Investigation of Humboldtia laurifolia and its Resident Antsin Sri Lanka, U.S.-Sri Lanka Cooperative Project

描述：该项目由俄勒冈州立大学的弗雷德·里克森博士和斯里兰卡帕拉迪亚大学的C.V.S.Gunatilleke教授进行实地研究。这项工作将包括斯里兰卡月桂洪堡蚂蚁及其栖息蚂蚁的解剖/形态、分支和分子(CpDNA)研究。这项研究将分析蚂蚁和植物之间的进化紧密程度，并将量化蚂蚁提供的任何保护主义功能。这些数据将被用于与喀麦隆、西非的各种Leonardoxa分类群和来自西马来西亚的Saraca thaipingens的比较生物地理分析，试图进一步证实第三纪植物群从马来西亚地区向非洲的迁移，并有一个侧枝进入印度南部和斯里兰卡。范围：该项目将包括来自美国和斯里兰卡的科学家，以及东道国的研究生。田野工作将在里克森博士在斯里兰卡进行为期十个月的富布赖特奖学金期间完成。该项目符合发展中国家科学计划的目标。

Description: This project provides for field research by Dr. Fred Rickson of Oregon State University and Prof. C.V.S. Gunatilleke of the University of Paradeniya in Sri Lanka. The work will comprise anatomical/morphological, cladistic, and molecular (cpDNA) investigation of Humboldtia laurifolia and its resident ants, in Sri Lanka. The study will analyze the evolutionary tightness between the ants and the plant, and will quantify any protectionist function provided by the ants. These data will be used in a comparative biogeographic analysis with various Leonardoxa taxa from Cameroon, west Africa and Saraca thaipingensis from West Malaysia, in an attempt to further substantiate a Tertiary flora migration from the Malaysia region to Africa with a side branch into southern India and sri Lanka. Scope: This project will involve scientists from the U.S. and Sri Lanka, as well as graduate students from the host country. The field work will be done while Dr. Rickson is in Sri Lanka on a ten month Fullbright fellowship. The project meets the objectives of the Science in Developing Countries program.