NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

Carrillo Juli A, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

Ecological costs of tri-trophic plant defenses against herbivores The ecological costs of correlated selection on multiple defenses may have the potential to constrain plant evolution. The proposed work will use comparative and experimental methods to address questions about costs of defense through: (1) Examining how selection for growth has affected the retention and expression of herbivore-induced plant volatiles, an indirect defense of plants which attracts the natural enemies of herbivores, and (2) Determining the relationship among multiple defense traits. There are several examples of herbivore-induced plant volatile loss in plants, primarily in agricultural crops, which have undergone selective breeding for increased yield. It is unlikely that herbivore-induced plant volatiles have undergone direct selection, so their loss suggests that volatile production is costly and trades off with growth or other traits under selection. Because of this, agricultural crop variation in herbivore-induced volatile production is ideal for examining allocation and ecological costs of defenses. Plant primary producers are a vital tool against the global threats of disease, climate change, and food supply insecurity. It is imperative to understand how selection pressures influence plant traits and the effects of those traits on important biological interactions. The proposed research examines the ecological costs of conventional breeding practices on agriculturally important species interactions. Some applications from this work include informing land managers and plant breeders about potential strategies to reduce herbivore damage levels and the need for pesticides. This work will have educational benefits: the PI will mentor undergraduate and graduate students and will participate in K-12 outreach activities. Increased participation of underrepresented groups in STEM fields will be accomplished through undergraduate research involvement.