Collaborative Research: Dimensions: The role of taxonomic, functional, genetic, and landscape diversity in food web responses to a changing environment

这项拟议的研究将探讨遗传、分类、生态和景观多样性如何影响捕食者对农业害虫的自然控制。这项研究将集中在三种作物(玉米、紫花苜蓿和大豆)以及攻击它们的蚜虫种类上。蚜虫通常由大约20种常见的捕食者控制。由于这些捕食者经常在田野和其他栖息地之间移动，它们抑制蚜虫的能力取决于地形的多样性。此外，蚜虫含有细菌共生体，使它们的昆虫宿主能够耐受高温。因此，这些共生体使蚜虫有可能进化以应对全球变暖。这项拟议的研究将使用遥感、田间试验和遗传分析来了解生态和进化在维持对蚜虫的自然控制方面所起的作用。玉米、紫花苜蓿和大豆主导了美国大部分地区的农业景观，捕食者自然而然地抑制了许多潜在的农业害虫。气候变化或另一种人为环境变化可能会打破这种自然控制，给美国农业带来更大的害虫问题。了解生态和进化多样性如何增强对环境变化的适应能力，可以识别潜在有害生物问题的警告信号，并提供可能的解决方案。这项拟议的工作不仅将解决这一基本的和应用的科学挑战，还将通过争取公民科学家的帮助来教育公众，他们将在美国各地对蚜虫和捕食者进行采样，将亲身实践的科学带入公民的后院。

The proposed research will address how genetic, taxonomic, ecological, and landscape diversity affect the natural control of agricultural pests by predators. The study will focus on three crops (corn, alfalfa, and soybean) and the group of aphid species that attacks them. Aphids are normally kept in check by roughly 20 common predators. Because these predators move frequently among fields and other habitats, their ability to suppress aphids depends upon the diversity of the landscape. Furthermore, aphids contain bacterial symbionts that give their insect hosts tolerance to high temperatures. These symbionts thus make it possible for aphids to evolve in response to global warming. The proposed research will use remote sensing, field experiments, and genetic assays to understand the roles of ecology and evolution in maintaining the natural control of aphid pests. Corn, alfalfa, and soybean dominate the agricultural landscape of much of the USA, and predators naturally suppress many potential agricultural pests. A changing climate, or another anthropogenic environmental change, could break down this natural control, leading to greater pest problems for US agriculture. Understanding how ecological and evolutionary diversity confers resilience against environmental changes could identify warning signs of potential pest problems, and also provide possible solutions. The proposed work will not only address this basic and applied scientific challenge but will also educate the public by enlisting the help of citizen scientists who will sample aphids and predators across the USA, bringing hands-on science into citizen's backyards.