Evolutionary strategies and phenotypic plasticity in the stellaria longipes complex (caryophyllaceae)

我一直对多倍体的起源和进化感兴趣。我的研究主要集中在狼毒复合体(石竹科)。是一种多倍体植物，本质上是北美的一个分类单元。它广泛分布在大陆上，但也延伸到欧亚大陆的部分地区，在那里达到了绕极分布。它生长在各种栖息地，极具可塑性，是一种非常成功的殖民者。我试图理解这个物种的进化策略。我们自1979年以来的工作指出了促成其成功的物种生物学的两个重要方面。A)多倍体、兼性异交和种间基因流动造成的遗传变异。B)由于环境引起的基因类型的生理和形态表达的变化而形成的表型可塑性。我的实验室目前参与了1)物种起源和多样性的持续研究，以及2)了解该物种表型可塑性的遗传机制和适应意义。生物学家需要从表型变异向下研究遗传和环境变异的生理效应的想法现在得到了很好的认可。我的研究项目本质上是种群生物学、生态生理学、分子生物学和生物系统学之间的“协作”互动。这些学科的融合是我对这种分布广泛、极其可塑性和非常成功的草本多年生植物物种进化的一种有希望的努力。

I have been interested in the origin and evolution of polyploids. My research has largely focused on the Stellaria longipes complex (Caryophyllaceae). S. longipes is a polyploid and essentially a North American taxon. It is widely distributed on the continent, but also extends into parts of Eurasia, there by attaining a circumpolar distribution. It grows in a variety of habitats, is extremely plastic and a highly successful colonizer. I am attempting to understand the evolutionary strategies of this species. Our work since 1979 points out two important aspects of the biology of the species which contributed towards its success. A) Genetic variability due to polyploidy, facultative outbreeding and interspecific gene flow. B) Development of phenotypic plasticity due to environmentally induced changes in the physiology and morphological expression of the genotypes. My laboratory is currently involved in the continued studies of 1) origin and diversification of the species, and 2) understanding the genetic mechanisms and the adaptive significance of phenotypic plasticity in this species. The idea that biologists need to work downward from phenotypic variation to the physiological effects of genetic and environmental variation is now well recognized. My research program is essentially a 'collaborative' interaction between population biology, ecophysiology, molecular biology and biosystematics. Blending among these disciplines has been a promising endeavor to my understanding of the evolution of this widely distributed extremely plastic and highly successful herbaceous perennial plant species.