Patterns and Consequences of Fragrance Variation in Oenothera caespitosa

花香是植物用来吸引传粉者的一种复杂的性信号。就像蟋蟀的歌声或孔雀的尾巴一样，芳香能提高繁殖成功率(通过授粉)，但也能吸引捕食者。与这些动物信号不同的是，香气很难理解，也很难测量。这个项目将探索夜间开花植物香气变化的几个潜在原因，这些植物的香气是授粉所必需的。利用电子鼻技术、化学分析和多元统计技术，对月见草属植物的几个种群内和种群间的花香变异进行了调查。然后，将利用传粉者的行为观察和通径分析来评估香气变异是否反映(1)传粉者局部适应，(2)对草食的反应，或(3)中性遗传变异。该项目将授粉生物学的概念和技术与新兴的化学通讯领域相结合，并将其明确应用于其他生态模式系统和农作物。上述跨学科实验室和实地研究将为本科生的研究经验和教育推广提供极好的机会。每年夏天，南卡罗来纳州少数族裔参与联盟(SCAMP)的两名学生将参加化学分析和实地研究，并可选择在国际会议上展示研究结果。

Floral scent is a complex sexual signal used by plants to attract pollinators. Like cricket songs or peacock tails, fragrance enhances reproductive success (through pollination) but also attracts predators. Unlike these animal signals, fragrance is poorly understood and difficult to measure. This project will explore several potential causes of fragrance variation among night blooming plants whose fragrance is essential for pollination. Floral scent variation within and among several populations of evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa) plants will be surveyed using electronic nose technology, chemical analysis and multivariate statistics. Then, behavioral observations of pollinators and path analyses will be used to assess whether fragrance variation reflects (1) local pollinator adaptation (2) responses to herbivory, or (3) neutral genetic variation. This project integrates the concepts and techniques of pollination biology with the emerging field of chemical communication, with clear applications to other ecological model systems and agricultural crops. The interdisciplinary laboratory and field studies described above will provide excellent opportunities for undergraduate research experience and educational outreach. Each summer, two students from the South Carolina Alliance for Minority Participation (SCAMP) will participate in chemical analysis and field research, with the option of presenting research findings at an international conference.