Dissertation Research: Maintenance of a Leaf Shape Polymorphism in Ipomoea Hederacea

小行星9624051 常春藤叶牵牛花（Ipomoea hederacea）的自然种群包含两种不同的叶子形状： 有些植物的叶子有三个裂片，而有些植物的叶子没有裂片。 这种程度的叶片形状差异已被证明会影响叶片温度调节（裂叶更有效地散热）和食草动物偏好（一些昆虫使用叶片形状来识别可食用植物）。 然而，叶片形状变化对植物在田间表现的影响从未得到证实。 本植物野外观察的初步结果 建议 有叶和无叶的 植物 专门用于不同的环境条件。 该研究将使用大规模的田间实验来量化植物性能作为自然环境中叶子形状的函数。 该研究还将使用温室实验来精确控制相关环境因素。 这种方法允许确定的影响，叶片形状对植物的性能，可能会导致解释这种奇特的多态性是如何保持的，并可能提供一些见解的重要性，叶片形状的植物在不同的环境中生存。

9624051 Rausher Natural populations of the ivyleaf morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea) contain two distinct leaf shapes: some plants possess leaves with three lobes, while others possess unlobed leaves. Leaf shape differences of this magnitude have been shown to affect leaf temperature regulation (lobed leaves dissipate heat more effectively), and herbivore preference (some insects use leaf shape to recognize edible plants). However, an affect of leaf shape variation on plant performance in the field has never been demonstrated. Preliminary results from field observations of this plant species suggest that lobed and unlobed plants are specialized for different environmental conditions. The study will use large scale field experiments to quantify plant performance as a function of leaf shape in a natural setting. The study will also use greenhouse experiments to precisely control relevant environmental factors. This approach allows the determination of the effect of leaf shape on plant performance; may lead to an explanation of how this peculiar polymorphism is maintained; and may provide some insights into the importance of leaf shape for survival of plants in different environments.