Showing papers by "Michael F. Fay published in 2015"
TL;DR: It is revealed that genomic expansion has not resulted from the recent massive amplification of just a handful of repeat families, as shown in species with smaller genomes, and the bulk of these immense genomes is composed of highly heterogeneous, relatively low‐abundance repeat‐derived DNA, supporting a scenario where amplified repeats continually accumulate due to infrequent DNA removal.
Abstract: Plants exhibit an extraordinary range of genome sizes, varying by > 2000-fold between the smallest and largest recorded values. In the absence of polyploidy, changes in the amount of repetitive DNA (transposable elements and tandem repeats) are primarily responsible for genome size differences between species. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the relative importance of amplification of repetitive DNA versus its deletion in governing genome size. Using data from 454 sequencing, we analysed the most repetitive fraction of some of the largest known genomes for diploid plant species, from members of Fritillaria. We revealed that genomic expansion has not resulted from the recent massive amplification of just a handful of repeat families, as shown in species with smaller genomes. Instead, the bulk of these immense genomes is composed of highly heterogeneous, relatively low-abundance repeat-derived DNA, supporting a scenario where amplified repeats continually accumulate due to infrequent DNA removal. Our results indicate that a lack of deletion and low turnover of repetitive DNA are major contributors to the evolution of extremely large genomes and show that their size cannot simply be accounted for by the activity of a small number of high-abundance repeat families.
123 citations
TL;DR: Seven papers are presented focusing on orchids and their interactions and other factors relating to their conservation, including their often complex interactions with mycorrhizal fungi, pollinators and host trees.
38 citations
27 citations
TL;DR: The Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) started with ordinal relationships for angiosperm families and later came to concentrate more on issues surrounding family delimitation, generally taking a conservative approach (favouring lumping over splitting when choices were otherwise fairly evenly balanced).
21 citations
TL;DR: Using the vascular plants of Britain as a case study, it is found that the various EDAM measures emphasise different species and parts of Britain, and that phylogenetic uncertainty can strongly affect the prioritisation scores of some species.
Abstract: Conservation biologists have only finite resources, and so must prioritise some species over others. The EDGE-listing approach ranks species according to their combined evolutionary distinctiveness and degree of threat, but ignores the uncertainty surrounding both threat and evolutionary distinctiveness. We develop a new family of measures for species, which we name EDAM, that incorporates evolutionary distinctiveness, the magnitude of decline, and the accuracy with which decline can be predicted. Further, we show how the method can be extended to explore phyogenetic uncertainty. Using the vascular plants of Britain as a case study, we find that the various EDAM measures emphasise different species and parts of Britain, and that phylogenetic uncertainty can strongly affect the prioritisation scores of some species.
16 citations
TL;DR: The recruitment of the first students in the Watson School of Biological Sciences and the completion of their intensive core courses highlighted progress this year, and the Laboratory Press saw the continued development of its exciting textbook-publishing program.
10 citations
TL;DR: Cypripedium calceolus L., the lady's slipper orchid, is described and illustrated and its history and conservation in England is provided.
Abstract: Summary
Cypripedium calceolus L., the lady's slipper orchid, is described and illustrated. Details of its distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization and its history and conservation in England are provided. Notes on propagation and cultivation are also included.
10 citations
TL;DR: The genus Orchis in Europe is a good example of a group of species in which these types of questions arise as several of the species hybridize where they co-occur, and the example used here relates to O. militaris, O. purpurea and O. simia in the anthropomorphic group.
Abstract: Hybridization is a fundamental process in biology and can lead to new evolutionary lineages. However, if the parental taxa involved are rare, difficult decisi- ons may have to be made regarding the conservation of the biological process versus the conservation of the parental taxa. The genus Orchis in Europe is a good example of a group of species in which these types of questions arise as several of the species hybridize where they co-occur. The example used here relates to O. militaris , O. purpurea and O. simia in the anthropomorphic group (so called because the labellum has lobes thought to resemble arms and legs). All three species are widespread in Europe, al- though they are rare in large parts of their ranges, and they have substantial areas of overlap in distribution. All three are rare in Britain, occurring predominantly in south east England. Orchis militaris and O. simia and are only known from two and three natural sites in England, respectively. Orchis purpurea is less rare, but is still geographically localized.
10 citations
10 citations
TL;DR: The leaf morphology suggests the novel Sorbus to be a spontaneous S. torminalis triploid rather than the result of interspecific hybridisation.
Abstract: The genus Sorbus L. is known for its complex taxonomy involving many polyploid species. However, Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz has long been assumed to be uniformly diploid. An analysis of DNA content using flow cytometry revealed a triploid individual within 0.5 km of tetraploid S. devoniensis E.F. Warb. at South Tawton, Devon. The leaf morphology suggests the novel Sorbus to be a spontaneous S. torminalis triploid rather than the result of interspecific hybridisation.
4 citations
TL;DR: Post-print del articulo publicado en Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society y version revisada y corregida establecida.
TL;DR: The distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization, and history and conservation in England of Cephalanthera rubra (L.) Rich.
Abstract: Summary
Cephalanthera rubra (L.) Rich., the red helleborine, is described and illustrated with an historical plate. Details of its distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization and its history and conservation in England are provided. Notes relating to the difficulty of propagating and cultivating this species are also included.
TL;DR: Ophrys insectifera L., fly orchid is described and illustrated and details of its relationships, pollination biology, distribution and conservation status are presented.
Abstract: Summary
Ophrys insectifera L., fly orchid is described and illustrated. Details of its relationships, pollination biology, distribution and conservation status are presented. Possible reasons for its ongoing decline in the UK are suggested. Cultivation and propagation are discussed.
TL;DR: One of the most perplexing problems in Western European terrestrial orchid taxonomy has been how to deal with the large numbers of taxa that have been described for the allopolyploid taxa, which are the products of hybridization between taxa in the Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soo group.
Abstract: One of the most perplexing problems in Western European terrestrial orchid taxonomy has been how to deal with the large numbers of taxa that have been described for the allopolyploid taxa, which are the products of hybridization between taxa in the Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soo group and the D. incarnata (L.) Soo group.
TL;DR: Orchis anthropophora (L.) All.
Abstract: Summary
Orchis anthropophora (L.) All., man orchid, is described and illustrated. Details of its distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization and its conservation status in England are provided. Notes on propagation and cultivation are also included.
TL;DR: Chase, the frog orchid, is described and illustrated and details of its distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization and its conservation status in Britain and Ireland are provided.
Abstract: Summary
Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase, the frog orchid, is described and illustrated. Details of its distribution, relationships, pollination, patterns of hybridization and its conservation status in Britain and Ireland are provided. Notes on propagation and cultivation are also included.
[...]
TL;DR: Orchis purpurea Huds.
Abstract: Summary
Orchis purpurea Huds., lady orchid, is described and illustrated. Details of its relationships, pollination biology, distribution and conservation status are presented. Cultivation and propagation are discussed.
TL;DR: Ophrys fuciflora Moench, late spider orchid, is described and illustrated and details of its relationships, pollination biology, distribution and conservation status are presented.
Abstract: Summary
Ophrys fuciflora (F.W.Schmidt) Moench, late spider orchid, is described and illustrated. Details of its relationships, pollination biology, distribution and conservation status are presented. Possible reasons for its rarity in Britain are suggested. Cultivation and propagation are discussed.