Phylogenetics of Ichneumonoidea (Hymenoptera): understanding host-choice evolution using innovative molecular approaches

在加拿大几乎所有的陆地栖息地中，大约十分之一的动物是姬蜂总科的寄生蜂。这些对人类无害的益虫攻击并杀死农业和森林生态系统中的主要害虫，从而保护我们最宝贵的资源。不幸的是，我们对这些黄蜂的了解有限，因为很少有研究专门研究这些高度多样化的物种。该研究项目结合了系统发育、进化和生物学来记录和描述类蜂的巨大生物多样性，并确定这些物种之间的进化关系。这项研究将增加我们对加拿大有什么种类的寄生蜂的了解，在哪里可以找到它们，以及它们与其他物种的相似或不同之处。物种描述和开发易于使用的物种识别工具将促进研究人员和公众对这些黄蜂的了解，从而使它们能够在作物、森林和花园中得到保护。本研究主要探讨拟寄生蜂寄主选择的进化及其在生物多样性形成中的作用。了解是什么驱动了生物多样性是一个非常重要的概念，特别是当我们在栖息地破坏、生物入侵和气候变化中努力保护物种时。该研究还将有助于了解拟寄生物利用何种寄主，并为预测新发现物种的生物学特性提供工具。

In almost every terrestrial habitat in Canada, approximately one out of ten animals is a parasitic wasp in the superfamily Ichneumonoidea. Harmless to humans, these beneficial insects attack and kill major insect pests in agricultural and forest ecosystems, thereby protecting our most valued resources. Unfortunately, our knowledge of these wasps is limited as little research has been devoted to studying these highly diverse species. This research program incorporates phylogenetics, evolution, and biology to document and describe the immense biodiversity of ichneumonoid wasps and determine the evolutionary relationships among these species. This research will increase our understanding of what species of parasitic wasps we have in Canada, where they can be found, and how they are similar or different from other species. Species descriptions and the development of easy to use identification tools for these species will foster understanding of these wasps by researchers and the general public so they can be conserved in crops, forests, and gardens. This research focuses on the evolution of host-choice in parasitoid wasps and how this trait has contributed to the genesis of biodiversity. Understanding what drives biodiversity is a fundamentally important concept, particularly as we strive to conserve species in the midst of habitat destruction, biological invasions, and climate change. This research will also provide insight to what hosts are utilized by parasitoids and provide tools for predicting the biology of newly discovered species.