榕树——传粉者共生体系的研究

榕属（Ｆｉｃｕｓ）植物与它的传粉昆虫榕小蜂之间有丰专一性的互惠共生关系,它们是动植物间历史悠久关系最密切的共生伙伴,它们在形态结构,生理功能,生活史同步上构成了榕树－传粉者共生体系并协同进化至今,本文论述了榕属植物和榕小蜂的生物学特征以及二者的相互作用,阐述了榕树－传粉者共生体系的构成,维持及其生物学意义。     

榕树及其传粉榕小蜂的系统发育和协同进化研究现状及展望

榕属(Ficus)是有花植物中最大的木本属,全世界有750多种.榕树及其传粉榕小蜂形成的种类专一的互惠共生系统,长期以来被作为研究共生系统比较生物学和协同进化的模式材料.虽然从20世纪90年代才开始对榕树一榕小蜂体系开展分子系统发育研究,但由于这个体系的特殊性和分子技术的快速发展,越来越多的学者开始利用分子学手段来研究榕一蜂共生系统的一系列生物学问题.本文总结了近年来对榕树及其传粉榕小蜂开展的系统发育及协同进化方面的研究,并分析了中国此方面的研究现状,对未来的研究趋势和前景进行了展望.     

传粉细蛾与大戟科植物专性授粉的互惠共生体系

在已知的昆虫与植物所形成的专性授粉互惠共生体系中,榕树—榕小蜂、丝兰—丝兰蛾体系是经典实例,国内外学者已经从不同角度进行了大量的研究,为我们理解植物—传粉者互惠共生体系协同进化的机理和历史积累了宝贵的资料。近些年的研究发现鳞翅目细蛾科头细蛾属昆虫与大戟科植物之间也存在相似的协同进化关系。文章对国内外学者有关传粉细蛾与大戟科植物互惠共生协同进化的研究进行了整理。     

传粉榕小蜂与榕树的繁衍

榕树传粉现象被广泛地作为研究协同进化特别是互惠共生的重要模式之一。本文总结了榕果与传粉榕小蜂的有关研究,试图解释其形态结构之间的相互适应,总结传粉榕小蜂的传粉行为,探讨传粉榕小蜂在雌雄同株及雌雄异株榕树上的传粉模式,讨论传粉榕小蜂的寄主专一性,并展望中国在榕小蜂方面的研究前景。     

榕–传粉榕小蜂非一对一共生关系的研究进展

榕–传粉榕小蜂系统是研究动植物专性互惠共生关系的经典体系。早期形态学研究认为它们之间遵循一对一原则,即1种榕树只有1种榕小蜂为其传粉,而1种传粉榕小蜂也只能在1种榕树上繁殖后代。然而随着研究的深入,报道了越来越多非一对一共生关系的案例,尤其是隐存种的发现,打破了一对一原则在榕–传粉榕小蜂系统中的普适性。非一对一共生关系包括多种传粉者共现于1种宿主榕树和多种榕树共享1种传粉者两种情况,有各自不同的发生机制和规律。本文从形态学描述阶段、多学科综合证据阶段和传粉榕小蜂隐存种的发现3个阶段综述了榕–传粉榕小蜂非一对一共生关系的研究进展,并对其所引发的科学问题进行了探讨。多种传粉者共现于1种宿主榕树的情况,使得榕小蜂的种间杂交成为可能;而多种榕树共享1种传粉者,为宿主榕树的种间杂交提供了机会。然而,杂交事件的检出率却很低,暗示存在明显的生殖隔离。另外,传粉者共现和共享传粉者两种情况在不同性系统榕树上的发生率和发生机制存在明显差异,暗示不同性系统榕树的宿主专一性不同。大量小蜂隐存种的发现,引发了对其成种机制、共现机制的研究,以及对小蜂生物多样性的重新评估,并给人工控制实验的开展带来了新的问题。每个榕–传粉榕小蜂组合都具有其独特的协同进化历史,为研究动植物间的协同进化机制和规律提供了丰富素材。对榕–传粉榕小蜂专性互惠共生关系的形成、维持和打破机制开展综合研究,才能充分认识该系统,也有助于认识动植物间的协同进化过程和规律。     

榕树-榕小蜂的物种共形成

榕树-榕小蜂的互惠共生是植物与其传粉者间相互作用的最极端的特例,几乎每一种榕树均由榕小蜂科的一种特定昆虫传粉,而它们的小蜂也只能在此特定榕树种的花内养育它们的幼虫,构成了高度的种专一性(一对一原则).因此榕树及其传粉昆虫间的相互作用被看作是专性互惠共生的最极端特例,也引起人们对它们共趋异及物种形成的诸多推测.对目前榕树一榕小蜂的物种共形成的研究进行了回顾与阐述,希望能对全面认识这对完美的共生伙伴及物种共形成机制提供一些启示.     

榕-传粉榕小蜂间的专一性与协同进化

共生体系的长期维持引发了一系列进化问题, 特别是共生双方的相互适应、协同进化成为进化理论的一大挑战。榕和传粉榕小蜂是目前所知的专性最强的共生体系之一, 两者异常丰富的物种组成以及宿主多样的生活型为以上问题的研究提供了理想的体系。早期认为榕与其传粉小蜂间均为狭义协同进化, 一对一原则在该体系中具有普适性。然而近年来发现越来越多的例外, 特别是宿主转移现象在某些地区、某些榕属类群中的普遍存在, 使榕及其传粉小蜂间严格的物种专一性及协同进化发生在物种水平的观点受到质疑, 最近提出了一个新的协同进化模式来解释榕与其传粉小蜂的对应关系。榕与传粉小蜂间的进化模式说明两者间既有狭义的协同进化, 也有发散协同进化关系, 从而导致它们之间物种专一性不同。目前, 两种协同进化模式在该系统中的相对重要性仍存在很大争议, 不同地区、不同榕属类群中两者的物种专一性程度和产生原因可能有很大差异, 榕与传粉榕小蜂系统的复杂性决定了不能将某些地区和某些类群的结论简单扩展, 有关该体系协同进化主导模式的正确评判有待于对不同地区和不同榕属类群对应传粉小蜂的物种组成、来源方式, 以及共生双方的系统发生关系进行更广泛、更深入的研究。     

榕树-榕小蜂互惠合作系统中的非对称性博弈

榕树及其传粉榕小蜂是自然界中目前所知道的关系最为紧密的互利共生系统之一。随着研究的深入, 越来越多的证据发现榕树-传粉榕小蜂之间互惠合作的过程中存在着复杂的竞争和对抗关系, 例如榕树与传粉榕小蜂之间对公共资源的竞争、传粉欺骗与宿主对传粉者的惩罚、榕树与传粉小蜂之间的“军备竞赛”等。在相互竞争或者对抗关系中, 双方表现出非对称性相互作用。其非对称性关系主要表现出如下3个特征: (1)收益不对称, 即榕树(宿主)与传粉榕小蜂(共生体)之间在资源利用等方面的实力不对称; (2)榕树与传粉榕小蜂之间的信息不对称; (3)进化速率不对称。这些非对称的相互作用可能导致种群的波动、榕树与传粉榕小蜂相互适应和进化策略的变化。因此, 理解榕树与传粉榕小蜂之间的非对称交互作用有助于理解为什么合作和冲突在互利共生关系中经常能同时存在, 也将有助于解释榕树-传粉榕小蜂种间相互关系和物种的多样性。     

榕树及其传粉者研究综述

榕属植物（Ｆｉｃｕｓ）统称榕树,是热带森林中的一类关键种植物。榕树及其传粉者为协同进化的研究提供了丰富的实验材料,也是近年来国际上研究植物－昆虫相互作用的一个热点。本文对研究历史、植物、昆虫、传粉、产卵以及协同进化等方面的研究进展作了简要的介绍     

榕树及其粉者研究综述

榕属植物（Ｆｉｃｕｓ）统称榕树,是热带森林中的一类关键种植物。榕树及其传粉者为协同进化的研究提供了丰富的实验材料,也是近年来国际上研究植物－昆虫相互作用的一个热点。本文对研究历史、植物、昆虫、传粉、产卵以及协同进化等方面的研究进展作了简要的分析。     

歪叶榕非传粉小蜂的繁殖策略及其对榕-蜂共生系统的影响

2004年8月至2005年8月在西双版纳热带植物园内,通过广泛收集歪叶榕榕小蜂标本、非传粉小蜂产卵行为学观察和阻止传粉者入果等实验方法,研究了我国西双版纳热带雨林下的一种榕树——歪叶榕Ficus cyrtophylla的榕小蜂群落组成结构、非传粉小蜂的繁殖策略以及它们对榕-蜂共生系统的影响。结果表明,歪叶榕中除了具有唯一传粉榕小蜂Blastophag sp.以外,还具有3种非传粉小蜂Platyneura sp.、Philotrypesis sp.和Sycoscapter sp.。在歪叶榕榕小蜂群落中,传粉榕小蜂占整个群落总数的92.21%,是群落的最主要组成者;主要的非传粉小蜂是Sycoscaptersp.,占5.78%; 其次是Philotrypesissp.,占1.84%,而Platyneurasp.仅占群落总数的0.17%。歪叶榕中的非传粉小蜂通过各自产卵时间和食性分化的策略来利用榕果中的资源繁殖后代。非传粉小蜂寄生使传粉榕小蜂的总数和其雌蜂数量都显著地降低,但是对传粉小蜂雄蜂数量没有显著影响,从而导致传粉榕小蜂的雄性性比显著地增加。这说明非传粉小蜂在选择寄居宿主时具有明显的倾向性,而且更多地将卵产于含有雌性传粉小蜂的瘿花之中。因此,非传粉小蜂通过减少雌性传粉小蜂的数量而降低了榕树的雄性适合度,从而在一定程度上对榕 蜂共生系统的稳定存在和发展产生了负面影响。     

Pollinators entering female dioecious figs: why commit suicide?

In the dioecious fig/pollinator mutualism, the female wasps that pollinate figs on female trees die without reproducing, whereas wasps that pollinate figs on male trees produce offspring. Selection should strongly favour wasps that avoid female figs and enter only male figs. Consequently, fig trees would not be pollinated and fig seed production would ultimately cease, leading to extinction of both wasp and fig. We experimentally presented pollinators in the wild (southern India) with a choice between male and female figs of a dioecious fig species, Ficus hispida L. Our results show that wasps do not systematically discriminate between sexes of F. hispida. We propose four hypotheses to explain why wasp choice has not evolved, and how a mutualism is thus maintained in which all wasps that pollinate female figs have zero fitness.     

Figs,pollinators, and parasites: A longitudinal study of the effects of nematode infection on fig wasp fitness

Mutualisms are interactions between two species in which the fitnesses of both symbionts benefit from the relationship. Although examples of mutualism are ubiquitous in nature, the ecology, evolution, and stability of mutualism has rarely been studied in the broader, multi-species community context in which they occur. The pollination mutualism between figs and fig wasps provides an excellent model system for investigating interactions between obligate mutualists and antagonists. Compared to the community of non-pollinating fig wasps that develop within fig inflorescences at the expense of fig seeds and pollinators, consequences of interactions between female pollinating wasps and their host-specialist nematode parasites is much less well understood. Here we focus on a tri-partite system comprised of a fig (Ficus petiolaris), pollinating wasp (Pegoscapus sp.), and nematode (Parasitodiplogaster sp.), investigating geographical variation in the incidence of attack and mechanisms through which nematodes may limit the fitness of their wasp hosts at successive life history stages. Observational data reveals that nematodes are ubiquitous across their host range in Baja California, Mexico; that the incidence of nematode infection varies across seasons within- and between locations, and that infected pollinators are sometimes associated with fitness declines through reduced offspring production. We find that moderate levels of infection (1–9 juvenile nematodes per host) are well tolerated by pollinator wasps whereas higher infection levels (≥10 nematodes per host) are correlated with a significant reduction in wasp lifespan and dispersal success. This overexploitation, however, is estimated to occur in only 2.8% of wasps in each generation. The result that nematode infection appears to be largely benign – and the unexpected finding that nematodes frequently infect non-pollinating wasps – highlight gaps in our knowledge of pollinator-Parasitodiplogaster interactions and suggest previously unappreciated ways in which this nematode may influence fig and pollinator fitness, mutualism persistence, and non-pollinator community dynamics.     

Phylogenetic relationships of fig wasps pollinating functionally dioecious Ficus based on mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphology

The obligate mutualism between pollinating fig wasps in the family Agaonidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) and Ficus species (Moraceae) is often regarded as an example of co-evolution but little is known about the history of the interaction, and understanding the origin of functionally dioecious fig pollination has been especially difficult. The phylogenetic relationships of fig wasps pollinating functionally dioecious Ficus were inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase gene sequences (mtDNA) and morphology. Separate and combined analyses indicated that the pollinators of functionally dioecious figs are not monophyletic. However, pollinator relationships were generally congruent with host phylogeny and support a revised classification of Ficus. Ancestral changes in pollinator ovipositor length also correlated with changes in fig breeding systems. In particular, the relative elongation of the ovipositor was associated with the repeated loss of functionally dioecious pollination. The concerted evolution of interacting morphologies may bias estimates of phylogeny based on female head characters, but homoplasy is not so strong in other morphological traits. The lesser phylogenetic utility of morphology than of mtDNA is not due to rampant convergence in morphology but rather to the greater number of potentially informative characters in DNA sequence data; patterns of nucleotide substitution also limit the utility of mtDNA findings. Nonetheless, inferring the ancestral associations of fig pollinators from the best-supported phylogeny provided strong evidence of host conservatism in this highly specialized mutualism.     

Pollination and parasitism in functionally dioecious figs

Fig wasps (Agaonidae: Hymenoptera) are seed predators and their interactions with Ficus species (Moraceae) range from mutualism to parasitism. Recently considerable attention has been paid to conflicts of interest between the mutualists and how they are resolved in monoecious fig species. However, despite the fact that different conflicts can arise, little is known about the factors that influence the persistence of the mutualism in functionally dioecious Ficus. We studied the fig pollinator mutualism in 14 functionally dioecious fig species and one monoecious species from tropical lowland rainforests near Madang, Papua New Guinea. Observations and experiments suggest that (i) pollinating wasps are monophagous and attracted to a particular host species; (ii) pollinating and non-pollinating wasps are equally attracted to gall (male) figs and seed (female) figs in functionally dioecious species; (iii) differing style lengths between gall figs and seed figs may explain why pollinators do not develop in the latter; (iv) negative density dependence may stabilize the interaction between pollinating wasps and their parasitoids; and (v) seed figs may reduce the search efficiency of non-pollinators. This increased pollinator production without a corresponding decrease in seed production could provide an advantage for dioecy in conditions where pollinators are limiting.     

Seasonal change in the structure of fig-wasp community and its implication for conservation

Figs (Moraceae) and their pollinating wasps (Agaonidae) constitute a famous reciprocal mutualism in which figs provide some female flowers for the development of fig wasp offspring while the fig wasps pollinate fig flowers. However, figs also host many non-pollinating wasps which are either parasitoids or resource competitors of pollinators, and bring no benefit for figs and are detrimental to fig’ fitness. Our data onFicus racemosa in Xishuangbanna showed that the numbers of non-pollinators and the mature syconia without pollinator wasps increase in rainy season, especially in the highly fragmented forest. This might be because of the longer developing time of the syconia and thereby longer oviposition time to non-pollinators in the dry season. The galled flower and the viable seed percentages in dry seasons are also larger than in rainy seasons in both primary forest and fragmented forest, and the development of non-pollinators is mainly at the expense of pollinator wasps. Our results showed that there exists a discriminative seasonal impact of non-pollinators and fragmentation effects on population size of fig’s pollinators. This implies that fig/fig wasp mutualism is more fragile in dry season, and that the critical population size and breeding units of figs in seasonal area might be larger than previously estimated without considering the seasonal change of pollinator population.     

Shift to mutualism in parasitic lineages of the fig/fig wasp interaction

The interaction between Ficus and their pollinating wasps (Chalcidoidea, Agaonidae) represents a striking example of mutualism. Figs also host numerous non-pollinating wasps belonging to other chalcidoid families. We show that six species of Ficus that are passively pollinated by the agaonid genus Waterstoniella also host specific wasps belonging to the chalcidoid genera Diaziella (Sycoecinae) and Lipothymus (Otitesellinae). Both belong to lineages that are considered as parasites of the fig/fig wasp mutualism. We show that these wasps are efficient pollinators of their hosts. Pollen counts on wasps of a species of Diaziella hosted by Ficus paracamptophylla show that Diaziella sp. transports more pollen than the associated pollinator when emerging from its natal fig. Further, the number of pollinated flowers in receptive figs is best explained by the number of Diaziella plus the number of Waterstoniella that had entered it. Figs that were colonised by Diaziella always produced seeds: Diaziella does not overexploit its host. Similarly, figs of Ficus consociata that were colonised solely by a species of Lipothymus produced as many seeds as figs that were colonised only by the legitimate pollinator Waterstoniella malayana . Diaziella sp. and Lipothymus sp. seem to pollinate their host fig as efficiently as do the associated agaonid wasps. Previous studies, on actively pollinated Ficus species, have found that internally ovipositing non-agaonid wasps are parasites of such Ficus species. Hence, mode of pollination of the legitimate pollinator conditions the outcome of the interaction between internally ovipositing parasites and their host.     

The functional implications of active and passive pollination in dioecious figs

Fig-pollinating wasps lay their eggs in fig flowers. Some species of fig-pollinating wasps are active pollinators, while others passively transfer pollen. In dioecious fig species, the ovules of male figs produce wasps but no seeds. By observations and experiments on four dioecious Ficus species we show that (i) passive pollinators distribute pollen haphazardly within figs, but fertilization of female flowers in male figs is inhibited. Consequently, wasp larvae will develop in nonfertilized ovules: they cannot benefit from pollination; (ii) active pollinators efficiently fertilize flowers in which they oviposit. Lack of pollination increases larval mortality. Hence, fig pollinators are not obligate seed eaters but ovule gallers. Active pollination has probably evolved as a way to improve progeny nourishment.
Comparison of pollination and oviposition process in male and female figs, suggests that stigma shape and function have coevolved with pollination behaviour, in relation to constraints linked with dioecy.     

Can chemical signals,responsible for mutualistic partner encounter,promote the specific exploitation of nursery pollination mutualisms? – The case of figs and fig wasps

In nursery pollination mutualisms, where pollinators reproduce within the inflorescence they pollinate, floral scents often play a major role in advertizing host location and rewards for the pollinator. However, chemical messages emitted by the plant that are responsible for the encounter of mutualist partners can also be used by parasites of these mutualisms to locate their host. Each species of Ficus (Moraceae) is involved in an obligatory nursery pollination mutualism with usually one pollinating fig wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Agaonidae). In this interaction, volatile compounds emitted by receptive figs are responsible for the attraction of their specific pollinator. However, a large and diverse community of non-pollinating chalcidoid wasps can also parasitize this mutualism. We investigated whether the chemical message emitted by figs to attract their pollinator can promote the host specificity of non-pollinating fig wasps. We analysed the volatile compounds emitted by receptive figs of three sympatric Ficus species, namely, Ficus hispida L., Ficus racemosa L., and Ficus tinctoria G. Forster, and tested the attraction of the pollinator of F. hispida ( Ceratosolen solmsi marchali Mayr), and of one species of non-pollinating fig wasp [ Philotrypesis pilosa Mayr (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Pteromalidae)] to scents emitted by receptive figs of these three Ficus species. Analysis of the volatile compounds emitted by receptive figs revealed that the three Ficus species could be clearly distinguished by their chemical composition. Behavioural bioassays performed in a Y-tube olfactometer showed that both pollinator and parasite were attracted only by the specific odour of F. hispida . These results suggest that the use by non-pollinating fig wasps of a specific chemical message produced by figs could limit host shifts by non-pollinating fig wasps.     

高榕雌花期传粉榕小蜂和欺骗性小蜂的繁殖特点

榕树及其专一性传粉榕小蜂组成了动植物界最为经典的协同进化关系,传粉榕小蜂演化出欺骗性是非常罕见的。在雌雄同株的高榕隐头果内,共存着一种传粉榕小蜂Eupristina altissima和一种欺骗性的小蜂Eupristina sp.,两种小蜂在雌花期进入隐头果内繁殖,但有不同的繁殖特点。对比研究了两种小蜂从成虫羽化到产卵和传粉这个阶段的雌蜂个体大小、孕卵量及繁殖差异,结果表明:羽化期两种雌蜂的平均个体小,经飞行小个体的雌蜂易死亡,大个体雌蜂到达接受树,但通过苞片通道,一些个体较大的传粉榕小蜂被夹死导致进入果腔的雌蜂相对小,而欺骗性小蜂易通过苞片以至进入果腔的雌蜂个体较大。两种未产卵雌蜂均表现为个体大者孕卵量较多,但两种雌蜂的平均孕卵量没有差异。即使有充足雌花资源产卵,两种雌蜂均未产完所有卵,产卵后两种雌蜂卵巢中的卵量均显著减少,遗留下的卵量两种小蜂间没有差异。传粉榕小蜂只有部分个体传完所携带花粉,并表现为传粉越成功的雌蜂,产卵越多。存在种内竞争时,两种小蜂的产卵量均减少,传粉榕小蜂的传粉效率也降低。在种间竞争背景下,欺骗性小蜂产卵更成功,传粉榕小蜂的产卵和传粉量均受到极大抑制。研究结果说明雌花期隐头果内传粉榕小蜂只适量利用雌花资源产卵繁殖后代,更有效地传粉繁殖榕树种子,这可能是维持榕-蜂互惠系统稳定共存的重要机制之一;欺骗者稳定存在需降低与传粉者的直接竞争,而欺骗者和传粉者分散在不同果内,甚至是不同的树上繁殖是理想的繁殖策略。