Dissertation Research: Evolution and Ecological Change in the Domestication Process: Insights from the Incipiently Domesticated Fruit Tree, Byrsonima crassifolia (Malpighiaceae)

论文研究：驯化过程中的进化和生态变化：来自早期驯化果树 Byrsonima crassifolia（金虎尾科）的见解

• 批准号: 1011269
• 负责人: Barbara Schaal
• 金额: $ 1.5万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-06-01 至 2012-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1011269&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dissertation; Research; Evolution; Ecological; Change

The rise of agriculture and ensuing domestication of plants and animals was a pivotal step in human history and evolution, permitting population settlement and the rise of civilizations. Domestication causes morphological, genetic, and ecological changes in cultivated plants over time, and is increasingly becoming a model for understanding evolutionary processes. Few data exist documenting the process of genetic and ecological change in species early in domestication, before domestication has resulted in dependency on humans for survival. Byrsonima crassifolia is a fruit tree that grows wild in savannas and dry forests of Latin America, and also has a long history of cultivation in some parts of its range. The proposed research will use this incipiently domesticated species as a model to achieve three objectives: 1) test predictions of early genetic changes accompanying plant domestication; 2) investigate changes in ecological distribution during early domestication; and 3) identify reproductive and population genetic implications of habitat change in three landscape types. The proposed research will integrate genetic data and ecological modeling to test hypotheses deriving from the dual human impacts of plant cultivation and landscape change. It will increase our general understanding of the processes of domestication, and will indicate how patterns of land use can influence diverse food crops. This project has three areas of broader impacts. First it will increase international collaboration and scientific exchange between the United States and Latin America. Second, undergraduate students will be mentored. Finally, through a local graduate-student run organization, this project will provide the opportunity for under-represented high school students to experience scientific research outside the classroom.

农业的兴起和随之而来的动植物驯化是人类历史和进化的关键一步，使人口定居和文明的兴起成为可能。随着时间的推移，驯化导致栽培植物的形态，遗传和生态变化，并日益成为理解进化过程的模型。 在驯化导致依赖人类生存之前，很少有数据记录物种在驯化早期的遗传和生态变化过程。 厚叶柏树（Byrsonima crassifolia）是一种野生果树，生长在拉丁美洲的热带稀树草原和干燥森林中，在其分布范围的某些地区也有悠久的种植历史。 该研究将以这种早期驯化的物种为模型，实现三个目标：1）测试伴随植物驯化的早期遗传变化的预测; 2）调查早期驯化过程中生态分布的变化; 3）确定三种景观类型中栖息地变化的生殖和种群遗传影响。 拟议的研究将整合遗传数据和生态建模，以测试来自植物种植和景观变化的双重人类影响的假设。 它将增加我们对驯化过程的一般理解，并将表明土地使用模式如何影响各种粮食作物。该项目有三个影响更广泛的领域。首先，它将增加美国和拉丁美洲之间的国际合作和科学交流。第二，本科生将得到指导。最后，通过一个当地的研究生组织，该项目将为代表性不足的高中生提供机会，体验课堂外的科学研究。