EAPSI: Investigating Evolutionary Trade-offs in Coreid Insects

这项研究调查了一个有趣的进化权衡在coreid昆虫。自断，肢体的下降，可以是一个有效的特点，以避免捕食和诱捕。然而，有时它是以很高的代价来的-不能繁殖。 该研究采用了一种多维度的方法来调查Coreidae分支（昆虫纲：半翅目）中自断反应的原因和后果，研究需要后腿繁殖成功的物种和腿在成功交配中不起作用的物种。这项研究将与新加坡国立大学的Daiqin Li博士合作进行。李博士是一位领先的行为生态学家，擅长昆虫的反捕食防御。这项研究的结果将对生物学的其他领域，特别是涉及进化权衡的领域有价值。自切，诱导肢体切除，是一种有效的特质，用于避免捕食和诱捕。为了研究为什么核心生物会放下武器，我们需要研究自残和生殖选择武器之间的相互作用。为此，PI将使用系统发育背景来识别导致这种相互作用的祖先状态（即，自断是武器的祖先还是武器的祖先？无论这种互动如何演变，丢失武器的负面后果仍然存在。因此，这项工作将调查性选择是否限制了自残以增加武器保留。如果性选择限制了自切，这将表明性选择可以限制自然选择的特征，从而深入了解自然选择和性选择之间的冲突。除了研究之外，该奖项还将启动新加坡国立大学和佛罗里达大学之间的一项新的国际合作努力。该奖项属于东亚和太平洋夏季研究所计划，支持美国研究生的夏季研究，由NSF和新加坡国家研究基金会共同资助。

This research investigates an interesting evolutionary trade-off in coreid insects. Autotomy, the dropping of a limb, can be an effective trait to avoid predation and entrapment. However, sometimes it comes at a high cost - not being able to reproduce. The research adopts a multidimensional approach to investigate the causes and consequences of the autotomy response in the Coreidae clade (Insecta: Hemiptera), examining species that need the hind legs for reproductive success and those where the legs play no role in successful mating. The research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Daiqin Li of the National University of Singapore. Dr. Li is a leading behavioral ecologist with expertise in anti-predator defenses in insects. The results of the research will be valuable to other areas of biology, especially those involving evolutionary trade-off. Autotomy, induced limb removal, is an effective trait used to avoid predation and entrapment. To investigate why coreids drop their weapons, we need to investigate the interaction between autotomy and reproductive selected weaponry. To do this, the PI will use a phylogenetic context to identify the ancestral state leading to this interaction (i.e., is autotomy ancestral to weaponry or vice versa?). Regardless of how this interaction evolved, the negative consequences of losing a weapon persist. Thus, the work will investigate if sexual selection has constrained autotomy to increase weapon retention. If sexual selection constrains autotomy it would suggest that sexual selection can constrain a naturally selected trait, lending insights into the conflict between natural and sexual selection. In addition to the research, this award will initiate a novel international collaborative effort between the National University of Singapore and the University of Florida.This award under the East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes program supports summer research by a U.S. graduate student and is jointly funded by NSF and the National Research Foundation of Singapore.