Evolution of generalist pollination systems

不同的物种可以采用非常不同的策略来利用其环境中的资源。生态专家使用的资源范围很窄，而通才使用的资源范围很广。这些差异可能对生态系统的稳定性有重要影响，因为通才型对环境变化的抵抗力更强。的确，很容易想象，一种依靠单一传粉者进行繁殖的植物，会比一种可以由多种传粉者授粉的植物更脆弱。******历史上，传粉生物学家的注意力主要集中在对专业化系统的研究上，也许是因为它们更壮观。一个经典的例子是达尔文的anggraecum sesquipedale兰花和它的预测（并最终证实）长吻传粉蛾。然而，越来越多的研究者呼吁对多面手系统进行深入的研究，因为这些系统丰富且在植物进化中起着重要的作用。******本提案专门针对来自加勒比群岛的苦苣苔科植物群的通才传粉策略的机制和后果。我提出三个短期目标。******在第一个目标中，我将确定产生通才策略的过程。具体来说，我将测试通才的进化成功是否是由于他们进化出的特性创新，使他们能够成功地被不同的传粉者授粉。这将包括研究传粉者的有效性，以及具有不同传粉策略的物种种群的花形差异。******在第二个目标中，我将测试与通才策略相关的收敛形态特征的独立进化所涉及的分子机制是否涉及相同的基因或基因组区域。这将涉及不同来源的通才的比较QTL定位以及比较转录组学研究。******最后，第三个目标将讨论通才系统的重要性。它将测试通才是否比使用系统发育方法的专家有更高的多样化率，以及海洋岛屿上物种的存在是否影响这些率。******这个提议有可能通过展示生态通才策略是如何进化的，并通过量化它们的进化成功，来彻底改变我们对生态通才策略的看法。

Different species can adopt very different strategies to use the resources in their environments. Ecological specialists use a narrow range of resources whereas generalists use a broad range. These differences can have important implications for the stability of ecosystems as generalists are more robust to environmental changes. Indeed, it is easy to conceive that a plant relying on a single species of pollinator for its reproduction will be more vulnerable than a species that can be pollinated by many species.******Historically, the attention of pollination biologists has been mostly directed towards the study of specialization systems, perhaps because they are more spectacular. One classic example is Darwin's Angraecum sesquipedale orchid and its predicted (and eventually confirmed) long proboscis pollinating moth. Yet, more and more researchers are calling for further studies on generalist systems as these are abundant and have been important in plant evolution.******This proposal addresses specifically the mechanisms and consequences of generalist pollination strategies in a plant group from the Caribbean Islands from the Gesneriaceae family. I propose three short-term objectives.******In the first objective, I will determine the processes that gave rise to generalist strategies. Specifically, I will test if the evolutionary success of generalists is due to the fact that they have evolved trait innovations that allows them to be successfully pollinated by different pollinators. This will consist in studying pollinator effectiveness, but also the floral shape variance in populations of species with contrasting pollination strategies.******In the second objective, I will test if the molecular mechanisms involved in the independent evolution of convergent morphological traits associated with generalist strategies involved the same genes or genome regions. This will involve comparative QTL mapping of generalists of different origins as well as comparative transcriptomic studies.******Finally, the third objective will address the significance of generalist systems. It will test if generalists have higher diversification rates than specialists using phylogenetic approaches, and if the presence of species on oceanic islands affect these rates. ******This proposal has the potential to drastically change the way we perceive ecological generalist strategies by showing how they evolve and by quantifying their evolutionary success.