Assessing phylogeny and biogeography in a megadiverse tropical plant family (Melastomataceae)

公主花是植物中最大的科之一，形成了许多热带生物多样性热点的普遍组成部分。它们是蜜蜂以及鸟类和哺乳动物等种子传播者的主要食物来源，并在受干扰森林的再生中发挥关键的演替作用。通过在目标区域的野外工作，分子系统发育技术和扫描电子显微镜相结合，研究人员的目标是改进Mendiataceae的分类，开发易于识别其主要类群的方法，（属和部落），追踪科中的诊断特征是如何进化的，测试热带生态系统中授粉系统是如何进化的，评估古代气候变化的模型，这项研究将加强与外国同事和机构的合作，建设热带发展中国家的能力，并帮助培训下一代科学家。研究人员将指导高中生，本科生和研究生进行项目相关研究，并领导一个关于木麻黄科生物学的研讨会。研究结果将通过印刷或网络期刊传播给其他科学家，并通过网站和加州科学院和纽约植物园的展览向公众提供。

Princess flowers (Melastomataceae) are one of the largest families of plants, forming prevalent components of many tropical biodiversity hotspots. They serve as a major food source for bees and seed dispersers such as birds and mammals, and play a critical successional role in the regeneration of disturbed forests. Through a combination of field work in targeted regions, molecular phylogenetic techniques, and scanning electron microscopy, the investigators aim to improve the classification of Melastomataceae, develop means to easily identify its major groupings (genera and tribes), track how diagnostic characters in the family have evolved, test ideas on how pollination systems have evolved in tropical ecosystems, evaluate models of ancient climate change, and provide new data to inform and direct conservation priorities.This research will strengthen collaborations with foreign colleagues and institutions, build capacity in tropical developing countries, and help train the next generation of scientists. The researchers will mentor high school, undergraduate, and graduate students in project-related research and lead a workshop on the biology of Melastomataceae. Results will be disseminated to other scientists through print or web-based journals and made available to the general public through websites and exhibits at the California Academy of Sciences and the New York Botanical Garden.