Short description of research activities in CRC 990:

Genetic diversity of Melastoma sp. in rainforest transformation systems in Jambi, Sumatera (Indonesia)

Melastomataceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants widely distributed throughout tropical regions and is recognized as an aggressive invasive species. Ecological characteristics of species in nature result from competition as well as interaction with the physical habitat such as rainforest transformation system. In the tropics Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) is an Al accumulator plant. This species is the alleviation of Fe toxicity by Al. This mechanism may be considered as a specialized adaptation to its distribution in acid sulphate soils and has not been reported in any other plants. In the first year (2012), the aim of this research is assessment diversity of Melastoma sp. in different transformation system. We found around 23 samples from 11 plot (Start up 2013, in the 2014 we will analyze by using DNA barcoding)