NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: What you eat affects the enemies that eat you: Examining the relationship between diet and natural enemies

这一行动为NSF 2019财年生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大了生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究考察了动物的饮食如何帮助它从其他动物的攻击中幸存下来。他研究了秋季网虫，这是一种以不同树木的叶子为食的毛虫。秋季网虫受到寄生昆虫的攻击，这些寄生昆虫在毛虫体内产卵，并将其用作宿主。毛毛虫的免疫系统可以帮助抵御这些寄生虫，但免疫系统的强度可能会受到毛毛虫饮食的影响。这位研究员利用科罗拉多州的实验和实地调查来了解不同的树木是否提高了秋季网虫对黄蜂攻击的免疫力。像许多动物一样，昆虫的生存依赖于它们栖息地的植物。随着气候变化改变了许多植物群落，昆虫也可能受到影响。这项研究将增加对如果重大气候事件极大地改变植物群落，植物与昆虫的相互作用可能会如何改变的理解。此外，这位研究员还与丹佛城市地区未被充分代表的少数族裔学生的青年密切合作。学生们将参加野生动物调查，以提高对野生动物的认识。这位研究员还将通过创建一个由少数族裔背景的生物学家组成的在线网络来促进指导和指导的机会，他们将为高中生提供建议。对于分布广泛的动物，食物和天敌的相对重要性可能会因生态群落的位置和组成而有所不同。这位研究员将利用基因组学来识别和量化科罗拉多州整个范围内攻击秋季网虫的寄生昆虫的多样性。接下来，这位研究员将利用实验室实验来测量秋季网虫的饮食和营养质量之间的关系。最后，这位研究员将操纵毛毛虫的饮食，以检查不同的树种如何影响毛毛虫对寄生虫发动免疫防御的能力。这项研究包括两种方法来增加城市公立学校中未被充分代表的少数民族学生与自然的互动。首先，研究员将使用体验式学习模式，为中学生创造互动的校外学习机会。其次，该研究员将建立一个由专业生物学家组成的在线网络，他们同意为对生物感兴趣的高中生担任导师。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. This study examines how the diet of an animal can help it survive attacks from other animals. The Fellow studies the fall webworm, a caterpillar that eats the leaves of different trees. Fall webworms are attacked by parasitic insects that lay their eggs inside the caterpillar and use it as a host. The caterpillar's immune system can help defend against these parasitic insects, but the strength of the immune system can be affected by the caterpillar's diet. The Fellow uses experiments and field surveys in Colorado to understand whether different trees increase the immunity of the fall webworm against wasp attacks. The survival of insects, like many animals, is dependent on the plants in their habitat. As changes in climate transform many plant communities, insects are likely to be affected too. This study will increase understanding of how plant-insect interactions might change if major climatic events drastically modify plant communities. In addition, the Fellow works closely with youth from underrepresented minority students from urban areas in Denver. Students will participate in wildlife surveys, which increase awareness of wildlife. The fellow will also promote opportunities for mentorship and guidance by creating an online network of biologists from minority backgrounds who will advise high school students. For widely distributed animals, the relative importance of diet and natural enemies can vary depending on location and composition of ecological communities. The Fellow will use genomics to identify and quantify the diversity of parasitic insects attacking fall webworm across its range in Colorado. Next, the Fellow will use lab experiments to measure the relationship between diet and the nutrient quality of fall webworms. Finally, the Fellow will manipulate the caterpillar's diet to examine how different tree species impact the caterpillar's ability to launch immune defenses against parasitic insects. This research includes two approaches to increase interactions with nature among underrepresented minority students in urban public schools. First, the Fellow will use an experiential learning model to create interactive out-of-school learning opportunities for middle school students. Second, the Fellow will build an online network of professional biologists who agree to be mentors for high school students with interests in biology.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.