DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Quantifying genetic and ecological variation to delimit species in Hawaiian Pritchardia (Palmae)

物种划分对进化生物学的许多方面都是必不可少的，包括系统学、保育和生态学。这项研究项目的目标是用分子和生态数据测试夏威夷Pritchardia植物的物种划分，并解释Pritchardia的殖民历史和随后的扩张，Pritchardia是夏威夷物种最丰富的属之一。棕榈科植物Pritchardia(Palmae)是一种特殊的研究系统，因为它具有经济重要性、高度的地方性、濒危物种的数量和许多鲜为人知的物种复合体。这也是美国本土物种保护的优先事项。物种范围和栖息地的数据将添加到夏威夷州植物灭绝预防计划中的物种基线信息中。这项研究的结果将为保护工作提供关键数据，并将公布并报告给稀有植物保护和管理团体以及国土资源部。Pritchardia是夏威夷第七大植物属，这项研究将进一步评估正在进行的比较研究，包括濒危模式、物种形成和殖民。这项研究也将作为Pritchardia种的合作分类学修订的基础。

Species delimitations are essential to many aspects of evolutionary biology, including systematics, conservation, and ecology. The goals of this research project are to test species delimitations in Hawaiian Pritchardia plants with molecular and ecological data, and to interpret the history of colonization and subsequent expansion of Pritchardia, one of the most species-rich plant genera in Hawaii. Pritchardia (Palmae) is an exceptional study system because of its economic importance, high endemism, number of endangered species, and numerous poorly understood species complexes. It is also a conservation priority for native species in the United States. Data from species ranges and habitats will add to baseline information on species that are included in the Plant Extinction Prevention Program of the State of Hawaii. Results from this study will provide critical data for conservation efforts and will be published and reported to rare plant conservation and management groups and the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Pritchardia is the seventh largest plant genus in Hawaii and this study will provide further evaluation of ongoing comparative studies including patterns of endangerment, speciation, and colonization. This research will also serve as a basis for a collaborative taxonomic revision of Pritchardia species.