Coevolution of figs and fig wasps

PHD

2003.3–2005.7, South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, PhD

1997.9–2000.7, South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, MSc

1993.9–1997.7, Haerbin Normal University, Biology, Bsc

·           2019.1-nowadays，South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences，Center for Plant Science Research， Professor

·           2007.1- 2018.12，South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Center for Plant Science Research，Associate professor

·           2004.1-2006.12, South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences，Center for Plant Science Research，Assistant professor

·           2000.7-2003.12, South China Botanical Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences，System Evolution Center，Research assistant

2019-2022; Distinguished Professor of Qufu Normal University

Supported by "outstanding female scientists of the Chinese Academy of Sciences" and "the important direction of knowledge innovation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences"; 

Member of Guangdong and Jiangxi science and technology award evaluation expert database; 

Member of the expert group of "IUCN Red List Categories in China"；

Winner of the Di'ao scholarship of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

Editorial board member of Journal of tropical and subtropical Botany.

1.  Yu H. *, Liao Y. L., Cheng Y. F., Jia Y. X., Compton S. G. 2021. More examples of breakdown the 1:1 partner specificity between figs and fig wasps. Botanical Studies, 62: 15.

2.  Deng X. X.^#, Chen L. F. ^#, Tian E. W., Zhang D. Y., Tanming W., Yu H. *, Kjellberg F., Simon S. T. 2021. Low host specificity and broad geographic ranges in a community of parasitic non-pollinating fig wasps (Sycoryctinae; Chalcidoidea). Journal of Animal Ecology, 90(7): 1678-1690.

3. Xu X., Yu H.* 2021. Intraspecies Genomic Divergence of a Fig Wasp Species Is Due to Geographical Barrier and Adaptation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9: 764828.

4.  Chen L. F., Simon S. T. Chantarasuwan B., Wang D. M., Wang R., Chen X. Y., Yu H. * 2021. Adaptation of Fig Wasps (Agaodinae) to Their Host Revealed by Large-Scale Transcriptomic Data. Insects, 12(9): 815.

5.  Wang R. ^#, Yang Y. ^#, Jing Y. ^#, Simon S.T. ^#, Zhang Y., …, Yu H. *, Yue Z. *, Compton S. G. *, Chen X. Y. * Molecular mechanisms of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions in a plant-pollinator association. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 5(7): 974.

6.  Liu Y. F., Fan S. L., Yu H. * 2021. Analysis of Ficus hirta Fig Endosymbionts Diversity and Species Composition. Diversity, 13: 636.

7.   Hu R., Sun P., Yu H. *, Cheng Y. F., Wang R., Chen X. Y. *, Kjellberg F. 2020. Similitudes and differences between two closely related Ficus species in the synthesis by the ostiole of odors attracting their host-specific pollinators: a transcriptomic based investigation. Acta Oecologica, 105: 103554.

8.  Yu H.*, Tian E. W., Zheng L. N., Deng X. X., Cheng Y. F., Chen L. F., Wu W., Tanming W., Zhang D. Y., Compton S. G., Kjellberg F. 2019. Multiple parapatric pollinators have radiated across a continental fig tree displaying clinal genetic variation. Molecular Ecology, 28: 2391-2405.

9.  Yu H.*, Liang D., Tian E. W., Zheng L. N., Kjellberg F. 2018. Plant geographic phenotypic variation drives diversification in its associated community of a phytophagous insect and its parasitoids. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 18: 134.

10.Zeng J. Q., Yu H.*, Kjellberg F. 2018. Transcriptome analysis of genes involved in the response of a pollinator fig wasp to volatile organic compounds from its host figs. Acta Oecologica, 90: 91-98.

11.Yu H.*, Compton S. G., Wu L. F. 2018. Spatial variation in pollinator gall failure within figs of the gynodioecious Ficus hirta. Acta Oecologica, 90: 75-80.

12.  Tian E. W., Nason J. D., Machado C. A., Zheng L. N., Yu H.*, Kjellberg F. 2015. Lack of genetic isolation by distance, similar genetic structuring but different demographic histories in a fig-pollinating wasp mutualism. Molecular Ecology, 24: 5976-5991.

13.Yu H., Nason J. D., Zhang L., Zheng L. N., Wu W., Ge X. J.* 2015. De novo transcriptome sequencing in Ficus hirta Vahl. (Moraceae) to investigate gene regulation involved in the biosynthesis of pollinator attracting volatiles. Tree Genetics & Genomes, 11: 91.

14.Zheng L. N., Nason J. D., Liang D., Ge X. J., Yu H.* 2015. Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Ficus hirta. Applications in Plant Sciences, 3(7): 1500034.

13.Yu H., Nason J. D.* 2013. Nuclear and chloroplast DNA phylogeography of Ficus hirta: obligate pollination mutualism and constraints on range expansion in response to climate change. New Phytologist, 197(1): 276-289.

16.Tian E. W., Yu H.* 2013. A simple and rapid DNA extraction protocol of small insects for PCR amplification. Entomological News, 4: 303-310.

17.Ahanchédé A., Alfaya J. F., Andersen L. W……….. Tian　E. W., Yu H.* 2013.  Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 August 2012 – 30 September 2012. Molecular Ecology Resources, 13: 158-159. (团体通讯作者)

18.Yu H.*, Compton S. G. 2012. Moving your sons to safety: galls containing male fig wasps expand into the centre of figs, away from enemies. PLoS One, 7: e30833.

19.Abello P., Ai W. M., Altmann C.………Yu H.*, Zhou Z. M. 2012. Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 April 2012-31 May 2012. Molecular Ecology Resources, 12: 972-974. (团体通讯作者)

20.Tian E. W., Yu H.*, Zhang D. Y., Nason J. D. 2011. Development of microsatellite loci for Blastophaga javana (Agaonidae), the pollinating wasp of Ficus hirta (Moraceae). American Journal of Botany, 98: e41-e43.

21.Yu H., Nason J. D.*, Ge X. J., Zeng J. Q. 2010. Slatkin’s paradox: when direct observation and realized gene flow disagree: a case study in Ficus. Molecular Ecology, 19: 4441-4453.

22.Yu H., Zhao N. X., Chen Y. Z.*, Herre E. A. 2008. Male and female reproductive success in the dioecious fig, Ficus hirta Vahl.in Guangdong province, China: implications for the relative stability of dioecy and monoecy. Symbiosis, 45: 121-128.

23.Yu H., Zhao N. X., Chen Y. Z., Deng Y., Yao J. Y., Ye H. G.* 2006. Phenology and reproductive model of a common fig (Ficus hirta Vahl.) in Guangzhou. Botanical Studies, 47: 435-441.

24.Yao J. Y., Zhao N. X., Chen Y. Z.*, Jia X. C., Deng Y., Yu H. 2005. Resource allocation for coevolved figs and fig wasps in monoecious figs: where and how seeds and wasps produced? Symbiosis, 39: 143-149.

25.Zhang L., Yan H. F., Wu W.*, Yu H., Ge X. J. 2013. Comparative transcriptome analysis and marker development of two closely related Primrose species (Primula poissonii and Primula wilsonii). BMC Genomics, 14: 329.

26.Xiao J. H., Yue Z., Jia L. Y.…………………Yu H., Cook J. M.*, Wang J.* & Huang D. W.* 2013. Obligate mutualism within a host drives the extreme specialization of a fig wasp genome. Genome Biology, 14: R141.

27.  Cheng Yufen, Zhang Zhiwei, Jia Yongxia, Chen Lianfu, Yu Hui*. 2019. Changes of odor components in syconia of Ficus hispida at different developmental phases and their attraction to pollinators. Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany, 27 (3): 299-308 (in Chinese)

28.  Deng Xiaoxia, Wu Lanfen, Yu Hui*. 2017. Factors affecting the offspring yield of pollinators in highly specialized symbiotic system. Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany, 25 (2): 163-170 (in Chinese)

29.  Yu Hui, Zhao Nanxian, Yao Jinyan, Chen Yizhu*. 2006. Effects of species-specific pollination patterns on the taxonomic system of Ficus. Journal of Tropical and Subtropical Botany, 14 (5): 439-443 (in Chinese)

30.  Yu Hui, Zhao Nanxian, Chen Yizhu *, Deng yuan, Yao Jinyan. 2004. Pollination biology of F. hrita. Journal of Sun Yatsen University, 2004 (2): 268-271 (in Chinese)

31.  Yu Hui, Zhao Nanxian, Jia Xiaocheng, Chen Yizhu *, Zhen Wenquan. 2004. Ficus hirta Vahl reproductive characteristics and its symbiotic fig wasps. Chinese Bulletin of Botany, 2004 (6): 682-688 (in Chinese)

32.  Yu Hui, Zhao Nanxian, Chen Yizhu *, Hu Xiaoying. 2003. Study on the symbiotic system of Ficus hirta and its wasps. Guihaia, 23 (6): 573-576

33.  Jia Xiaocheng, Zhao Nanxian, Chen Yizhu *, Yao Jinyan, Yu Hui, Deng Yuan. 2004. Advances in taxonomy of Ficus and Agaonidae. Guihaia, 24 (5): 407-411 (in Chinese)

34.  Yao Jinyan, Zhao Nanxian, wide azimuth, Chen Yizhu *, Jia Xiaocheng, Deng yuan, Yu Hui. 2004. Study on benefit conflict and resource allocation between figs and its symbiotic wasps. Acta Botanica Yunnanica, 26 (5): 507-512 (in Chinese)

I am  majored in evolutionary biology and mainly employs ecological and genetic approaches to infer evolutionary process and species speciation. My current research is the  mutualism of figs-fig wasps. I mainly use molecular data to investigate of the factors influencing gene flow and their impacts on the genetic variation of the fig and their symbiotic fig wasps over a broad range of temporal and spatial scales, then further to explore the co-speciation of the figs and fig wasps. In addition, I am investigating geographic variation of all kinds of characters related to the mutualism, such as seed and pollinator production, non-pollinator (whose larvae parasitize fig fruit) production, odor compounds, and try to know how the variation is influenced by climates and other environmental factors. 

I has cooperated with many scientists in China, Taiwan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries.

Students have been instructed

Wu Lanfen; Master; Botany

Zheng Linna; Master; Bioengineering

Tian Enwei; PHD；Botany

Liang Dan；Master；Botany

Deng Xiaoxia；PHD; Bioengineering

Cheng Yufen; Master; Botany

Guo Juncheng; Master; Bioengineering

Liao Yaolin; Master; Bioengineering

Nong xiaojue; Master; Bioengineering

Liu Yifeng; Master student; Botany

Fan Songle; PHD student; Botany