Abstract Detail

A Broader view for Plant EvoDevo: novel approaches for diverse model systems

Mathews, Sarah [1].

Evo-devo in gymnosperm clades - the tremendous potential of old and new tools.

The seed plant clades, cycadophytes, Ginkgo, gnetophytes, Pinaceae, and cupressophytes, are morphologically diverse and are relatively to highly divergent from one another and from their angiosperm relatives. Progress in gymnosperm evo-devo has been hampered by the lack of tractable genetic models and the recalcitrance of many taxa to techniques such as situ hybridization. Studies of the evolution of development in these clades, however, are particularly relevant to understanding the evolution of leaves, ovules, and vascular cambia, among others. In this talk, I will present an overview of progress to date and then discuss exciting opportunities to expand the horizons of this field by merging new approaches and data with existing approaches and data from biochemistry, molecular genetics, morphology, paleobotany, and physiology. I argue that we should greatly broaden the focus of evo-devo studies and do more than take advantage of the phenomenon of burgeoning databases. Recent advances in network modeling and morphospace analyses, for example, can be combined with omics, physiological, and paleobotanical data to generate testable hypotheses, and to put ourselves in a position of filling holes in our knowledge rather than building it by adding one small brick at a time.

1 - CSIRO National Research Collections Australia, The Australian National Herbarium, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia

Keywords:
gymnosperms
Evolution
Development.

Presentation Type: Symposium Presentation
Session: SY02
Location: Salon 11/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 10:15 AM
Number: SY02006
Abstract ID:708
Candidate for Awards:None