Speciation and reproductive system evolution in the antillean plant genus gesneria

显花植物惊人的花多样性的起源和维持是一个自达尔文以来就吸引了进化生物学家的话题。显花植物花多样性的一个重要驱动力是植物和动物传粉者之间的相互作用。这项研究提出了非洲紫罗兰科（苦苣苔科）苦苣苔属植物生殖系统的平行进化。在Gesneria中，有多个进化过渡，从蜂鸟授粉的植物（典型特征是红色管状花和昼夜花蜜生产）到蝙蝠授粉的植物（具有白色或绿色花和夜间花蜜生产）。使用定量遗传工具，并通过调查生态（栖息地，气候，地理范围和人口规模），通常与这些过渡，我们将研究这些花的过渡的遗传基础和生态环境。 我们还将研究这些转变对物种形成和灭绝率的影响。这项研究将有助于增加对传粉者转变的遗传基础和它们进化的生态环境的理解。它还将增进我们对这种过渡对全球生物多样性问题的影响的理解。

The origin and maintenance of the phenomenal floral diversity of flowering plants is a topic that has fascinated evolutionary biologists since Darwin. An important driver of floral diversity in flowering plants is the interaction between plants and animal pollinators. The research proposed addresses parallel evolution of the reproductive system in the plant genus Gesneria, a genus in the African violet family (Gesneriaceae). In Gesneria, there have been multiple evolutionary transitions from hummingbird-pollinated plants (typically characterised by red tubular flowers and diurnal nectar production) to bat-pollinated plants (with white or green flowers and nocturnal nectar production). Using quantitative genetic tools and through investigation of the ecology (habitat, climate, geographical ranges, and population sizes) that are typically associated with these transitions, we will study the genetic bases and ecological circumstances underlying these flower transitions. We will also study the impact of these transitions on speciation and extinction rates. This research will help increase understanding of the genetic bases of pollinator transitions and the ecological circumstances under which they evolve. It will also improve our understanding of the impact of such transitions on global biodiversity issues.