Dissertation Research: Systematics and Biogeography of the Neotropical Genus Psiguria (Cucurbitaceae)

Psiguria是黄瓜科的一个新热带葡萄属，分布在中美洲和南美洲之间，包括两个地质复杂的加勒比岛屿特有的物种。这些岛屿有着惊人的生物多样性，但对生物群的分类、进化和地理历史的研究严重缺乏对植物的研究。Psiguria与它的传粉者Heliconius蝴蝶有一种互惠关系，这使它成为研究共同进化的模型系统。已经提出了蝴蝶的进化史，但缺乏植物的进化史。本研究将提供Psiguria的系统发育，进而验证共同进化的假设。该研究将为解决生物地理历史问题提供基础，并为生态学家和进化生物学家解决植物与昆虫相互作用的重要问题提供系统发育框架。该研究结果将为锡兰菌的系统学研究提供重要的科学贡献。系统发育框架将为生态学家和进化生物学家提出有关生物网络中众多相关生物的问题提供基础，包括与农业害虫科昆虫物种的相互作用。从研究这些相互作用中获得的知识将增加我们对黄瓜科重要农业成员的相关负相互作用的理解。对本科生的培训和与K-12教育项目的互动将使学生接触到热带美洲的进化和保护研究。

Psiguria is a genus of Neotropical vines in the cucumber family with a distribution between Central and South America, including two species endemic to the geologically complex Caribbean islands. These islands have strikingly high levels of biotic diversity, but studies on the classification, evolution, and geographic history of the biota are seriously deficient in those focusing on plants. Psiguria has a mutualistic association with its pollinators, Heliconius butterflies, making it a model system for investigating co-evolution. An evolutionary history of the butterflies has been proposed, but is lacking for the plants. This study will provide a phylogeny for Psiguria and then test hypotheses of co-evolution. This study will provide a basis for resolving biogeographic history and a phylogenetic framework for ecologists and evolutionary biologists to address important questions about plant-insect interactions.The results will provide important scientific contributions beyond the systematics of Psiguria. The phylogenetic framework will provide a basis for ecologists and evolutionary biologists to ask questions about the multitude of associated organisms in the biological network including interactions with insect species in agricultural pest families. Knowledge gained from studying these interactions will add to our understanding of the related negative insect interactions with agriculturally important members of the cucumber family. Training of undergraduate students and interaction with a K-12 education program will expose students to research on evolution and conservation in tropical America.