Mechanisms of host colonization in conifer--feeding insects

针叶树食性昆虫的寄主定植机制

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04260
• 负责人: Keeling, Christopher
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2021-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=739805
• 关键词: Mechanisms; host; colonization; conifer; feeding

The 35% of Canada's area covered by forests benefits us in many ways. It provides employment for over 200,000 people, contributes $24.6 billion towards the GDP, and provides important cultural and ecosystem services. Forest insect pests, both native and invasive, have profound ecological and economic impacts. In 2016, 15.5 million ha of forests were affected by insects in Canada. Although native insects are important members of the forest ecosystem, perturbations can disrupt the balance between insects and their host and lead to major outbreaks. These threats are expected to increase as climate change disrupts the historical climatic suitability ranges of both trees and insects, such that immobile, slow-growing trees will confront both sub-optimal growth conditions and an influx of new insect species. The long-term goals of my research program are to understand the mechanisms insects use to colonize their host, the ways conifers defend against colonization, and then to apply this knowledge to produce more resilient forests through novel pest management tools, identifying specific genetic adaptions that improve tree resistance traits, and informing tree breeding. How do insects overcome (avoid, tolerate, resist, or detoxify) the complex physical and chemical defences of their host trees? The proposed research will increase our understanding of this process in several insect pests. These include the mountain pine beetle, the spruce beetle, and the spruce budworm, which are native to Canada, and also the gypsy moth, which is a threatening invasive species. My approach is interdisciplinary; chemical analyses, genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and in vivo studies are used to understand the ecology at a mechanistic level. This approach provides a diverse training opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and technicians.

加拿大35%的面积被森林覆盖，在许多方面使我们受益。它为20多万人提供就业机会，为国内生产总值贡献了246亿美元，并提供重要的文化和生态系统服务。森林害虫，无论是本土的还是外来的，都具有深远的生态和经济影响。2016年，加拿大有1550万公顷的森林受到昆虫的影响。虽然原生昆虫是森林生态系统的重要成员，但扰动会破坏昆虫与宿主之间的平衡，导致重大爆发。这些威胁预计将增加，因为气候变化破坏了树木和昆虫的历史气候适宜性范围，例如不动，生长缓慢的树木将面临次优的生长条件和新昆虫物种的涌入。我的研究计划的长期目标是了解昆虫用来殖民他们的主机的机制，针叶树防御殖民化的方式，然后应用这些知识，通过新的害虫管理工具，生产更有弹性的森林，确定特定的遗传适应，提高树木抗性性状，并通知树育种。昆虫如何克服（避免、容忍、抵抗或解毒）宿主树木复杂的物理和化学防御？拟议的研究将增加我们对几种害虫中这一过程的理解。其中包括原产于加拿大的山松甲虫、云杉甲虫和云杉芽虫，以及具有威胁性的入侵物种舞毒蛾。我的方法是跨学科的;利用化学分析、基因组学、分子生物学、生物化学和活体研究，从机制层面了解生态学。这种方法为本科生和研究生、博士后学员和技术人员提供了多样化的培训机会。