U.S.-Australian Cooperative Research: Pollination Ecology and Selection in Plants that Mimic Insects

该奖项将支持一个为期三年的合作研究项目 史蒂文·N.亨德尔，生物科学系， 罗格斯大学和安德鲁·J·贝蒂教授， 澳大利亚悉尼麦考瑞大学生物科学系。 的 活动发生在美国-澳大利亚合作科学 程序. 科学家们将研究 所谓的性欺骗植物（有花的植物）的生物学 模仿雌性昆虫，从而吸引雄性昆虫交配， 从而影响花粉运输）。 这种拟态现象 只有在兰科植物中，虽然不寻常， 在澳大利亚的数百个物种中， 其他地方 研究人员希望探索这样一种假设， 这些植物种群的遗传结构 与昆虫授粉不同 基于食物奖励（花蜜或花粉）的觅食策略。 兰属Chiloglottis的特有种，由雄性授粉 thynnine黄蜂，将被研究。 黄蜂的野外观察 花间的飞行运动以及花粉的传递 动力，将进行。 不同平均值的影响 花间距离和花高对传粉者行为影响 追究 此外，植物样本将从 实地代表性种群及其遗传概况 测定，使用凝胶电泳技术。相关性 观察到的授粉模式和基因流之间的关系， 将寻找物种。 进化生态学的这项研究将 提供一个独立的测试目前的理论概括 昆虫的运动模式决定了植物的遗传结构 人口。 此外，这项工作还涉及到 保护这些兰花，其中一些是濒危物种。 该项目的合作科学家带来了互补的 研究的力量。 亨德尔教授的专长是 植物生态学，特别是授粉生物学和基因流动力学。 贝蒂教授在群体遗传学方面有相当丰富的经验 和植物种群的生化分析。 领域 研究将在选定的澳大利亚地点进行， 悉尼麦考瑞大学的实验室分析。

This award will support a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Steven N. Handel, Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, and Professor Andrew J. Beattie, School of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. The activity takes place under the U.S.-Australia Cooperative Science Program. The scientists will study the ecology and evolutionary biology of so-called sexually deceptive plants (plants with flowers that mimic female insects, thus attracting male insects to mate and thereby effecting pollen transport). The mimicry is known to occur only within the orchid family, and though unusual, it is observed among hundreds of species in Australia, and to a much lesser extent elsewhere. The investigators wish to explore the hypothesis that the genetic structure of these plant populations is significantly different from those in which pollination is the result of an insect foraging strategy based on food rewards (nectar or pollen). Specific species of the orchid genus Chiloglottis, pollinated by male thynnine wasps, will be studied. Field observations of the wasp flight movements among the flowers, as well as pollen transfer dynamics, will be carried out. The effects of varying average inter-flower distance and flower height on pollinator behavior will be investigated. In addition, plant samples will be taken from representative populations in the field and their genetic profiles determined, using the technique of gel electrophoresis. Correlations between the observed pollination patterns and gene flow in these species will be sought. This research in evolutionary ecology will provide an independent test of current theoretical generalizations that insect movement patterns determine the genetic structure of plant populations. In addition, the work has implications for the conservation of these orchids, some of which are endangered species. The cooperating scientists in this project bring complementary research strengths to the study. Professor Handel's expertise is in plant ecology, especially pollination biology and gene flow dynamics. Professor Beattie has considerable experience in population genetics and the biochemical analysis of plant populations. The field studies will be carried out at selected Australian locations, and the laboratory analyses performed at Macquarie University, in Sydney.