Systematics of Maxillariinae(ORCHIDACEAE): Generic Delimitation, Pollinator Rewards, and Pollination

0234064Williams和Whitten该项目的目的是收集、研究和分类大颚兰属，这是最大但知之甚少的兰花属之一。 新种经常在热带地区被发现，目前描述的物种总数超过650种。 兰花是植物中最华丽和物种最丰富的家族之一，但研究得很少。 随着热带森林以越来越快的速度被破坏，我们需要回答的最基本的问题是：1）有多少物种存在？ 2)它们生长在哪里？ 3)它们彼此之间以及与其他植物之间有什么关系？ 小颚虫属物种通常是新热带区附生植被中的大的、显著的和数量上重要的组成部分，但物种难以识别。 小颚虫及其近缘种的分类已经混乱了世纪之久，目前的分类方法几乎没有稳定的希望，除非这些修订是基于现代DNA和形态学的进化假说。 在这个项目中，佛罗里达大学的研究人员将与墨西哥和中南美洲的合作者协调上颌虫的研究。 核和质体基因的DNA测序将被用来获取新的数据，以分类和估计在这个大属的系统发育关系。 标本图像，识别码，出版物和在线数据库将被制作，以帮助植物学家和公众识别这些兰花。 小颚花的传粉者和花的奖励物（花蜜、油、树脂等）的类型和组成。也将被研究。 通过将这些授粉数据绘制到进化“树”上，人们可以深入了解传粉者如何影响该属和其他植物的物种形成和多样性。该项目将提供关于一个主要热带植物群体的生物多样性的基本信息。 这些信息对于更广泛的生物多样性研究至关重要，例如区域清单（植物区系），选择高度多样性的保护优先领域，以及记录物种灭绝率。 标本、照片和DNA样本将被存档，并将作为可能在不久的将来灭绝的兰花物种的记录。 该补助金将培养现代植物系统学的博士生。 由于兰花是美丽和有魅力的“海报儿童”植物，关于其多样性和生物学的信息可用于提高公众对保护热带生态系统的认识和支持。 来自巴西和厄瓜多尔的女研究生以及来自墨西哥和哥斯达黎加的男研究生将扩大来自中美洲和南美洲的科学家的代表性，并将性别、种族和地理多样性纳入这一合作项目。 与墨西哥、厄瓜多尔和巴西科学家的合作将加强与其他团体建立的伙伴关系网络。

0234064Williams and Whitten The purpose of this project is to collect, study, and classify the speciesof Maxillaria, one of the largest and most poorly known orchid genera. Newspecies of Maxillaria are discovered frequently in the tropics, and the total number of currently described species exceeds 650. Orchids are one of the showiest and most species-rich families of plants, yet are very poorly studied. As tropical forests are destroyed at an increasing rate, the most basic questions we need to answer are 1) How many species exist? 2) Where do they grow? 3) How are they related to each other and to other plants? Maxillaria species are often large, conspicuous, and numerically important components of the epiphytic vegetation in the Neotropics, but species are difficult to identify. The classification of Maxillaria and its relatives has been chaotic for more than a century, and current taxonomic treatments offer little hope of stability unless the revisions are based on modern DNA- and morphology-based phylogenies (hypotheses of evolution). In this project, researchers at the University of Florida will coordinate studies of Maxillaria with collaborators in Mexico and Central and South America. DNA sequencing of nuclear and plastid genes will be used to acquire new data in order to classify and to estimate phylogenetic relationships within this large genus. Specimen images, identification keys, publications, and on-line databases will be produced to help botanists and the public identify these orchids. The pollinators of Maxillaria flowers and the type and composition ofthe floral rewards (nectar, oil, resin, etc.) will also be studied. By plotting these pollination data onto evolutionary "trees", one can gain insight into how pollinators have influenced speciation and diversity within this genus and in other plants. This project will provide basic information on the biodiversity of a major group of tropical plants. This information is fundamental to broaderbiodiversity studies such as regional inventories (floras), choosing areas of high diversity for conservation priorities, and documenting rates of species extinction. Specimens, photographs, and DNA samples will be archived and will serve as a record of orchid species that may become extinct within the near future. This grant will train PhD level students in modern plant systematics. Because orchids are beautiful and charismatic "poster child" plants, information on their diversity and biology can be used to raise public awareness and support for conserving tropical ecosystems. Women graduate students from Brazil and Ecuador and male students from Mexico and Costa Rica will broaden the representation of scientists from Central and South America and bring gender, ethnic and geographical diversity to this collaborative project. Collaboration with Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Brazilian scientists will enhance the network ofpartnerships which have been developed with other groups.