The movement of genes from one generation to the next is the critical process that maintains the genetic connectivity of populations. For most plant species, pollen is the most common mode of gene exchange and is typically transmitted by either wind or via a dispersal agent such as insects or birds. As empirical data on landscape-level gene movement continues to accumulate, it is becoming apparent that insect-mediated dispersal produces significantly different spatial distribution patterns of genes than species that use wind as their primary dispersal mechanism. This project is focused on insect-mediated dispersal of the understory tree, Cornus florida (flowering dogwood). The investigators will use both mathematical models and genetic analyses of natural populations to understand the spatial patterning of insect-mediated pollination and investigate the ecological factors that influence this process. Combining mathematical models that are sensitive to the mode of dispersal with genetic data that can identify the spatial movement of genes provides unique insights into this most critical process. Moreover, placing these analyses within an ecological context allows us to understand how the environment influences the behavior of insects that move plant genes across the landscape.
This project will help to train undergraduate and graduate students at the interface of biology and mathematics. An important outcome of this research will be a software package to allow other scientists to analyse and understand patterns of pollen movement. The results of this research will ultimately allow us to design more effective management and conservation strategies for natural populations.
