UiB : Zoologisk institutt :
   
 

Evolutionary Biology of Bark Beetles and Timber Borers (Coleoptera: Curculionidae-Scolytinae and Platypodidae)

Leader:

  • Lawrence R. Kirkendall , Ph. D., Associate Professor of Zoology:  ecology and evolution of inbreeding and of clonal reproduction; population genetics; tropical biodiversity; phylogeny, taxonomy

Postdoctoral Researcher

  • David Rees, Ph. D.:  infraspecific phylogeny and population genetics of inbreeding (Araptus spp.) and outbreeding (Dactylotrypes longicollis)

    • Visiting Researcher

    • Bjarte Jordal , Norwegian Research Council fellowship:  higher-level systematics of Scolytinae; taxonomy; evolution of haplodiploidy and of inbreeding

    Working towards a Ph.D.

    • Paul Berg, Norwegian Research Council fellowship (Strategic Univ. Program grant):  population genetics of two extreme inbreeders, Coccotrypes dactyliperda and C. carpophagus

    Working towards an M. Sc.

    • Unn Hestvik: inbreeding and outbreeding depression

    Research Topics

    My students and I work especially with aspects of bark beetle reproductive systems. I am interested in the general question of when genetic variation is, or is not, important in nature. For example, what are the effects of extreme inbreeding on quantitative trait evolution (including traits such as body size, fecundity, and survivorship), and what consequences does this have for ecological relationships and for speciation? To this end, I am trying to combine insights gained from large-scale faunistic studies, intensive field and laboratory research on single species, comparative research, population genetics, and phylogeny reconstruction. For example, we recently started research on two inbreeding (Coccotrypes) and one outbreeding bark beetle species (Dactylotrypes longicollis) colonizing palm seeds. All belong to the same group of genera (tribe Dryocoetini). We combine study of distributional patterns (focussing mainly on the Canary Islands and Madeira) and competitive interactions in the field with laboratory experiments and rearings under controlled temperature and humidity conditions, with population genetics and breeding studies, and with infraspecific phylogenetics and biogeography.  Having a better idea of higher level systematic will be essential for putting this group of species in a phylogenetic context.

    I have had a long-term interest in the ecological and evolutionary consequences of reproductive systems in bark beetles, as a way of trying to understand the significance of recombination and sexual reproduction. My bark beetle research and that of my current students can be roughly classified into three more-or-less interrelated subject areas: (1) investigating the ecological and evolutionary consequences of inbreeding and of parthenogenesis, in comparison with outbreeding sexual reproduction; (2) phylogeny and taxonomy; and (3) biodiversity patterns. This research is being carried out in Costa Rica (1,2,3), the Canary Islands (1,2,3) and Bangladesh (2,3). The Canary Islands inbreeding research (begun Fall 1998) is primarily supported by a molecular systematics grant ; my own research involves applying molecular techniques to investigations of the ecology, population genetics, biogeography, and infraspecific phylogeny of inbreeding and outbreeding bark beetles.

    My phylogenetic and taxonomic research currently involves various taxa of Costa Rican scolytid and platypodid beetles, including a revision of the neotropical Tesserocerinae (Platypodidae), plus collaboration with Stephen L. Wood (Brigham Young Univ., USA) on neotropical taxonomy of both groups. The biodiversity research (3) primarily involves long-term collaboration with two international projects in Costa Rica plus my project in the NUFU Bangladesh research program.  My interest in more general biodiversity patterns is recent, stemming from my discovery* of a surprisingly strong, global, inverse correlation between latitude and inbreeding in bark beetles -- inbreeding is most common in the tropics. I am focussing on an intensive study of the bark beetle and timber borer fauna of Costa Rica (ca. 600-700 species involved), a small tropical country with a broad range of climates due to its mountainous topography.  Here, one can examine in detail the relationships of faunal composition and diversity to forest types and climatic zones.  I am also involved in an international, long-term arthropod inventory of wet tropical forest at the La Selva research station in that country ("ALAS ").

    *Kirkendall, L. R. (1993)  Ecology and evolution of biased sex ratios in bark and ambrosia beetles (Scolytidae), pages 235-345.  In Wrensch, D. L and Ebbert, M. A. (eds.), Evolution and Diversity of Sex Ratio:  Insects and Mites.  Chapman and Hall, New York.  See also:  Jordal, B.J., R. A. Beaver and L.R. Kirkendall (2001) Breaking taboos in the tropics: incest promotes colonization by wood-boring beetles. Global Ecology and Biogeography 10, 345-57.


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    Sist oppdatert: 22:36 18.11.2001 av webmaster@zoo.uib.no
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