DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Pollinator-mediated Evolution and Diversification of Andean Solanaceae

威斯康星大学麦迪逊分校的David Baum博士和Stacey Smith女士获得了一笔赠款，用于研究栖息地转变和授粉系统在洋芋亚科花形和颜色多样化中的作用。具体地说，这项研究将检验这样一种假设，即过渡到高海拔环境与转向蜂鸟授粉和多彩管状花的进化相关。Iochrominae分布在广泛的海拔范围内，它们表现出极大的花形态和授粉系统，使它们成为研究这一假说的理想类群。这项研究将分为三个部分：重现花色亚科的进化史、传粉的野外研究和花的色素形成的生化分析。这些成分结合在一起，将有可能评估海拔转换与授粉系统和花卉进化的变化之间的关联程度。考虑到地形变化和动植物共同进化被认为是新热带植物区系多样性的原因，Iochrominae可能是许多新热带开花植物谱系中发生的适应性辐射和多样化过程的一个案例。此外，该项目将促进北美和拉丁美洲植物机构之间的合作，努力记录和了解安第斯山脉的植物多样性及其产生的过程。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. David Baum and Ms. Stacey Smith at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to investigate the role of habitat transitions and pollination systems in the diversification of flower form and color in Iochrominae, a group of 27 Andean species in the potato family, Solanaceae. Specifically, the research will examine the hypothesis that transitions to high-elevation environments are correlated with shifts to hummingbird pollination and the evolution of colorful, tubular flowers. Iochrominae occur at wide range of elevations, and they display a great diversity of floral morphologies and pollination systems, making them an ideal group in which to investigate this hypothesis. The study will be divided into three parts: reconstruction of the evolutionary history of Iochrominae, field studies of pollination, and biochemical analysis of floral pigmentation. Together, these components will make it possible to assess the extent to which elevational transitions are correlated with shifts in pollination systems and floral evolution. Considering that topographical variation combined with plant-animal coevolution are thought to be responsible for the immense floristic diversity of the Neotropics, Iochrominae may serve as a case study of the process of adaptive radiation and diversification that has taken place in multitudes of neotropical lineages of flowering plants. Furthermore, this project will foster collaboration between North American and Latin American botanical institutions in trying to document and understand the floristic diversity of the Andes and the processes that have given rise to it.