Dissertation Research: Interaction Between Attalea Palms and Bruchid Beetles: Geographic Variation in Reciprocal Selection

当两个物种相互影响对方的进化时，就会发生共同进化。共同进化的关系在不同的地区有所不同;一个物种可以对其他物种在一个地区的进化产生强烈的影响，但在另一个地区则不会。因此，在某些地方，一个物种的特征很好地适应了另一个物种的特征，而它们在其他物种中的适应性很差。这是共同进化的地理镶嵌理论的基础。本研究将研究的地理结构之间的共同进化的相互作用Attalea棕榈树和他们的主要种子捕食者，豆象甲虫整个玻利维亚的量化特征-形成的相互作用-决定棕榈树和豆象的健身。这是第一项旨在评估自然选择中的地理变异如何影响热带系统中共同进化物种之间性状的相互进化反应的研究。它提供了一个新的框架，了解协同进化在不同的人群中的时候，成千上万的物种的地理结构正在迅速变化，由于景观改造和引进外来物种。该项目将建立圣刘易斯大学与玻利维亚各大学和研究机构之间的合作。该项目将为本科生提供获得研究经验的机会，并丰富他们的生物学教育。

Coevolution occurs when two species reciprocally affect each other's evolution. Coevolutionary relationships vary among localities; one species can have a strong effect on the others' evolution in one locality but not in another. Consequently, in some localities, traits of one species are well adapted to traits of the other species whereas they are poorly adapted in others. This is the basis for the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution. This study will examine the geographic structure of the coevolutionary interaction between Attalea palms and their main seed predator, bruchid beetles across Bolivia by quantifying traits -shaped by the interaction- that determine the fitness of both palms and bruchids. This is the first study that aims to assess how geographic variation in natural selection influences reciprocal evolutionary responses in traits between coevolving species in a tropical system. It provides a new framework for understanding coevolution in different populations at a time when the geographic structure of thousands of species is changing rapidly due to landscape modifications and the introduction of exotic species. This project will build collaborations between Saint Louis University and Bolivian Universities and research Institutions. The project will offer opportunities to undergraduate students to gain research experience and enrich their education in biology.