Plant Evolution and Systematics

The fundamental goal of my research is to understand the evolution of plant diversity. To achieve this goal, I integrate different aspects of plant evolutionary biology into a phylogenetic framework. My research includes a range of experimental approaches, from the collection and observation of species in the field to the generation of molecular cytogenetic and DNA-based data. My main research projects include:

1. Evolution of breeding systems, biogeography, and polyploidy in the arctic/alpine genus Primula. This project focuses on elucidating the transitions between homostyly-heterostyly and diploidy-polyploidy in response to Pleistocene climate changes;
2. Testing the out-of-India origin of selected plant families by using molecular dating approaches. This is mainly a biogeographic project aimed at assessing the congruence between phylogenetic and geologic patterns centered around the role of the Indian plate in biotic exchanges;
3. Elucidating the origins of Mediterranean biodiversity with molecular phylogenetic and dating methods: the biogeographic history of the Corso-Sardinian flora;
4. Phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of Saxifraga florulenta, a rare species endemic to the Maritime Alps.

• First evidence of post-glacial contraction of Alpine endemics: Insights from Berardia subacaulis in the European Alps
  Guerrina, Maria; Theodoridis, Spyros; Minuto, Luigi; Conti, Elena; Casazza, Gabriele
  Journal Of Biogeography 10.1111/jbi.14282  NOV 2021
• Different molecular changes underlie the same phenotypic transition: Origins and consequences of independent shifts to homostyly within species
  Mora-Carrera, Emiliano; Stubbs, Rebecca L.; Keller, Barbara; Leveille-Bourret, Etienne; Vos, Jurriaan M.; Szoevenyi, Peter; Conti, Elena
  Molecular Ecology 10.1111/mec.16270  NOV 2021
• Lipid exchanges drove the evolution of mutualism during plant terrestrialization
  Rich, Melanie K.; Vigneron, Nicolas; Libourel, Cyril; Keller, Jean; Xue, Li; et al.
  Science 10.1126/science.abg0929  MAY 21 2021
• Geo-Climatic Changes and Apomixis as Major Drivers of Diversification in the Mediterranean Sea Lavenders (Limonium Mill.)
  Koutroumpa, Konstantina; Warren, Ben H.; Theodoridis, Spyros; Coiro, Mario; Romeiras, Maria M.; et al.
  Frontiers In Plant Science, 10.3389/fpls.2020.612258, JAN 12 2021
• Supergene evolution via stepwise duplications and neofunctionalization of a floral-organ identity gene
  Cuong Nguyen Huu; Keller, Barbara; Conti, Elena; Kappel, Christian; Lenhard, Michael
  Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America  DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2006296117     SEP 15 2020
• Asymmetries of reproductive isolation are reflected in directionalities of hybridization: integrative evidence on the complexity of species boundaries
  Keller, Barbara; Ganz, Rita; Mora-Carrera, Emiliano; Nowak, Michael D.; Theodoridis, Spyros; et al.
  New Phytologist   DOI: 10.1111/nph.16849   SEP 2020
• Landscape context and plant population size affect morph frequencies in heterostylous Primula veris - Results of a nationwide citizen-science campaign
  Aavik, Tsipe; Carmona, Carlos P.; Trager, Sabrina; Kaldra, Marianne; Reinula, Iris; et al.
  Journal Of Ecology   DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13488  NOV 2020
• Population Genetic Structure and Demographic History of Primula fasciculata in Southwest China
  Ren, Guangpeng; Mateo, Ruben G.; Conti, Elena; Salamin, Nicolas
  Frontiers In Plant Science  DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00986  JUL 2 2020
• A pseudomolecule-scale genome assembly of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
  Diop, Seydina I.; Subotic, Oliver; Giraldo-Fonseca, Alejandro; Waller, Manuel; Kirbis, Alexander; et al.
  Plant Journal  DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14602  Published: MAR 2020
• Intraspecific variation of self-incompatibility in the distylous plant Primula merrilliana
  Shao, JW; Wang, HF; Fang, SP; Conti, E; Chen, YJ; Zhu, HM
  AOB PLANTS, 11 (3):10.1093/aobpla/plz030 JUN 2019
• The role of cryptic diversity and its environmental correlates in global conservation status assessments: Insights from the threatened bird's-eye primrose (Primula farinosa L.)
  Theodoridis, S; Nogues-Bravo, D; Conti, E
  DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, 25 (9):1457-1471; 10.1111/ddi.12953 SEP 2019
• The evolutionary roles of hybridization and introgression: investigating species and genomic boundaries using the model plant system Primula (Primulaceae)
  Stubbs, RL; Theodoridis, S; Keller, B; Conti, E
  INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY, 59 E417-E417; 1 MAR 2019
• …

• Plant breeding systems
• Evolution of polyploidy
• Biogeography
• Molecular dating

• Molecular cytogenetics (chromosome painting)
• Molecular biological control of the heterostyly supergene
• Comparative morphological development of homostylous and heterostylous flowers
• Paleobotany
• Paleoclimatic and paleogeographic reconstruction