; 3) To determine the impact of fly, especially flower fly, pollination in natural and agricultural ecosystems. My research team will work toward these goals over the next five years through a focus on the diversity, evolution, and ecology of North American flower flies. Our understanding of North American flower flies has several major limitations, hindering our ability to use these groups in ecological studies. There is also a critical need to understand our North American flower fly diversity in order to map the plant-pollinator relationships that underpin vulnerable and rapidly changing habitats such as the Arctic. To meet these pressing needs, my short-term objectives are: 1) Trace the evolution of the flower fly tribe Rhingiini using phylogenomic methods, then use this knowledge to recognize monophyletic groups of species; 2) Guided by the monophyletic groups delimited by Objective 1, investigate the taxonomy of the species-rich flower fly genus Cheilosia to improve species concepts; and 3) Map plant-pollinator networks of flowers and flies in the Canadian Arctic through pollen metabarcoding, with a focus on species of Cheilosia. The current lack of taxonomic clarity regarding species-rich genera such as Cheilosia greatly limits our ability to study the pollination dynamics of flower flies in North America. Given that flies are the dominant pollinator in cold-weather environments such as the Canadian Arctic, it behooves us to uncover the taxonomy and specific ecological services contributed by these insects. Specific knowledge of Arctic pollination networks will provide a better understanding of keystone plant and insect species. Bolstered by this knowledge, we will be better able to predict how these ecosystems will be altered or disrupted by the increasingly warm climate.

苍蝇（双翅目）是地球上最多样化的动物类群之一，已描述的物种超过 160,000 种。特别是花蝇（Syrphidae）近年来因其在授粉中的重要作用而得到认可。它们访问了全球 50% 以上的农作物，每年的经济价值估计为 3000 亿美元，据记录，它们访问了欧洲 70% 以上的动物授粉野花物种。食蚜蝇科是蝇类的一个大科，全世界约有 6,300 种蝇类，已知仅 800 多种蝇类存在于北美大陆。由于最近的几篇出版物，该群体的亚科多样性相对较好地被理解，但重要的问题仍然存在，特别是关于埃里斯塔亚科（Eristalinae），该群体被广泛理解为不相关谱系的集合。我的研究计划有三个长期目标：1）通过系统发育分析和分类学修订来了解世界范围内花蝇的进化和多样性； 2) 通过发布用户友好的识别工具，促进其他研究人员了解花蝇物种概念； 3) 确定苍蝇，特别是花蝇，对自然和农业生态系统授粉的影响。我的研究团队将在未来五年内通过关注北美花蝇的多样性、进化和生态来努力实现这些目标。我们对北美花蝇的理解有几个主要局限性，阻碍了我们在生态研究中使用这些群体的能力。我们还迫切需要了解北美花蝇的多样性，以便绘制支撑脆弱且快速变化的栖息地（例如北极）的植物与传粉者关系图。 为了满足这些迫切的需求，我的短期目标是：1）利用系统发育学方法追踪花蝇族Rhingiini的进化，然后利用这些知识识别单系物种类群； 2）以目标1界定的单系群为指导，对物种丰富的花蝇属进行分类研究，完善物种概念； 3) 通过花粉元条形码绘制加拿大北极地区花卉和苍蝇的植物授粉媒介网络图，重点关注唇形科物种。目前，诸如Cheilosia等物种丰富的属缺乏分类学清晰度，极大地限制了我们研究北美花蝇授粉动态的能力。鉴于苍蝇是加拿大北极等寒冷天气环境中的主要传粉者，我们有必要揭示这些昆虫贡献的分类和特定生态服务。对北极授粉网络的具体了解将有助于更好地了解关键植物和昆虫物种。有了这些知识的支持，我们将能够更好地预测日益温暖的气候将如何改变或破坏这些生态系统。