Drivers of floral diversification and speciation in Silene
Many Silene species display clear suites of traits that adhere to traditional pollination syndromes, and yet many do not. I am interested in exploring the roles of pollinators as well as the environment in driving floral evolution in Silene with genomic, transcriptomic, molecular genetics, phylogenetics, and field observations.
In particular, I will focus on:
- The genetic mechanisms of floral color, floral scent, and floral morphology across the clade.
- Understanding the role of polyploidization in Silene floral evolution. Floral color is more diverse across the North American clade, where species are mostly polyploid but also fall under the range of hummingbirds. What, then, are the relative contributions of polyploidy and pollinator shifts in the diversification of the clade?
- Whether pollinators or environmental adaptation are the main drivers of speciation in Silene.
