EAGER: Discovering the hidden functional trait diversity of Bees (Apoidea) and predicting functional diversity impacts on rendered ecosystem services

我们经常将授粉与蜜蜂的一些外部特征联系起来（例如，有毛舌头长度）但是蜜蜂是具有大量未研究的形态和生理特征的复杂生物体（例如，肠道结构，肌肉形式和耐热性），可以强烈影响它们作为传粉者的有效性。该项目将未研究的内部形态特征与蜜蜂的生理反应联系起来。这项工作的核心是将结构和功能与蜜蜂作为授粉者的功能作用联系起来。MicroCT技术将用于呈现内部形态特征的高分辨率定量图像。蜜蜂将被用作模型系统，这项工作将扩大到获得50种野生蜜蜂的成像和分析框架。通过将形态学和生理学与功能多样性联系起来，这项工作有可能塑造我们如何思考和管理传粉者生物多样性。这项工作将为六名本科生提供研究和培训机会，他们将从事microCT成像技术，生物数据科学和蜜蜂生理学实验生物学的研究。该项目将探讨功能多样性与形态和生理特征之间的关联，这些特征直接影响蜜蜂提供的授粉生态系统服务。该项目使用microCT技术在两年内对蜜蜂和本地野蜂进行成像。特别强调的是与蜜蜂的生理反应有关的内部形态特征（例如，呼吸和耐热性）对环境压力的影响，从而最终影响蜜蜂作为传粉者的功效。PI和本科生研究助理将对蜜蜂进行耐热性和呼吸试验，以确定功能性状形态与重要生理反应的潜在联系。该奖项反映了NSF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。

We often associate pollination with a few external characteristics in bees (e.g., hairiness & tongue length) but bees are complex organisms with a plethora of unstudied morphological and physiological traits (e.g., gut structure, muscular form, and thermal tolerance) that can strongly influence their effectiveness as pollinators. This project will link unstudied, internal morphological traits with bee physiological responses. At its core this work links structure and function with the functional role of bees as pollinators. MicroCT technology will be used to render high-resolution quantitative imagery of internal morphological traits. Honeybees will be used as a model system and the work will be expanded to obtain imaging and an analytical framework of 50 species of wild bees across multiple groups. By linking morphology and physiology with functional diversity, this work has the potential to shape how we think about and manage pollinator biodiversity. This work will provide research and training opportunities to six undergraduate students that will work on microCT imaging techniques, biological data science and experimental biology on the physiology of bees. This project will explore the associations between functional diversity and morphological and physiological traits that directly influence the ecosystem service of pollination provided by bees. The project uses microCT technology to image both honeybees and native wild bees over the course of two years. Specific emphasis is placed on internal morphological traits in relation to bee’s physiological responses (e.g., respiration and thermal tolerance) to environmental stress and thus ultimately impact a bee’s efficacy as a pollinator. The PI and undergraduate research assistants will conduct thermal tolerance and respiration assays on bees to determine potential links of functional trait morphology with important physiological responses. This work will provide workforce development opportunities.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.