Santa Cruz Island Reserve

01 Mar, 04 AM - 02 Mar, 04 AM

The purpose of the project is to understand geographic variation in the interaction between conifers and their symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi. Specifically, the goal is to quantify variation in ecological traits of the interaction (e.g., the effect of a fungus on plant growth) within species among sites, with the goal of determining whether plants and their mycorrhizal fungi are locally adapted to one another. To execute the project, I will be collecting seeds of three different pine species and sporocarps of one mycorrhizal fungus species, at multiple sites along the western coastal U.S. Experiments will then be performed with these organisms in greenhouse facilities at UC-Santa Cruz, in order to obtain data. My target fungus species, Rhizopogon occidentalis, is a belowground fruiting species, and it occurs commonly with bishop pine (Pinus muricata), a prominent plant on Santa Cruz Island. Because the Santa Cruz Island populations of bishop pine are uniquely isolated from those on the mainland, the Santa Cruz Island UC Reserve represents a key component of my effort to understand geographical variation and local adaptation in these organisms. I would like to visit the Reserve to collect seed cones (~4 cones per tree) of at least three individual bishop pine trees, and to collect sporocarps (at least two) of the fungus. Disturbance to the Reserve will be minimal. Searching for the fungi involves scratching in the duff layer where small mammals have already created small disturbances. My project is in collaboration with Lisa Grubisha, a graduate student at UC-Berkeley, so any collections of Rhizopogon occidentalis will also advance her research. Myself, and up to 5 volunteer field assistants, would like to stay overnight one night in the dorm facilities.

Visit #1016 @Santa Cruz Island Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 871 | Research

Coevolution of conifers and mycorrhizal fungi, 2

faculty - University of Mississippi

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 5 Research Assistant (non-student/faculty/postdoc) Mar 1 - 2, 2003 (2 days)
Jason Hoeksema Mar 1 - 2, 2003 (2 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Dorm 6 Mar 1 - 2, 2003
Pickup Truck 6 Mar 1 - 2, 2003