Fungal Mimicry And It's Consequences In The Unique Deceptive Pollination Of Dracula Orchids

真菌模仿及其在德古拉兰花独特的欺骗性授粉中的后果

• 批准号: 0841613
• 负责人: Barbara Roy
• 金额: $ 57.29万
• 依托单位: University of Oregon Eugene
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-01 至 2013-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0841613&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Fungal; Mimicry; Consequences; Unique; Deceptive

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Mimicry, the adaptive resemblance of one organism to another, is one of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Although most examples of mimicry concern defense strategies of animals, floral mimicry also occurs. Dracula orchids (about 150 species) appear to be a remarkable but poorly known example of mimicry in plants: their flowers look and smell like mushrooms. However, the key component of mimicry in Dracula orchids, that the similarity to mushrooms actually benefits the plants, has never been tested. This project is designed to understand the ecology and evolution of mushroom mimicry in Dracula orchids through pollination experiments, chemical analysis of orchid and mushroom fragrances, and testing for pollinator specificity using field experiments and genetic analysis in natural populations of the orchids in Ecuador.This project will contribute to mimicry theory in general and specifically its extension to non-animal systems. Furthermore, it will enhance the current, and sometimes contentious, discussions in pollination ecology about specific versus generalist pollinators and the ecological forces and genetic mechanisms responsible for their evolution. This project also has broad implications for the power of natural selection in shaping the biology of organisms at local scales and the evolutionary forces resulting from interactions among species that create and maintain biological diversity.Broader impacts of this project will include advanced training for students and a postdoctoral fellow, and international collaborations with Swiss scientists and two Ecuadorian women scientists. Responsible, sustainable ecotourism will be promoted by providing the kind of natural history story that draws inquisitive visitors and by working closely with Fundación Los Cedros, a private organization that protects 17,000 acres of primary rainforest in a biodiversity hotspot. Beyond its intrinsic value to conservation, remarkable biological narratives about fascinating organisms inspire new scientists and improve public engagement in science.

该奖项由 2009 年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法 111-5）资助。模仿，即一种生物体与另一种生物体的适应性相似，是自然选择进化最引人注目的例子之一。尽管大多数模仿的例子都涉及动物的防御策略，但花卉模仿也存在。德古拉兰花（约 150 种）似乎是植物拟态的一个引人注目但鲜为人知的例子：它们的花朵看起来和闻起来都像蘑菇。然而，德古拉兰花拟态的关键组成部分，即与蘑菇的相似性实际上对植物有益，却从未得到测试。该项目旨在通过授粉实验、兰花和蘑菇香味的化学分析，以及使用厄瓜多尔兰花自然种群的现场实验和遗传分析来测试传粉者特异性，从而了解德古拉兰花中蘑菇拟态的生态和进化。该项目将有助于拟态理论的一般发展，特别是其向非动物系统的扩展。此外，它将加强目前授粉生态学中关于特定授粉媒介与通用授粉媒介以及负责其进化的生态力量和遗传机制的讨论，有时甚至是有争议的。该项目还对自然选择在塑造局部生物体生物学方面的力量以及创造和维持生物多样性的物种之间相互作用产生的进化力量具有广泛的影响。该项目的更广泛影响将包括对学生和博士后研究员的高级培训，以及与瑞士科学家和两名厄瓜多尔女科学家的国际合作。通过提供吸引好奇游客的自然历史故事，并与Fundación Los Cedros（一家保护生物多样性热点地区17,000英亩原始雨林的私人组织）密切合作，将促进负责任、可持续的生态旅游。除了其对保护的内在价值之外，关于迷人生物体的非凡生物学叙述还启发了新科学家并提高了公众对科学的参与。