DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Biomechanics and Evolution of Flight Reduction in Stick Insects

翅膀最初是如何在昆虫中出现，然后又如何消失的，目前还不太清楚。这项拟议的研究将在功能范围内研究昆虫翅膀结构的转变。研究的重点是棒状昆虫，它们的翅膀形态和飞行能力表现出极大的多样性。初步研究发现，飞行性能与相对机翼大小有关。本研究以野外采集的棒状昆虫的翅膀形态和飞行生物力学为样本，采用综合方法对不同物种间的翅膀形态和飞行生物力学进行了比较，并对这些特征的历史进行了综合、多维的分析。预期的结果包括展示机翼形态的逐步转变如何与飞行性能的变化相关，以及飞行和非飞行形式之间的中间体的作用。理解飞行和不飞行形式之间的转换将与其他领域相关，例如，微型飞行器的设计。在学校和博物馆，这项研究的科学结果可以帮助人们了解昆虫如何获得或失去翅膀的过程。此外，这项研究加强了美国和马来西亚之间的科学交流，并继续为两国的本科生提供研究机会。

How wings first appeared and then were lost in insects is not well understood. The proposed research will study transitions in insect wing structure within a functional context. The focus of the research is stick insects, which exhibit tremendous diversity of wing morphology and flight capacity. Initial studies have found flight performance to be correlated with relative wing size. This study samples wing morphology and flight biomechanics of stick insects from the field, and uses an integrative approach to compare wing morphology and flight biomechanics among different species and to analyze the history of these traits in an integrative, multi-dimensional manner. Anticipated results include demonstrations of how stepwise transitions of wing morphology correlate with changes in the flight performance, and the role of intermediates between flying and non-flying forms. Understanding of the transition between flying and flightless forms will be relevant to other fields, for example, to the design of micro air vehicles. In schools and museums, scientific results from this study can be used to help people understand the process of how insects gained or lost wings. Furthermore, this study enhances scientific communication between the U.S. and Malaysia, and continues to provide research opportunities to undergraduate students in both countries.