EDWARDS LAB
Whole Plant Evolution
My general interests are plant diversity and evolution, population genetics, and plant geography. I have been integrating molecular, morphological, cytological and geographical information to examine phylogenetic relationships among morphologically diverse but genetically similar species of Cactaceae, mostly in tribe Trichocereeae. I am currently working on resolving phylogenetic relationships in the Portulacineae (which contains Cactaceae), with the aim of creating a framework for answering ecological and functional questions related to the evolution of the succulent life forms in this group.
I am interested in the evolution of plant form from a comparative and functionally-oriented point of view. My current research is focused on the evolution of succulent tissues (stems, leaves, and roots) in the plant clade Portulacineae. This group features much growth form diversity, from leafless stem succulents (core cacti and Didiereaceae), to succulent-leaved perennials (Anacampseros, Phemeranthus), to vines (Basellaceae), to tuberous forest understory herbs (Montia, Claytonia). I aim to understand the evolution of succulence as it relates to patterns of growth form and lineage diversification, ecology, and adaptation in this group. This includes questions such as, what did the ancestor of Portulacineae look like? Does the transfer of succulence between certain tissues tend to underly lineage success or adaptation to certain habitats? Is succulence a one-way street, or does it vary freely within lineages? What is the relationship between succulence and the CAM and C4 photosynthetic pathways, both of which occur in Portulacineae? These questions require incorporating information from across multiple levels, from the ecology of the whole plant to the water capacitance of individual cells. I am also planning, as a secondary but related project, to test a hypothesis about the role of trait lability in the evolution of morphological novelty (see Ogburn and Edwards 2009, AJB), by looking at the anatomy of unrelated lineages that have converged on a similar cactus-like (leafless stem-succulent) growth form.
email: mogburn at brown dot edu
I'm interested in understanding how different climates drive plants to take on different behaviors and functional characteristics. I've done projects considering how variable annual climatic conditions can affect a single plant's hydraulic properties between years, and, on a larger scale, I've studied how variable behavior among isolated populations of the same species relates to the climate in each population's home environment. I am excited to "zoom out" another taxonomic level with the Edwards Lab's Viburnum project, studying the phenology and variable leaf and stem architectural and hydraulic properties of different species in this genus.
I'm interested in how evolution and ecology interact to define plants' habitats and produce distinct plant communities. This year I'll be looking at the relationship between leaf morphology and phenology in northern temperate Viburnum species, as part of a larger project exploring the evolution of diverse leaf forms within a group that inhabits a fairly narrow environmental niche.
I'm interested in evolution and plant diversity, specifically in the adaptations plants have developed for living in extreme conditions. I'm going to be working with Monica this semester on the phylogenetic relationships in the Portulacineae.
I'm interested in evolutionary biology (particularly plants), and how and why plants do what they do. Specifically, I'm curious about the relationship between leaf and stem hydraulics and photosynthetic capacity, and how leaf shape affects these in Viburnum. I am also a violinst.
research interests: Hawaiian grasses, chlorophyll fluorescence (in general, any fancy field equipment)