Planning Grant: Life History Strategies of the South African Holoparasitic Genus Hyobanche (Orobanchaceae)

沃尔夫0440673该奖项资助一次研究计划访问，在此期间，沃尔夫将为Hyobance(萝卜科)的生态学研究收集初步数据。Hyobance是一种原产于南非南部的寄生属，15种中的大多数仅限于南非的生物多样性热点地区。最近对几个物种的研究揭示了与光合作用丧失相关的有趣的基因组进化模式。然而，对该属的基本生物学还没有进行过研究。此次规划访问将允许Wolfe和她的南非合作者，南非格雷厄姆斯敦罗兹大学的Brad Ripley和Peter Craig，确定在南非沿海沙丘系统进行生态研究的各种方法的可行性。该项目将专注于授粉和种子生态学以及宿主和寄生虫水分关系的生态生理学，并将制定具体的协议，用于为即将提交的研究计划。PI打算利用这次计划访问帮助建立一个长期研究计划，建立该属的基本生物学和生态学概况，并促进与美国和南非的研究人员的国际合作。来自南非的研究人员和学生将在南非海岸线的几个地点参与长期的生态研究。将促进两国学生的交流，俄亥俄州立大学的学生将有机会在南非进行实地考察，罗兹大学的学生将有机会在俄亥俄州立大学学习分子技术。

Wolfe 0440673This award funds a research planning visit during which Wolfe will collect preliminary data for ecological studies of Hyobanche (Orobanchaceae), a parasitic genus native to southern Africa with most of the 15 species restricted to the biodiversity hotspot regions of South Africa. Recent studies on several species of Hyobanche have revealed interesting patterns of genome evolution associated with the loss of photosynthesis. However, no studies of the basic biology of this genus have ever been conducted. This planning visit will allow Wolfe and her South African collaborators, Brad Ripley and Peter Craig from Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa, to determine the feasibility of various methodologies for ecological studies in sand dune systems along the coast of South Africa. The project will focus on pollination and seed ecology and the ecophysiology of water relations of host and parasite and will develop specific protocols for use in a research proposal planned for upcoming submission.The PI intends to use the planning visit to help build a long-term research program that establishes a profile of the basic biology and ecology of this genus, and facilitates an international collaboration with researchers from the U.S. and South Africa. Researchers and students from South Africa would be involved in long-term ecological studies at several sites along the coastline of South Africa. An exchange of students from both countries would be facilitated with students from Ohio State University given the opportunity to conduct fieldwork in South Africa, and students from Rhodes University given the opportunity to learn molecular techniques at Ohio State University.