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Ecological and evolutionary consequences of edaphic differentiation in plant polyploid systems
Kolář, Filip ; Suda, Jan (advisor) ; Tribsch, Andreas (referee) ; Krahulec, František (referee)
The thesis deals with evolutionary and ecological consequences of edaphic speciation (adaptation to different soil types) and genome duplication (polyploidization), acting in concert. Using a wide range of ecological, karyological and molecular approaches, several hypotheses of general importance have been examined in three model angiosperm systems (ploidy variable species or species aggregates occurring both on and off specific substrates, including serpentines and calcareous soils). In the Knautia arvensis group (Caprifoliaceae) a unique cryptic diploid lineage in central Europe was identified to be restricted to serpentine and limestone outcrops, which served as refugia during environmental changes (forest spread, human impact) in the Holocene. These refugial populations exhibited strong evolutionary potential because they were able to polyploidize and escape beyond the borders of their original edaphically-conditioned refugia owing to hybridization with surrounding widespread homoploid genotypes. Survival of both Knautia cytotypes on serpentine soils was facilitated by their high tolerance to chemical stress factors such as high Ni concentrations and low Ca/Mg ratios. In the Galium pusillum group (Rubiaceae), a striking cytological, ecological, and taxonomic, diversity was revealed in northern and...
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