SGER: The Role of Insects in the Pollination of the Endangered Cycas Micronesica of Guam

苏铁（Cycadales）是现存裸子植物中最古老的分支之一，也是为数不多的昆虫授粉裸子植物之一。因此，它们可能是了解古代昆虫传粉共生进化的重要环节。由于苏铁属被认为是最古老的苏铁，并且与其他苏铁相比具有不同的雌性结构，因此获得其授粉系统的知识在这一领域尤为重要。最近，亚洲苏铁鳞片，苏铁害虫Aulacaspis yasumatusi被引入关岛。它已经迅速摧毁了高度易感的苏铁，关岛唯一的原生裸子植物。这种植物被认为是一个关键物种，因为它对所有陆地、水生和海洋栖息地的化学影响，因为它与根部的固氮蓝藻相互作用。它的丧失可能会对环境产生连锁的有害影响。这种苏铁的灭绝将意味着失去这种独特的科学资源，不仅对研究昆虫授粉系统的进化，而且对研究许多生态相互作用。关岛只剩下几片未受感染的森林，如果不进行重大干预，所有的植物将在未来几年内消失。目的是研究密克罗尼西亚苏铁的授粉生态学，确定昆虫、苍蝇、飞蛾和风在授粉过程中的作用，并确定帕劳苏铁和另一个马里亚纳岛（如罗塔岛）苏铁雄性和雌性球果上的昆虫访客。这个项目更广泛的影响集中在关岛的保护工作上。密克罗尼西亚密克罗尼西亚传粉生态学信息对确定保护重点至关重要。此外，该项目的结果将填补我们目前对授粉相互作用进化的一般理解的空白。

Cycads (Cycadales) are one of the most ancient lineages of the existing gymnosperms, and they are one of the few insect-pollinated gymnosperms. Thus, they may be an important link to understanding the evolution of ancient insect pollination mutualisms. Because the genus Cycas is thought to be the most ancient of the cycads and has a different female structure compared with other cycads), gaining knowledge of its pollination systems is especially important in this area. Recently, the Asian cycad scale, Aulacaspis yasumatusi, a pest of cycads, was introduced into Guam. It has been rapidly devastating the highly susceptible Cycas micronesica, Guam's only native gymnosperm. This plant is considered a keystone species because of its influence on the chemistry of all terrestrial, aquatic, and marine habitats due to its interactions with nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria in the roots. Its loss may have a cascading, detrimental impact on the environment. Extinction of this cycad would mean losing this unique scientific resource not only for the study of the evolution of insect pollination systems but also for studying many ecological interactions. Only a few pockets of uninfested forest remain on Guam, and without major intervention, all plants will be lost within the next few of years. The goal is to study the pollination ecology of C. micronesica, to determine the role of insects, a fly and a moth, and wind in the pollination process and to determine insect visitors on male and female cones from Cycas of Palau and from one other Mariana Island such as Rota. The broader impacts of this project focus on conservation efforts on the island of Guam. Information on the pollination ecology of C. micronesica is critical to identifying priorities for conservation. In addition, results from the project will fill a current gap in our general understanding of the evolution of pollination mutualisms.