Diversity Maintenance in Multi-trophic Communities: The Role of Multiple Coexistence Mechanisms

多营养群落的多样性维持：多种共存机制的作用

• 批准号: 0717350
• 负责人: Priyanga Amarasekare
• 金额: $ 46.5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0717350&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Diversity; Maintenance; Multi; trophic; Communities

Ecologists increasingly recognize that individual mechanisms often act (and interact) in concert. This research will employ a powerful approach to evaluate the roles of various mechanisms, both individually and in combination, that allow multiple species to coexist. The study system consists of two specialist parasitoids (parasitic insects that attack eggs) of the harlequin bug. Their approach of integrating laboratory and field experiments with theoretical modeling will provide a means for evaluating multiple mechanisms that influence species coexistence. The factors to be evaluated include variability in resources, temporal variation, developmental rates of species, resource use, species interactions such as competition and predation, and the role of temporal refugia. A model will be developed to assess the mechanisms involved in species coexistence, to generate new predictions, and to generalize to other systems. The results of this research will inform real-world models of biological control and provide insight into our understanding of the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity. The project involves training undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral associates in quantitative and experimental approaches to studying ecology. The ability to integrate theory and data is a crucial skill for the next generation of scientists who will tackle the important ecological and environmental issues that confront the nation. The proposed research will provide this training to young researchers at various career stages, emphasizing strong participation by women and other underrepresented groups.

生态学家越来越认识到个体机制经常协同作用（和相互作用）。这项研究将采用一种强大的方法来评估允许多个物种共存的各种机制的作用，无论是单独的还是组合的。该研究系统由两种专门的丑角虫寄生蜂（攻击卵的寄生昆虫）组成。他们将实验室和现场实验与理论模型相结合的方法将为评估影响物种共存的多种机制提供一种手段。要评估的因素包括资源的变异性、时间变化、物种的发育速率、资源利用、物种相互作用（例如竞争和捕食）以及时间庇护所的作用。将开发一个模型来评估物种共存的机制，产生新的预测，并推广到其他系统。这项研究的结果将为现实世界的生物控制模型提供信息，并深入了解我们对维持生物多样性的机制的理解。该项目涉及对本科生、研究生和博士后进行生态学研究的定量和实验方法的培训。整合理论和数据的能力是下一代科学家的一项关键技能，他们将解决国家面临的重要生态和环境问题。拟议的研究将为各个职业阶段的年轻研究人员提供这种培训，强调女性和其他代表性不足群体的大力参与。