Evolution of Prey Specificity in Insect Predators

昆虫与其食物之间的联系具有重要的进化、生态和经济意义。这项研究是第一个带来了广泛的，比较和遗传的方法来分析昆虫捕食者的猎物特异性。在这样做的过程中，它拓宽了食物专业化，适应，多样化和物种形成的进化解释的基础，并形成了与其他捕食者类似的进化工作的范式。昆虫-寄主关系的正确认识是害虫管理和生物防治的基础。害虫管理的本质是破坏害虫与其宿主之间的联系（例如，）重要的经济作物）。然而，生物防治的目标是增强天敌对其宿主的作用（例如，节肢动物害虫或杂草）。在这方面，这个项目是第一个集中在遗传基础的主机协会在昆虫捕食者。最终，所涉及的机制的知识将有助于提高使用和操纵捕食性昆虫的生物控制和综合害虫管理。例如，对宿主特异性的遗传分析可以通过基因工程开发出改良的天敌，用于生物控制。

The association between insects and their food has major evolutionary, ecological, and economic implications. This study is the first to bring a broad, comparative and genetic approach to the analysis of prey specificity in insect predators. In doing so, it broadens the basis for the evolutionary interpretation of food specialization, adaption, diversification and speciation, and it forms a paradigm for similar evolutionary work with other predators. A sound knowledge of insect-host associations is fundamental to both pest management and biological control. The essence of pest management is to disrupt the association between pests and their hosts (e.g.,) economically important crop plants). Whereas, the goal of biological control is to enhance the action of natural enemies on their hosts (e.g., arthropod pests or weeds). In this regard, this project is the first to concentrate on the genetic basis for the host association in an insect predator. Ultimately, the knowledge of the mechanisms involved will help enhance the use and manipulation of predaceous insects in biological control and integrated pest management. For example, the genetic analysis of host specificity could lead to the development of improved natural enemies, via genetic engineering, for use in biological control.