Understanding Evolution
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Special Symposium Issue - see page 10 Department of Botany & the U.S. National Herbarium The Plant Press New Series - Vol. 11 - No. 3 July-September 2008 Botany Profile It Takes Two: Understanding Coevolution By Gary A. Krupnick he Seventh Annual Smithsonian Mireya D. Correa A. from the University have often assumed that mutualisms are Botanical Symposium, held on 26 of Panama and the Smithsonian Tropical evolutionarily fragile, but new evidence TApril at the National Museum of Research Institute (STRI). An expert in (both models and phylogenetic stud- Natural History in Washington, DC, gave the systematics of vascular plants with ies) points to the remarkable robustness 175 participants the opportunity to dis- special emphasis on the Flora of Panama, of mutualism in the face of ecological cover how natural selection has shaped Correa expressed gratitude and was highly cheating. animals and plants together through their honored. She recalled having wonderful Bronstein also discussed how anthro- ancient and persistent dependencies with conversations in the past with Cuatrecasas pogenic change threatens biological one another. The theme, “Partners in during her first diversity Evolution: Interactions, Adaptations, and visit to the U.S. worldwide. Speciation,” was explored by a distin- National Her- Conserva- guished group of specialist speakers, and barium. Very tion strategies was highlighted with a reception in a humble, Correa typically focus pavilion of live plants and butterflies. stated that she on individual The meeting, held in collaboration had “done what charismatic with the United States Botanic Garden I have to do in a country very rich in spe- species, but management approaches and the National Tropical Botanical Gar- cies of plants.” Correa thanked her large should include mutualists as well. Cur- den, was the first Smithsonian Botanical group of students, many who have worked rent threats that disrupt mutualisms Symposium to be co-hosted by three with her in the field and in the herbarium. include (1) invasive species that outcom- departments from the museum—the Of her students, Correa said, “[they] do pete mutualists, (2) habitat fragmentation Departments of Botany, Entomology and what I cannot do – they climb, and I can that preclude mutualists from moving Paleobiology. The symposium addressed think and teach.” She also thanked STRI between patches, and (3) other distur- the various ecological interactions, evo- for presenting her with opportunities and bances, such as fire and hurricanes. The lutionary adaptations, and co-radiations support to do research that she would ultimate threat is coextinction, when one of plants and animals in habitats across not have been able to accomplish at the partner is lost due to the loss of the other the planet and explored the processes of university. partner; but Bronstein explained that coevolution. there is very little evidence of coextinc- Giving the introductory greeting, he first lecture of the day, moder- tion, most likely because they are very Warren Wagner, symposium convener, ated by the morning session chair difficult to detect. welcomed the audience to Baird Audi- TTerry Erwin (Chair of Entomology, Conrad Labandeira, Research Scien- torium. Hans-Dieter Sues, Associate Smithsonian Institution), was presented by tist, Curator and Chair of the Department Director for Research and Collections, Judith Bronstein, Professor at the Univer- of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution, then had the opportunity to say a few sity of Arizona and current Program Direc- asked the symposium participants “What words about the museum’s role in host- tor at the National Science Foundation, Can We Learn from the Fossil Record ing symposia, before he trotted off to a who spoke about “Mutualism, Diversity, of Plant-Insect Associations?” The concurrent symposium elsewhere in the and Diversification.” Bronstein, who fossil record of plants, insects, and their museum. chose to “paint issues with a broad brush,” associations is evident in fossilized plant Laurence Dorr took the stage to award spoke about the many benefits of mutual- damage, coprolites (fecal remains that the Seventh José Cuatrecasas Medal ism: protection, nutrition, and transporta- include plant parts), gut contents, and for Excellence in Tropical Botany to tion (e.g., pollination). She explained how mutualisms are maintained. Biologists Continued on page 13 Travel Pedro Acevedo traveled to Paramar- Vicki Funk traveled to Paramaribo, Oregon (6/10 – 6/13) to identify 1,700 ibo, Surinam (6/8 – 6/22) to present a talk Surinam (6/8 – 6/14) to deliver the plenary Oregon State University Poa collections about Sapindaceae in the Guianas at the address about the biodiversity of the for the Oregon Flora Project; and then to annual meeting of the Association of Trop- Guiana Shield at the annual meeting of Logan, Utah (6/16 – 6/17) to give a talk ical Biology and Conservation and to visit the Association of Tropical Biology and and verify grass specimens cultivated by the Kabalebo Nature Reserve to explore Conservation; to Minneapolis, Minnesota USDA-ARS from recent seed collections the possibilities of conducting botanical (6/21 – 6/25) to attend and to represent the in China, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. explorations in that area of the country. Society for Systematic Biologists at the Alain Touwaide and Emanuela Walter Adey traveled to Lexington, Evolution 2008 meeting; and to Vienna, Appetiti traveled to Chicago, Illinois Virginia (4/1 – 4/3) to present a talk on Austria (6/27 – 7/2) to work with Tod (4/3 – 4/6) to attend the annual meeting Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) wastewater Stuessy and Franz Stadler on the soon to of the Renaissance Society of America; treatment and biofuel production capabili- be completed book on the Compositae to Rochester, New York (4/10 – 4/13) to ties at the Biofuels Conference sponsored titled Systematics, Evolution, and Bioge- attend the annual meeting of the American the Chesapeake Bay Commission; to ography of the Compositae. Association for the History of Medicine; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (4/16 – 4/17) W. John Kress traveled to Bronx, New to Ankara, Turkey (5/12 – 6/8) where to make a presentation to the State of York (5/1 – 5/3) to attend a workshop at Touwaide delivered lectures at Bilkent Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary and staff the New York Botanical Garden called University and the American Research concerning the ATS project; to Norfolk, TREEBol about DNA barcoding the trees Institute in Turkey and a plenary lecture at Virginia (5/8 – 5/9) to give a talk at Old of the world; to Paramaribo, Surinam (6/8 the first international meeting of the Turk- Dominion University; to Kennett Square, – 6/14) as Executive Director to attend ish Society for the History of Medicine; Pennsylvania (5/29 – 5/30) to give a the annual meeting of the Association of and to Charlottesville, Virginia (6/20) presentation to the environmental staff Tropical Biology and Conservation. where Appetiti delivered a lecture at the of Exelon Corporation; to Holtwood, Mark and Diane Littler traveled to Kluge-Ruhe Center for Aboriginal Art, Pennsylvania (6/4 – 6/5; 6/10 – 6/11) to Fort Pierce, Florida (6/3 – 7/31) to conduct University of Virginia. meet with ATS experimental unit staff at field research. Jun Wen traveled to Sulawesi and the Muddy Run Hydroelectric Plant; and Rusty Russell traveled to Durham, Java, Indonesia (4/26 – 6/2) to conduct to Kalamazoo, Michigan (6/18 – 6/19) to North Carolina (6/2 – 6/4) to attend the field work on Sulawesi plant diversity and meet with ATS project staff chemists at 49th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prunus taxonomy; and to Moscow, Russia Western Michigan University. Economic Botany; and to Riverside, (6/23 – 7/8) to give a presentation at the Maria Faust traveled to Carrie Bow California (6/12 – 6/29) to investigate Apiales VI Symposium at Moscow State Cay, Belize (4/23 – 5/8) to conduct field historic collecting localities in the San University and to go on a field trip to the research on harmful dinoflagellates. Jacinto Mountains and to attempt to locate Russian Caucasus region. plant species that had not been collected Liz Zimmer traveled to Minneapolis, The Plant Press in more than 50 years, with an Earthwatch Minnesota (6/20 – 6/23) to attend the team composed of high school students Evolution 2008 meeting and an editor’s New Series - Vol. 11 - No. 3 recruited from around the country. meeting for the journal Molecular Phylo- Robert Soreng traveled to Corvallis, genetics and Evolution. Chair of Botany Warren L. Wagner ([email protected]) Visitors Lei Xie, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Blanca Leon, Universidad Nacional EDITORIAL STAFF Clematis (Ranunculaceae), and Circaea Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru; Peru- Editor and Fuchsia (Onagraceae) (1/1/07- vian Tillandsia (Bromeliaceae) and flora Gary Krupnick 12/31/08). (10/18/07-10/18/09). ([email protected]) Mauricio Bonifacino, Univiversidad de la Marina Cortes, Columbia University; News Contacts Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay; Com- Heliconia (2/1-5/30). MaryAnn Apicelli, Robert Faden, Ellen positae (2/1/07-6/1/08). Farr, Shirley Maina, Rusty Russell, Alice Lu Jin-Mei, Kunming Institute of Tangerini, and Elizabeth Zimmer Yunjuan Zuo, Beijing Institute of Botany, Botany, China; Adiantum (Adiantaceae) China; Panax (Araliaceae) (5/7/07- (2/1/08-1/31/09). The Plant Press is a quarterly publication provided free of charge. If you would like to be 9/6/08). added to the mailing list, please contact Dr. Gary Rong Li, Kunming Institute of Botany, Krupnick at: Department of Botany, Smithsonian Melissa Luckow, Cornell University; China; Schefflera (Araliaceae) (2/15/08- Institution, PO Box 37012, NMNH MRC-166, Washington, DC 20013-7012, or by E-mail: Leguminosae (7/16/07-6/30/08). 2/14/09). [email protected]. Diane Pavek, U.S. Department of John Cotton, George Washington Uni- Web site: http://botany.si.edu/ Agriculture; Mid-Atlantic flora (7/16/07- versity; Historia Plantarum collection 6/16/08).