Dissertation Research: Ecology and Evolution of Aquatic Sphagna: Functional Morphology, Physiology and Phylogeny

大的边界层和二氧化物的缓慢扩散速率， 水分会限制植物的生长和光合作用， 水生和饱和植物。尽管调查人员试图 来描述促进碳的生理机制， 在水中的吸收，很少有工作集中在形态的作用 在减少水生栖息地的边界层阻力。物种 在苔藓属泥炭藓表现出形态变异， 初步研究表明，与沿着 水梯度因此，属可以用作模型系统， 研究形态学、边界层 特性和生理生态学。此外，由于属是 在分类学上研究得很好的进化论可以发展和现代化 比较生物学的方法，用于测试假设， 适应 本研究的主要目的如下：1） 确定形态学和栖息地之间的相关程度， 泥炭藓; 2）测量植物沿着的边界层传导率 水分梯度及其与形态的关系; 3)来证明边界层传导的差异 导致非水生泥炭藓在淹没条件下碳限制 CO2水平;以及4）测试功能特性是否 从一个构建的进化史中使用历史证据的适应。

Large boundary layers and slow diffusion rates of dioxide in water can lead to limitations in growth and photosynthesis of aquatic and saturated plants. Although investigators have sought to characterize the physiological mechanisms that facilitate carbon uptake in water, little work has focused on the role of morphology in reducing boundary layer resistances in aquatic habitats. Species in the moss genus Sphagnum exhibit morphological variation that preliminary studies indicate is correlated with position along the water gradient. Thus, the genus can be used as a model system to investigate the relationship among morphology, boundary layer properties and physiological ecology. Also, because the genus is taxonomically well studied phylogeny can be developed and modern methods of comparative biology used to test hypotheses of adaptation. The major goals of this proposed study are as follows: 1) to determine the extent that morphology and habitat are correlated in Sphagnum; 2) to measure boundary layer conductance for plants along the water gradient and describe its relationships to morphology; 3) to demonstrate that differences in boundary layer conductance lead to carbon limitations for non-aquatic Sphagnum at submerged CO2 levels; and 4) to test whether functional characters are adaptations using historical evidence from a constructed phylogeny.