Abstract Detail

Hybrids and Hybridization

Pretz, Chelsea [1], Smith, Stacey  [1].

Hybridization and gene flow among tomatillo (Physalis) species in the Southwestern Region of North America.

Determining the factors that shape gene flow between crops and their wild relatives is central to understanding crop diversity and evolution. This study focuses on the genus Physalis, which has two species that have been domesticated, along with several cultivated species. Most of these species grow in sympatry with close relatives, but the extent of the niche overlap has not been studied. This study characterizes the niches of five species (domesticated P. philadephica (tomatillo), cultivated P. virginiana, and P. heterophylla (groundcherries), and wild P. crassifolia, and P. acutifolia) and estimates the level of niche differentiation between them. Our hypothesis is that domesticated and cultivated species will have broader ranges and greater niche overlap with other taxa due to introductions by humans. The occurrence points for the five taxa were aggregated from SEINet, and the environmental data was retrieved from BioClim and Soils. Three methods were used to explore the different environmental niches and their overlap: Maxent, Schoener’s D and I metrics, and PCA with environmental data. The results of these tests show that the domesticated P. philadelphica has higher niche overlap with the wild species than the two cultivated taxa, consistent with our hypothesis. Although all species show a niche differentiation, many overlap geographically. This may lead to fine scale allopatry between species which could reduce the possibility of hybrids, but other factors (pollination behavior, flowering phenology, genetic compatibility, and even human influence) might affect the gene flow between species. Understanding the environmental niches of these species lays a framework for exploring more about species isolation and gene flow.

1 - University of Colorado - Boulder, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 1900 Pleasant St, Boulder, CO, 80302, USA

Keywords:
Physalis
pollination
hybridization 
mechanisms of gene flow.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Hybrids and Hybrization
Location: Exhibit Hall/Omni Hotel
Date: Monday, June 26th, 2017
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 5:30 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PHH001
Abstract ID:481
Candidate for Awards:Genetics Section Poster Award