REVSYS: Systematics of Paleotropical grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae): using phylogenies to resolve generic circumscriptions and explore the evolution of morphological characters

夏威夷大学马诺阿分校获得一个奖项，以研究蕨科植物的进化和多样性，重点是热带亚洲和太平洋岛屿。在古热带地区的森林生态系统中，尤其是在高海拔地区，禾本科蕨类植物是维管附生植物植物群的重要组成部分;然而，由于缺乏明确的属界，进一步的研究受到阻碍。 这项研究将对古热带带蕨科植物进行新的分子和形态学分析，以阐明它们的进化历史。由此产生的关系假说将被用来阐明属的边界，定义属离散形态特征。这项工作还将进行适当的分类修订。关系的假设将被用来探索形态特征的演变，并测试生长习性的变化和形态变化之间的相关性，以及测试与可能的物种形成机制有关的地理学假设。拟议中的研究将广泛有益于社会，因为它将解决分类问题，这是其他研究工作和保护管理的障碍。这项研究将促进对蕨科植物多样性的发现和理解，从而增加我们对维管植物进化的认识。该项目将涉及科学家之间的国际合作，为最近的博士毕业生提供重要的博士后培训，以及为研究生提供博士培训和为本科生提供研究经验。

An award is made to the University of Hawai'i at Manoa to study the evolution and diversity of grammitid ferns, with a focus on tropical Asia and islands of the Pacific. Grammitid ferns comprise a significant component of the vascular epiphyte flora in forested ecosystems in the Paleotropics, especially at higher elevations; however, further research is hindered by the lack of clearly defined generic boundaries. The proposed research will conduct new molecular and morphological analyses of the Paleotropical grammitid ferns to elucidate their evolutionary history. Resulting hypotheses of relationships will be used to elucidate generic boundaries, defining genera by discrete morphological characters. This work will also undertake appropriate taxonomic revisions. Hypotheses of relationships will be used to explore the evolution of morphological characters and to test for correlations between changes in growth habit and changes in morphology across species, as well as to test biogeographical hypotheses that relate to possible mechanisms of speciation. The proposed research will be broadly beneficial to society because it will resolve classification problems that are an impediment to other research efforts and conservation management. The proposed research will advance the discovery and understanding of diversity of grammitid ferns and, thus, add to our knowledge of the evolution of vascular plants. The project will involve international collaboration among scientists, provide critical postdoctoral training to a recent PhD graduate, as well as doctoral training to a graduate student and research experience for undergraduate students.