------ Forwarded Message
From: YEE NGOH CHAN <dbscyn@...>
Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 11:16:20 +0800
Subject: QE: The Phenology of Dioecious Figs in Singapore (Nanthinee
Jeevanandam, 18 May, 9AM)


Department of Biological Sciences, NUS
Qualifying Examination







The Phenology of Dioecious Figs in Singapore


Speaker : Nanthinee Jeevanandam (Graduate Student, Department of
Biological Sciences, NUS)
Date : 18th May 2009 (Monday)
Time : 9:00 AM
Venue : Seminar Room 2 (SR2) S2, 04-10
Supervisor : Prof Richard Corlett



Abstract:
Dioecious figs have a complex, obligate mutualism with their pollinators,
the fig wasps (Insecta: Agaonidae). To add to this complexity, parasitic fig
wasps compete with pollinating wasps for oviposition sites in receptive,
functionally male figs. This often has a negative impact on the number of
potential pollinators produced in the next generation, which are needed to
pollinate fig populations. To further complicate matters, parasitic fig
wasps come in different forms; gallers, parasitoids and parasites, all
having a different impact on the pollinating fig wasp population sizes.
In a relationship between long-lived woody plants and short-lived wasps
(adult life span 2-3 days), precise timing is crucial, since even a brief
gap could result in the local extinction of pollinators and/or parasites. In
monoecious figs, this has resulted in the evolution of a plant phenology
whereby fig crops are synchronized within a plant but not between plants. In
dioecious figs, in contrast, the phenologies of different fig species are
much more varied suggesting that that there may be multiple alternative
solutions to the timing problem, with the evolutionary choice depending on
other factors, including climatic seasonality, growth form and ecological
role. Volatile organic compounds synchronize timing between the plant and
pollinator, but their role in attracting non-pollinators is currently
unknown. Understanding what makes this delicate balance successful will
provides us with insight into the persistence of dioecy in figs

ALL ARE WELCOME


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