There Goes the Neighborhood: Complex Interactions Between Squirrels, Crossbills and Conifers

邻居来了：松鼠、交嘴鸟和针叶树之间复杂的相互作用

• 批准号: 9615097
• 负责人: Craig Benkman
• 金额: $ 10万
• 依托单位: New Mexico State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-07-01 至 2000-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9615097&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: There; Goes; Neighborhood; Complex; Interactions

It has been argued that the complexity of interactions among species in communities limits the potential for pair-wise coevolution. There are, however, few studies that have tested specific hypotheses of how other species' interactions influence coevolution between particular species pairs. Red squirrels and red crossbills compete for pine seeds. The investigator will test whether the red squirrels impede the coevolutionary interaction between red crossbills and pines by examining characteristics of seed and cone morphology of lodgepole pine where one or both competitors are present (or absent). This research will extend studies of complex species interactions by determining the evolutionary significance of indirect interactions. Second, it will distinguish among several potential explanations for why pair-wise coevolution may be uncommon. Third, it will distinguish between alternative hypotheses of coevolution. This study will provide an understanding of the impact of various seed predators on geographic variation in an important commercial pine species, lodgepole pine, and will help elucidate the importance of different seed predators on pine evolution and diversity. Second, it will provide the basis for understanding why the absence of species from communities can lead to rapid evolutionary change in the remaining species in these communities. The implications are that introductions of formerly absent species may result in increases of the introduced species to the point where they become pests, may lead to local extinctions of unique species, and may result in the homogenization of formerly unique communities.

有人认为，群落中物种之间相互作用的复杂性限制了成对共同进化的潜力。 然而，很少有研究测试其他物种的相互作用如何影响特定物种对之间的共同进化的具体假设。 红松鼠和红交嘴鸟争夺松籽。 调查员将通过检查存在（或不存在）一个或两个竞争者的黑松种子和球果形态的特征，来测试红松鼠是否阻碍红交嘴雀和松树之间的共同进化相互作用。 这项研究将通过确定间接相互作用的进化意义来扩展对复杂物种相互作用的研究。 其次，它将区分几种可能的解释，解释为什么成对共同进化可能不常见。第三，它将区分共同进化的替代假设。 这项研究将了解各种种子捕食者对重要商业松树种黑松地理变化的影响，并将有助于阐明不同种子捕食者对松树进化和多样性的重要性。 其次，它将为理解为什么群落中物种的缺失会导致这些群落中剩余物种的快速进化变化提供基础。 其含义是，以前不存在的物种的引入可能会导致引入物种的增加，直至成为害虫，可能导致独特物种的局部灭绝，并可能导致以前独特的群落的同质化。