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--- 2020:groups:g5:start [2020/01/10 22:38] – [Introduction] sudbrack
+++ 2020:groups:g5:start [2024/01/09 18:45] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-Invasions of the whitefly //Bemisia tabaci// (left image, from Wikipedia) destroy plantations in the South of USA, Australia, China, among other countries. Several mechanisms have been isolated and tested in experimental settings to reveal their contribution to invasion.
+Infestations of the whitefly //Bemisia tabaci// (left image, from Wikipedia) destroy plantations in the South of USA, Australia, China, among other countries. Several mechanisms have been isolated and tested in experimental settings to reveal how they contribute to this plague's success.
-Twelve different biotypes of whitefly have already been distinguished through phylogenetic analysis. One of these biotypes, referred to as 'B biotype', is native from Mediterranean asia and has been reported rapidly invading worldwide populations of whitefly of other biotypes. For instance, B biotype entered in both China and Australia in the 90s, where the native biotypes are ZHJ1 and AN, respectively.
+Twelve different biotypes of whitefly have already been distinguished through phylogenetic analysis. One of these biotypes, referred to as 'B biotype', is native from Mediterranean Asia and has been reported rapidly invading worldwide populations of whitefly of other biotypes. For instance, B biotype entered in both China and Australia in the 90s, where the native biotypes are ZHJ1 and AN, respectively.
 Liu //et al.//  detected significant changes in sex ratio in both the indigenous and alien populations in both regions. In China, when populations of either B or ZHJ1 occurred alone, B usually had female
-ratios of 60~70%, which were higher than the 50~60% female ratios in ZHJ1. Very similar results also happened to AN biotype. This difference was even higher when the two different biotypes coexisted during the invasions. Then, the same group decided to reproduce this behavior in controlled environments. Their results included a B biotype domination in mixed cohorts: "The relative proportion of B increased steadily with time and had totally supplanted ZHJ1 after 225 days". And also, these experiments reproduce the data of sex ratios in nature.
+ratios of 60~70%, which were higher than the 50~60% female ratios in ZHJ1. Very similar results also happened to AN biotype. This difference was even higher when the two different biotypes coexisted during the infestations. Then, the same researchers decided to reproduce this behavior in controlled environments, and observed similar data as in nature, as well as B biotype invasion of indigenous biotypes.
-Interestingly, mating experiments between B and ZHJ1 and between B and AN indicated that neither could interbreed, although they could interfere in the frequency of copulation of the other biotype. For instance,  it was observed that B interacting with an indigenous biotype couples could decrease their copulations, while the presence of indigenous population with a B-couple increases their frequency copulation. Measurements of frequency of copulation are reported in the Supporting Online Material of Liu //et al//.
+Interestingly, mating experiments between B and ZHJ1 and between B and AN indicated that neither could interbreed, although they could interfere in the frequency of copulation of the other biotype. For instance, in the presence of B biotype indigenous biotype couples could decrease their copulations. Oddly enough,  B-couple increases their frequency copulation in the presence of the indigenous biotype. Measurements of frequency of copulation and some other nice information are reported in the Supporting Online Material of Liu //et al//.
 This manipulation happens, literally, as a third wheel - the different biotype is able to court the female, but not to copulate with her. Moreover, copulation by indigenous individuals is partly blocked by B males that readily attempt to court with females of either biotype — a behavior not reciprocated by the indigenous males.
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 Propose and analyze a mathematical model for whitefly populations to investigate the strategy of changing copulation frequency in whiteflies biotypes.
 ===== Suggested questions =====
-  - Can these mating observations alone help explain biotype B's capacity to invade and displace indigenous populations? Under what circumstances do you observe B invasion in your model?
+  - Which conditions of frequency of copulation ensures biotype B's capacity to invade and displace indigenous populations? Under what circumstances do you observe B invasion in your model?
-  - Can your model account for the sex ratio shifts, given this mating bahavior and the fact that whiteflies are haplodiploid?
+  - Which conditions verify the sex ratio shifts, given this mating behavior and the fact that whiteflies are haplodiploid?
 Further well-grounded questions from the group are welcome.