MORPH
An NSF Research Coordination Network
Dissertation Title:
The Evolution of Plant Architecture in Neotropical Piper
Ph.D. Expected: 2012
Major Advisor: Dr. Alejandra Jaramillo
Research Interests:
The study of plant architecture aims to understand the morphological expression of equilibrium between endogenous growth processes and exogenous constraints exerted by the environment, and offers a unique opportunity for integrating ecological, evolutionary and genetic aspects of plant growth. I currently work on Piper, one of the five most species rich angiosperm genera in the neotropics and a dominant component of the understory flora in low land tropical forests. One remarkable attribute of the genus is the high variation in growth forms that develop under different ecological conditions. Ontogenetic changes during the construction of different plant architectures can be triggered by many ecological conditions such as light intensity, carbon allocation, soil type, humidity and phenology. Diversification in Piper might be driven by adaptation to unique niches. In this way variation in architectures could be an adaptive response to different ecological conditions allowing species to exploit different niches to avoid intraspecific competition.
My research goal is to take an integrative approach by incorporating phylogenetic analysis, developmental biology and ecology in order to understand the role of plant architecture in the diversification of neotropical Piper
