Genetic change and genetic accommodation allow singing insects to adapt to temperature change

摘要：温度影响着所有生物，从细胞过程的速度到它们的行为。然而，人们对温度如何影响动物的繁殖和行为，特别是昆虫的繁殖和行为知之甚少。从粮食作物的授粉、营养循环到疾病的传播，昆虫在人类社会的健康和福利中发挥着至关重要的作用；了解它们对温度变化的反应对于理解它们对人类的影响至关重要。由于昆虫通常在特定的温度范围内生活和交配，每天和每年的温度变化可能会减少关键时期的交配活动；例如，在食物充足的时候。此外，昆虫用来吸引配偶的歌声和行为随着温度的变化而变化，从而增加了识别潜在配偶的难度。这个项目调查了跳树虫的这些挑战。这些昆虫通过植物茎的振动来交流，这种行为对温度的变化非常敏感。该项目结合了控制温度的实验室实验、详细的行为观察和育种结果，以了解遗传学在昆虫对温度变化的反应中的作用。这一结果将允许对昆虫如何应对温度以及对种群和物种健康和功能的影响进行前所未有的测试。这项工作的一个创造性的更广泛的影响包括与一位艺术家合作，创造声音装置，展示昆虫的振动歌曲如何随着温度的变化而变化，并搭配艺术家-科学家的公开演讲。此外，这项工作还为学生和博士后研究员提供培训，重点是支持STEM的多样性。技术摘要：本项目探讨了恒温动物在变温条件下面临的两大生殖挑战。首先，交配通常只发生在临界温度窗口内，温度的变化和波动会限制这个窗口的可用性。其次，雄性为吸引雌性而发出的信号可能会随着温度的变化而发生巨大变化，这给雌性寻找配偶带来了挑战，甚至对识别正确物种的可能性也带来了挑战。这个项目使用了Enchenopa跳树虫，一种通过植物茎中的歌声进行交流的昆虫。主要目标是确定沿纬度梯度的种群如何随着温度变化而进化，并确定单个种群适应温度变化和波动的潜力。为了实现这些目标，本项目将结合经典的定量遗传育种设计和控制行为分析来测量热敏生殖性状的表型和遗传变异。研究结果将有助于深入了解当前的变异模式是如何被过去的选择所塑造的，并确定最有可能使昆虫适应温度变化的热敏感特征。这项工作为实验室的学生和博士后学者提供独立和协作的培训，重点是支持STEM的多样性。研究团队将与一位声音艺术家、圣路易斯动物园和一位媒体专家合作，创造两个沉浸式声音装置、昆虫馆展览、在线视频和资源，教育公众关于振动歌曲、温度如何影响动物的行为和繁殖。

Non-technical Abstract: Temperature affects all living organisms, from the speed of cellular processes to their behavior. However, little is known about how temperature influences animal reproduction and behavior, particularly in insects. Insects play critical roles in the health and welfare of human society from pollination of food crops, to nutrient cycling, and movement of diseases; understanding their responses to temperature variation is critical for understanding their impact on people. Because insects often live and mate within specific temperature ranges, daily and yearly changes in temperature could reduce mating activity at critical times; for example, during times when food is abundant. Furthermore, insect songs and behavior used to attract mates vary with temperature, thus increasing the difficulty of identifying potential mates. This project investigates these challenges in treehoppers. These insects create plant stem vibrations to communicate, a behavior very sensitive to changes in temperature. The project combines controlled laboratory experiments that manipulate temperature, detailed behavioral observations, and breeding outcomes to understand the role of genetics in insect responses to temperature changes. The results will allow for unprecedented tests of how insects deal with temperature, and the impact on population and species health and function. A creative broader impact of this work includes a collaboration with an artist to create sound installations that demonstrate how insect vibrational songs vary with temperature, paired with artist-scientist public talks. Additionally, this work provides training for students and a postdoctoral researcher with a strong focus on supporting diversity in STEM.Technical Abstract: This project explores two major reproductive challenges that ecothermic animals face under variable temperature conditions. First, mating often occurs only within critical temperature windows, and changes and fluctuations in temperature can restrict the availability of this window. Second, the signals males produce to attract females can vary dramatically with temperature, posing challenges to females attempting to identify mates, and even the potential to identify the right species. This project uses Enchenopa treehoppers, insects that communicate through songs that travel through plant stems. The main goals are to determine how populations along a latitudinal gradient have evolved in response to temperature variation, and to determine the potential for individual populations to adapt to temperature changes and fluctuations. To achieve these goals, this project will combine classic quantitative genetics breeding designs with controlled behavioral assays to measure phenotypic and genetic variation in thermally-sensitive reproductive traits. The results will allow insight into how current patterns of variation have been shaped by past selection, and identify thermally-sensitive traits that are most likely to allow the insects to adapt to temperature changes. This work provides independent and collaborative training for students and a postdoctoral scholar in a laboratory with a strong focus on supporting diversity in STEM. The team of researchers will work together with a sound artist, the Saint Louis Zoo, and a media expert to create two immersive sound installations, Insectarium exhibits, and online videos and resources that educate the public about vibrational songs, and how temperature affects behavior and reproduction in animals.