QEIB: Gas Exchange Across Insect Eggshells

尽管有大量关于昆虫蛋壳形态的文献，但对蛋壳形态与气体输送的关系知之甚少。该奖项将支持一个数学模型的发展，该模型明确地将气体通量与蛋壳形态联系起来。这些方程将包含6 - 8个先验地认为是重要的蛋壳形态参数。然后将对该模型进行数值求解，并以两种主要方式使用。(i)敏感性分析将确定哪些形态参数对气体通量影响最大。对一种常见的北美飞蛾（Manduca sexta）的后续形态学研究将集中在获得最重要参数的最佳测量上。一旦获得形态参数，它们将与模型一起用于预测蛋壳对三种气体的总渗透率。然后，这些预测将与目前正在进行的其他实验工作对渗透率的直接测量进行比较。一个好的匹配将表明所有影响蛋壳渗透性的重要因素都已被解释和理解。如果不匹配，将导致额外的数学和实验工作，以确定误差的来源（在这个过程中，蛋壳功能的一个重要组成部分）。因此，通过设计，数学和实验的进展将是迭代和相互依赖的。结果将是一个强大的模型，捕捉蛋壳功能的基本要素。这样的模型在很多方面都是有用的。(i)许多物种，包括Manduca sexta，具有跨越各种温度和湿度条件的地理范围。该模型将为预测蛋壳结构如何在非生物环境梯度中特异性内变化提供工具。（ii）昆虫作为一个群体，在蛋壳形态上表现出惊人的多样性。该模型将提供一种预测这种形态多样性如何影响渗透率特征的方法。控制某些作物病虫害，特别是储存谷物病虫害的一个重要方法是操纵大气。结合害虫虫卵的形态数据，该模型将提供一种评估基于大气的控制策略的方法。学生在数学和建模方面的训练在生物学中越来越重要。该项目为培养学生思考模型与实验工作之间的关系提供了一个理想的工具。该奖项将支持一名研究生参与模型开发和参数化，其他本科生也极有可能参与。

Despite a large literature on insect eggshell morphology, little is known about the relationship between eggshell morphology and gas transport. This award will support the development of a mathematical model that explicitly connects gas flux to eggshell morphology. The equations will incorporate 6 - 8 of what appear a priori to be important eggshell morphological parameters. The model will then be solved numerically and used in two primary ways. (i) Sensitivity analyses will identify which morphological parameters have the strongest influence on gas flux. Subsequent morphological work on a common North American moth, Manduca sexta, will concentrate on getting the best measures of the most important parameters. (ii) Once the morphological parameters have been obtained, they will be used in conjunction with the model to predict total eggshell permeability to each of the three gases. These predictions will then be compared with direct measures of the permeability from other experimental work currently in progress. A good match will indicate that all significant factors affecting eggshell permeability have been accounted for and understood. A poor match will lead to additional mathematical and experimental work to identify the source of error (and in the process an important component of eggshell function). Thus, by design the mathematical and experimental progress will be iterative and co-dependent. The outcome will be a robust model that captures the essential elements of eggshell function. Such a model will be useful in a number of ways. (i) Many species, including Manduca sexta, have geographic ranges that span a variety of temperature and humidity conditions. The model will provide a tool for predicting how eggshell structure may vary intra-specifically across abiotic environmental gradients. (ii) Insects as a group exhibit spectacular diversity in eggshell form. The model will provide a way to predict how this morphological diversity affects permeability characteristics. (iii) An important methodology for controlling some crop pests, especially pests of stored-grains, is atmosphere manipulation. In conjunction with morphological data on eggs of pests species, the model will provide a way of evaluating atmosphere-based control strategies. (iv) Student training in mathematics and modeling is increasingly important in biology. The project provides an ideal vehicle for training students to think about the relationship between models and experimental work. The award will support a graduate student to participate in model development and parameterization, and it is highly likely that additional undergraduates will also participate.