Research Seminar - Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
- Event Name
- Research Seminar - Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
- Date
- 5 September 2012
- Time
- 04:00 pm - 05:30 pm
- Location
- Hawkesbury Campus
Address (Room): Building L9, Room G.21 (Lecture Theatre)
- Description
- Who: Assoc. Prof. Christian Stauffer (BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria)
Seminar Title: Population differentiation in forest insects – the molecular ecology of two prominent European bark beetle species.
Seminat abstract: Ips typographus and Pityogenes chalcographus are two economically important Palearctic bark beetles species with wide distribution ranges that are concordant with the distribution of their main host tree, spruce (Picea abies). Due to their sympatric occurrence, comparable biology, life history and habitat choice they provide excellent models for the identification of common historical patterns of population differentiation in forest insects. Based upon the mitochondrial COI gene and a fragment of thenuclear ITS2, the patterns of genetic diversity, structure and demographic history of European I. typographus and P. chalcographus populations were analyzed. The results showed striking differences: I. typographus revealed low genetic diversity, low population structure and a recent population expansion. In contrast, P. chalcographus exhibitedhigher genetic variation and high population structure, indicative of a longer evolutionary history. COI gene analyses using the Bayesian skyline approachindicated that a sharp decrease in effective population size of P. chalcographus appears to coincide with the emergence and expansion of I. typographus. Regarding this contrasting phylogeography we hypothesize that differences between I. typographus and P. chalcographus such as host specificity (specialist vs generalist) or ability to over-winter (adult stage vs all stages) have resulted from direct competition, shaping the evolutionary history of these two spruce-invaders in different ways. Taken these results into consideration we may assume that the evolutionary history of a species correlates with the diversity of survival strategies. This could especially be true for P. chalcographus as its greater ecological plasticity may have enabled it to colonize new hosts over time.
Christian is currently a visiting researcher at HIE (until December 2012). More information about his research can be found at: https://forschung.boku.ac.at/fis/suchen.person_uebersicht?sprache_in=en&ansicht_in=&menue_id_in=101&id_in=257
Who: Dr. Deborah Kent (Honorary Associate, Macquarie University)
Seminar title: Exploring the dark depths of the ambrosia beetle underworld – the Australian platypodids.
Seminar abstract: Working on Australianplatypodids over the last 25 years has revealed unique social behaviours (such as the only eusocial beetle – Austroplatypus incompertus), unusual life histories and intriguing biological associations.
Prepare to be enthralled by small brown beetles doing amazing things!
Further information about this seminar can be obtained from Markus Riegler <m.riegler@uws.edu.au>
All welcome - no RSVP required.
Speakers: Associate Professor Christian Stauffer (BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria)and Dr. Deborah Kent (Honorary Associate, Macquarie University)
- Contact
-
Name: Patricia Hellier
Phone: 4570 1257
School / Department: Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment
