Dissertation Research: Differential Selection in Different Environments in a Polyphagous Herbivore

虎凤蝶使用的植物种类繁多， 在化学成分上。 这些宿主物种的不同之处在于 它们对产卵雌性的吸引力和它们的适合性 毛毛虫的生长。 此外，基因不同 个体对相同的寄主植物表现出不同的反应。 潜在地，燕尾蝶的分化能力， 识别或生长在不同的植物物种上， 在自然凤蝶中观察到的许多遗传变异 人口。 虽然选择倾向于消除某些 基因型在某些主机上，它往往会增加他们的频率 在其他主机上。 这项研究旨在评估遗传 寄主植物生理和行为模式的基础 老虎燕尾的用法 研究人员假设 这个亚种是由一种复杂的 适应的基因型和种群。 实验将比较 三个地理群体和家庭的反应， 三种不同的寄主植物。 互补 分析将确定这些基因的遗传结构， 人口。 从这些实验室获得的信息， 实地研究将阐明宿主多样性的作用， 保持一个种群之间和种群内的遗传变异性， 单一物种 这样的知识将有助于理解如何 昆虫适应了它们的食物来源， 制定有害生物管理计划， 作物品种

Tiger swallowtails use a number of plant species that vary in their chemical composition. These host species differ in their attractiveness to egg-laying females and their suitability for caterpillar growth. In addition, genetically different individuals show dissimilar responses on identical host plants. Potentially, the differential ability of swallowtails to recognize or grow on different plant species serves to maintain much of the genetic variation observed in natural swallowtail populations. Although selection tends to eliminate certain genotypes on certain hosts, it tends to increase their frequency on other hosts. The proposed research is designed to assess the genetic basis for the physiological and behavioral patterns of host plant usage by the tiger swallowtail. The investigators hypothesize that this subspecies is comprised of a complex of differentially adapted genotypes and populations. Experiments will compare the responses of three geographic populations and families within populations on three different host plants. Complementary analyses will determine the genetic substructure of these populations. Information obtained from these laboratory and field studies will elucidate the role of host diversity in maintaining genetic variability among and within populations of a single species. Such knowledge will help in understanding how insects adapt to their food sources and will prove useful in developing pest management programs for commercially important crop species.