Systematics and Comparative Biology of Aquatic Insects

水生昆虫的系统学和比较生物学

• 批准号: RGPIN-2014-06570
• 负责人: Currie, Douglas
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=612305
• 关键词: Systematics; Comparative; Biology; Aquatic; Insects

Freshwater covers less than 1% of the Earth’s surface yet harbors 10% of all known animal species — the majority (60%) of which are aquatic insects. The roughly 100,000 species of aquatic insects likely represent half the actual number, and it is likely they constitute closer to 80% of aquatic animal diversity. Insects play a vital role in aquatic food webs as primary consumers, detritivores and predators. They sustain both vertebrate and invertebrate predators and serve as barometers of environmental quality. As freshwater habitats are widely recognized as among the most threatened on Earth, it is important to gain a better understanding of aquatic insect biodiversity and the role they play in ecosystem function. True flies (order Diptera) are by far the largest contributor to freshwater biodiversity, constituting more than half of all aquatic insects. Among these are the bloodsucking flies (e.g., mosquitoes, black flies, tabanids and biting midges), which include among the most serious vectors of disease to humans and other animals. As taxonomy is the foundation of all scientific disciplines dealing with organisms, it is especially important to document these medically important insects. The Royal Ontario Museum — with its world-class collections of dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata), caddisflies (Trichoptera) and black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) — provide an outstanding venue for taxonomic and ecological studies of these important groups of aquatic insects. Systematics unifies all areas of biology by establishing a conceptual framework for interpreting the properties and activities of organisms. Classifications developed by systematists integrate comparative information about species across many disciplines, ranging from molecular biology and ecology to resource management and health sciences. Although activities such as taxonomy, phylogenetic analysis and classification continue to be at the core of my program, a primary objective my research is to provide a sounder basis from which to interpret evolutionary, ecological and behavioral phenomena. The proposed research focuses particularly on my on-going investigations into the systematics and evolution of black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) — a group of considerable medical and veterinary importance. Project 1 will clarify the taxonomy and relationships of primitive lineages of Australian black flies, providing a sounder basis from which to construct a natural classification of the family. Project 2 aims to use new analytical tools to quantify shape variation in morphological structures of black flies. I anticipate that phylogenetic signal will be detected in a number of long-neglected character systems, providing a hitherto untapped source of information for evolutionary studies. This approach will be especially beneficial for the study of fossils, in which morphological characters are often obscured or otherwise impossible to evaluate. Black flies are arguably the most completely know group of insects in North America in terms of their taxonomy; however, basic ecological information is lacking for many species — especially in northern Canada. With growing concern about the effects of global climate change it is increasingly important to address knowledge gaps in this medically important group of insects. In order to address this deficiency, I propose two ecologically oriented projects in the Canadian arctic. Project 3 aims to gain a better understanding of what limits the distribution of bloodsucking species, allowing predictions to be made about the rate of northern migration. These data have important implications for wildlife management. Project 4 goes a step farther by assessing host preferences and vector potential among northern species of bloodsucking black flies.

淡水覆盖了地球表面不到1%的面积，却孕育了10%的已知动物物种，其中大多数（60%）是水生昆虫。大约10万种水生昆虫可能只占实际数量的一半，它们可能占水生动物多样性的近80%。昆虫在水生食物网中扮演着至关重要的角色，是主要的消费者、营养动物和捕食者。它们供养着脊椎动物和无脊椎动物捕食者，并充当着环境质量的晴雨表。由于淡水栖息地被广泛认为是地球上最受威胁的栖息地之一，因此更好地了解水生昆虫的生物多样性及其在生态系统功能中的作用非常重要。真蝇（双翅目）是迄今为止淡水生物多样性的最大贡献者，占所有水生昆虫的一半以上。其中包括吸血蝇（如蚊子、黑蝇、虻和蠓），它们是人类和其他动物最严重的疾病媒介之一。由于分类学是所有生物学科的基础，因此记录这些医学上重要的昆虫尤为重要。皇家安大略博物馆拥有世界一流的蜻蜓、豆蛉（蜻蜓目）、热蝇（毛翅目）和黑蝇（双翅目：拟蝇科）的藏品，为这些重要的水生昆虫群体的分类和生态学研究提供了一个绝佳的场所。