2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Pollinator-mediated plant diversification: integrating pattern and process
| Project/Area Number |
24770018
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Research Field |
Ecology/Environment
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
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| Keywords | コミカンソウ属 / ハナホソガ属 / 絶対送粉共生系 / 異所的種分化 / 生殖隔離 / 多様化 / ニューカレドニア |
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| Research Abstract |
I analyzed the role of pollinators in the diversification process of plants, using Phyllanthaceae plants and Epicephala moth pollinators that are engaged in an obligate mutualism as model. Focusing on the radiation of New Caledonian Phyllanthus, I find that the geographic distribution of plants and moths do not correspond with each other, indicating that pollinators are not the direct cause of speciation in plants. For the four Glochidion species that co-occur on Amami-Oshima Island, the major reproductive isolation barrier is the specificity of Epicephala pollinators, suggesting that species-specific pollinators allow more species to co-occur in a single location. Based on these findings, I propose that the role of pollinators in promoting plant diversification is not to promote speciation itself but to increase the carrying capacity by allowing more species to co-occur in a single location.
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Research Products
(18 results)
