Tests of Classic Theory in Plant-insect Interactions

在我们的星球上产生生物多样性的基本过程之一是物种之间的相互作用。这个项目的重点是植物和攻击它们的昆虫之间的拮抗相互作用，以了解在新世界中单一的黄花属植物中出现的多样性。超过130种乳草物种在表达的植物防御策略的丰度、分布和多样性方面存在差异，这种物种多样性被认为是对帝王蝶捕食的反应而产生的。使用一种综合的方法，结合植物激素和毒素的化学分析、温室研究和尖端基因组操作中的现代方法，研究人员将确定多种植物防御特征的功能及其对乳草多样性的贡献。研究结果将极大地促进人们对生态学和进化论中尚未解决的主要问题之一的理解：物种多样性的起源和维持。它们还将为管理策略提供信息；例如，研究野生物种的植物抗性可以为农业中新的害虫控制策略提供基础。教育和培训计划涵盖了K-12学生、本科生、研究生和普通公众，尤其令人信服，因为这项研究涉及广受欢迎的帝王蝶。关于生物多样性和物种相互作用的K-12教育将通过康奈尔大学的一个既定计划得到一名研究生外展助理的支持。因此，该项目将通过以各种方式让各级教育工作者和学生参与进来，支持当地的教育工作。最后，PI大力支持公开查阅已公布的数据，并将继续提供原始数据。

One of the fundamental processes that generates biodiversity on our planet is the interaction between species. This project focuses on antagonistic interactions between plants and the insects that attack them to understand the diversity that has arisen within a single genus of milkweeds in the new world. Over 130 milkweed species differ in the abundance, distribution, and diversity of plant defense strategies expressed, and this species diversity is hypothesized to have arisen in response to predation by Monarch butterflies. Using an integrated approach that combines modern methods in chemical analysis of plant hormones and toxins, greenhouse studies, and cutting edge genome manipulation, the investigators will determine the function of multiple plant defense traits and their contribution to the diversification of the milkweeds. Research results will significantly advance understanding of one of the major unresolved questions in ecology and evolution: the origin and maintenance of species diversity. They also will inform management strategies; for example, the study of plant resistance in wild species can provide a basis for novel pest control strategies in agriculture. Plans for education and training encompass K-12 students, undergraduates, graduate students, and the general public, and are particularly convincing because the study involves the popular Monarch butterflies. K-12 education on biodiversity and species interactions will be facilitated by support of a graduate outreach assistant through an established program at Cornell. Thus, this project will support local educational efforts by engaging educators and students at all levels and in diverse ways. Finally, the PI strongly supports open access to published data, and will continue to make raw data available.