Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Population Genomics of a Recent Rapid Host-Shift in the Introduced Pine Sawfly Diprion Similis
Biological invasions are natural experiments where organisms are introduced to novel
environments that often demand adaptive responses, yet bottlenecks often restrict the variation
required to adapt. Diprion similis is a pine sawfly from Europe that invaded North America in
1914 and saw a subsequent rapid shift to a morphologically novel host—the thin-needled white
pine. Preliminary work on historical host-use in this system has revealed the shift to white pine
was not widespread until the 1960s, when collection records show a dramatic shift to >90%
white pine use. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that a secondary successful
invasion was the genetic catalyst for adaptation. Here, I propose sequencing a broad set of
collected D. similis samples from North America to test the hypothesis that a second invasion
event provided the necessary genetic variation for host-shift adaptation. We will use population
structure and demographic modeling to infer the number of invasions and demographic
parameters of a rapid, successful adaptation to a novel host. The proposed work could shed light
on what makes a successful invasion and provide insights on the pattern and mode of rapid hostshifts
in phytophagous insects and beyond.
Status | Finished |
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Effective start/end date | 4/1/21 → 3/31/22 |
Funding
- American Genetic Association: $6,000.00
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