MRPG: Patterns of Phenotypic and Genetic Variation in Heliconia bihai

MRPG：碧海赫蕉的表型和遗传变异模式

• 批准号: 9904029
• 负责人: Elvia Melendez-Ackerman
• 金额: $ 1.8万
• 依托单位: University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1999
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1999-06-01 至 2003-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9904029&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: MRPG; Patterns; Phenotypic; Genetic; Variation

MELENDEZ ACKERMAN 9904029.The plant Heliconia bihai presents an extraordinary variation in bract color. In the Caribbean islands of St. Lucia and St. Vincent, some populations present one color form while others may present more. As a first step toward characterizing the factors that regulate such variation, Dr. Melendez Ackerman will describe the distribution patterns of bract color. Heliconia bracts presumably help advertise nectar quality to hummingbirds, thereby ensuring flower pollination and subsequently seed production. Some colors could be more abundant than others because they are better at attracting pollinators and producing more seeds. On the other hand, intermediate bract colors may be the product of natural hybridization. Dr. Melendez Ackerman will begin to test these ideas with detailed pollinator observations, records of seed production and genetic data from natural populations.Understanding the factors that lead to or maintain bract color variation in H. bihai will allow predictions about the stability of such variability in natural populations. Because of their colorful bracts, Heliconia are of high commercial value. The results of this research will be of potential use in the design of management plans that target the preservation of variation in this species.

MELENDEZ阿克曼9904029.比海蝎尾蕉属（Heliconia bihai）植物在苞片颜色上呈现出非凡的变化。 在加勒比海的圣卢西亚和圣文森特岛，一些种群呈现一种颜色形式，而另一些则可能呈现更多。 作为描述调控这种变异的因素的第一步，梅伦德斯阿克曼博士将描述苞片颜色的分布模式。蝎尾蕉的苞片可能有助于向蜂鸟宣传花蜜的质量，从而确保花授粉和随后的种子生产。有些颜色可能比其他颜色更丰富，因为它们更能吸引传粉者并产生更多的种子。另一方面，中间苞片颜色可能是自然杂交的产物。 Melendez阿克曼博士将开始通过详细的传粉者观察、种子生产记录和来自自然种群的遗传数据来验证这些想法。“碧海”将允许对自然种群中这种变异的稳定性进行预测。 蝎尾蕉属植物的苞片色彩鲜艳，具有很高的商业价值。 这项研究的结果将可能用于设计旨在保护该物种变异的管理计划。