NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2012

探索生物和环境选择源对松真菌相互作用的相对重要性研究植物在复杂环境下的进化机制，包括互惠主义者、敌人和可变的环境因素，对于理解在驱动植物性状进化中最重要的选择因素是很重要的。植物寄主及其多种相关微生物之间的相互作用可能为研究多物种相互作用中选择的本质提供了一个生态学上独特的舞台。特别是针叶树与相关微生物之间的相互作用为探索选择来源的相对重要性提供了一个很好的实验系统，因为针叶树与一组地下微生物相互作用，这些相互作用沿着环境梯度变化。本研究将采用实验方法，探讨在变化的环境条件下，植物、敌人和共生者之间相互作用的性状进化动力学。将对自然选择进行新颖的实地评估，并对共同进化理论的关键预测进行检验。培训目标包括发展统计、经验和分析技术方面的专门知识。职业提升活动包括发展一个独特的研究项目，包括发展与研究发表和展示相关的技能。该项目的更广泛影响包括对代表性不足的本科生进行研究技能培训，如实地收集、分子工作、统计和科学陈述。最后，虽然蒙特雷松被认为在其原生范围内受到威胁，但它在世界许多温带地区被广泛种植为人工林树种，因此考虑其对生物和非生物选择力量变化的反应的研究将为保护和农业实践提供信息。

Exploring the relative importance of biotic and environmental sources of selection for pine-fungal interactionsResearch that considers mechanisms by which plants evolve in response to complex environments including mutualists, enemies, and variable environmental factors is important for understanding what the most important selective factors are in driving trait evolution in plants. Interactions among plant hosts and their diverse associated microbes may provide an ecologically unique arena in which to examine the nature of selection in multispecies interactions. In particular, interactions between coniferous plants and their associated microbes provide a good system for experiments exploring the relative importance of sources of selection, as conifers interact with a suite of belowground microorganisms, and these interactions vary along environmental gradients. Using experimental approaches, this research will investigate the evolutionary dynamics of traits surrounding the interaction among plants, enemies and mutualists under changing environmental conditions. Novel field estimates of selection will be conducted and key predictions of coevolutionary theory will be tested.Training objectives include developing expertise in statistical, empirical and analytical techniques. Career enhancement activities comprise the development of a unique research program including developing skills related to publication and presentation of research. The broader impacts of this project include training for underrepresented undergraduates in research skills such as field collection, molecular work, statistics and scientific presentation. Finally, while Monterey pine is considered threatened in its native range, it is widely cultivated as a plantation timber species in many temperate parts of the world so research which considers its response to changes in biotic and abiotic selection forces will inform both conservation and agricultural practices.