EAPSI: Studying diversity and evolution of ambrosia fungi in Taiwan, with an emphasis on Raffaelea and closely related genera

Wuest Caroline, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

The symbiosis between ambrosia beetle and their fungal partners is one of the most successful yet understudied forms of mutualism. The majority of the known species of ambrosia beetles have not been studied, and even fewer of their fungal symbionts have been identified. Some of these fungi, if newly introduced, could be pathogenic to native trees and, along with their insect partner, cause economic damage and major crop loss. Thus, the diversity and ecological importance of ambrosia beetles and their fungal symbionts require further exploration. The proposed research will serve as an opportunity to advance knowledge of ambrosia beetles and their fungi, which could improve the management of diseases caused by these fungi in the future. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Chi-Yu Chen, an expert in close relatives of ambrosia fungi, at National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan. In order to test critical hypotheses on the evolution of ambrosia beetles, such as the level of specificity of Raffaelea and related genera to ambrosia beetle species, it is important to have access to the level of diversity in ambrosia beetles that Taiwan provides. The objectives of this research are to study the diversity, morphology, and evolutionary history of ambrosia fungi associated with ambrosia beetles in Taiwan, focusing on Raffaelea and closely related genera. The methods to complete this project are to collect beetles in Taiwan, isolate purified fungal cultures, and quantify fungal species isolated from individual beetles. Sequences will be used to study the evolutionary history of ambrosia beetle symbionts, and how this history relates to that of scolytine and platypodine ambrosia beetles. New species will be described and new fungus-beetle associations will be discovered, and a broader sampling of the biodiversity of the fungal symbionts would lead to new insights into the evolution of the fungal symbionts. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the National Science Council of Taiwan.