DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Comparative studies in reproductive interference: linking floral adaptations and species divergence

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Character displacement is an evolutionary process whereby two or more species exhibit increased divergence when occurring together. Because the composition of communities varies geographically, a single species may co-occur with a variety of different species across its geographic range; as a consequence, variation in interactions between species can cause selection promoting within-species divergence among populations. The proposed research examines this process in the flowering plant Pedicularis cranolopha, which exhibits substantial within-species floral variation. Genomic markers will be used to trace population genetic histories to test how floral variation among populations relates to community similarity and whether it affects gene flow among populations. By examining the evolution of reproductive isolation in a community context, this research will improve our understanding of how species interactions affect rates of evolution and speciation.This study will be conducted in the Hengduan Mountains in China, a biodiversity hotspot that is poorly studied with little known about processes generating or maintaining diversity. By working with Chinese scientists this work will promote future international collaborations. In addition, it will provide educational outreach through training of young scientists both in field and laboratory skills. Results will be disseminated to the general public (including K-12 students) through outreach portals available at the Field Museum of Natural History.