Evolutionary history of Colobanthus quitensis and its associated micro-organisms

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The main goals of this proposal are to assess the evolutionary history of Colobanthus quitensis in Antarctica and southern South America by evaluating: (i) how its genetic diversity is distributed within and among populations, (ii) how historical processes have influenced the contemporary distribution of C. quitensis across its southern range of distribution, and (iii) whether geographical patterns of genetic variation are consistent with the diversity of microflora and their symbiotic effects. These predictions will be tested using experimental approaches as well as population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. This research proposal will shed fundamental new light on the evolutionary history of the flora between South America and the Antarctica.