Ecological consequences of genetic variation: does genetic variation in a keystone parasitic plant species drive community response to infection?

这项工作是关于遗传变异的生态后果。生态群落是由许多相互作用的物种组成的种群。物种之间不同类型的相互作用（例如寄生、竞争、捕食者-猎物相互作用）会对个体参与者产生不同的影响。两个物种之间相互作用的影响通常也可以在整个群落中看到，在不同物种的存在、缺失、丰度或行为中。在一个单一物种的种群中，个体对环境和其他相互作用的物种的反应会有所不同。如果这种变异有遗传基础，并且与个体的适应性有关，那么它就可以被选择，种群就可以适应和进化。同一物种内个体之间的遗传差异可以改变该物种与其他伙伴之间相互作用的结果。这些差异通常可以在群落水平上被视为物种多样性或丰度的变化。由个体遗传变异引起的群落物种多样性变化对生态群落的保护和管理及其如何应对环境变化具有重大影响。本研究的重点是单一物种与宿主的寄生相互作用，寄生虫内部的遗传变异如何改变与宿主物种相互作用的结果，以及这对宿主群落物种多样性的影响。焦点物种是一种叫做黄响尾蛇（Rhinanthus minor L.）的寄生植物，在英国、欧洲和北美部分地区的草原上很常见。黄响尾蛇在草地上的存在会对更广泛的群落产生深远的影响。与寄主植物的直接相互作用间接改变了群落内植物间的竞争相互作用，从而增加了植物物种多样性。先前的实验工作表明，黄响尾蛇与其宿主之间相互作用的结果取决于宿主和寄生虫内部的遗传变异。这项工作的主要目的是发现寄生虫种群的遗传多样性（高多样性与低多样性）、寄生虫的特定遗传特性（个体基因型的影响）或黄响尾蛇的地理起源是否是决定感染对宿主群落结果的重要因素，以及由此导致的宿主群落物种多样性变化。次要目的是研究寄主物种多样性与寄生虫遗传多样性在形成草原群落结构中的作用。这项工作将为保护管理政策提供有价值的信息，说明遗传多样性在维持生态群落物种多样性方面的重要性。这项研究将于2011年开始，持续3年。它将在布莱顿的法尔默的苏塞克斯大学进行，并将以该大学研究人员目前对黄响尾蛇生态学的研究为基础。黄响尾蛇的遗传分析将在谢菲尔德的NERC生物分子设施的研究人员进行，并与他们合作。

This work is concerned with the ecological consequences of genetic variation. Ecological communities are made up of populations of many interacting species. Different types of interactions between species (e.g. parasitism, competition, predator-prey interactions) will have different consequences for the individual players involved. The effects of interactions between two species can often also be seen on the whole community, in the presence, absence, abundance or behaviour of different species. Within a population of a single species, individuals will vary in their response to the environment and to other interacting species. If this variation has a genetic basis and is linked to the fitness of the individual it can be selected upon and the population can adapt and evolve. Genetic differences among individuals within a single species can change the outcome of the interactions between that species and other partners. These differences can often be seen at the community level as changes in species diversity or abundance. Changes in community species diversity caused by genetic variation within individuals can have large implications for the conservation and management of ecological communities and in how they respond to environmental change. The study focuses on the parasitic interactions of a single species with its hosts, how genetic variation within the parasite changes the outcome of interactions with host species, and the effect that this has on host community species diversity. The focal species is a parasitic plant called Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor L.), which is common to grasslands in the UK, Europe and some parts of North America. Presence of Yellow Rattle within grassland can have profound effects on the wider community. Direct interactions with host plants indirectly change the competitive interactions between plants in the community, and can result in an increase in plant species diversity. Previous experimental work has shown that the outcome of interactions between Yellow Rattle and its hosts depends on genetic variation within host and parasite. The key aims of this work are to discover whether genetic diversity in the parasite population (high diversity verses low diversity), specific genetic identity of the parasite (the effects of individual genotypes), or geographic origin of the yellow rattle are important factors in determining the outcome of infection on the host community, and the resultant change in host community species biodiversity. Secondary aims are to examine the role that host species diversity plays in conjunction with parasite genetic diversity in shaping grassland community structure. The work will provide valuable information for conservation management policy on how important genetic diversity is in maintaining species biodiversity in ecological communities. The research will begin in 2011 and continue for 3 years. It will be undertaken at the University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton and will build on current work by researchers at the University on the ecology of Yellow Rattle. Genetic analysis of Yellow Rattle will be undertaken at, and in collaboration with, researchers from the NERC Biomolecular facility in Sheffield.