U.S.-Japan Cooperative Research: Pollinator Loss in a Isolated Population of Primula seiboldii

该奖项支持纽约州立大学石溪分校的James Thomson博士和筑波大学的Izumi Washitani教授为期两年的合作研究项目。这个项目是一位日本植物学家和一位美国蜜蜂生态学家的合作，目的是研究日本本土植物报春花（Primula seiboldii）的繁殖失败。在东京北部的一个城市保护区，这种植物经历了种子的失败，各种证据表明，这是因为当地的大黄蜂从该地区消失了。这个项目的第一个基本方面是扩展这一证据，然后通过暂时将大黄蜂群落带到保护区来严格检验这一假设。第二，应用方面涉及重建一个自我维持的大黄蜂种群，并准备一个管理计划。该提案汇集了两国在生态系统研究和保护生物学领域工作的研究科学家。这位美国科学家将有机会熟悉筑波大学的研究人员和研究实践。因此，该提案通过国际合作实现了该计划在科学知识交流和转移方面的目标。* * *

9416914 Thomson This award supports a two-year cooperative research project between Dr. James Thomson of the State University of New York at Stonybrook and Professor Izumi Washitani of the University of Tsukuba. This project represents a collaboration of a Japanese botanist and an American bee ecologist to investigate the reproductive failure of a native Japanese plant, the primrose Primula seiboldii. This plant experiences seed-set failure in an urban reserve north of Tokyo and a variety of evidence suggests that this is because native bumble bees have disappeared from the area. The first, fundamental aspect of the this project is to extend this evidence and then test the hypothesis rigorously by temporarily bringing bumble bee colonies to the reserve. The second, applied aspect involves re-establishing a self- sustaining population of bumble bees and preparing a management plan. The proposal brings together research scientists from two countries working in the area of ecosystem studies and conservation biology. The U.S. scientist will have the opportunity to become familiar with researchers and research practices at the University of Tsukuba. Therefore, this proposal fuldills the objectives of the Program in its exchange and transfer of scientific knowledge through an international collaboration. ***