Evolution of the size of plant species in island environments along the Brazilian coast

• Grant number: 24/20351-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Pinheiro
• Grantee: Lívia Garcia
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/02667-1 - Ecology and evolution of island plant species: the origin of Ilha de Alcatrazes flora (São Sebastião - SP), AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

Island environments present a variety of environmental filters that need to be faced by newly arrived species so that they can establish, develop and propagate. Success in island colonization depends on several factors, starting with self-compatibility in the reproductive system, since the arrival of species that are capable of self-pollination and producing fertile offspring is more effective in the colonization process when compared to species that require cross-reproduction. The restriction of niches and high competition encountered by species during migration cause changes in plant structures, making them to invest in growth and/or reproduction by allocating biomass to specific structures. Besides the loss of dispersibility to avoid the waste of disapores in oceanic islands. Using the species Tillandsia araujei, Tillandsia gardneri, Tillandsia geminiflora and Tillandsia alcatrazensis as study object, this project aims to answer the following hypotheses: (1) Island populations have a reduced seed dispersal potential, when compared to continental populations; (2) Island populations have lower reproductive allocation and high investment in growth, when compared to continental populations; (3) Island populations have self-compatible breeding systems, a higher frequency of spontaneous self-pollination and less inbreeding depression, when compared to continental populations. For this propose we are going to perform field and laboratory experiments with plants in cultivation to investigate the reproductive allocation and dispersal capacity of island and continental population of the species studied.