Research project BL/37/SA4 (Research action BL)
Summary
Pollination of flowering plants by insects is critical to agriculture. Yet, the study of interactions between agriculturally important flowering plants and Diptera insect pollinators is still in its infancy. New, innovative next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques are now used to study the interactions between pollinating insects (Syrphidae) and their food plants.
The networking activities aim to:
1) An enhanced open-access data set on the Syrphidae of S-Africa in the KZNM Diptera collection ;
2) An open access online picture database of South African Syrphidae: this database (website) will be free-online and will contain a large set of high-resolution stacked pictures of South African Syrphidae that will make it easier to identify South African hoverflies.
3) An improved PINDIP-website including flowering visit records of South African Syrphidae. This existing website, maintained by the Belgian partner, groups knowledge on the role of Diptera in plant-pollinator networks in the Afrotropical Region.
4) A trained group of young and emerging South African researchers (see further)
5) Two joint publications, one will be a data-paper on the Syrphidae collection of KZNM, one will be a checklist of the South African Syrphidae
The the partners will look for possibilities to submit joint research proposals.
Dissemination of results:
The networking will ensure dissemination of research results. via 2 international congresses, viz. the 10th International Symposium on Syrphidae and the 11th International Symposium on Syrphidae The international symposia on Syrphidae are the most important congresses on Syrphidae. We will publish two manuscripts in peer-reviewed international journals, viz. a data-paper on the Syrphidae of the Entomology Collection of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and a checklist of the Syrphidae of South Africa.
The aim of this part is to provide open access to data on Syrphidae in South Africa and to open the entomological collection of the KZNM to a larger (scientific and non-scientific) public.
Training:
10 young S-African researchers will be trained in taxonomy, entomology and curation management in order to increase sustainability of taxonomic expertise in Dipterology in South Africa.
. The training will ensure a long-term sustainable community of researchers with expertise in entomology, taxonomy and collection management in South Africa. The training course will be co-financed by the JRS Biodiversity Project PINDIP “Pollination Information Networks for two-winged insects (DIPtera).
