Adaptive evolution in plant populations

我的研究探讨了进化是如何在植物种群中迅速发生的。具体来说，我的目标是了解(1)进化过程（杂交，选择）和特性（交配系统，遗传多样性）如何影响植物种群的生态功能（繁殖，灭绝）；(2)调节稀有和入侵植物的遗传多样性，表型进化和人口统计学的生态机制。在接下来的五年里，我将：1)研究植物交配模式和性状进化对气候变化的响应；2)确定杂交种群进化轨迹的可预测性；3)探讨环境分选对基因型多样性的影响。科学方法-利用本地和入侵植物物种，我们将采用定量文献综述，可操作的实地实验和五大湖地区的普通花园相结合的方法。新颖性-据我所知，这将是第一次评估植物杂交率对非生物条件的反应，并且代表了少数涉及开花植物的实验性自然选择项目之一。此外，我们对全球变暖将如何影响杂草的分布和丰度的实地实验的经验证据有限，也没有关于杂草对温度升高的进化反应的潜在信息。最后，关于杂交进化的可预测性的信息是完全缺乏的，但在入侵物种或杂草物种的进化背景下尤为重要。预期意义-拟议的研究在两个主要方面具有创新性：1)它为进化生物学中的广泛问题提供了见解，例如遗传多样性与新环境条件之间的相互作用，适应的限制，以及共同进化的作物和杂草植物群落中进化速率改变的后果；2)杂交在植物进化中的作用，这是一个重要但尚未得到充分研究的进化过程，这将为长期争论的问题提供新的研究。

My research explores how evolution can occur rapidly in plant populations. Specifically, I aim to understand (1) how evolutionary processes (hybridization, selection) and properties (mating systems, genetic diversity) affect the ecological function of plant populations (reproduction, extinction) and (2) the ecological mechanisms regulating genetic diversity, phenotypic evolution, and demography in rare and invasive plants. Over the next five years, I will: 1) examine responses of plant mating patterns and trait evolution to variation in climate; 2) determine the predictability of evolutionary trajectories of hybrid populations; and 3) explore the effects of environmental sorting on genotypic diversity.Scientific Approach - Using native and invasive plant species, we will use a combination of quantitative literature reviews, manipulative field experiments and common gardens in the Great Lakes region. Novelty - To my knowledge, this will be the first assessment of the response of plant hybridization rates toabiotic conditions, and represents one of the few experimental natural selection programs involving flowering plants. Further, we have limited empirical evidence from field experiments on how global warming will impact the distribution and abundance of weeds and no information on the potential for weed evolutionary responses to elevated temperatures. Finally, information regarding the predictability of hybrid evolution is entirely lacking but especially important in the context of the evolution of invasive or weedy species.Expected Significance - The proposed research is innovative in two primary respects: 1) it offers insights into broad questions in evolutionary biology such as the interaction between genetic diversity and novel environmental conditions, limits to adaptation, and the consequences of altered rates of evolution in coevolved communities of crops and weedy plants; and 2) it will initiate new research in the long standing debate regarding the role of hybridization in plant evolution, an important but understudied evolutionary process.