DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolutionary genetics of physiological variation in Ipomopsis aggregata: identifying QTL and measuring ecological selection in different environments

植物在光合作用过程中利用水分的效率是一个关键的生理特性，决定了植物可以在哪里生存以及它们的生长和繁殖情况。这项研究整合了遗传学和生态学方法，以了解Ipomopsis aggregata（一种原产于美国的野花）的水分利用和相关生理性状的演变。该项目将调查1）控制用水和相关生理性状的基因数量; 2）在不同水资源可用性的环境中自然选择的模式; 3）环境如何塑造影响用水性状的种群差异。来自大型田间试验的基因型和生理性状数据将用于性状的遗传作图和选择的测量。为了评估群体遗传变异，将从I.聚集体该项目将阐明植物重要生理性状的遗传基础，并展示这些性状的差异如何演变。这项工作还将提供关于植物在不同气候和环境中所经历的压力的数据。因此，研究结果将有助于预测气候变化对植物的影响。此外，该项目将为包括少数民族在内的本科生提供研究机会，并促进不同生物学领域的机构和研究人员之间的合作。

The efficiency with which plants use water during photosynthesis is a critical physiological trait that determines where plants can survive and how well they grow and reproduce. This research integrates genetic and ecological approaches to understand the evolution of water use and related physiological traits in Ipomopsis aggregata, a wildflower native to the United States. This project will investigate 1) the number of genes that control water use and related physiological traits; 2) patterns of natural selection in environments that differ in water availability; and 3) how the environment has shaped differences among populations in traits that affect water use. Genotype and physiological trait data from large field experiments will be used for genetic mapping of traits and measurements of selection. To assess population genetic variation, genotype and climatic data will be collected from natural populations across the range of I. aggregata. This project will elucidate the genetic basis of important physiological traits in plants, and show how differences in these traits may evolve. This work will also provide data on the stresses plants experience in different climates and environments. Therefore, results will be useful for predicting the effects of climate change on plants. Additionally, this project will provide research opportunities for undergraduates including minorities, and stimulate collaborations among institutions and researchers in different fields of biology.