ROW: Fig/Pollinator Interactions: Coevolution and Consequences of Flowering Phenology

研究互惠主义者之间的冲突及其进化结果对于理解互惠主义和对抗是如何产生和持续的至关重要。然而，几乎所有关于互惠关系的研究都只关注其中一方的利益。本研究将从同域榕/传粉者双方的角度，探讨树生殖物候学中一个关键的互惠性状的性质和后果。通过详细的观察和一系列操作实验。P.I.将(1)提供任何无花果物种相关物候性状的第一个定量描述；(2)明确树枝、乔木、局地、区域、物种和季节等尺度的物候变化规律；(3)测量树内物候对每个共生伙伴的生殖后果；(4)利用这些信息来检验一组关于无花果物种之间和物种内部物候差异原因的假设。本研究将首次确定物候性状的成本和收益，这些物候性状对维持这些相互作用至关重要。更广泛地说，它将展示互惠而非单边方法的价值，以理解互惠的生态和进化动态。这项研究的结果将对许多自然群落产生重要影响。

Studies of conflicts between mutualists and their evolutionary consequences are critical for understanding how both mutualisms and antagonisms arise and persist. However, nearly all studies of mutualisms focus on the interests of one of the partners only. The proposed study of two sympatric fig/pollinator mutualisms will investigate the nature and consequences of one pivotal mutualistic trait within-tree reproductive phenology, from the perspective of both partners. Using detailed observations and a set of manipulative experiments. The P.I. will (1) provide the first quantitative description of the relevant phenological traits for any fig species; (2) define patterns of phenological variation at the scales of branch, tree, local site, region, species, and season; (3) measure reproductive consequences of within-tree phenology for each mutualist partner; and (4) use this information to test a set of hypotheses for the cause of phenological differences among and within fig species. The costs and benefits of phenological traits critical for the maintenance of these interactions as mutualisms will be established for the first time by this study. More broadly, it will demonstrate the value of a reciprocal rather than unilateral approach to understanding ecological and evolutionary dynamics of a mutualism. These results from this study will have important implications in many natural communities.