This proposal is a collaborative research effort among three Principal Investigators: Kathleen M. Pryer, The Field Museum, Chicago; Paul G. Wolf, Utah State University, Logan; and Alan R. Smith, University of California, Berkeley. The primary goal of the proposed research is to use morphological and molecular systematics to infer a robust phylogenetic framework for ferns. The emphasis of this proposal is to resolve basal fern relationships. Morphological analyses will be carried out on a revised data set with representation from all major fern groups. This data set is based on an earlier study on which Pryer and Smith collaborated (109). DNA sequence data will be obtained from four molecular regions (two chloroplast genes and two nuclear genes), in addition to published data that are already available for the chloroplast rbcL gene, from an earlier study on which Wolf and Pryer collaborated (53). The morphological and molecular data sets will have the same terminal taxa and therefore will be comparable data sets. The reconstruction of a robust overall phylogenetic framework for ferns will address and, we believe, answer some long-standing and important systematic questions.
A well-resolved phylogeny for ferns will enable us to work towards understanding patterns and sequences of character evolution that gave rise to the Cretaceous radiation and diversification of "polypodiaceous" ferns and also will provide a foundation for future family and generic-level taxonomic studies in ferns. Using comparative methods, we will investigate patterns of association among characters for correlated evolutionary change, which may have played a role in the morphological diversification of ferns.
All three collaborators will coordinate their activities closely and each brings to the research study diverse expertise in morphology, molecules, and phylogenetic methods and applications. Such a collaborative effort provides an ideal opportunity for realizing a sound phylogenetic framework for ferns upon which future studies with questions targeted at several taxonomic levels can be confidently addressed by ourselves and others.
N.B. Numbers in parentheses refer to literature citations listed in References.
