Morphological differences between continental and insular populations of (Orchidaceae).

• Grant number: 22/08912-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Pinheiro
• Grantee: Iris Dechare Passos Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Populations of the same species living in different environments may be subject to divergent natural selection pressures. Thus, the gene flow between them decreases, which can lead to intraspecific morphological variations and reproductive barriers between populations. Epidendrum fulgens Brongn. (Orchidaceae), the species investigated in this project, is an orchid species native to Brazil, distributed in Ilha de Alcatrazes - SP, and also along the south and southeast Brazilian coast. In this project we will investigate the floral morphological variation between continental and insular populations of E. fulgens. We aim to investigate how the decrease in gene flow between continental and insular populations and the occurrence in different habitats (sandy sandbank on the mainland and rocky outcrops on the island) may have influenced the floral morphology of E. fulgens populations located at Ilha de Alcatrazes. The objective of this project is to examine the potential floral morphological differentiation of the insular population of E. fulgens located at Ilha de Alcatrazes Island. The hypothesis tested here is that there is a morphological differentiation between the population of Alcatrazes Island and the mainland populations, with a potential decrease in flowers and greater morphological diversity of the island's plants. A morphometric study will be carried out on two continental populations, located in Ubatuba - SP and Bertioga - SP and the population located at Ilha de Alcatrazes - SP. The results of this project should reveal unprecedented results, within the context of the investigation of the biological diversity that resides in insular environments, still little explored along the Brazilian coast.