Collaborative Research: Architectural Effects and the Analysis of Sexual Size Dimorphism

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In 1888, Charles Darwin published "The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species". Darwin described many plant species in which morphologically distinct flowers were born on the same individual or on different individuals within populations, and speculated about how such floral dimorphisms evolved. Since Darwin's time, additional hypotheses have been proposed and explored, the majority of which focus on the contrasting reproductive functions of the different floral types. This research addresses a new hypothesis, that divergence in flower form can be due to differences in the timing of development and to the position of flowers within the three-dimensional structure of the organism. This research contributes to the nascent field of evolutionary developmental biology by incorporating unique aspects of plant development into evolutionary hypotheses. In addition, this project will integrate research with teaching, training and learning. Students at different stages of their education (graduate and undergraduate) from two institutions that differ dramatically in learning environment (Amherst College, a small liberal arts college and University of Colorado, a large research I institution) will participate in this collaborative project. Each student will receive training in morphological and comparative evolutionary analyses and will have the opportunity to work with diverse taxa. Undergraduates will also have the opportunity to spend one summer at the alternate institution and to work with both PIs.