Conference: Puerto Rico Honey Bee and Evolution of Invasive Organisms on Islands; August 13-15, 2019; San Juan, Puerto Rico

蜜蜂是世界上最成功的入侵生物之一，无论是在岛上还是在岛上。它们在世界各地的农业系统中作为传粉者发挥着关键作用，但也受到人类活动的威胁。这个奖项支持了第一次通过入侵生物学和岛屿生物地理学的视角来研究一种非本地蜜蜂——波多黎各温和的非洲化蜜蜂的会议。这次会议非常及时，原因有二。首先，入侵生物的引入和辐射，以及对蜜蜂健康的威胁，继续有增无减。第二，入侵生物——尤其是蜜蜂——对全球粮食安全有着至关重要的影响。在本次会议上，研究人员将交流旨在激发他们的研究和学生的研究的新发现，并与可以应用基础研究成果来改善管理决策的利益相关者直接互动。新的研究方向和改进的管理决策预计将转化为经济效益，为波多黎各岛的经济面临严峻挑战。此外，由于受邀的参与者包括来自波多黎各大学的各种学生参与者，本次会议有可能扩大STEM的参与。包括波多黎各温和非洲化蜜蜂在内的蜜蜂可用数据的数量和类型是无与伦比的。然而，蜜蜂研究人员不使用入侵生物学的观点，入侵生物学研究通常不检查蜜蜂作为一个模型。非洲化的蜜蜂对波多黎各岛的适应是入侵生物及其生态系统在岛屿殖民化期间可能发生变化的一个例子。入侵过程不仅影响了入侵物种，也影响了栖息物种和它们赖以生存的生态系统。研究岛屿种群的一个好处是，这种适应过程是加速的。此外，适应过程可能在物种之间显示出类似的模式，因此，来自岛屿种群的数据对于开发和测试入侵生物学模型特别有用。这个为期三天的会议将利用不同研究领域和入侵生物学方法产生的各种类型的数据，开发一种综合分析蜜蜂入侵的方法。这些包括基因组学、形态学、行为学和生态学。第一天，所有参与者都要做演讲。第二天，与会者将参观现场，观察波多黎各岛上的蜜蜂种群。第三天，与会者将分组进行圆桌讨论，讨论关于岛屿上蜜蜂和其他入侵生物的研究方向、资源和政策建议的战略计划。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Honey bees are among the most successful invasive organisms worldwide, both on and off islands. They play a key role as pollinators in agricultural systems worldwide, but are also threatened by human activities. This award supports the first conference to examine one strain of non-native honey bee, the Puerto Rico Gentle Africanized honey bee, through the lens of invasion biology and island biogeography. The conference is timely for two reasons. First, the introduction and radiation of invasive organisms, and threats to honey bee health, continue unabated. Second, invasive organisms - and honey bees in particular - have a critical impact on global food security. In this conference, researchers will communicate new findings that aim to stimulate their research and that of their students and interact directly with stakeholders who can apply basic research findings to improve management decisions. The new research directions and improved management decisions are expected to translate into economic benefits for a much-challenged Puerto Rico island economy. Additionally, because the invited participants include a diverse set of student participants from the University of Puerto Rico, this conference has the potential to broaden participation in STEM.The amount and type of data available for honey bees, including the Puerto Rico Gentle Africanized honey bee, are unparalleled. However, bee researchers do not use an invasive biology perspective, and invasive biology studies typically do not examine the honey bee as a model. The adaptation of Africanized honey bees to the island of Puerto Rico is an example of the changes that can occur to invasive organisms and their ecosystem during island colonization. The invasion process impacts the invading as well as the resident species and the ecosystem in which they navigate. One of the advantages of studying island populations is that such adaptive processes are accelerated. Moreover, adaptive processes may show similar patterns across species and as such, data from island populations can be particularly useful to develop and test models of invasion biology. This three-day conference will develop an integrative analysis approach to honey bee invasions using various types of data generated by different research areas and approaches to invasion biology. These include genomics, morphology, behavior and ecology. On the first day, all participants will give presentations. For the second day, attendees will visit field sites to observe the honey bee population established on the island of Puerto Rico. On the third day, attendees will form breakout groups for round table discussions leading to a strategic plan on research directions, resources, and policy advice on bees and other invasive organisms on islands.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.