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The relationship between genetic and ploidy variation in the context of differing ecological conditions of two species of the genus Pteronia (Asteraceae) in the Cape
Havlíčková, Eliška ; Chumová, Zuzana (advisor) ; Záveská, Eliška (referee)
The genus Pteronia is an example of a recently radiated and taxonomically complicated genus of the family Asteraceae (sunflower family) with endemic connection to southern Africa. Most of the species are associated with the Cape region, an area characterised by a Mediterranean type of climate, which is comparable in species richness to the flora of tropical areas, especially on smaller geographical scales. The factors behind the high diversity of the Cape are environmental heterogeneity, climatic stability (low extinction and accumulation of species) and regular disturbance by fire. Polyploidization, one of the main mechanisms of plant evolution, has been an overlooked and denied phenomenon in the Cape for a long time. Individual cases of polyploidy are being revealed, but the causes of their emergence and extent of their occurrence are unknown. The presented work focuses on polyploidization in the genus Pteronia from the perspective of two species with different ecological valence. On the widespread to invasive species Pteronia incana and, on the contrary, on the endemic species of succulent karoo and deserts, Pteronia glabrata. Using flow cytometry, genome size variation was investigated and ploidy levels determined. The obtained cytometric data were used to compare climatic, topographic,...
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