Plant Evolutionary Biology

ISBN-13: 9789401070362 / Angielski / Miękka / 2011 / 414 str.

L. Gottlieb

Opis

There are still heroes in science. They are recognized because the issues and problems they chose to study became the issues and problems of a major field of research. They are also recognized because their insights and solutions are the ones that are tested and evaluated when new ideas and technologies become available. In the field of plant evolutionary biology, the hero is George Ledyard Stebbins. His first scientific publi- cation appeared in 1929 and has been followed by nearly 60 magnificent years of seminal ideas, proofs, and proposals that defined much of what was worth doing in plant biosystematics, evolution and biological conser- vation. His energy, enthusiasm and good humor (widely shared at many congresses and symposia in the 'Singalongs with Stebbins') made him a wonderful teacher for both undergraduates and graduate students. He is the mentor of several generations of botanists, plant geneticists and evo- lutionists. A brief biography and publication list were included in Topics in Plant Population Biology, edited by Otto T. Solbrig, Subodh Jain, George Johnson and Peter Raven (Columbia University Press, 1979) which resulted from a symposium held on the occasion of Ledyard Stebbins' 70th birthday. In this volume, population biology and physio- logical ecology received major attention particularly in relation to plant form and function.

Spis treści

1 An overview of evolutionary biology.- 1 Essays in comparative evolution. The need for evolutionary comparisons.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 The biological universals that govern evolution.- 1.3 The most significant kinds of comparisons.- 1.4 Summary and conclusions.- 1.5 References.- 2 Molecular evolution and species phylogeny.- 2 Evolution and variation in plant chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Tempos and modes of organelle evolution.- 2.3 Intraspecific diversity of organelle genomes.- 2.4 Mechanics and quantitative theory for sequence diversityand evolution in organelles.- 2.5 Acknowledgements.- 2.6 References.- 3 Organization and evolution of sequences in the plant nuclear genome.- 3.1 DNA content in plants.- 3.2 Sequence organization in the nucleus.- 3.3 Mechanisms of repeated DNA evolution.- 3.4 Coding sequences.- 3.5 Gene families.- 3.6 Concluding remarks.- 3.7 References.- 4 Onagraceae as a model of plant evolution.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Relationships with other families.- 4.3 Age and distinctiveness of Onagraceae.- 4.4 Patterns of relationship in Onagraceae.- 4.5 Geographical distributions and history.- 4.6 Reproductive biology.- 4.7 Chromosomal evolution.- 4.8 Patterns of evolution in Onagraceae.- 4.9 References.- 5 Phylogenetic aspects of the evolution of self-pollination.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Phylogenetic reconstruction in Arenaria.- 5.3 Phylogenetic studies in other groups.- 5.4 General considerations.- 5.5 Conclusion.- 5.6 Acknowledgements.- 5.7 References.- 6 Evolution of mating systems in cultivated plants.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Intensified inbreeding in naturally self-pollinated species.- 6.3 Switch from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility.- 6.4 Changes in monoecious species.- 6.5 Conversion of selfing species to allogamy.- 6.6 Other crop groups.- 6.7 Rates of change.- 6.8 Conclusions.- 6.9 References.- Editors’ commentary on Part 2.- 3 Development and evolution.- 7 Ontogeny and phylogeny: phytohormones as indicators of labile changes.- 7.1 The problem: could ontogeny constrain the evolution of form?.- 7.2 Phytohormone changes as convenient models.- 7.3 Discussion: generalizations concerning the evolution of form.- 7.4 The need for the study of comparative morphogenesis.- 7.5 References.- Editors’ commentary on Part 3.- 4 Adaptation: two perspectives.- 8 Biophysical limitations on plant form and evolution.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Basic requirements.- 8.3 Long-term trends in plant evolution.- 8.4 Adaptation and Ganong’s principle.- 8.5 References.- 9 Evolution and adaptation in Encelia (Asteraceae).- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Adaptation to environment.- 9.3 Encelia: a model system for the study of adaptation.- 9.4 Evolution of adaptations within the genus.- 9.5 References.- Editors’ commentary on Part 4.- 5 Genetics and ecology of populations.- 10 Natural selection of flower color polymorphisms in morning glory populations.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 The evolution of the mating modifier genes.- 10.3 Operational definition of a population.- 10.4 Mating system estimation.- 10.5 Conclusions.- 10.6 Acknowledgements.- 10.7 References.- 11 Genetic variation and environmental variation: expectations and experiments.- 11.1 Introduction.- 11.2 A straw-man.- 11.3 Towards word-models.- 11.4 The concept of the environment.- 11.5 Away from word-models.- 11.6 An experiment.- 11.7 Integration.- 11.8 Acknowledgements.- 11.9 References.- 12 Local differentiation and the breeding structure of plant populations.- 12.1 Introduction.- 12.2 Breeding structure of populations.- 12.3 Random differentiation in continuous populations.- 12.4 Random differentiation in discontinuous populations.- 12.5 Inferences about migration rates from genetic structure.- 12.6 Gene flow and selective differentiation.- 12.7 The spread of advantageous genes.- 12.8 Conclusions.- 12.9 References.- Editors’ commentary on Part 5.- 6 Life histories in a community context.- 13 Vegetational mosaics, plant—animal interactions and resources for plant growth.- 13.1 Introduction.- 13.2 Lesser snow geese and the effects of foraging on the vegetation of salt marshes and freshwater marshes.- 13.3 The herbivore optimization model and the net primary production of vegetation.- 13.4 Population differentiation of Puccinellia phryganodes.- 13.5 Resource availability, patch dynamics and community structure.- 13.6 Comparisons with other ecosystems.- 13.7 Conclusions.- 13.8 Acknowledgements.- 13.9 References.- 14 The C-S-R model of primary plant strategies — origins, implications and tests.- 14.1 Introduction.- 14.2 Data collection.- 14.3 The initial hypothesis.- 14.4 The concept of strategies.- 14.5 Ruderals.- 14.6 Competitors.- 14.7 Stress tolerators.- 14.8 Implications for community dynamics.- 14.9 Tests and refinements of the C-S-R model.- 14.10 Acknowledgements.- 14.11 References.- Editors’ commentary on Part 6.- Epilogue.