Premium
Verne Grant and evolutionary studies of Aquilegia
Author(s) -
Hodges Scott A.,
Fulton Michelle,
Yang Ji Y.,
Whittall Justen B.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00950.x
Subject(s) - reproductive isolation , biology , ranunculaceae , genetic algorithm , adaptation (eye) , genus , pollinator , pollination , plant evolution , plant genetics , evolutionary biology , ecology , pollen , botany , population , neuroscience , genetics , demography , sociology , genome , gene
Summary One of Verne Grant's lasting contributions to plant evolutionary biology has been the recognition that differences between plants in floral characters can have a dramatic impact on both pollinator visitation and pollen transfer and thus affect reproductive isolation between nascent plant species (collectively, floral isolation). Here we review some of the concepts and findings from Grant's work on floral isolation, particularly with respect to the genus Aquilegia (Ranunculaceae). It has now been over 50 yr since Grant first published on the role of floral isolation on reproductive isolation and speciation in Aquilegia and we compare and contrast his findings with our own work on this genus. We find that the data largely support Grant's findings and that Aquilegia will continue to offer great opportunities to learn about the processes of adaptation and speciation.