EVOLUTION IN OPUNTIA (CACTACEAE)
The hypothesized natural interspecific hybrid origin of two cacti, Opuntia Xrooneyi and O. Xspinosibacca, has been investigated by a variety of non-molecular based techniques. Herein I explore DNA sequence and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) banding pattern data as it relates to these two cases of putative hybridization. Traditional parsimony-based analyses of nuclear ribosomal and chloroplast DNA sequences do not resolve the phylogenetic position of these two species among closelyrelated taxa, but a median network analysis is presented that yields an approach to interpreting these relationships. Finally, an analysis of RAPD banding pattern data provides evidence of the additive genetic pattern expected for these two interspecific hybrids. These results support the inferences of non-molecular based studies.
Background and aims ::: To study the impact of land use change (LUC) from native vegetation and pasture to sugarcane cultivation as well as to evaluate the effect of different management practices on long-term SOC dynamics using the CENTURY ecosystem model.