COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: Does Sequential Speciation Amplify Biodiversity across Trophic Levels?

该项目将确定新物种的创造是否为其他生物提供了利用这一点并以同类方式进行物种形成的机会。特别是，这项研究将测试树莓属果蝇是否通过转移和攻击新的寄主植物来专门化，攻击果蝇的寄生黄蜂是否也通过跟随苍蝇和专攻新的苍蝇资源来专门化。这个问题对于理解自然很重要，因为与地球上任何其他类型的生命形式相比，以植物为食的昆虫(如树头蛾)和攻击它们的寄生虫的种类更多。因此，了解物种形成是否通过生态系统产生涟漪效应，从而依次放大新物种的创造，对于理解生物多样性的基础具有重要意义。除了帮助整合地方、大学和国际层面的科学培训、教育和研究活动，该项目还对美国农业有实际好处。树蝇是苹果、樱桃、蓝莓和其他几种经济作物的严重害虫。因此，苍蝇寄生蜂是否已经形成新物种的问题，对制定有效的害虫综合管理策略具有重要影响。具体地说，如果不同的黄蜂物种攻击每一只苍蝇，那么生物防治工作将需要分别饲养和释放每一只黄蜂，以控制每一种苍蝇害虫。相比之下，如果所有黄蜂都是同一种群的一部分，那么专注于大规模释放单一培养的黄蜂品系的一刀切策略可能会成功。

The project will determine whether the creation of new species provides an opportunity for other organisms to take advantage of this and speciate in kind. In particular, the research will test whether when fruit flies of the genus Rhagoletis speciate by shifting and attacking new host plants, the parasitic wasps that attack the flies also speciate by following the flies and specializing on the new fly resources. The question is important for understanding nature because there are more species of plant eating insects like Rhagoletis and the parasites that attack them than any other types of life forms on Earth. Thus, understanding whether speciation has rippling effects through ecosystems to sequentially amplify the creation of new species has important implications for understanding the basis for biodiversity.In addition to helping integrate science training, education, and research activities at the local, university, and international levels, the project also has practical benefits for U.S. agriculture. Rhagoletis flies are serious pests of apples, cherries, blueberries, and several other economic crops. The question of whether the fly's parasitoids have formed new species, therefore, has important repercussions for developing effective integrated pest management strategies. Specifically, if different wasp species attack each fly, then biocontrol efforts would need to rear and release each of the wasps separately to control each of the fly pests. In contrast, if the wasps are all part of the same population, then a one-size-fits-all strategy focused on mass release of a single cultured wasp strain may succeed.