Hastings Natural History Reservation

02 Apr, 08 AM - 02 Apr, 10 AM

Climate change has already begun to impact species and ecosystems throughout the world by altering local climate conditions and shifting current climate zones. This rapid change is of particular concern for long-lived tree species that define the ecosystem they occupy and shape local biodiversity. Here, we use cutting-edge genomic tools to investigate geographic patterns of genetic and phenotypic variation in a keystone endemic oak species of California, valley oak (Quercus lobata N?e), and assess how the underlying genetic structure of populations might influence this species? ability to survive climate change. Local adaptation across many traits is likely to create geographic structure in traits associated with response to climate. By sampling populations through the species? range, we propose to test the association of genetic variation, phenotypic variation, and gene expression with climate gradients. Specifically, we will use a reference transcriptome to identify candidate genes associated with functional traits for response to climate change, test for SNPs under selection by association with geographical and environmental gradients after controlling for background historical genetic structure, and then map the SNPs associated with these genes onto phenotypic traits measured in a greenhouse experiment. We will study variation in gene expression in phenology of bud burst and drought tolerances as an initial analysis of geographic patterns of sequence variation and gene expression. This project will provide a rigorous assessment of the extent to which spatial patterns in adaptive genetic variation, phenotype and gene expression might influence response to future climates.

Visit #24640 @Hastings Natural History Reservation

Approved

Under Project # 23442 | Research

California oak phylogeography and genomics

research_scientist - University of California, Los Angeles

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 2 Research Scientist/Post Doc Apr 2, 2011 (1 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Day Use Only 2 Apr 2 (2 hours)