Plant-pollinator interactions are traditionally recorded through field-based observations, but new methods using DNA metabarcoding have been shown to detect more interactions than traditional methods.

1. Summary of the project
2. Eligibility criteria
3. Readings
4. Contact the research team leader
   
5. How to apply
6. Scholarships

Summary of the project

Plant-pollinator interactions are traditionally recorded through field-based observations, but new methods using DNA metabarcoding have been shown to detect more interactions than traditional methods. Interaction networks reconstructed from DNA metabarcoding show that pollinator species are much more generalist than expected from field-based observations. These previously unobserved interactions may play an important role in plant reproduction, but this has not yet been validated.

Our research group is interested in realising the potential of these new methods, while ensuring that they not producing misleading results. We aim to compare plant-pollinator interaction networks derived from DNA metabarcoding with those derived from field-based observations at the same time and in the same location. We also aim to investigate whether these newly discovered interactions are important for pollination success, and whether plant-pollinator interaction networks reconstructed from pollen DNA metabarcoding represent the true pollination network.

Main project goals:

• Compare plant-pollinator interactions detected by DNA metabarcoding with those detected through field-based observations
• Determine whether interactions only detected by DNA metabarcoding result in pollination success
• Determine how well networks reconstructed from pollen DNA metabarcoding represent true pollination networks

The successful applicant will conduct field-work to collect insects and their pollen loads for further analysis, as well as record observations of pollinators visiting plants. The student will analyse pollen samples in the laboratory by DNA metabarcoding to identify plant species. The student will conduct laboratory and glasshouse experiments manipulating plant-pollinator interactions to test the accuracy of pollen DNA metabarcoding.

Supervisory team:

• Principal supervisor: Dr Karen Bell
• Coordinating supervisor: Professor Raphael Didham
• Co-supervisor: Dr Bruce Webber

For more information on the team, see the CSIRO Ecosystem Change Ecology website

Back to top

Eligibility criteria

Requirements specific to this project include:

• Ability and willingness to conduct field work in rural areas
• Familiarity with basic molecular biology protocols, including DNA isolation and PCR
• Experience with high-throughput sequencing is desirable

Readings

• Bell, K.L., Fowler, J., Burgess, K.S., Dobbs, E.K., Gruenewald, D., Lawley, B., Morozumi, C., and Brosi, B.J. (2017). Applying pollen DNA metabarcoding to the study of plant-pollinator interactions. Applications in Plant Sciences, 5(6): 1600124.
• Bell, K.L., De Vere, N., Keller, A., Richardson, R., Gous, A., Burgess, K.S., and Brosi, B.J. (2016). Pollen DNA barcoding: current applications and future prospects. Genome, 59: 629-640.
• Bell, K.L., Burgess, K.S., Botsch, J., Dobbs, E.K., Read, T.D., and Brosi, B.J. (Submitted). Qualitative and quantitative assessment of pollen DNA metabarcoding using constructed species mixtures. Submitted to Molecular Ecology (please contact Karen Bell for a copy of the submitted manuscript).
• Pornon, A., Andalo, C., Burrus, M., and Escaravage, N. (2017). DNA metabarcoding data unveils invisible pollination networks. Scientific Reports, 7: 16828.
 

Back to top

Contact the research team leader

Once you have ensured that you meet the eligibility criteria and are ready to discuss a proposal, contact the research team leader to identify a potential supervisor.

Research team leader: Dr Karen Bell

I am a molecular ecologist with research interests in invasion biology, community ecology and plant-insect interactions. I have recently developed new methods for the identification of pollen using DNA metabarcoding. My research aims to apply these methods to improved understanding of plant-pollinator interactions. I am interested in the impact of pollinators, landscape and evolutionary history on plant population viability.

Back to top

How to apply

Back to top

Scholarships

Back to top