Improving the Phylogenetic Understanding of the Genus Juniperus

<em>Juniperus</em> is a species-rich and geographically widespread genus of coniferous trees and shrubs. The genus is relatively recently diverged, and has experienced periods of rapid diversification. Recent phylogenetic investigations by others have compared DNA from selected regions of the chloroplast, but the resulting topologies conflict, and some relationships remain unresolved. Their relatively small data sets failed to capture sufficient variation to resolve events of rapid diversification in these closely related taxa. This study provides increased resolution and support by generating a plastome-scale phylogeny for 28 <em>Juniperus</em> species, revealing previously unresolved relationships at both deep and shallow nodes. One-third of the recognized species of <em>Juniperus</em> are included, representing each of the major clades within the genus. This study contributes eight complete and 17 nearly complete chloroplast genome sequences to an ever-growing number of sequenced organellar genomes. This phylogeny provides a foundation from which an improved biogeographic history and molecular dating analysis can be performed.<em> </em>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2018

Author dc:creator

• Balkenbush, Therese

Contributors dc:contributor

• Linda Raubeson
• Jim Johnson
• David Darda

• chloroplast phylogeny
• plastome
• conifer
• genome
• Genomics
• Other Genetics and Genomics

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/944

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.cwu.edu:etd-1960