CRC TRR 212 C01 - The role of niche construction and evolutionary capacitance for evolvability in the Red Flour Beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Basic data for this project

Description

Fast adaptation may be facilitated by niche construction and the release of cryptic genetic variation. Using experimental evolution, I will test whether these processes speed up adaptation of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castaneum to increased temperature and a bacterial pathogen. In this beetle, niche construction is mediated by chemical secretions that modify the flour microbiota. I will thus also analyse the chemical profiles (using GC-MS), the flour microbiota (using 16S rRNA sequencing) and the release of cryptic genetic variation in morphology, behaviour and gene expression.