US-Turkey Cooperative Research: A Molecular- Biogeographic Analysis of Relationship Patterns Among Disjunct Arcto- Tertiary Woody Plant Taxa with Emphasis on West Asia

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9710505 Parks Description: This award is for support of a cooperative project between Dr. Clifford Parks, Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina, chapel Hill, and Dr. Munir Ozturk, Director, Center for Environmental Studies, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. The research is to carry out a molecular-phylogenetic analysis of 5 genera with extant species in the major Tertiary refugia in western Asia (Turkey) to determine the pattern of relationships among them and extrapolate their biographic history. This will be accomplished by: employing a phylogenetic analysis to measure the amount of evolutionary divergence among species within the 5 genera; determining the pattern of biogeographic relationships among species within each genus and determining the degree to which the five genera have a common biogeographic history; comparing biogeographic patterns determined from the molecular analysis to all available information from the fossil record; and hypothesize a possible evolutionary history of the major refugia, particularly the affinities of the refugial vegetation in western Asia. Scope: The research project is intended to shed light on the details of the relationship between the flora in the humid regions in the North Temperate zones of Eurasia and North America (the Arco-Tertiary vegetation). The field research in Turkey will involve two graduate students from UNC, Alice M. Stanford and Fatih Coskun. The Turkish scientist, Dr. Ozturk, is planning to spend part of the first year at UNC to become competent in modern methods of molecular systematics, so that he can continue with this work after the duration of this award. This proposal meets INT objective of increasing U.S.-foreign collaboration in areas that benefit both sides, and in enhancing the international experience of women scientists and junior scientists. This award includes funds from the Division of International Programs and the Division of Environmental Biology. ***