NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2016

Larabee Fredrick J, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

Postdoctoral Fellow: Fredrick J. Larabee Proposal Number: 1612241 This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2016, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow to take transformative approaches to grand challenges in biology that employ biological collections in highly innovative ways. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Fredrick Larabee is "The Evolution and Mechanics of Fungus-growing Ant Mouthparts." The host institutions for this fellowship are the National Museum of Natural History and George Washington University, and the sponsoring scientists are Ted Schultz and Scott Powell. This project examines the evolution of form and function of insect mandibles, focusing on fungus-growing ants, a particularly successful insect group that displays a great deal of morphological and ecological diversity. Mandibles are critical to the biology of insects, being the primary structure they use to interact with their environment. In order to understand why insects are so evolutionary successful, it is critical to understand the relationship between mandible morphology, ecological function, and mechanical performance. The Fellow is using three-dimensional imaging technology to visualize the feeding apparatus of fungus-growing ants in the insect collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. These data are being used to test the hypothesis that mouthpart morphology correlates with the mechanical demands of processing different fungus substrates. Additionally, the Fellow is using 3D models to test how head shape is mechanically optimized to resist deformation from muscle contractions. The Fellow is receiving training in 3D imaging technology, morphometrics, and evolutionary comparative methods. In addition, the Fellow is implementing a significant outreach and education component. Fungus-growing ants are charismatic, and the Fellow is educating the public on biodiversity and evolutionary principles, using these ants as a model organism. By using 3D imaging, the Fellow is engaging the public in dynamic ways not possible during a typical museum visit. The 3D models produced by the Fellow are being incorporated into existing outreach platforms at the National Museum of Natural History to educate the public on structure-function relationships in insects. Associated with these activities, the Fellow is mentoring undergraduate student interns, who are gaining experience in analyzing morphological data, and communicating results in museum and online media.