Regional and Local Diversity in a Patchy Environment: Serpentine Plants in California

University Of California-Davis, Davis CA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Susan P. Harrison DEB 0075369 Outcrops of serpentine soil in California support a rich flora of endemic species, many of which are naturally rare. This study will test the hypothesis that species diversity in this specialized flora is shaped by the island-like nature of serpentine outcrops, among other factors. I will analyze patterns of species diversity in the serpentine endemic flora across the entire state, considering diversity at both the regional scale (subcounties) and the local scale (50 x 20 m plots). The regional data will be gathered from published sources and analyzed with spatial statistics; the local data will be gathered by intensive field sampling at 24 sites distributed around the state. Path analysis and other statistical techniques will be used to determine the relationships between regional species diversity, local species diversity, and environmental variables (e.g. soil chemistry, climate, topography, and the spatial distribution of serpentine)."