The Functional Significance of Variation in the Production of Extrafloral Nectaries by Aspen

白杨花外蜜腺产生变异的功能意义

• 批准号: 0543632
• 负责人: Diane Wagner
• 金额: $ 36万
• 依托单位: University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-04-01 至 2010-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0543632&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Functional; Significance; Variation; Production; Extrafloral

Extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are nectar-secreting glands located on the leaves and stems of many plant species. They can serve as a form of plant defense, by attracting insects that feed on the nectar and prey on herbivores. The investigators will use field experiments to examine the defensive function of EFNs in a common North American tree species, quaking aspen. Aspen have natural variation in the occurrence of EFNs on leaves, and this may result in differing levels of defense for aspen trees. Using this variation in EFN expression, the study will examine the role of EFNs in attracting natural enemies of the serpentine aspen leaf miner, an herbivore that currently heavily infests aspen throughout much of Alaska. Both ants and parasitic wasps are likely to be important predators on the miner. However, these species may be less able to access high versus low foliage and this could reduce the benefit of EFNs as trees grow. The study will test whether the benefits of EFNs are height-dependent. In addition, the investigators will test the hypothesis that the aspen leaf miner avoids laying eggs on leaves with EFNs, where its offspring face a greater risk of mortality. Broader Impacts: The study will contribute to our understanding of the evolution of plant defense and insect-plant interactions. In addition, it will provide a better understanding of the ecological interactions and defensive traits of quaking aspen, a widespread, ecologically and economically important tree species. The project will provide educational opportunities for two graduate students and many undergraduates at the University of Alaska, including Native Alaskans recruited through the National Science Foundation-sponsored Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program. In addition, the investigators will produce an interactive website designed to involve K-12 students in aspen ecology.

花外蜜腺是许多植物叶片和茎上的蜜腺。它们可以作为植物防御的一种形式，吸引以花蜜为食并捕食食草动物的昆虫。 研究人员将利用野外实验来研究EFNs在北美一种常见树种--颤白杨中的防御功能。 白杨在叶上的EFN发生方面具有自然变化，这可能导致白杨树的防御水平不同。利用EFN表达的这种变化，该研究将研究EFN在吸引蛇形白杨潜叶虫的天敌中的作用，这种食草动物目前在阿拉斯加的大部分地区严重侵扰白杨。蚂蚁和寄生蜂都可能是矿工的重要捕食者。然而，这些物种可能不太能够获得高而不是低的树叶，这可能会减少EFNs的好处，随着树木的生长。这项研究将测试外汇基金债券的好处是否取决于高度。 此外，研究人员还将检验一个假设，即白杨潜叶虫避免在带有EFN的叶子上产卵，因为它的后代面临更大的死亡风险。 更广泛的影响：这项研究将有助于我们理解植物防御和昆虫-植物相互作用的进化。 此外，它将提供一个更好地了解地震白杨，一个广泛的，生态和经济上重要的树种的生态相互作用和防御特性。 该项目将为阿拉斯加大学的两名研究生和许多本科生提供教育机会，包括通过国家科学基金会赞助的阿拉斯加土著科学和工程计划招募的阿拉斯加土著人。 此外，调查人员将制作一个互动网站，旨在让K-12学生参与白杨生态学。