Research Starter Grant: Coevolution as a Diversifying Force

植物和植食昆虫的防御和反防御的进化经常被假定为增加了新物种形成的速度，但是很少有关于这一过程是否导致物种形成的测试。Segraves将通过在一个被认为正在发生物种形成的植物-昆虫模型系统中进行操纵实验来解决这个问题。实验的重点是丝兰蛾Tegeticula yuccasella，这种丝兰蛾以七种不同的丝兰种子为食。遗传研究表明，T. yuccasella可能正在分化成几个新的物种，专门针对不同的丝兰。Segraves将确定飞蛾种群是否通过适应不同的丝兰种类而彼此分化，以及这些种群是否进化出对不同丝兰的偏好和表现差异。科学上的重要性在于增加我们对新物种形成过程的理解，此外，研究结果可能为某些生物群体为何如此多样化提供一个一般的解释。更广泛的影响包括对本科生和研究生的指导。将提供少数族裔本科生奖学金，学生既可以参与研究，也可以进行独立项目。结果也将通过Segraves的网站迅速传播。

The evolution of defenses and counter-defenses in plants and plant-feeding insects has frequently been postulated to increase the rate at which new species form, but yet there are few tests of whether this process causes speciation. Segraves will address this question by conducting manipulative experiments in a model plant-insect system where speciation is thought to be currently happening. The experiments will focus on the yucca moth Tegeticula yuccasella that eats seeds of seven different Yucca species. Genetic studies suggest that T. yuccasella may be differentiating into several new species that specialize on different yuccas. Segraves will determine whether moth populations are diverging from one another via adaptation to different yucca species, and whether these populations have evolved differences in preference and performance for different yuccas.The scientific importance centers on increasing our understanding of the process by which new species are formed and, furthermore, the results may provide a general explanation for why some groups of organisms are so incredibly diverse. The broader impacts include mentoring for undergraduate and graduate students. A minority undergraduate fellowship will be offered, and students will both participate in the research and will conduct independent projects. The results will also be quickly disseminated through Segraves' website.