Guazuma is a representative of the Theobromeae tribe within the family Malvaceae. There are three accepted species: G. crinita (rainforest of Perú and Bolivia), G. ulmifolia (Neotropical Dry Forest) and G. longipedicellata (restricted to El Salvador). However, some taxonomic inconsistencies persist and up to the moment there are no phylogenetic studies that explore the biogeography and patterns of diversity of the group including all species across its range of distribution. As an important component of the dry forest, G. ulmifolia can be used to investigate genomics of local adaptability to dry climates in other representatives of the Theobromeae tribe, that includes rain forest restricted genera and, in particular, the economically important source of chocolate, Theobroma cacao. The aim of this project is to understand species relationships, biogeography and patterns of diversity of Guazuma, and to investigate the evolution of drought-related genes across the Theobromeae tribe. To accomplish this, a selection of target loci will be used to produce two set of sequences: a) Phylogenetically useful genes to infer species relationships, explore genetic divergence and test species hypothesis along with morphological data, and b) Drought-related genes for comparative genomics.
| Fecha de lectura | 2019 |
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| Idioma original | Español (Colombia) |
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| Supervisor | James Edward Richardson (Supervisor) |
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