Phylogeography and conservation genetics of the Caribbean Zamia clade

苏铁是一种古老的种子植物，大约在3亿年前进化而来。 由于苏铁的古老、新奇和与恐龙的联系，苏铁长期以来一直吸引着公众。 苏铁最大的属泽米属（Zamia）（通常称为“coontie”或“bay rush”）中的一些物种形成了一个仅限于西印度群岛和佛罗里达的自然群体。 这些种群被认为是由少至一个，多至九个不同物种组成的。拟议的研究旨在同时调查在整个范围内使用微卫星（重复）DNA标记的Zamia加勒比人口的遗传变异模式，以及使用来自核基因组的基因的DNA序列作为单个拷贝或少量拷贝出现的测试物种边界。 同时分析不同的DNA数据集的生物体，居住在？灰色地带？种群和物种之间的关系将提供一个机会来测试遗传学和进化历史的融合。 加勒比群岛是生物多样性的热点，具有全球保护优先权。这些研究将有助于概述加勒比苏铁的保护战略，这些苏铁都是濒危物种。来自美国西班牙裔本科生比例最大的一所大学的六名学生将通过该项目获得研究机会。 该研究汇集了一个多机构的研究团队，具有互补的优势和经过验证的合作历史。

Cycads are ancient seed plants that evolved approximately 300 million years ago. Because of their antiquity, novelty and association with dinosaurs, cycads have long fascinated the general public. Some of the species of the largest genus of cycads, Zamia, (commonly known as "coontie" or "bay rush") form a natural group restricted to the West Indies and Florida. These populations have been treated as comprising as few as one to as many as nine different species. The proposed research seeks to simultaneously investigate patterns of genetic variation in the Caribbean populations of Zamia throughout their range using microsatellite (repetitive) DNA markers, as well as test species boundaries using DNA sequences of genes from the nuclear genome that occur as a single copy or a low number of copies. The simultaneous analyses of different DNA data sets across organisms that inhabit the ?gray zone? between population and species will offer an opportunity to test the convergence of genetics and evolutionary history. The Caribbean Islands form a biodiversity hotspot with global conservation priority. These studies will contribute to outline conservation strategies for Caribbean cycads, which are all endangered species. Six students from a university with the largest proportion of Hispanic undergraduates in the USA will gain research opportunities though this project. The research brings together a multi-institutional research team with complementary strengths and a proven collaborative history.