CAREER: Evolution of Locust Swarms and Phenotypic Plasticity in Grasshoppers

蝗虫是蚱蜢，可以形成巨大的迁徙群。它们是全世界农业的主要害虫，造成数百万美元的损失。在自然界中，蝗虫根据当地的人口密度以两种形式存在。在低密度下，蝗虫的颜色不明显，相互躲避，但在高密度下，它们会变成颜色明显的个体，相互吸引。当高密度条件持续时，它们最终形成群体。这种响应密度而改变的能力被称为密度依赖性表型可塑性。然而，人们对这种现象是如何演变的，为什么蝗虫成群，以及是什么使它们与典型的蚱蜢不同，知之甚少。因此，这个教师早期职业发展（CAREER）项目的主要目标是了解为什么一些蚱蜢通过形成群体而其他人则不会对拥挤做出反应。该项目旨在利用行为实验和尖端分子技术揭示蝗虫群集的遗传基础。这个职业生涯项目的核心是从K-12到本科生和研究生的研究和教育的无缝集成。与当地公立学校的伙伴关系，加强服务学习，将提供独特的和相关的科学教育机会，为小学和大学的学生。具体而言，职业生涯启用的课程开发将填补一个急需的空白，提供真实的研究经验，在中央佛罗里达大学的生物课程。更广泛的影响活动的一个主要目标是扩大代表性不足的少数民族学生的参与，特别是那些从社区学院转学后寻求科学职业的学生。该项目支持的研究生将接触到具有国际和跨学科机会的高影响力研究。该项目的广泛性质将为未来的合作建立一个强大而持久的国际网络。

Locusts are grasshoppers that can form enormous migrating swarms. They are major pests of agriculture throughout the world, causing millions of dollars in losses. In nature, locusts exist as one of two forms depending on local population density. At low density, locusts are inconspicuously colored and avoid each other, but at high density, they transform into conspicuously colored individuals that are attracted to each other. When the high-density condition persists, they eventually form swarms. This ability to change in response to density is known as density-dependent phenotypic plasticity. However, it is poorly understood how this phenomenon has evolved, why locusts swarm, and what makes them different from typical grasshoppers. Therefore, the main goal of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) project is to understand why some grasshoppers respond to crowding by forming swarms and others do not. The project aims to unravel the genetic basis of locust swarming using behavioral experiments and cutting-edge molecular techniques. The core of this CAREER project is the seamless integration of research and education from K-12 to undergraduate and graduate students. The partnership with local public schools, enhanced by service-learning, will provide unique and relevant science education opportunities for both elementary school and college-level students. Specifically, the CAREER-enabled course development will fill a much-needed void in providing authentic research experience to the biology curriculum at the University of Central Florida. One primary goal of the broader impact activities will be to broaden participation of underrepresented minority students, particularly those who seek careers in science after transferring from community colleges. Graduate students supported by this project will be exposed to high-impact research with international and interdisciplinary opportunities. The broad nature of this project will establish a strong and long-lasting international network for future collaborations.