DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Speciation patterns in Scaphosepalum (Orchidaceae)

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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.