Current Research
China has a diverse ant fauna (See: Guénard & Dunn 2012), which largely has yet to be fully investigated. Currently, I am working on the molecular phylogeny of the ant genera Camponotus and Polyrhachis in China, and the sociogenetic organization and nestmate recognition in the spiny ant Polyrhachis dives Smith.
Project Funding
- ‘Construction of DNA Barcoding System for the Ant Genera Camponotus and Polyrhachis, and Its Phylogenetic Implications’ -- supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China (Project No. GK201503049) (2015-2016)
- 'Sociogenetic Organization and Nestmate Recognition in the Spiny Ant Polyrhachis dives Smith' -- supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Program No. 31300308) (2014-2016)
- ‘Nestmate Recognition in the Black Ant Polyrhachis vicina Roger’ -- supported by the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (Program No. 2013JQ3007) (2014-2015)
- ‘Nestmate Recognition in the Spiny Ant Polyrhachis dives Smith’ -- supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities in China (Project No. GK201302020) (2013-2014)
Dissertation Research
* Ph.D. Project (2007-2011): Evolution of Social Structure in the Ant Genus Myrmecia Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
This project was carried out in the Sociogenomics Research Group within the School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University (Australia), and was co-supervised by Prof. Ross. H. Crozier (who deceased on 12 November 2009), Prof. Simon K. A. Robson, Prof. Birgit C. Schlick-Steiner, Dr. Florian M. Steiner and Dr. Helge Schlüns.
In this project, I developed a set of genomic microsatellites (J. Insect Sci., 2011, 11: 71), and employed them to investigate the sociogenetic organizations in two species within the ant genus Myrmecia, i.e., the giant bulldog ant M. brevinoda and the jumper ant M. pilosula. I revealed the rare co-occurrence of polygyny and high polyandry in both species. The case of M. brevinoda presents the first (and rare) intraspecific evidence for the long-debated hypothesis that colony queen number and queen-mating frequency should be negatively associated since both can result in increased intracolonial genetic diversity and have costs (Mol. Ecol., 2011, 20: 3681-3691). Associating the support from the case of M. brevinoda and the rejective evidence from the case of M. pilosula (Insect. Soc., 59: 109-117) and other intraspecific studies, I suggested the conditionality of this hypothesis. In addition, I also investigated the intraspecific aggression behavior in M. brevinoda, and examined the roles of social structure, genetic and spatial distances using both genetic and behaviorological techniques (Manuscript in revision).
Other relevant work includes the development of polymorphic EST-derived microsatellites in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Conserv. Genet., 2009, 10: 1373-1376), and the identification of cryptic diversity in the M. pilosula species complex using both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellite markers (Manuscript in preparation).
In this project, I developed a set of genomic microsatellites (J. Insect Sci., 2011, 11: 71), and employed them to investigate the sociogenetic organizations in two species within the ant genus Myrmecia, i.e., the giant bulldog ant M. brevinoda and the jumper ant M. pilosula. I revealed the rare co-occurrence of polygyny and high polyandry in both species. The case of M. brevinoda presents the first (and rare) intraspecific evidence for the long-debated hypothesis that colony queen number and queen-mating frequency should be negatively associated since both can result in increased intracolonial genetic diversity and have costs (Mol. Ecol., 2011, 20: 3681-3691). Associating the support from the case of M. brevinoda and the rejective evidence from the case of M. pilosula (Insect. Soc., 59: 109-117) and other intraspecific studies, I suggested the conditionality of this hypothesis. In addition, I also investigated the intraspecific aggression behavior in M. brevinoda, and examined the roles of social structure, genetic and spatial distances using both genetic and behaviorological techniques (Manuscript in revision).
Other relevant work includes the development of polymorphic EST-derived microsatellites in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Conserv. Genet., 2009, 10: 1373-1376), and the identification of cryptic diversity in the M. pilosula species complex using both mitochondrial DNA and nuclear microsatellite markers (Manuscript in preparation).
* M.Sc. Project (2003-2006): Ecological Genetics of Reaumuria soongorica (Pall.) Maxim. Population in the Oasis-Desert Ecotone in Fukang, Xinjiang, and Its Implications for Molecular Evolution
This project was carried out in the College of Life Sciences, Northwest University (China), and was supervised by Prof. Gui-Fang Zhao.
In this project, I investigated the genetic diversity and differentiation in a population of the desert plant Reaumuria soongorica using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. I revealed a high level of diversity, an isolation-by-distance pattern, and a non-association between ISSR-based genetic diversity and ecological factors. A previous RAPD-based study of this population revealed a significant association of genetic diversity with ecological factors. I suggested that the genomic regions sampled by these two marker systems may have distinct evolutionary patterns (Biochem. Syst. Ecol., 2008, 36: 593-601).
Other relevant work during this period includes the characterization of genetic diversity in the desert plant Haloxylon ammodendron using isozyme techniques (Acta Bot. Boreal.-Occident. Sin., 2006, 25: 2436-2442).
In this project, I investigated the genetic diversity and differentiation in a population of the desert plant Reaumuria soongorica using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. I revealed a high level of diversity, an isolation-by-distance pattern, and a non-association between ISSR-based genetic diversity and ecological factors. A previous RAPD-based study of this population revealed a significant association of genetic diversity with ecological factors. I suggested that the genomic regions sampled by these two marker systems may have distinct evolutionary patterns (Biochem. Syst. Ecol., 2008, 36: 593-601).
Other relevant work during this period includes the characterization of genetic diversity in the desert plant Haloxylon ammodendron using isozyme techniques (Acta Bot. Boreal.-Occident. Sin., 2006, 25: 2436-2442).
Other Previous Research
During the past years, I have also been invloved in multiple projects mainly within the Molecular Ecology Research Group of Prof. Gui-Fang Zhao from Northwest University, which has resulted in quite a few peer-reviewed publications.
Click here for a full list of my publications.
Click here for a full list of my publications.
Private BioTools
* The Best K Estimator
The program STRUCTURE v2.3.4 (Pritchard et al., 2000, Genetics, 155: 945-959) is a widely used population genetics tool. Here, I present a simple .xls file which implements the ΔK method of Evanno et al. (2005, Mol. Ecol., 14: 2611-2620) for estimating the best K value.
Click here to download.
Click here to download.
* Effective Paternity Calculator
Here is a handy tool (.xls) for calculating the pedigree-effective mate number of reproductive queens (i.e. effective paternity) in eusocial Hymenoptera. Three formulas are integrated, i.e. those of Starr (1984), Pamilo (Heredity, 1993, 70: 472-480) and Nielsen et al. (Mol. Ecol., 2003, 12: 3157-3164).
Click here to download.
Click here to download.
Last updated: 05-Mar-2015
Copyright @ Zengqiang Qian 2012-2015. All Rights Reserved.