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My main research interests fall into two areas: understanding patterns of plant speciation and distribution, and understanding the molecular processes that drive changes in morphology and sexual systems. My interest in plant speciation and distribution is primarily at the species level and below. I am particularly interested in the origins of closely related species groups or populations. Such situations allow investigation of the historical factors that have been important in shaping patterns of diversification in these plant groups. Studies on plant radiations can also provide insights into the process of speciation. In this respect I am interested in investigating the importance, in natural populations, of both hybridization and polyploidy. My interest in the genetic control of changes in the morphology and sexual systems in plants has arisen from my PhD research. Numerous genera in the New Zealand alpine flora have radiated widely within the geologically young mountain environments. The profound morphological evolution and ecological differentiation observed in some of these groups has not been matched by changes in "neutral" DNA markers which suggests that these changes have occurred over a relatively short period of time. Although studies with crop plants suggest that striking changes in morphology are controlled by a few loci with multiple effects, little is known about the mechanisms or processes which are involved in generating morphologically diverse natural groups such as occur in the New Zealand alpine flora. Richard's publications |
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