DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolution of Resource Specilization in the Bark Beetle Genus Dendroctonus

9623763米顿该奖项将为美国西南部、墨西哥和危地马拉与科罗拉多大学博尔德分校杰弗里·B·米顿博士合作的研究生斯科特·T·凯利的论文研究提供材料和用品以及实地考察的延长旅费。布莱恩·法雷尔博士最近离开科罗拉多大学，接受了哈佛大学的教职，他是一名副本，将参与培训这名学生分子数据的系统发育分析方法。这名学生的研究项目包括两个部分：1)利用分子(MtDNA)序列数据和形态数据，对树皮甲属(昆虫纲：鞘翅目：脊柱甲科)的物种关系进行综合数据系统发育分析；2)在种群水平上研究两个物种在广泛地理范围内的种群遗传多样性程度。来自这两项研究的信息将被用来测试关于这些破坏木材的昆虫的饮食转变和专门化的假设。该奖项将为一名研究生提供支持，该研究生正在研究甲虫属随着时间的推移在饮食广度/专业化方面的变化，其中包括一些主要的森林/木材害虫物种。研究结果对具有重大经济意义的应用研究具有潜在价值。支持对研究生进行现代系统生物学和种群生物学方法论方面的培训，对于保持一支能够解决日益引起全球关注的生物多样性问题的科学家队伍十分重要。

9623763 MITTON This award will provide funds for materials and supplies as well as extended travel for field studies in the southwestern US, Mexico and Guatemala related to the dissertation research of a graduate student, Scott T. Kelley, working with Dr. Jeffry B. Mitton at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Dr. Brian Farrell, who recently left the University of Colorado to accept a faculty position at Harvard University, is a coPI and will be involved in training the student in methods of phylogenetic analysis of molecular data. The research project of this student has two components: 1) a combined data phylogenetic analysis of species relationships among bark beetles in the genus Dendroctonous (Insecta: Coleoptera: Scolytidae), utilizing molecular (mtDNA) sequence data and morphological data and 2) population level studies of the degree of genetic diversity among populations of two of the species across a broad geographic range. Information from both studies will be utilized to test hypotheses concerning dietary shifts and specializations for these wood destroying insects. This award will provide support for a graduate student pursuing studies of the change in dietary breadth/specialization through time for a genus of beetles which includes some species that are major forest/timber pests. The results have potential value for applied research with major economic implications. Support for the training of graduate students in modern systematic and population biology methodologies is important for maintaining the workforce of scientists capable of addressing the questions and issues of biodiversity which are of increasing global concern.