Adaptive radiation on La Réunion: case study in Carex

Pablo de Olavide University
Spain
BiologyEcology
$39
Raised of $1,100 Goal
4%
Ended on 4/07/17
Campaign Ended
  • $39
    pledged
  • 4%
    funded
  • Finished
    on 4/07/17

About This Project

In order to elucidate patterns of adaptive radiation in some species of Carex (Cyperaceae) that inhabit La Réunion island, we need to study some individuals of different populations of these species by several approaches (cytological, molecular and ecological) that will help us understand how this adaptive radiation happened.

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What is the context of this research?

In 2009, Dr. Modesto Luceño traveled to Réunion island in order to investigate the species of the Cyperaceae plant family. Back in the laboratory, that research led him to recognize signs of an interesting speciation process due to adaptive radiation, an event that usually occurs in oceanic islands. In these kind of islands, originated by volcanic activity, the fauna and flora have to colonize the different habitats, which produce a really fast speciation in the organisms that arrive in these lands. An event like this have attracted the attention of scientist such as Darwin or Humboldt.

What is the significance of this project?

We intent to find interesting information about how and when did the adaptive radiation happened in these species, and we are going to seek for molecular, cytological and ecological patterns. DNA analyses (i.e. SSRs) will be carried out with enough resolution to let us separate populations of both species in all of their distribution range, as well as hybrid pops. Cytogenetics will be usefull to understand how the species hybridize, how meiosis works and, finally, it will allow us to elucidate possible changes at this level (variation in chromosome number or structure). Also, we expect to record differences in habitats by georeferencing all the populations and comparing the environmental conditions in where they inhabit.

What are the goals of the project?

We are going to travel to La Réunion in order to do an exhaustive field research, counting how many individuals correspond to which species, how many are hybrids and, finally, test the hypothesis by making some lab work! Due to the incompleteness material collected years ago, this trip is crucial to elucidate this unique evolutionary pattern in a model taxon such as Carex. The only thing left we need is your help!

  • Count the individuals of these species and georreference their populations
  • Collect and identify Carex species and hybrids
  • Karyotyping those Carex individuals
  • DNA sequencing to establish the phylogenetics relationships
  • Test the linking among bioclimatic factors and evolutionary history of the species
  • Publish this new case of adaptive radiation

Budget

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Due to this project has not receive any funding from the state and a minimum of two students are required to help in the process of collection, taxonomy identification, genetics studies, etc., we define a minimum amount of money in order to make a ten-days-trip possible for these students without grant. This will cover only partially the flight tickets because we would like to reach the goal. Other fees and costs such as field or lab material, accommodation, diet... are not included in this count, so the rest is on us. With your help we are going to get the best out of this trip!

If we reach the goal, any excess of money will go to the pay of other materials and costs relative to this project, so we would appreciate if you make an extra effort to helping us!

Endorsed by

José Ignacio has been an excellent PhD student in my lab during the last two years. He has been working on evolution and systematic of genus Carex since then. Currently, he studies the rapid speciation process using different approaches: ecology, cytogenetics, genetics and genomics

Meet the Team

José I. Márquez
José I. Márquez
PhD

Affiliates

Pablo de Olavide University
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Team Bio

We are a group from the Pablo de Olavide University (Spain) focused on plant systematics, specialized on sedges (Cyperaceae). Researches on this field have been conducted by this group from diverse disciplines, but now an unique opportunity is open ahead of us. With your help we could prove a new case of adaptive radiation, an amazing process of speciation that occurs in oceanic islands, by carrying local studies on the cytological pattern show in species on the tropical Réunion island

José I. Márquez

PhD in Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, specialized in the evolution of holocentric chromosomes, with a special focus on the Cyperaceae (sedges) family and the Carex. I'm also interested in bryophytes, systematics, phylogenetics, and biogeography.

Additional Information

Carex boryana
Carex borbonicaPiton de la Fournaise
Cilaos cirque

Project Backers

  • 4Backers
  • 4%Funded
  • $39Total Donations
  • $9.75Average Donation
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