Dissertation Research: Population Genetics and Phylogenetic Systematics of the Native Hawaiian Palm Genus Pritchardia

小行星9411848 研究生Chrissen Gemmill在科罗拉多大学的教师顾问托马斯兰克的指导下，正在研究夏威夷棕榈属Pritchardia物种的分类学、遗传学和种群遗传学。 该属估计有25种，其中19种在夏威夷，其余在南太平洋。 大约有八个物种出现在孤立的小种群中，可能会被证明是遗传上的灭绝和濒危。 目前正在进行形态学和分子学研究，后者包括蛋白质电泳，以评估遗传变异程度，以及核DNA区（ITS区）测序，以衡量物种间的突变差异。 结合形态学和分子生物学证据将提高夏威夷物种的分类鉴别力，并为可靠的鉴定和推断进化历史的假设提供特征。 由于保护和管理决策必须基于可靠的分类学处理，一个改进的分类Pritchardia棕榈树，结合形态和分子数据的基础上，将回答需要准确识别和测量野生种群的遗传变异。

9411848 Ranker Graduate student Chrissen Gemmill, under the supervision of faculty adviser Thomas Ranker at the University of Colorado, is studying the taxonomy, phylogeny, and population genetics of Hawaiian species of the palm genus Pritchardia. There are an estimated 25 species in the genus, 19 in Hawaii and the rest in the South Pacific. Eight or so species occur in isolated, small populations and may prove to be genetically depauperate and endangered. Morphological and molecular studies are being conducted, the latter including electrophoresis of proteins to assess levels of genetic variability and sequencing of nuclear DNA regions (ITS regions) to measure mutational differences among species. Combined morphological and molecular evidence will improve taxonomic discrimination of the Hawaiian species and provide characters for reliable identification and for inferring a hypothesis of evolutionary history. Because conservation and management decisions must be based on reliable taxonomic treatments, an improved classification of Pritchardia palms, based on combined morphological and molecular data, will answer the needs for accurate identification and measurement of genetic variability in wild populations.