Research Starter Grant: Coevolution as a Diversifying Force

植物和以植物为食的昆虫的防御和反防御的进化经常被假设为提高新物种形成的速度，但对于这一过程是否会导致物种形成，几乎没有测试。塞格雷夫斯将通过在一个被认为正在发生物种形成的植物-昆虫模型系统中进行操纵实验来解决这个问题。实验的重点是丝兰蛾Tegeticula yucCasella，它吃七种不同丝兰的种子。遗传学研究表明，丝状丝核菌可能正在分化为几个专门研究不同丝兰的新物种。塞格雷夫斯将确定飞蛾种群是否通过适应不同的丝兰物种而相互分化，以及这些种群是否对不同的丝兰物种进化出了不同的偏好和表现。科学重要性集中在增加我们对新物种形成过程的理解上，此外，结果可能为为什么某些生物群如此令人难以置信地多样化提供一般解释。更广泛的影响包括对本科生和研究生的指导。将提供少数族裔本科生奖学金，学生将参与研究并进行独立的项目。结果还将通过Segraves的网站迅速传播。

The evolution of defenses and counter-defenses in plants and plant-feeding insects has frequently been postulated to increase the rate at which new species form, but yet there are few tests of whether this process causes speciation. Segraves will address this question by conducting manipulative experiments in a model plant-insect system where speciation is thought to be currently happening. The experiments will focus on the yucca moth Tegeticula yuccasella that eats seeds of seven different Yucca species. Genetic studies suggest that T. yuccasella may be differentiating into several new species that specialize on different yuccas. Segraves will determine whether moth populations are diverging from one another via adaptation to different yucca species, and whether these populations have evolved differences in preference and performance for different yuccas.The scientific importance centers on increasing our understanding of the process by which new species are formed and, furthermore, the results may provide a general explanation for why some groups of organisms are so incredibly diverse. The broader impacts include mentoring for undergraduate and graduate students. A minority undergraduate fellowship will be offered, and students will both participate in the research and will conduct independent projects. The results will also be quickly disseminated through Segraves' website.