US-South Africa Dissertation Enhancement: A Demographic Analysis of Life History Variation and Seed Dispersal in the Ant-Dispersed Proteaceae

美国-南非论文增强：蚂蚁传播的山龙眼科生活史变异和种子传播的人口统计学分析

• 批准号: 9819840
• 负责人: Maureen Stanton
• 金额: $ 1.89万
• 依托单位: University of California-Davis
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-02-01 至 2001-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9819840&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: US; South; Africa; Dissertation; Enhancement

9819840StantonThis dissertation enhancement grant supports a US graduate student, Ms. Caroline Christian, working under the guidance of Professor Maureen L. Stanton, of the Center for Population Biology at the University of California, Davis. Ms. Christian will conduct a demographic analysis of the life history variation and seed dispersal in the ant-dispersed Proteaceae of South Africa. Many animals serve as mediators for seed dispersal, but due to habitat alterations many seed dispersers are being lost, resulting in a decline in many plant species. Ant seed dispersal is the major seed dispersal method in many fire-prone shrublands worldwide. This dispersal method is especially important in the Cape Floristic region of South Africa, which contains an unusually high number of rare ant-dispersed species. Through its displacement of native ant dispersers, the non-indigenous Argentine ant is reshaping ant seed-dispersal mutualisms in this region, but little is known about the long-term consequences on plant populations. Ms. Christian will examine the two potential selective forces that have shaped the two life histories found in the ant-dispersed Proteaceae: seed dispersal by ants, and fire frequency. She will examine the population dynamics of two Proteaceae species which share similar life histories, but have different reproductive characteristics. Through controlled field experiments, Ms. Christian will examine how the components of seed dispersal influence seed dormancy, seed survivorship, and seedling establishment. Data from the field experiments and from demographic plots will be used to develop a matrix simulation model to predict which types of species are most sensitive to alterations in seed dispersal methods. This predictive model can have significant conservation applications. Dr. Hamish Robertson, a leading African ant taxonomist at the South African Museum, will provide guidance on this project to Ms. Christian. The results will provide important new knowledge about plant population dynamics. This project will also support an international research experience very early in the career of an outstanding graduate student.

9819840斯坦顿这项论文增强补助金支持美国研究生卡罗琳·克里斯蒂安女士在加州大学戴维斯分校人口生物学中心莫林·L·斯坦顿教授的指导下开展工作。 克里斯蒂安女士将对南非蚂蚁传播的山龙眼科动物的生活史变异和种子传播进行人口统计分析。 许多动物充当种子传播的媒介，但由于栖息地的改变，许多种子传播者正在消失，导致许多植物物种的减少。 蚂蚁种子传播是全球许多易发生火灾的灌木丛中主要的种子传播方法。 这种分散方法在南非的弗洛里角地区尤其重要，该地区拥有异常大量的稀有蚂蚁分散物种。 通过取代本土蚂蚁传播者，非本土阿根廷蚂蚁正在重塑该地区蚂蚁种子传播的互惠关系，但人们对其对植物种群的长期影响知之甚少。 克里斯蒂安女士将研究两种潜在的选择力量，它们塑造了在蚂蚁传播的山龙眼科植物中发现的两种生活史：蚂蚁传播种子和火灾频率。 她将研究两种山龙眼科物种的种群动态，这两种物种具有相似的生活史，但具有不同的繁殖特征。 通过受控田间实验，克里斯蒂安女士将研究种子传播的各个组成部分如何影响种子休眠、种子存活和幼苗建立。 来自现场实验和人口统计图的数据将用于开发矩阵模拟模型，以预测哪些类型的物种对种子传播方法的改变最敏感。 该预测模型可以具有重要的保护应用。 南非博物馆首席非洲蚂蚁分类学家哈米什·罗伯逊博士将为克里斯蒂安女士提供有关该项目的指导。结果将提供有关植物种群动态的重要新知识。 该项目还将支持优秀研究生在职业生涯早期获得国际研究经验。