Angelo Coast Range Reserve

20 Jan, 02 PM - 22 Jan, 09 AM

Background of proposed research at UC Reserves In the summer of 2005, I collected individuals (20-30 plants) from paired coast/inland populations at 13 distinct latitudes in California and Oregon (figure 1). I observed that morphology and flowering time was strikingly different between coast and inland populations in the field. In the fall of 2005, I set up a common garden greenhouse experiment at Duke University to determine if the morphological and life-history differences between nearby coast and inland populations had a genetic basis. I planted 12 unrelated individuals per population from six-paired coast and inland populations. Coast and inland populations consistently differed in flowering time (photo 1 and figure 2), stem thickness (figure 3), internode elongation (figure 4), flower size (figure 5) and other characters (data not yet analyzed). (Note: Figures were removed because the file became too large to e-mail) This experiment clearly demonstrates that coast and inland populations constitute two or more genetically distinct ecomorphs. However, it will be necessary to conduct reciprocal transplant experiments to determine if these ecomorphs are locally adapted, and further, if these ecomorphs are reproductively isolated. Proposed research for January-June 2006 I plan to conduct my research at three paired coast/inland sites (six sites in all). Four of these sites will be in Mendocino County, CA. The other two sites are on the University of California Big Creek Reserve. Seeds for this experiment were derived from plants collected in Summer 2005. In late December 2005, I will collect soil from the six field sites. Seedlings will be grown in the soil of the site at which they will be planted. This will prevent seedling performance from being influenced by foreign soil. In addition, this will ensure that the Sudden Oak Death Pathogen is not transmitted to field sites when seedlings are planted in the field. All seedlings will be grown in the Bodega Marine Laboratory greenhouses for two to three weeks before transfer to the field. In early January 2006, I will plant seedlings at the six field sites. Field sites will be selected that are at least 500 meters from known populations of Mimulus guttatus, in order to prevent genetic contamination by pollinators. The following experimental design will be used at each field site: 100 outbred individuals from the inland population 100 outbred individuals from the coast population 50 F1 hybrids, where a coast plant was the mother 50 F1 hybrids, where an inland plant was the mother In early April 2006, I will begin monitoring field sites. I will visit each field site once every six days. Each time I visit a field site I will quantify survivorship, morphological characters, life-history characters, and pollinator behavior. In addition, I will remove all fertilized fruit in order to prevent seed contamination. Mimulus guttatus fruits typically take two to three weeks to develop in the field, so fruit removal once a week should be sufficient to prevent 100% of genetic contamination by seeds

Visit #8766 @Angelo Coast Range Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 5621 | Research

The role of ecological adaptation in species formation

faculty - Michigan State University

Reservation Members(s)

David Lowry Jan 20 - 22, 2006 (3 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

HQ House 1 Jan 20 - 22, 2006