Patterns and mechanisms of trait diversity in wild nightshades
Leonie Moyle
Faculty Mentor
Leonie Moyle (College of Arts & Sciences)
Project Description
The Moyle lab studies evolutionary genetics of speciation and adaptation. By analyzing how characters differ between modern species, and how these species are related to each other, we can infer the history and (often) the evolutionary and genetic causes of change at these traits. One of our model systems is the nightshade genus (Solanum), especially the tomato clade (Solanum sect. Lycopersicum). Domesticated tomato, potato, and eggplant are the most well-known Solanum species, but what you may not know is that there are hundreds of wild nightshades! Nightshades originated in the Neotropics ~15 million years ago, and have since dispersed and diversified across the globe, with wild species on 6 of 7 continents. There is substantial within- and between-species variation in the color, size, and shape of leaves, flowers, and fruits. Our research project will (1) quantify this trait variation and (2) investigate how and why it evolved.
Technology or Computational Component
The student will quantify trait diversity, using publicly available herbarium (scientific collection) records and biodiversity databases (e.g., iNaturalist, GBIF) as well as field data collected by the Moyle lab. They will then conduct statistical analyses on sample data, using the programming language ‘R’. There is a possibility for analyses of DNA sequence data to characterize traits’ genetic bases and evolutionary histories.