Comparative Phylogeography of 12 Widespread Tropical Rainforest Tree Species

12 种广泛分布的热带雨林树种的比较系统发育地理学

• 批准号: 0640379
• 负责人: Christopher Dick
• 金额: $ 48.95万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-02-01 至 2012-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0640379&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Comparative; Phylogeography; 12; Widespread; Tropical

Tropical rainforests contain the most species-rich plant assemblages on Earth, yet the processes that generate this diversity are poorly understood. The proposed research investigates genetic processes leading to speciation in 12 rainforest tree species found throughout tropical America and, for three species, West Africa. The study is focused on (1) the importance of tropical mountains as barriers to dispersal, (2) effects of regional forest histories on levels of genetic diversity within species, and (3) biotic interchange between Africa and the tropical America. This research will test the contrasting hypotheses that widespread tropical tree species are either genetically cohesive populations or species complexes with high levels of genetic divergence.Tropical forests are under severe pressure from agricultural expansion and climate change. In order to conserve genetic diversity of tropical hardwoods it is essential to understand how genetic diversity is partitioned within and among species. The proposed research highlights the role of geography in shaping the distribution of genetic variation, and it will pinpoint biogeographic centers of genetic variation for important species such as kapok (Ceiba pentandra) and balsa (Ochroma pyramidale). The research involves collaboration with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Latin American and African institutions.

热带雨林是地球上物种最丰富的植物群落，但人们对产生这种多样性的过程知之甚少。这项拟议中的研究调查了导致在整个热带美洲发现的12种雨林树种物种形成的遗传过程，其中3种在西非发现。该研究的重点是（1）热带山脉作为扩散障碍的重要性，（2）区域森林历史对物种内遗传多样性水平的影响，以及（3）非洲和热带美洲之间的生物交换。这项研究将检验两种截然不同的假设，即广泛分布的热带树种要么是遗传上有凝聚力的种群，要么是具有高度遗传差异的物种复合体。为了保护热带硬木的遗传多样性，了解遗传多样性是如何在物种内和物种间分配是至关重要的。这项拟议的研究突出了地理在形成遗传变异分布方面的作用，并将为重要物种如木棉（Ceiba pentandra）和轻木（Ochroma pentandale）确定遗传变异的地理中心。这项研究涉及与史密森热带研究所以及拉丁美洲和非洲机构的合作。