Dissertation Research: Evolution and Ecological Change in the Domestication Process: Insights from the Incipiently Domesticated Fruit Tree, Byrsonima crassifolia (Malpighiaceae)

农业的兴起和随之而来的动植物驯化是人类历史和进化的关键一步，使人口定居和文明崛起成为可能。驯化会导致栽培植物随着时间的推移而发生形态、遗传和生态上的变化，并日益成为理解进化过程的模型。在驯化导致依赖人类生存之前，很少有数据记录物种在驯化早期的遗传和生态变化过程。白刺果是一种生长在拉丁美洲热带稀树草原和干燥森林中的野生果树，在其产区的部分地区也有很长的栽培历史。这项拟议的研究将以这种刚开始驯化的物种为模型，以实现三个目标：1)测试伴随植物驯化的早期遗传变化的预测；2)调查早期驯化期间生态分布的变化；以及3)确定三种景观类型中生境变化对生殖和种群遗传的影响。这项拟议的研究将整合遗传数据和生态建模，以检验植物栽培和景观变化对人类的双重影响所产生的假说。它将增加我们对驯化过程的一般理解，并将表明土地利用模式如何影响不同的粮食作物。这个项目有三个更广泛的影响领域。首先，它将加强美国和拉丁美洲之间的国际合作和科学交流。其次，将对本科生进行辅导。最后，通过当地一个研究生组织，该项目将为未被充分代表的高中生提供在课堂外体验科学研究的机会。

The rise of agriculture and ensuing domestication of plants and animals was a pivotal step in human history and evolution, permitting population settlement and the rise of civilizations. Domestication causes morphological, genetic, and ecological changes in cultivated plants over time, and is increasingly becoming a model for understanding evolutionary processes. Few data exist documenting the process of genetic and ecological change in species early in domestication, before domestication has resulted in dependency on humans for survival. Byrsonima crassifolia is a fruit tree that grows wild in savannas and dry forests of Latin America, and also has a long history of cultivation in some parts of its range. The proposed research will use this incipiently domesticated species as a model to achieve three objectives: 1) test predictions of early genetic changes accompanying plant domestication; 2) investigate changes in ecological distribution during early domestication; and 3) identify reproductive and population genetic implications of habitat change in three landscape types. The proposed research will integrate genetic data and ecological modeling to test hypotheses deriving from the dual human impacts of plant cultivation and landscape change. It will increase our general understanding of the processes of domestication, and will indicate how patterns of land use can influence diverse food crops. This project has three areas of broader impacts. First it will increase international collaboration and scientific exchange between the United States and Latin America. Second, undergraduate students will be mentored. Finally, through a local graduate-student run organization, this project will provide the opportunity for under-represented high school students to experience scientific research outside the classroom.