DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolution and Systematics of Claytonia lanceolata sensu lato (Montiaceae)

多倍化（全基因组复制）是，而且很可能是，在开花植物的多样化。了解多倍体在开花植物中发生的方式和原因可能会对适应和历史环境变化（如冰川作用，火山作用和全球气候变化）的相互作用提供重要的见解。这项研究将提供一个更好的了解在Claytonia lanceolata物种复杂的多样化，这是至关重要的有效保护和管理的栖息地，他们生长。尖端的生物化学和计算技术现在使我们能够更好地估计进化历史，并测试有关物种形成的生态，时间和地理背景的假设。这项研究将增加我们对基因通过种子和花粉传播、物种间基因共享以及染色体数目变异对植物多样化的影响的理解。更好地了解加州的残余高山群落将是一个额外的，重要的贡献。科学交流、公众宣传和指导本科生也是该项目的组成部分。多倍体可能会产生物种复合体，是多样化的基本过程之一，多倍体是地球仪植物群落的重要组成部分。初步研究表明，Claytonia lanceolata种复合体（Montiaceae），目前的限制，是非单系，由许多多倍体谱系居住在北美西部山区的各种独特的空间和生态条件。本项目涉及到C. Lanceolata种复杂和近亲属。该项目调查（1）实地的非生物和生物生境特征，以更好地了解生殖隔离的机制，（2）使用流式细胞术和染色体计数方法研究种群内和种群间的染色体数量，以表征潜在的适应性变异，（三）利用形态测量学研究营养性状的变异，以更好地发展关于选择作用于叶和地下茎解剖学的假设，形态学，和（4）模式的种间基因流在同域种群使用下一代测序（RADseq），以了解物种繁殖隔离的程度。这项研究将导致我们的知识的物种边界及其分布在C。Lanceolata复杂，除了描述几个新的分类群科学。

Polyploidization (whole genome duplication) is, and likely was, instrumental in the diversification of flowering plants. Understanding how and why polyploidy occurs in flowering plants may provide critical insight into the interplay of adaptation and historic environmental changes like glaciation, volcanism, and global climate change. This research will provide an improved understanding of diversification in the Claytonia lanceolata species complex, which is critical for effective conservation and management of the habitats in which they grow. Cutting edge biochemical and computational techniques now allow us to better estimate evolutionary histories, and test hypotheses concerning the ecological, temporal, and geographic context of speciation. This research will increase our understanding of gene dispersal via seeds and pollen, gene sharing among species, and the influence of chromosome number variation on plant diversification. A better understanding of relict alpine communities in California will be an additional, important contribution. Scientific communication, public outreach and mentoring undergraduate students are integral parts of the project as well.Polyploidy, potentially giving rise to species complexes, represents one of the fundamental processes in diversification and polyploids are important elements of plant communities across the globe. Preliminary study indicates that the Claytonia lanceolata species complex (Montiaceae), as currently circumscribed, is non-monophyletic and consists of many polyploid lineages inhabiting a variety of unique spatial and ecological conditions in the mountains of western North America. This project involves research into biogeography, chromosome evolution, niche diversification, and phylogeny of the C. lanceolata species complex and close relatives. The project investigates (1) abiotic and biotic habitat characteristics in the field to better understand mechanisms responsible for reproductive isolation, (2) chromosome number within and among populations using flow cytometry and chromosome counting methods to characterize potentially adaptive variation, (3) variation in vegetative characters using morphometrics to better develop hypotheses concerning selection acting on leaf and subterranean stem anatomy and morphology, and (4) patterns of inter-specific gene flow in sympatric populations using Next Generation Sequencing (RADseq) to understand the extent to which species are reproductively isolated. This research will result in a significant revision of our knowledge of species boundaries and their distributions in the C. lanceolata complex, in addition to the description of several taxa new to science.