[Paper] origin of first mistletoes

Title:
The first mistletoes: Origins of aerial parasitism in Santalales
R. Vidal-Russel and D. L. Nickrent
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2008) 47:523-537. (journal weblink here; pdf in Atropos)

Note:
The authors confirmed the five origins of aerial parasitism in Santalales using nr SSU, LSU, ch rbcL, matK, trnL-F from 39 taxa. The ages of those clades were estimated. The authors also proposed how the root parasites 'move up' to the trunk during the Oligocene. Interesting paper.

[Paper] Cornus evolution

Title:
Molecular evolution of PISTILLATA-like genes in the dogwood genus Cornus (Cornaceae).
Zhang, W., Q.-Y. Xiang, D.T. Thomas, B.M. Wiegmann, M.W. Frohlich, and D.E. Soltis
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution (2008) 47:175-195. (journal weblink here; pdf in Atropos)

Note:
The article studied the evolution of PI in Cornus, emphasizing the selection pressure measure (dN/dS) among lineages. Some of the lineages has relatively high dN/dS, i.e. ~1. This is quite unusual in MADS box genes.
This is a project I provided initiative resource, but somehow taken over without further appreciation. I was thanked by the authors anyway. Well, 大家就看看吧.

[Website] Encyclopedia of Life

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)已於近日正式上線。EOL是一個全新的全球生物多樣性記錄的嚐試，和wikipedia有點像的是，它讓專業或業餘的生物愛好者，可以將所有可用的不同生物資訊都公諸於此，開放給所有大眾。好像跟Tree of Life或Species2000打對台似的，無論如何，都多了一些查資料的管道。

[Special Issue] Plant Genome Horizons

出處: Annals of Botany, 2008, 101 (6)

本期的文章主要是2007年在Kew garden所舉辦的”Plant Genome Horizons-Vistas and Visions”研討會內容集結而成。研討會舉辦的目在於歡送Michael Bennett榮退，而文章為Dr. Bennett及其學生在植物genome研究上的成果。內容包含(1) genome size evolution, (2) reproductive cell biology; (3) higher order genome organisation, and (4) biosystematics.

[Paper] Variation in dispersability among mainland and island populations

出處: Plant Systematic and Evolution 270:243-255 ,2008
作者: B. Fresnillo, B. K. Ehlers


本篇文章探討物種Dispersal的能力, 是否如預期一般, 在島嶼上會比大陸上的族群來得強. 因為在大陸上的族群, dispersal的能力所承受到的selection pressure會小於島嶼族群, 畢竟島嶼有越海的問題要克服, 所以預期中, 島嶼族群通常能擁有較佳的播遷能力. 此實驗選了三個物種 : 柳葉菜科的Epilobium angustifolium & Epilobium hirsutum 以及菊科的Cirsium arvense, 並分別比較這三個speciese的島嶼族群以及大陸族群, 研究地點在日德蘭半島(Jutland) 及其附近三個小島. 實驗得出結果顯示, Epilobium angustifolium & Epilobium hirsutum 的播遷能力如預期的表現 : 島嶼族群的的播遷能力比大陸族群強. 但來自Cirsium arvense 的結果卻顯示了相反情況 (大陸族群播遷能力比島嶼族群強). 關於這點, 作者認為最可能的原因在於Cirsium arvense 在島嶼上所面對的環境壓力, 有可能牽連到播遷能力與種子萌發率的問題, 就是種子如果想要長得好, 那就必須犧牲掉種子的播遷能力. 但實際造成這種情形的原因, 勢必要再做深入研究.