新疆北部砾质荒漠翅果类物种鞑靼大黄果翅功能多样性及其进化适应意义

植物表型性状的适应性进化是植物进化生物学研究的前沿领域，对于阐释植物的进化适应机制具有重要的理论价值。本项目将围绕“极端环境中植物表型性状的适应性进化”这一研究领域，基于新疆北部砾质荒漠夏季干热多风而冬季严寒等极端环境背景，针对该类荒漠中翅果类物种丰富且翅果类型多样的现象，以具典型棱翅果的优势物种鞑靼大黄为研究材料，采用野外监测与野外/室内控制实验相结合的方法，通过研究果翅对种子传播与定居、萌发及防御的影响等内容，以期明确果翅在种子风媒、水媒和动物传播以及定居中的作用，解析果翅对种子吸水/失水及萌发的影响，阐明果翅在减轻种子被植食及被高/低温损伤中的功能，揭示该物种果翅功能多样性及其对砾质荒漠环境的适应对策。该研究不仅可为诠释砾质荒漠翅果类物种果翅功能多样性及其趋同适应策略积累重要理论资料，还可为揭示荒漠植物对极端环境的适应策略、并为荒漠植被的保育提供重要理论支撑。

The evolutionary adaptation of plant phenotype characters is one of the frontier research fields of plant evolutionary biology, which has important theoretical value for elucidating the evolutionary adaptation mechanism of plants. Based on the phenomena which has the abundant plant species with samara and their diversity of samara types in gravel desert of northern Xinjiang, This project will focus on the hotspot scientific topic of "ecological adaptation of plant phenotype characters under the extreme environments condition", take Rheum tataricum as the study material, which is the dominant species with typical rib-winged samara, and utilize the methods of combining field observations and outdoor/indoor control experiments based on the extreme environmental background of high temperature, drought and frequently windy in summer and low temperature in winter in this kind of desert. Our aim is to clarify the role of fruit wings in seed dispersal by wind, water and animal and settlement, analyze the effect of fruit wings on water absorption/dehydration and germination of seed, and determine the function of fruit wings in alleviating seed damaged by insects and high/low temperature in summer and winter. More specifically, the function diversity of fruit wing of this species and its adaptation to gravel desert environment will be revealed. This project will not only provide important materials for interpreting the functional diversity and convergence adaptation strategies of species with samara in gravel desert, but also provide important theoretical foundation for revealing the adaptation strategies of desert plants to extreme environments and for conservation of desert vegetation.