C-RUI: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to the Ecological and Evolutionary Interactions Between Food-Hoarding Animals and the Oaks

这种多学科的调查，专为本科生之间的合作研究，将采用一系列的实验方法，以确定食物囤积动物的行为决定如何影响扩散，建立，生存，生态生理学和遗传学的橡树在广泛的地理区域。 两个PI的先前研究表明，哺乳动物的缓存决定导致选择性消费的橡子的白色橡树组（WO）和分散，囤积，和频繁的生存的RO组（RO）。 本研究将依靠五种方法来研究广泛的证据，并影响，这种差异扩散假说。 这些是1.行为实验，以进一步研究模式的橡树扩散; 2。种子扩散试验，以确定控制幼苗建立的因素; 3.幼苗分布的大尺度地理比较; 4.田间和实验室条件下RO和WO幼苗的生理生态比较; 5.一个分子（PCR）分析文件比较遗传学和橡树苗阴影。 该合作将汇集来自两个本科院校的生物，化学和环境科学每年15-20名本科生。 该研究将采用团队研究方法（跨大学）和垂直培训/学习环境，以最大限度地提高学生在科学过程的各个方面的经验，包括在会议和出版物中的演示。 该计划将包括植物与动物相互作用的新课程的开发和旨在促进学生学习的年度项目会议。

This multidisciplinary investigation, designed specifically for collaborative research among undergraduates, will employ a range of experimental approaches to determine how behavioral decisions of food-hoarding animals influence the dispersal, establishment, survival, eco-physiology, and genetics of oaks over a broad geographic area. Previous research by two of the PI's indicates that caching decisions of mammals results in the selective consumption of acorns of the white oak group (WO) and dispersal, hoarding, and frequent survival of those of the RO group (RO). This study will rely on five approaches to examine the broad evidence for, and implications of, this differential dispersal hypothesis. These are 1. behavioral experiments to further examine patterns of oak dispersal; 2. seed dispersal experiments to determine factors controlling seedling establishment; 3. a broad-scale biogeographic comparison of seedling distributions; 4. an eco-physiological comparison of RO and WO seedlings in the field and lab; and 5. a molecular (PCR) analysis to document comparative genetics and seedling shadows of oak. The collaboration will bring together 15-20 undergraduates per year from biology, chemistry and environmental sciences from two undergraduate institutions. The study will employ a team approach to research (across universities) and a vertical training/learning environment in order to maximize student experience in all aspects of the scientific process, including presentations at conferences and publications. The program will include development of a new course in plant-animal interactions and an annual project conference aimed at promoting student learning.