Salinity, Florivory, and the Evolutionary Ecology of Iris Hexagona

University Of Louisiana At Lafayette, Lafayette LA

Investigators

Abstract

The adaptation of natural communities to changing environments is of growing practical concern. Rising sea levels and increased salinity are impacting coastal ecosystems, interactions between plants and animals, and community structure. We will investigate how Iris hexagona, a native freshwater species, responds to rising salinity, spatial isolation, and flower consumption by deer. Previous results indicate that salinity stress reduces biomass, but increases seed production. In contrast, large-scale flower consumption by deer eliminates seed production and stimulates vegetative growth. This interdisciplinary project combines field experiments, phytochemistry, molecular genetics, and predictive modeling. Field experiments will examine how interactions between salinity and deer influence growth, sexual and clonal reproduction, and belowground dynamics of I. hexagona populations. Phytochemical analyses will investigate physiological responses to salinity stress, including phytohormone, nutrients and minerals, proteins, and volatile floral compounds. Genetic analyses will reveal variation within and between freshwater and saltmarsh I. hexagona populations. Quantitative modeling will integrate our findings to predict plant population growth and the evolution of salinity-tolerance. This project can help advance our understanding of how coastal ecosystems and their natural communities respond to global climate change.