This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
Scientists are just beginning to discover the extent to which fluorescence occurs in organisms in nature, and what roles fluorescence may play in influencing an organism's survival. Our knowledge has been limited in part because humans can see only a portion of the spectrum of light, which we term 'visible light'. However, many organisms, including spiders, insects, and birds, can see ultraviolet light as well, and may visually communicate using ultraviolet coloration. Masta and Reed recently discovered that spiders fluoresce in primarily ultraviolet wavelengths when exposed to ultraviolet light. Fluorescence occurs when molecules called fluorophores absorb light at one wavelength and then emit light at a longer wavelength. To better understand fluorescence in this species-rich and ecologically important group of animals, fluorescence will be characterized and quantified broadly among spider groups, and in-depth in three species of spiders. This will allow greater understanding of whether spider fluorescence may function to communicate information, enabling spiders to attract mates, evade predators, and lure prey. Fluorophores will be extracted from spiders and the fluorophores' light-emitting properties determined, testing for differences by sex and age. This research expands on a novel finding that should open up new lines of research, and could lead to considerable societal benefits. If fluorescence helps spiders to lure insects, then it could potentially be exploited for pest control. Moreover, fluorescent tags derived from substances in nature have many applications in medicine and biotechnology. By launching the study of fluorophores in a group of animals that has been completely unexplored in this regard, initiates a search for novel and biomedically useful chemicals. This project also includes extensive student research training, as well as outreach efforts to educate and engage students and the public.
