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Unfurling Fern Biology In The Genomics Age, M. S. Barker, Paul G. Wolf
Unfurling Fern Biology In The Genomics Age, M. S. Barker, Paul G. Wolf
Biology Faculty Publications
Twenty-first century technology is addressing many of the questions posed by 20th-century biology. Although the new approaches, especially those involving genomic data and bioinformatic tools, were first applied to model organisms, they are now stretching across the tree of life. Here, we review some recent revelations in the ferns. We first examine how DNA sequence data have contributed to our understanding of fern phylogeny. We then address evolution of the fern plastid genome, including reports of high levels of RNA editing. Recent studies are also shedding light on the evolution of fern nuclear genomes. Initial analyses of genomic data suggest …
The Contributions Of Evolutionary Divergence And Phenotypic Plasticity To Geographic Variation In The Western Fence Lizard, Sceloporus Occidentalis, Christine R. Buckley, Duncan J. Irschick, Stephen C. Adolph
The Contributions Of Evolutionary Divergence And Phenotypic Plasticity To Geographic Variation In The Western Fence Lizard, Sceloporus Occidentalis, Christine R. Buckley, Duncan J. Irschick, Stephen C. Adolph
Biology Department Faculty Publication Series
Local genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity are two mechanisms that can have marked effects on the morphology, performance, and behaviour of animals, producing geographic variation among populations. However, few studies have examined how these mechanisms interact during ontogeny to shape organismal phenotypes. We incubated eggs of the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, from four populations (representing two latitudes and altitudes) in either a warm or cool environment in the laboratory. We then raised the hatchlings under common laboratory conditions, measured morphological and performance traits until 5 weeks of age, and compared juvenile morphology with that of field-caught adults from …