MCF: Patterns of Parenthood in a Hybrid Swarm

种间杂交在植物中很常见，并可能产生重要的进化后果。由于其进化意义，植物杂交一直是宏观进化水平上的大量实证研究的主题，特别是在系统学和系统发育重建方面。虽然杂交是微进化过程的结果，但以前的研究没有在原位测量杂交过程的微进化动力学。这项研究的主要目的是进行这样一项研究，测量遗传、空间和性别参数，这些参数决定了南加州天然杂交鼠尾草种群的种间杂交和双物种基因流的比率。首席调查员将通过使用多态遗传标记进行亲子关系分析，并识别群体中所有个体种子的花粉亲本来获得这些数据。由此产生的数据将阐明这一重要进化力量的微观进化动力学。

Interspecific hybridization is common in plants and can have important evolutionary consequences. Because of its evolutionary significance, hybridization in plants has been the subject of considerable empirical study at the macroenolutionary level, particularly in systematics and phylogeny reconstruction. Although hybridization is the result of microevolutionary processes, previous studies have not measured the microevolutionary dynamics of the hybridization process in situ. The primary goal of this research is to conduct a such a study, measuring the genetic, spatial, and gender parameters that determine the rate of interspecific hybridization and bi-species gene flow in a natural hybrid swarm of Salvia in Southern California. The Principal Investigator will obtain these data by using polymorphic genetic markers for paternity analysis, and identifying pollen parents of seeds set by all individuals in the swarm. The resultant data will shed light on the microevolutionary dynamics of this important evolutionary force.