Molecular phylogenetics of Cecropia: a keystone neotropical pioneer, US-Colombia collaboration

摘要提案：OISE-1132916 PI/机构：Weiblen， George D, University of Minnesota-Twin cities；明尼苏达大学的George Weiblen和哥伦比亚洛斯安第斯大学的Santiago博士Madriñan提出了一项新的国际合作，为研究一种重要的热带树木——Cecropia及其蚂蚁的生态学和进化奠定系统的基础。具体来说，pi计划应用网络分析方法来量化哥伦比亚六个生物地理区域的蚂蚁与植物的关系，这些区域的Cecropia物种多样性很高。对于每个研究地点，pi将开发一个反植物关联矩阵，以量化生态和进化过程在生态群落聚集中的相对重要性。pi承诺在拟议的合作中包括初级科学家。特别是，该项目将为美国博士生提供接受系统学和生态学跨学科培训的机会，并由具有系统发育，植物DNA分析和蚂蚁生态学专业知识的哥伦比亚同事指导。此外，pi在共享数字数据的同时将分子工作定位在样品起源的同一国家的拟议合作代表了快速系统进展的新模式。这种模式满足了《国际生物多样性公约》的一项要求，该公约限制了发展中国家的物质转移。此外，pi和学生将通过向GenBank提交DNA序列、科学出版物和在专业会议上的演讲，在哥伦比亚和美国之间交换信息。

Abstract Proposal: OISE-1132916 PI/Institution: Weiblen, George D., University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesDr. George Weiblen from the University of Minnesota and Dr. Santiago Madriñan from the Universidad de Los Andes in Colombia propose a new international collaboration to lay down the systematic foundations for studying the ecology and evolution of an important tropical tree,Cecropia,and its ant inhabitants. Specifically the PIs plan to apply a network analytical approach to quantify ant associations with plants across six Colombian bio-geographical regions where the diversity of Cecropia species is high. For each study site the PIs will develop an ant-plant association matrix to quantify the relative importance of ecological and evolutionary processes in assembling ecological communities. The PIs are committed to including junior scientists in the proposed collaboration. In particular this project will give a US PhD student the opportunity to receive interdisciplinary training in systematics and ecology and be mentored by Colombian colleagues with expertise in phylogenetics, plant DNA analysis and ant ecology. Furthermore, the proposed collaboration where the PIs locate the molecular work in the same country where samples originate while sharing digital data, represents a new model for rapid systematic progress. This model addresses a requirement under the International Convention on Biodiversity which restricts material transfer in developing countries. Additionally, the PIs and the students will exchange information between Colombia and the US through the submission of DNA sequences to GenBank, scientific publications, and presentations at professional meetings.