CRB: Collaborative Research: Evolutionary Genetics of Adaptive Radiation in Tetramolopium

保护生物学的一个主要问题是测量 遗传多样性（遗传多样性程度） 特别是在稀有和濒危物种 涉案 这是因为遗传多样性被认为是 维持健康人群和 确定进化潜力（例如 新物种的进化）的自然种群。 拟 岛屿植物物种通过适应性进化 辐射（从一个多样化的栖息地到各种各样的栖息地） 单介绍）可以提供分析的模型系统 稀有植物遗传多样性的数量和结构 梗概. 向日葵科的四酚鸦片属植物 提供了一个独特的机会来分析遗传多样性， 稀有物种。 该属只出现在海洋岛屿， 太平洋，在新几内亚， 夏威夷和库克群岛。 11种夏威夷物种中的10种 被认为是稀有濒危物种 根据现有证据 新几内亚是Tetramolopia的起源地， 后来分散到其他太平洋岛屿。 研究的两个具体目标是：1。评估 最初引入的遗传多样性的数量 夏威夷，并将此值与目前发现的值进行比较 夏威夷物种 这将通过比较遗传 新几内亚物种的多样性与夏威夷物种的多样性 两种独立的分子技术。 2.确定有多少 基因参与了适应性辐射的过程， 夏威夷物种，并估计总基因的比例 这些基因所代表的群体。 这将是第一个 非驯化植物物种的基因数量 控制确定和映射的形态差异。 的 这项研究的结果将提供详细的信息， 将是宝贵的管理受到威胁， 濒危植物物种

A major concern of Conservation Biology is the measurement and preservation of genetic diversity (degree of genetic variation) particularly where rare and endangered species are involved. This is so because genetic diversity is recognized as being necessary for maintenance of healthy populations and for determining the evolutionary potential (such as the potential for new species to evolve) of natural populations. It is proposed that island plant species that have evolved through adaptive radiation (diversification into a variety of habitats from a single introduction) can provide the model systems for analysis of the amount and structure of genetic diversity for rare plants in general. The genus Tetramolopium in the Sunflower family presents a unique opportunity to analyze genetic diversity in rare species. The genus occurs only on oceanic islands in the Pacific Ocean and has an unusual distribution among New Guinea, Hawaii, and the Cook Islands. Ten of the eleven Hawaiian species are considered rare and endangered. Based on available evidence New Guinea is the source area where Tetramolopium evolved and was later dispersed to the other Pacific islands. The two specific goals of the research are: 1. To assess the initial amount of genetic diversity that was introduced into Hawaii and compare this value to those found in the present Hawaiian species. This will be accomplished by comparing genetic diversity in New Guinea species to those in Hawaii through use of two independent molecular techniques. 2. To determine how many genes are involved in the process of adaptive radiation in Hawaiian species and estimate the proportion of the total gene pool represented by these genes. This will be one of the first non-domesticated plant species to have the number of genes controlling morphological differences determined and mapped. The results of this research will provide detailed information that will be invaluable for the management of threatened and endangered plant species.