Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Phylogeny Of Triticeae (Poaceae) Based On Three Organelle Genes, Two Single-Copy Nuclear Genes, And Morphology, Ole Seberg, Gitte Petersen

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Triticeae are renowned for their complicated taxonomy, but their phylogeny is equally intricate and perplexing, and remains largely unresolved. Based on morphology and nucleotide sequences from two plastid genes (rbcL, rpoA), one mitochondrial gene (coxII), and two single-copy nuclear genes (DMC1, EF-G), the most comprehensive hypothesis (both with respect to taxa and data points) of the phylogeny of diploid Triticeae to date is presented. The incongruence length difference tests clearly indicate that the four logical data partitions (morphology and the three genome compartments) are mutually incongruent, except the mitochondrial and nuclear sequences. …

Preliminary Isozyme Evidence On The Hybrid Origin And Diploid Progenitors Of Bromus Pectinatus (Poaceae), Tatjana Oja

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Isozyme electrophoresis was used to study the origin of Bromus pectinatus (Poaceae, Pooideae). The morphological characteristics of B. pectinatus are intermediate between B. japonicus of sect. Bromus and B. tectorum of sect. Genea. Previous authors have suggested that sects. Bromus and Genea may be linked through B. pectinatus, a species that has been classified in sect. Bromus, though this placement has been questioned. Isozyme data support the allotetraploid nature of B. pectinatus and its position between sects. Bromus and Genea. Several heterozymes are consistent with the view that B. pectinatus may have arisen through polyploidization of …

Eragrostis (Poaceae): Monophyly And Infrageneric Classification, Amanda L. Ingram, Jeff J. Doyle

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Eragrostis is a large genus in subfamily Chloridoideae of Poaceae. Recent phylogenetic analyses have suggested that the genus may not be monophyletic, that some of its segregate genera may be better placed within Eragrostis, and that current infrageneric classifications may not represent monophyletic groups. We have used molecular sequence data from the plastid locus rps16 and the nuclear gene waxy from a broad sample of Eragrostis species and representatives of six of the seven segregate genera to address these issues. We found that Eragrostis is monophyletic with the inclusion of several of the segregates, including Acamptoclados, Diandrochloa …

Phylogeny Of The Grasses (Poaceae) Revisited, Melvin R. Duvall, Jerrold I Davis, Lynn G. Clark, Jeffrey D. Noll, Douglas H. Goldman, J. Gabriel Sánchez-Ken

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The most robust previously published phylogeny for the overall structure of the grass family (Poaceae) shows three early diverging lineages and two major derived clades, the BEP clade and the PACCAD clade (Grass Phylogeny Working Group 2001). A few key taxa were incompletely sampled, however, and support for the BEP clade was moderate at best and relationships among the major lineages within the PACCAD clade remained unresolved. In addition, recent studies indicated that the sister group to Poaceae may be Joinvilleaceae and/or Ecdeiocoleaceae, the latter of which were not previously sampled. In this study, missing structural data were determined and …

Phylogeny And Biogeography Of Endemic Festuca (Poaceae) From New Zealand Based On Nuclear (Its) And Chloroplast (Trnl–Trnf) Nucleotide Sequences, Kelvin M. Lloyd, Angela M. Hunter, David A. Orlovich, Suzanne J. Draffin, Alan V. Stewart, William G. Lee

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the endemic New Zealand (NZ) species of Festuca (Poaceae, Pooideae) by assessing sequence variation from the nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a chloroplast intergenic spacer (trnL–trnF) and by measuring DNA content using flow cytometry. The ITS and trnL–trnF data sets were congruent in showing that the NZ species of Festuca have two origins. One group, containing F. coxii, F. luciarum, F. multinodis, and F. ultramafica, is closely related to Festuca sect. Aulaxyper. The other group includes a clade of five endemic …

Relationships Among Some Populations Of Anthoxanthum Alpinum And A. Odoratum (Poaceae, Pooideae): A Morphological/Anatomical Approach, Manuel Pimentel, Elvira Sahuquillo

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The genus Anthoxanthum s.l. (including Hierochloë) (Poaceae, Pooideae, Aveneae) comprises 35–50 species and has a cosmopolitan distribution. Anthoxanthum alpinum was described as a diploid perennial that is distributed in northern Eurasia and in the high mountains of central and eastern Europe. Difficulties in finding reliable morphological differences between this taxon and the widespread tetraploid A. odoratum have resulted in taxonomists treating them as conspecific, despite the cytological differentiation. The purpose of this study was to provide information that may help clarify the relationships between these taxa. Macromorphologial, micromorphological, and anatomical data were gathered and analyzed for 14 populations representing …

Systematics Of Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae)—Evidence From Molecular And Anatomical Studies, Ralf Horres, Katharina Schulte, Kurt Weising, Georg Zizka

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

A reconstruction of the phylogeny of Bromeliaceae based on sequence data from three noncoding chloroplast DNA markers (trnL intron, trnT–trnL, and trnT–trnF intergenic spacer [IGS]) is presented, including 26 genera and 33 species. Relationships of Bromelioideae and phylogeny within this subfamily were analyzed in more detail on the basis of two of these markers (trnL intron and trnL–trnF IGS) using a set of 37 genera/74 species of Bromeliaceae, including 28 genera/60 species of Bromelioideae. Sister group relationships of Bromelioideae were not resolved with sufficient reliability, but the …

Phylogeny Of Abildgaardieae (Cyperaceae) Inferred From Its And Trnl–F Data, Kioumars Ghamkhar, Adam D. Marchant, Karen L. Wilson, Jeremy J. Bruhl

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Within the tribe Abildgaardieae, the relationships between Fimbristylis and its relatives have not been certain, and the limits of Fimbristylis have been unclear, with Bulbostylis and Abildgaardia variously combined with it and each other. The relationships and limits of tribes Abildgaardieae and Arthrostylideae and their genera were evaluated across 49 representative species using parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of ITS (nuclear ribosomal) and trnL–F (plastid) DNA sequence data separately and combined. The evolutionary reconstructions derived from sequences of cpDNA and nrDNA disagree about the position of tribe Arthrostylideae relative to Abildgaardieae; Arthrostylis and Actinoschoenus are either nested within Abildgaardieae …

Phylogeny And Historical Ecology Of Rhodocoma (Restionaceae) From The Cape Floristic Region, Christopher R. Hardy, H. Peter Linder

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

A macroevolutionary analysis of macroecological relationships in Rhodocoma revealed a complex history of rapid ecological divergence, as well as genetic isolation via shifts in flowering times. The rate and extent of divergence observed among even the youngest of species pairs indicated that the selective forces driving these processes are strong enough to effect substantial amounts of ecological change in relatively short periods of time, and are potentially important factors promoting the origin and persistence of species diversity not only in Rhodocoma, but also the African Restionaceae as a whole. These results also suggest that the rate and extent of …

Large Trees, Supertrees, And Diversification Of The Grass Family, Trevor R. Hodkinson, Nicolas Salamin, Mark W. Chase, Yanis Bouchenak-Khelladi, Stephen A. Renvoize, Vincent Savolainen

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Phylogenetic studies of grasses (Poaceae) are advanced in comparison with most other angiosperm families. However, few studies have attempted to build large phylogenetic trees of the family and use these for evaluating patterns of diversification or other macroevolutionary hypotheses. Two contrasting approaches can be used to generate large trees: supermatrix analyses and supertrees. In this paper, we evaluated the suitability of each of these methods for the study of patterns and processes of evolution in the grasses. We collected data from DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank to determine sequence availability and asked how far we are from a complete generic-level phylogenetic tree of the …

Allopolyploids Of The Genus Elymus (Triticeae, Poaceae): A Phylogenetic Perspective, Roberta J. Mason-Gamer

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The wheat tribe, Triticeae, includes many genomically distinct polyploid taxa. Elymus is an entirely allopolyploid genus, with all species containing the St genome of Pseudoroegneria. The St genome may be combined with one or more distinct genomes representing multiple, diverse diploid donors from throughout the tribe. This study includes a simultaneous phylogenetic analysis of new and previously published data from several distinct Elymus groups, including North American and Eurasian StStHH tetraploids, in which the H genome is derived from Hordeum, Eurasian StStYY tetraploids, in which the Y genome is derived from an unknown donor, and a putative StStStStHH …

Molecular Phylogenetics Of Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae) Based On Chloroplast And Nuclear Dna Sequence Data, Jeffery M. Saarela, Paul M. Peterson, Ryan M. Keane, Jacques Cayouette, Sean W. Graham

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We conducted a phylogenetic analysis to characterize relationships among Bromus and test the monophyly of five of the seven morphologically distinct groups within Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae) that have been treated as sections, subgenera, or genera. We sequenced the chloroplast trnL (UAA) intron, the 3'-end of the chloroplast ndhF gene, and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region for 46 species that represent a large proportion of the morphological and geographical diversity in the genus. Independent analyses of plastid and nuclear ribosomal data identified several lineages in Bromus, but there is some evidence of …

Dicliny In Bouteloua (Poaceae: Chloridoideae): Implications For The Evolution Of Dioecy, Michael S. Kinney, J. Travis Columbus, Elizabeth A. Friar

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The New World grass genus Bouteloua (Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae) comprises 57 species, 13 of which produce unisexual spikelets and hence are diclinous. Andromonoecy, gynodioecy, monoecy, trimonoecy, and dioecy all occur in the genus, and ten species are known to express more than one of these breeding systems. Employing a phylogenetic estimate based on parsimony analysis of DNA sequences from the ITS (nrDNA) and trnL–F (cpDNA) regions representing 35 species of Bouteloua, including ten of 13 diclinous species, we used parsimony character state reconstructions to investigate the evolution of unisexual spikelets and breeding systems. Our specific goals were to estimate …

Phylogeny, Adaptive Radiation, And Historical Biogeography Of Bromeliaceae Inferred From Ndhf Sequence Data, Thomas J. Givnish, Kendra C. Millam, Paul E. Berry, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Cladistic analysis of ndhF sequences identifies eight major bromeliad clades arranged in ladderlike fashion. The traditional subfamilies Tillandsioideae and Bromelioideae are monophyletic, but Pitcairnioideae are paraphyletic, requiring the description of four new subfamilies, recircumscription of Pitcairnioideae and Navioideae, the sinking of Ayensua, and description of the new genus Sequencia. Brocchinioideae are basalmost, followed by Lindmanioideae, both restricted to the Guayana Shield. Next is an unresolved trichotomy involving Hechtioideae from Central America, Tillandsioideae, and the remaining bromeliads in subfamilies Navioideae, Pitcairnioideae, Puyoideae, and Bromelioideae. Bromeliads arose as C₃ terrestrial plants on moist infertile sites in …

Towards A Comprehensive Survey Of C3 And C4 Photosynthetic Pathways In Cyperaceae, Jeremy J. Bruhl, Karen L. Wilson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Members of the family Cyperaceae were surveyed by original observation and from the literature to assess the distribution of C₃ and C₄ photosynthetic pathways in the family. All 107 genera were included in the current sample, with 91 genera assessed as consistently C₃ and 11 genera as C₄. The genera Abildgaardia, Cyperus, Eleocharis, Fimbristylis, and Rhynchospora are variable for this trait. Of the total number (1474) of specific (1406) and infraspecific (68) taxa sampled, 938 taxa (63%) are C₃, 527 taxa (36%) are C₄, and nine species …

A Preliminary Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Grass Subfamily Pooideae (Poaceae), With Attention To Structural Features Of The Plastid And Nuclear Genomes, Including An Intron Loss In Gbssi, Jerrold I Davis, Robert J. Soreng

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Phylogenetic relationships in the grass family (Poaceae), with specific attention to the internal structure of subfamily Pooideae, are analyzed on the basis of nucleotide sequence variation in plastid-encoded genes (matK, ndhF, ndhH, and rbcL). The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis was examined with attention to the taxonomic distributions of two inversions and an insertion/deletion within ndhF, the absence of intron 10 of the nuclear gene GBSSI (waxy), and positions of the boundaries between the Short Single Copy (SSC) region and the neighboring Inverted Repeat (IR) regions of the plastid genome, relative to the endpoints of ndh …

Phylogenetic Relationships Among The One-Flowered, Determinate Genera Of Bambuseae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), Lynn G. Clark, Soejatmi Dransfield, Jimmy Triplett, J. Gabriel Sánchez-Ken

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Bambuseae (woody bamboos), one of two tribes recognized within Bambusoideae (true bamboos), comprise over 90% of the diversity of the subfamily, yet monophyly of the tribe is generally only moderately supported, and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe are poorly understood. In addition, there appears to be some level of conflict between morphological and molecular data within the tribe. We conducted a parsimony analysis of 43 species of Bambuseae, three of Olyreae (herbaceous bamboos), and two outgroup taxa using morphological and plastid rpl16 intron sequence data to (1) further test the monophyly of Bambuseae, (2) test the monophyly of Chusqueinae …

Phylogenetics Of Chloridoideae (Gramineae): A Preliminary Study Based On Nuclear Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer And Chloroplast Trnl–F Sequences, J. Travis Columbus, Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa, Michael S. Kinney, Maria Elena Siqueiros-Delgado, Hester L. Bell, M. Patrick Griffith, Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogeny of Chloridoideae (Gramineae) was inferred from parsimony analyses of DNA sequences from two genomes—the chloroplast trnL intron, trnL 3' exon, and trnL–F intergenic spacer, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2). Eighty species representing 66 chloridoid genera were sampled, including all but four of the native New World genera. Analyses of the individual and combined data sets were performed. The phylogenies were found to be highly congruent. Of the four tribes and seven subtribes of Chloridoideae sensu Clayton and Renvoize (1986) whose phylogenetic status could be tested with our …

Distribution Patterns Of Great Basin Conifers: Implications Of Extinction And Immigration, David A. Charlet

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Factors influencing the distribution of scattered montane conifers on mountaintops in the Great Basin of North America were investigated. The sources of data were collections and observations on more than 300 mountain ranges in the region. All mountains in the region with at least one montane conifer species and all adjacent source areas were included in the data set. In all, 164 montane island sites and 40 mainland sites were used in the analyses. Physical data for each site were compiled and regression analyses were conducted to test the predictions of three island biogeography models: immigration, extinction, and equilibrium. These …

Reassessment Of Yucca Brevifolia And Recognition Of Y. Jaegeriana As A Distinct Species, Lee W. Lenz

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

A brief historical account of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia, Agavaceae) is presented. The geographical distribution, morphological and pollinator differences between subsp. brevifolia and subsp. jaegeriana are examined and the latter is raised to specific rank. The fossil Protoyucca and its possible relationship to the Joshua trees are considered together with implications as to the possible origin of the genus.

Wood Anatomy Of Crossosomatales: Patterns Of Wood Evolution With Relation To Phylogeny And Ecology, Sherwin Carlquist

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The seven families hypothesized by Sosa and Chase to comprise Crossosomatales possess relatively long vessel elements with scalariform perforation plates and scalariform to opposite vessel-ray pitting; tracheids; diffuse axial parenchyma; and heterogeneous rays. These and other primitive character states do not indicate relationships, but they do not offer any evidence against the idea that Crossosomatales are a natural order. Departures from the primitive character states are related to ecological adaptations. Crossosomataceae have simple perforation plates (scalariform briefly at the beginning of the secondary xylem), a feature correlated with the seasonal aridity of habitats occupied by the family, the sole family …

A Brief Nomenclatural Review Of Genera And Tribes In Theaceae, Linda M. Prince

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The angiosperm family Theaceae has been investigated extensively with a rich publication record of anatomical, cytological, paleontological, and palynological data analyses and interpretation. Recent developmental and molecular data sets and the application of cladistic analytical methods support dramatic changes in circumscription at the familial, tribal, and generic levels. Growing interest in the family outside the taxonomic and systematic fields warrants a brief review of the recent nomenclatural history (mainly 20th century), some of the classification systems currently in use, and an explanation of which data support various classification schemes. An abridged bibliography with critical nomenclatural references is provided.

An Ecologically-Significant Range Extension For Hahn's Short-Tailed Fruit Bat (Carolllia Subrufa) In Southwestern Costa Rica, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Keith Christenson

WM Keck Science Faculty Papers

A range extension for Hahn's short-tailed fruit bat, Carollia subrufa, is reported which extends the distribution of the species from the Pacific Dry Forest into the Pacific Moist Forest ecoregion. This raises the possibility that the species may be more widely distributed in Costa Rica than currently supposed, adding almost 30,000 km² of potential range.

Spatial And Temporal Expression Of Vegetation And Atmospheric Variability From Stable Carbon And Nitrogen Isotope Analysis Of Bat Guano In The Southern United States, Christopher M. Wurster, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Michael I. Bird

WM Keck Science Faculty Papers

Stable isotopes of faeces contain information related to the animals feeding ecology. The use of stable isotope values from subfossil faeces as a palaeoenvironmental indicator depends on how faithfully the animal records their local environment. Here we present insectivorous bat guano δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values from a precipitation gradient across the southern United States and northern Mexico to compare with local vegetation and climate. We find δ¹³C values to be an excellent predictor of expected C₄/CAM vegetation, indicating that the bats are non-selective in their diet. Moreover, we find bat guano δ …

Review Of Analysis Of Phylogenetics And Evolution With R By Emmanuel Paradis, Daniel M. Stoebel

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

This is a book review.

Behavioural Plasticity In An Ecological Generalist: Microhabitat Use By Western Fence Lizards, Dee A. Asbury, Stephen C. Adolph

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Question: What is the basis for geographic variation in microhabitat use in fence lizards?

Hypothesis: Population differences in microhabitat use reflect behavioural plasticity rather than genetic or experiential differences.

Organisms: Western fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis).

Field site: Three sites (desert, valley, and mountain) in southern California, USA.

Methods: We compared habitat use by free-ranging lizards in three field populations. We also collected lizards from these three populations and studied their microhabitat use in experimental enclosures at a single field site.

Results: In the wild, lizards chose higher and shadier perches at the hottest (desert) site, lower and sunnier perches at …

Review Of Jewish Tradition And The Challenge Of Darwinism, Geoffery Cantor And Marc Swetlitz, Eds., Daniel M. Stoebel

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

This is a book review.

An Optimal Brain Can Be Composed Of Conflicting Agents, Adi Livnat, Nicholas Pippenger

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Many behaviors have been attributed to internal conflict within the animal and human mind. However, internal conflict has not been reconciled with evolutionary principles, in that it appears maladaptive relative to a seamless decision-making process. We study this problem through a mathematical analysis of decision-making structures. We find that, under natural physiological limitations, an optimal decision-making system can involve “selfish” agents that are in conflict with one another, even though the system is designed for a single purpose. It follows that conflict can emerge within a collective even when natural selection acts on the level of the collective only.

Trying To Fix The Development In Evolutionary Developmental Psychology, David S. Moore

Pitzer Faculty Publications and Research

If we agree for a moment that there is such a thing as human nature, we immediately encounter an extraordinarily thorny question: Where does our nature come from? This question drives David Bjorklund and Anthony Pellegrini’s new book The Origins of Human Nature: Evolutionary Developmental Psychology. The question is so challenging, in part, because human nature reflects at least two conceptually distinct processes: evolution and development. The former, which operates across generations, allows the continued existence of characteristics that permitted survival and reproduction in our ancestors; the latter, which operates during a person’s lifetime, contributes to the appearance of …

Size Doesn't Matter: Microbial Selection Experiments Address Ecological Phenomena, Michael Feldgarden, Daniel M. Stoebel, Dustin Brisson, Daniel E. Dykhuizen

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Experimental evolution is relevant to ecology because it can connect physiology, and in particular metabolism, to questions in ecology. The investigation of the linkage between the environment and the evolution of metabolism is tractable because these experiments manipulate a very simple environment to produce predictable evolutionary outcomes. In doing so, microbial selection experiments can examine the causal elements of natural selection: how specific traits in varying environments will yield different fitnesses. Here, we review the methodology of microbial evolution experiments and address three issues that are relevant to ecologists: genotype-by-environment interactions, ecological diversification due to specialization, and negative frequency-dependent selection. …