Speciation and reproductive system evolution in the antillean plant genus gesneria

自达尔文以来，开花植物惊人的花卉多样性的起源和维持一直是一个令进化生物学家着迷的话题。植物和动物传粉者之间的相互作用是开花植物花多样性的一个重要驱动因素。该研究提出了非洲紫罗兰科（苦苣苔科）植物苦苣苔属生殖系统的平行进化。在菊属植物中，从蜂鸟授粉的植物（典型特征是红色管状花和夜间花蜜生产）到蝙蝠授粉的植物（白色或绿色的花和夜间花蜜生产）经历了多次进化转变。利用定量遗传学工具，通过对与这些转变典型相关的生态学（栖息地、气候、地理范围和种群规模）的调查，我们将研究这些花卉转变背后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媒介转变的遗传基础和它们进化的生态环境的理解。它还将提高我们对这种转变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.