Dissertation Research: Predicting the Demography & Short- term Evolution of Arabidopsis Thaliana in Response to Increased UV-B Radiation

小行星9412068 从拟议的实验中获得的信息有可能对生态学，进化生物学和农业的基础和应用领域做出重要贡献。 在基础科学方面，研究可能会揭示两个具体领域。 首先，这项研究将首次深入了解自然植物种群对UV-B辐射增加的反应。 这项研究将确定是否基因的UV-B耐受性是固定在自然种群或是否有变异，这将允许更宽容的基因型的演变。 第二，关于拟南芥种群生物学的基本问题将得到解决。 研究人员将确定该群体中基因型的数量和频率，并确定在田间区分这些基因型的表型性状。 这项研究将深入了解这些基因型是如何产生的，以及它们是如何维持的。 这项研究对应用生物学的意义是显而易见的。 两个拟议中的实验将有助于植物的UV-B保护机制的知识。 确定保护植物免受UV-B辐射的性状并了解这些性状的遗传模式是重要的。 一旦了解了这一点，就可以将这一信息纳入常规育种做法，并尽量减少紫外线B损害的潜在影响。

9412068 Paige The information gained from the proposed experiments has the potential to make important contributions to both basic and applied fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, and agriculture. In terms of basic science, research is likely to shed light on two specific areas. First, this research will provide the first insights into the response of natural plant populations to increasing UV-B radiation. The research will determine if genes for UV-B tolerance are fixed within natural populations or if there is variation for this trait that would allow for the evolution of more tolerant genotypes. Second, basic questions concerning the population biology of Arabidopsis will be addressed. The investigators will determine the number and frequencies of the genotypes within this population and identify the phenotypic traits that distinguish these genotypes in the field. The research will provide insight into how these genotypes arise and how are they maintained. The significance of this research to applied biology is clear. Two of the proposed experiments will contribute to knowledge of plant UV-B protective mechanisms. It is important to identify the traits that protect plants from UV-B radiation and to understand the mode of inheritance of these traits. Once this is known, this information can be incorporated into conventional breeding practices and minimize the potential impacts of UV-B damage.