The Role of Genotypic Diversity in the Regulation of Honeybee Foraging

社会性昆虫分工的一个关键要求 殖民地是灵活应对环境的能力 变化 这种能力对于在多变的环境中生存至关重要 环境. 最近的证据表明， 在群居昆虫群体中观察到的行为变化是 基于基因。 在这项研究中，基因的作用 蜂群灵活性和任务调节的变化 蜜蜂，意大利蜜蜂将进行检查。 Fewell博士将研究刺激阈值模型， 描述了基因型多样性如何作为一种机制， 调节群居昆虫的劳动分工 该模型 提出个体工蚁与 执行给定任务的阈值，以及一系列基因型 在一个殖民地内提供了一系列的倾向， 任务 从这个模型中，可以预测基因型 执行一项任务的人口组成将随着 环境条件和刺激环境 变化 Fewell博士将通过改变蜂群来验证这个预测 对花粉的需求并测量相关的遗传变化 花粉和花蜜觅食种群的组成。 这 将是第一个实验测试基因型的作用， 社会昆虫觅食规则的变化。 这些研究 将解决一个重要的问题， 基因型在蜜蜂觅食中的作用自然适用 交配的殖民地。 它们还将涉及一种新的 一套分子遗传学技术，PCR和RAPD分析， 社会性昆虫的行为问题

A key requirement of division of labor in social insect colonies is the ability to respond flexibly to environmental change. This ability is crucial to survival in variable environments. Recent evidence suggests a significant part of observed behavioral variation in social insect colonies is genetically based. In the research, the role of genetic variation in colony flexibility and task regulation by the honey bee, Apis mellifera will be examined. Dr. Fewell will examine stimulus threshold model which describes how genotypic diversity may function as a mechanism for regulating division of labor in social insects. This model proposes that individual workers have genetically linked thresholds to perform a given task, and that a range of genotypic within a colony provides a range of tendencies to perform that task. From this model, one can predict that the genotypic composition of the population performing a task will change as environmental conditions and, therefore, stimulus environments change. Dr. Fewell will test this prediction by changing colony need for pollen and measuring associated changes in the genetic composition of the pollen and nectar foraging populations. This will be the first experimental test of the role of genotypic variation in social insect foraging regulation. These studies will address the important question of whether current hypotheses on the role of genotype in honey bee foraging apply to naturally mated colonies. They also will involve the application of a new set of molecular genetic techniques, PCR and RAPD analysis, to behavioral questions in social insects.