NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2012

是什么驱动了植物和毛虫在严酷的蛇纹土中的生态专业化？蛇纹岩土壤独特的物理和化学性质（例如低营养含量和高水平的重金属）往往导致独特的植物群落的进化，其中包括稀有和特有的植物物种。反过来，不同的物理和化学性质的植物应该会影响草食动物的性能和专业化，然而，鲜为人知的是蛇纹岩土壤上的植物专业化的草食动物多样性的后果。这项研究将记录独特的植物群和昆虫动物群的哥斯达黎加的圣埃莱纳半岛，并量化的程度，在植物和鳞翅目（蛾和蝴蝶）的栖息地专业化发生在蛇纹岩土壤使用观察和实验方法。圣埃莱纳半岛由古老的蛇纹岩土壤所包围的年轻，火山和沉积矿床，并提供了可能的条件，环境专业化，但该地区是underexplore和植物分化的影响，鳞翅目是未知的。这项研究的结果将填补热带蛇纹岩生态学知识的一个重大空白。这项研究将为开发未来的工作提供一个基线数据集，并在这一领域建立新的国家和国际合作。本研究将提供植物和昆虫系统学、土壤和植物生物化学方面的博士后培训以及本科教学培训。这些昆虫标本将在加州大学戴维斯分校的K-12外展项目中展示，研究和结果将用于为本科生生态学入门课程构建互动工具。

What drives ecological specialization in plants and caterpillars in harsh serpentine soils? The unique physical and chemical properties of serpentine soils (e.g. low nutrient content and high levels of heavy metals) often result in the evolution of unique plant communities with rare and endemic plant species. In turn, the distinct physical and chemical properties of plants should affect herbivore performance and specialization, however, little is known about the consequences of plant specialization on serpentine soils for herbivore diversity. This study will document the unique flora and insect fauna of Santa Elena Peninsula, Costa Rica, and quantify the extent to which habitat specialization in plants and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) occurs on serpentine soils using observational and experimental approaches. The Santa Elena Peninsula consists of ancient serpentine soils surrounded by younger, volcanic and sedimentary deposits and provides likely conditions for environmental specialization yet the region is underexplored and the effects of plant differentiation on Lepidoptera are unknown. The results of this study will fill a significant gap in knowledge on tropical serpentine ecology. This study will provide a baseline dataset for developing future work as well as create new national and international collaborations in this area. This study will provide post-doctoral training in plant and insect systematics, soil and plant biochemistry as well as training in undergraduate teaching. The insect specimens will be showcased in K-12 outreach programs at UC-Davis and the study and results will be used to build interactive tools for introductory, undergraduate ecology courses.