Dissertation Research:  Physiological-Ecological Correlates of Hexose/Sucrose Preference in Neotropical Avian Frugivores
{'Code': '08010207', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'DEB', 'LongName': 'Division Of Environmental Biology'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Althea Ball', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
Plants pollinated by hummingbirds produce nectars containing               mainly sucrose whereas those pollinated by perching birds produce               mainly fructose and glucose (hexoses).  A possible explanation                  for this pattern is that the nectars that plants produce are the                result of selection by pollinators and that hummingbirds prefer                 sucrose over hexoses and perching birds prefer hexoses over                     sucrose.  The question then is why do some animals prefer hexoses               over sucrose?                                                                        Sucrose must be hydrolyzed by an intestinal enzyme (sucrase)               into glucose and fructose before being absorbed in the intestine.               In man and other animals there is variation in the activity of                  these enzymes.  At least some of this variation has been                        explained by dietary habits.  Among birds the presence and                      activity of sucrase may be  correlated with dietary  habits.                    Species with diets high in carbohydrates should have higher                     sucrase activities than those whose diets are poor in                           carbohydrates.  Thus, the dietary habits of birds strongly                      influence their preference and tolerance for simple sugars thus                 narrowing their spectrum of food choices especially in regard to                fruit and nectar.  The rewards offered by plants, therefore,                    probably reflect the evolutionary constraints imposed by the                    feeding habits of the birds that pollinate them or disperse their               seeds.  In this research the investigators will test these ideas                in a neotropical community that includes several species of                     hummingbirds and perching-birds that visit flowers.  Intestinal                 enzumes and sugar preferences will be assayed.
{'FirstName': 'Peter', 'LastName': 'Feinsinger', 'PI_MID_INIT': None, 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Peter Feinsinger', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000417917', 'StartDate': '06/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of Florida', 'CityName': 'GAINESVILLE', 'ZipCode': '326111941', 'PhoneNumber': '3523923516', 'StreetAddress': '1523 UNION RD RM 207', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Florida', 'StateCode': 'FL', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '03', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'FL03', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'NNFQH1JAPEP3', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '112700', 'Text': 'Evolutionary Processes'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1987&All=true', 'xml': '8701048.xml'}