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The outcomes of hybridisation can range from a single sterile offspring to a new species or the genetic degradation of the parents, yet fundamentally we lack an understanding of the causes and constraints underlying these outcomes. Understanding these factors means we can better predict the potential for species redistribution due to climate change and human activity to negatively affect native species. Of central importance is the how genetic and ecological divergence between the species that come into contact affects the likelihood of hybridisation.
Project overview
This project will examine these questions in groups of British plants that are known to hybridise.
Genome-scale data will assess genomic divergence and determine the extent of hybridization in the wild, including identifying regions of introgression and reproductive isolation.
Based on a preliminary study of one genus we have determined that our approach resolves a few thousand genetic markers (instead of previous work using one or two genes) and can easily be expanded to multiple genera to give a broad understanding across plant families.
This will entail making collections from the wild (with approval where necessary and including a citizen science approach), growing plants from seed, DNA extraction, sequencing, phylogenetic and population genomic analysis, and hypothesis testing.
The British flora is the best studied with respect to hybridization, with a wealth of knowledge available (e.g., Stace’s 'Hybrid Flora of the British Isles'), and this project will allow low resolution approaches (e.g Brown et al., 2023) to be examined with better certainty and depth.
The INSPIRE DTP programme provides comprehensive personal and professional development training alongside extensive opportunities for students to expand their multi-disciplinary outlook through interactions with a wide network of academic, research and industrial/policy partners.
The student will be registered and hosted at the University of Southampton.
Specific training will include:
- Field collection and plant identification
- Working with herbarium material, including ancient DNA
- Working with stakeholders
- DNA extraction and quantification
- Using R and other command line packages to analyse big data.
- Genome-scale data analysis, phylogenetics and population genetics
- Scientific writing and statistics
- A suitable first degree would be in Biology.
How to apply
See the INSPIRE website on how to apply for this project. We suggest you also read our helpful document about applying for a PhD.
Further reading
Brown et al. 2023 Genetic factors predict hybrid formation in the British flora. PNAS 120: e2220261120 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2220261120
Jackson et al. 2023 The role of geography, ecology, and hybridization in the evolutionary history of Canary Island Descurainia. Amer J Bot 110:e16162 https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16162
White et al. 2020 Geographical isolation, habitat shifts and hybridisation in the diversification of the Macaronesian endemic genus Argyranthemum (Asteraceae). New Phyt 228:1953 https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16980
This is a joint PhD training partnership between the Natural History Museum and INSPIRE, a NERC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP), creating an innovative multi-disciplinary experience for the effective training of future leaders in environmental science, engineering, technology development, business, and policy.
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