BRC-BIO: The origin and genetic makeup of rare plants: bridging micro- and macroevolution in the California Floristic Province

该项目将研究加州四种稀有植物的起源和遗传，加州以生物多样性高而闻名。在加州，有超过6000种不同的植物，其中大约三分之一是罕见的。通常只在一个县或邻近的几个县发现，稀有物种是那些生活在小区域的物种。因为稀有物种占据的区域很小，任何环境变化对它们的影响都比广泛分布的物种要大。本研究旨在通过对其基因组成、形态和生态学方面的研究，增加我们对珍稀植物的认识。了解珍稀植物是如何进化的以及它们的基因多样性将有助于生物学家管理和保护这些珍稀物种。本研究的重点是加利福尼亚西北部的四种稀有植物。该地区以其独特的植物而闻名，但面临着来自最近的野火和长期干旱的重大挑战。该项目还将为北加州的大学生和研究生提供研究经验，包括那些在科学领域代表性不足的学生。这项研究的结果将提交给当地土著部落以及区域和国家社会。生物多样性热点地区的珍稀植物比例很高：据估计，加州植物区系约有三分之一的植物类群是珍稀植物。最近的证据表明，萌芽的物种形成可能是加州植物区系省稀有物种多样性的主要驱动力。尽管稀有物种在生物多样性热点地区的聚集中具有明显的相对重要性，但测试萌芽物种形成预测的精细进化尺度研究仍然缺失，而且对稀有植物物种的起源和遗传学知之甚少。萌芽物种形成被定义为一个广泛分布的物种（祖先）产生一个狭窄分布的物种（衍生物）的过程，“衍生物”物种在地理上与“祖先”物种相邻或重叠。该项目将研究加州西北部的四种稀有物种（Erysimum menziesii, Lupinus constancei, Silene serpentinicola, Wyethia longicaulis），目的是：1)测试出芽物种形成的系统发育和遗传预测；2)测试“衍生物”与其假定的“祖先”之间的生态差异。该项目将为目标1对每个物种的数百或数千个DNA区域和多个个体进行取样。在目标2中，将比较“衍生”物种与其假定的“祖先”物种之间的营养习性、花的大小、花期、土壤偏好和气候生态位。从这个项目中获得的知识将为稀有植物物种的进化过程提供有价值的输入。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will examine the origin and genetics of four rare plants in California, a state known for having high biological diversity. In California, there are over 6,000 different plant species, and about a third of them are rare. Often found in only a single county or a few adjacent counties, rare species are those that live in small areas. Because rare species occupy small areas, any changes to their environment can affect them more relative to widespread species. By studying their genetic makeup and aspects of their morphology and ecology, this study aims to increase our knowledge about rare plants. Understanding how rare plants evolve and how genetically diverse they are will help biologists to manage and protect these rare species. This study focuses on four rare plants in northwestern California. This area is known for its unique plants but faces important challenges from recent wildfires and prolonged droughts. This project will also provide research experience for college and graduate students in northern California, including for students who are underrepresented in the sciences. The results of the study will be presented to local indigenous tribes and to regional and national societies.Hotspots of biodiversity have a high proportion of rare plants: it is estimated that about a third of plant taxa in the California Floristic Province are rare. Recent evidence has shown that budding speciation could be a primary driver of rare species diversity in the California Floristic Province. Despite the apparent relative importance of rare species in the assemblage of biodiversity hotspots, fine evolutionary scale studies that test the predictions of budding speciation are missing, and little is known about the origin and genetics of rare plant species. Budding speciation is defined as a process in which a widespread species (progenitor) gives rise to a narrowly distributed species (derivative), with the “derivative” species being geographically adjacent or overlapping to the “progenitor” species. This project will study four rare species (Erysimum menziesii, Lupinus constancei, Silene serpentinicola, Wyethia longicaulis) in northwestern California to: 1) test the phylogenetic and genetic predictions of budding speciation, and 2) test for ecological divergence between the “derivative” and its putative “progenitor.” The project will sample hundreds or thousands of DNA regions and multiple individuals per species for aim 1. Vegetative habit, flower size, flowering period, soil preference, and climatic niche will be compared between the “derivative” species and its putative “progenitor” for aim 2. Knowledge gained from this project will provide valuable input in the evolutionary processes governing rare plant species.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.