New directions in plant ecological development

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Bauhinia guianensis

Polygonum persicaria, sun and shade leaves

Abstract submission deadline – 6 November 2005

Posters will be limited to 20 and so will be subject to a selection procedure based on submitted abstracts. Please submit your abstracts according to the guidelines below by 6 November 2005 – decisions on posters selected will be notified by 15 November 2005.

Poster abstracts will be published in the symposium program and will be made available on the symposium website.

Grants

We have ten travel grants available for students and young post-docs wishing to attend. Each grant will consist of a free registration plus £100 (UK Stirling) towards travel expenses. If you wish to apply for a grant please accompany your poster abstract submission with a brief (no more than 200 word) statement indicating your position (graduate student/postdoc), reasons for wishing to attend and a supporting statement from a scientist who has agreed to act as a referee for your application, usually your group leader (please include their contact details). Decisions will be notified by 15 November 2005.

Abstract guidelines

Format

Abstracts should be no more than 200 words and should fill a space no larger than half an A4 page
Single spacing, Arial font, 10 point
First line: title in bold lower case
Second line: the author(s)' name(s) in upper case. Underline the name of the author presenting the work
Third line: full address of the institution(s) where the work was carried out, in italic lower case
Leave a single line space after the address
Main text: provide concise details of the background and objective(s) of the investigation, methods used, results and conclusions

Example abstract:

The origin of Helianthus deserticola: survival and selection in a desert habitat
GROSS, BRIANA L., KANE, NOLAN C., LEXER, CHRISTIAN & RIESEBERG, LOREN H.
Department of Biology, Indiana University, Jordan Hall 142, 1001 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA

The diploid hybrid species Helianthus deserticola inhabits an extreme environment relative to its parental species H. annuus and H. petiolaris. Adaptation to the arid desert floor may have occurred via the acquisition of novel phenotypes resulting from transgressive segregation in early hybrids. We have explored this possibility through a field experiment designed to test the direction and intensity of phenotypic selection, using crosses between the parental species as proxies for the ancestral genotype of the ancient hybrid species. Helianthus deserticola, H. annuus, H. petiolaris, and early-generation hybrids between H. annuus and H. petiolaris were all grown in native H. deserticola habitat, and a selection analysis revealed that several traits were subject to strong selective pressures. Several of the traits under selection were also extreme or transgressive in H. deserticola, and the range of variation present in BC2 hybrids suggests that many aspects of the H. deserticola phenotype are easily recreated. Thus, transgressive segregation may have contributed to the adaptation of H. deserticola to the desert habitat.

Submission

Abstracts should be formatted as .DOC or .RTF documents and emailed as an attachment to Holly Slater (newphytol@lancaster.ac.uk). In the subject header of the email write 14th NPS Abstract – followed by the name of the author presenting the work (e.g. 14th NPS Abstract – SlaterH).

Receipt of abstracts will be notified by email.

Poster guidelines

Posters should be no larger than A0 size, portrait (118 cm high x 84 cm wide)

Symposium logo, Plant eco-devo response to low- and high-light environments by Sam Day. Illustrations: Quantitative variation in Arabidopsis flowers is influenced by genetic background, seasonal setting, and their interaction, courtesy of Cynthia Weinig. Fine lateral roots of Tremulina tremulus courtesy of Michael Shane. Bauhinia guianensis, mature lianoid form suspended from the host canopy courtesy of Nick Rowe and Thomas Speck. Leaves produced by inbred genetic replicates of Polygonum persicaria raised in sun (left) and shade (right), courtesy of Sonia Sultan. Further details on some of these images can be found in the April 2005 issue of New Phytologist which contains a feature on plant ecological development. New directions in plant ecological development is sponsored by the New Phytologist Trust.

Last updated: January 17, 2007