DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Gene flow by seed and pollen: implications for plant adaptation to changing climates

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

A critical challenge for ecologists today is to understand how species will respond to projected shifts in climate. Particularly lacking are approaches considering how genetic connectivity among populations will influence local adaptation to novel climates. In flowering plants, gene flow occurs through seed dispersal and pollen movement, and these processes can have different consequences for the distribution of genetic variation in traits that determine climatic tolerances. This project will incorporate estimates of seed and pollen movement into an analysis of local adaptation in Lasthenia fremontii (Asteraceae), a plant species that is endemic to vernal pool wetlands of western North America. The distribution of genetic variation, due to seed versus pollen movement, will be analyzed across the species range using molecular markers. This analysis will make it possible to evaluate the consequences of gene flow on the potential for plant populations to adapt to changing climate conditions. Climate change presents a major threat to the world?s biodiversity. Species with patchy distributions, fragmented habitats and limited dispersal abilities, including many rare plant species, are particularly vulnerable because they cannot shift their distributions to track changing climatic regimes. Our project will significantly contribute to restoration and conservation efforts for narrowly distributed plant species in the face of climate change. We will develop a practical guide for the study of population genetics in vernal pool plant species that will be distributed to state and federal agencies, research institutes, and non-profit organizations involved in the conservation and management of vernal pool ecosystems. In addition, the project will provide research experience to undergraduate students, including individuals from groups underrepresented in the sciences.