The evolution of specialised orchid pollination and its reversibility

该项目旨在确定支撑授粉过渡的关键花卉挥发性化合物的变化，确定其分子基础，并了解有利于逆转远离极端专业化的生态过程。通过专注于性欺骗澳大利亚兰花的授粉，该项目将是第一个确定进化逆转的分子，化学和行为基础，以更普遍的策略，在一组面临传粉者灭绝高风险的植物中。预期的结果是对授粉过渡如何发生的机械理解，这将在国际上具有开创性，并为保护这一多样但高度受威胁的植物群体提供重要见解。

This project aims to determine the changes in key floral volatile compounds underpinning pollination transitions, identify their molecular basis, and understand the ecological processes favouring reversals away from extreme specialisation. By focusing on pollination of sexually deceptive Australian orchids, this project would be the first to determine the molecular, chemical and behavioural basis of evolutionary reversals to more generalised strategies in a group of plants facing high risk of pollinator extinction. The expected outcome, a mechanistic understanding of how pollination transitions occur, would be internationally ground-breaking, and provide crucial insights to protect this diverse but highly threatened group of plants.