Collaborative Research: The Roles of Polyploidy and Apomixis in Shaping the Diversity and Distribution of Cheilanthoid Ferns

多倍体(染色体组在细胞核内的倍增)和无融合生殖(不受精的胚胎产生)在许多活的生物体中都会遇到。它们在杂交种(小麦、棉花、柑橘等)繁殖中的作用但它们对遗传多样性和地理分布的影响在很大程度上还没有被探索。多倍体和无融合生殖在唇状蕨类植物中特别普遍，这类蕨类植物由500个物种组成，适应大多数其他蕨类植物所避免的季节性干燥的生境，显然它们有助于这些物种在这些气候挑战的环境中繁荣发展。利用遗传学(DNA、蛋白质和染色体)和形态分析相结合的方法，该项目将探索多倍体和无融合生殖、遗传多样性和在边缘栖息地定居的能力之间的这种明显联系。这项研究将研究多倍体和无融合生殖如何有助于旱生植物的进化成功，促进适用于陆地植物的假说的发展。在全球气候变化和日益干旱的情况下，这些研究可能被证明是至关重要的。其他目标包括开发在线身份识别指南、创建供高中教师使用的教学模块、系统学方面的研究生和研究生培训以及与实地工作东道国的学生和专业人员进行接触。

Polyploidy (the multiplication of chromosome sets within a nucleus) and apomixis (the production of embryos without fertilization) are encountered in many living organisms. Their roles in the propagation of hybrids (in wheat, cotton, citrus, etc.) are well documented, but their effects on genetic diversity and geographic distribution are largely unexplored. Polyploidy and apomixis are especially prevalent in cheilanthoid ferns, a group of 500+ species adapted to seasonally dry habitats avoided by most other ferns, and they clearly have contributed to the ability of these species to prosper in these climatically-challenged environments. Using a combination of genetic (DNA, protein, and chromosome) and morphological analyses, this project will explore this apparent connection between polyploidy and apomixis, genetic diversity, and the ability to colonize marginal habitats. This study will examine how polyploidy and apomixis have contributed to the evolutionary success of xeric-adapted plants, facilitating the development of hypotheses applicable to land plants in general. Such studies may prove critical in the face of global climate change and increasing aridity. Additional goals include development of an online identification guide, creation of teaching modules for use by high school teachers, graduate and postgraduate training in systematics, and outreach to students and professionals in countries hosting field work.