Developmental Morphology, Biogeography, and Systematics of the Fringed Gentians (Gentianopsis, Gentianaceae)

摘要：龙胆属(龙胆、龙胆科)的发育形态、生物地理学和系统学研究。其他物种是整个北美受到威胁的湿地栖息地的指示器，包括西部山区的潮湿草甸、草原沼泽和阿巴拉契亚湿地社区。然而，人们对龙胆物种的进化史知之甚少，目前关于它们的生态和生活方式的科学文献也被证明是不准确的。这项研究将包括在北美进行广泛的田野调查，对许多龙胆种群进行采样以获取DNA数据，以重建这些物种的系统发育(进化史)。这一框架将允许对龙胆属新物种的形成、结构、生长和繁殖的进化变化速率以及与过去气候变化相关的地理分布变化的一系列进化过程进行分析。这组植物提供了一个理想的研究系统，用于研究植物进化的许多方面的相互关系。这一对进化生物学知识库的基本贡献可能是该项目最重要的成果。这项工作的结论还将确定物种的数量和限制，影响稀有龙胆物种的管理，并澄清从这些植物的分布中可以得出什么推论作为湿地指示器。

Abstract: Developmental morphology, biogeography, and systematics of the fringed gentians (Gentianopsis, Gentianaceae).PI: Barbara A. WhitlockOne species of fringed gentian (Gentianopsis thermalis) is the official plant of Yellowstone National Park. Other species are indicators of threatened wetland habitats throughout North America including wet meadows of western mountains, prairie fens, and Appalachian wetland communities. However, little is known about the evolutionary history of Gentianopsis species, and the current scientific literature about their ecology and way of life has been proved inaccurate. This study will include extensive fieldwork in North America, sampling many Gentianopsis populations for DNA data to reconstruct the phylogeny (evolutionary history) of these species. This framework will allow a series of analyses of evolutionary processes in Gentianopsis on the formation of new species, rates of evolutionary change in structure, growth and reproduction, and changes in geographic distribution correlated with past climate change.This group of plants provides an ideal study system in which to examine the interrelationships of many aspects of plant evolution. This fundamental contribution to the knowledge base of evolutionary biology may be the most significant outcome of the project. Conclusions of this work will also establish the number and limits of species, influence the management of rare Gentianopsis species, and clarify what inferences can be drawn from the distribution of these plants when used as wetland indicators.