Dissertation Research: The Importance of Seed Dispersers in the Evolution of Ficus (Moraceae)

因为植物实际上是在原地扎根的，所以要扩散到新的地方是一个主要的挑战。许多植物依靠动物来传播种子。它们的果实和种子被动物吃掉，动物把它们的种子排泄到别处。由此可见，动物种子传播者应该对结果植物很重要，但令人困惑的是，它们似乎并非如此，至少从进化的角度来看是如此。特别是，进化生物学家几乎找不到确凿的证据表明种子传播者对植物“重要”。这项提议的研究是基于这样一个前提，即“应该”是什么和看起来是什么之间的差异是方法论之一——种子传播是否“重要”在很大程度上取决于人们如何寻找它的印记。要验证的假设是，由不同类型的食果动物传播的植物物种进化出了不同类型的水果（“综合征”）。该项目是与一个保护组织（WCS）合作开发的，并以巴布亚新几内亚学生为指导。学生将被鼓励进行独立的研究项目。此外，通过雇用当地助理和提供资金在集体拥有的森林工作，该项目将鼓励保护这些森林。最后，将与巴布亚新几内亚的资深科学家建立伙伴关系，促进国际合作。在美国，通过参与国家科学基金会（NSF）的GK-12项目，将重点关注贫困背景的中学生。作为一名西班牙裔女性，这位研究生研究员可以成为一个有效的榜样。

Because plants are literally rooted in place, dispersal to new locations is a major challenge. Many plants rely on animals to disperse their seeds. Their fruits and seeds are consumed by animals, who defecate their seeds elsewhere. It follows that animal seed dispersers should be important for fruiting plants and it's puzzling that they appear not to be, at least from an evolutionary standpoint. In particular, evolutionary biologists can find little hard evidence that seed dispersers "matter" to plants. The proposed study is based on the premise that this discrepancy between what "should" be and what appears to be is one of methodology -- whether seed dispersal "matters" depends largely on how one goes about looking for its imprint. The hypothesis to be tested is that plant species dispersed by different types of fruit-eating animals have evolved different types of fruits ("syndromes"). The project is developed in partnership with a conservation organization (WCS) and features the mentoring of PNG students. Students will be encouraged to pursue independent research projects. Further, by hiring local assistants and providing funds to work in collectively owned forests, the project will encourage conservation of those forests. Finally, partnerships will be fostered with senior scientists in PNG, facilitating international collaboration. In the U.S., outreach will focus on middle school students from under-privileged backgrounds, via involvement with an NSF GK-12 program. As a Hispanic female, the graduate researcher can be an effective role model.