DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Speciation patterns in Scaphosepalum (Orchidaceae)

兰花约占热带植物物种丰富度的10%，其多样性是任何其他植物群所无法超越的。Scaphosepalum属于最多样化的新热带兰花群，Pleurothallidinae（约4，000种）。 本研究旨在利用DNA序列数据和形态特征重建舟萼兰的进化历史。其目的是确定生活在同一地区并共享栖息地的物种是否是彼此最近的亲戚或姐妹物种。这些共存的物种可能是由罕见的同域物种形成过程引起的。舟萼木可能是一个理想的群体，以测试同域物种形成的理论，因为它的许多物种在自然种群中一起出现。这项研究将为安第斯山脉的山地和云雾林物种的形成提供有价值的见解，这是一个受到栖息地破坏严重威胁的重要生物多样性地区（一个进化热点）。它也可能揭示了同域物种形成的知之甚少的过程。 这项研究还将加强美国和国际上的国际合作、科学网络和教育。

Orchids represent approximately 10% to the plant species richness of the tropics, a diversity unsurpassed by any other plant group. Scaphosepalum belongs to the most diverse Neotropical orchid group, the Pleurothallidinae (about 4,000 species). This study seeks to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Scaphosepalum orchids by using DNA sequence data and morphological traits. The goal is to determine whether species living in the same area and sharing habitats are each other's closest relatives or sister species. These co-occurring species may have arisen by the rare process of sympatric speciation. Scaphosepalum may be an ideal group in which to test theories of sympatric speciation because many of its species occur together in natural populations. This study will provide valuable insights on the formation of species in the montane and cloud forests of the Andes, an area of significant biodiversity (an evolutionary hotspot) highly threatened by habitat destruction. It may also shed light on the poorly understood process of sympatric speciation. This research will also strengthen international collaborations, scientific networks, and education, both within the US and internationally.