NSCI 487 (Ecological Internship)
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Transcript of NSCI 487 (Ecological Internship)
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NSCI 487(Ecological Internship)
Mentor: Ruth Hufbauer
Working on the reproductive ecology of Verbascum thapsus (Common Mullein) in its native and introduced range
By: Tanner Bonham
IntroductionVerbascum thapsus (Common Mullein)
Biology Biennial Mature plants grow up to 7 feet Flower: many in a dense spike
(opens for 24hrs)
Native Range Dry, stony hillsides, wasteland and open woodland Europe, Africa and West/Central Asia
Background
Introduction U.S. mid-1700’s by Puritans Used as a fish poison in Virginia Thought to be used as a medicinal herb
Coughs Diarrhea
Invasive Numerous seeds (100,000-180,000) per plant Long dominant period (up to 100 years?) Noxious “C” listed in Colorado
Introduced Range in U.S.
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=veth
Common Mullein Along the Front Range
Our county data are based primarily on the literature, herbarium specimens, and confirmed observations. Not all populations have been documented, only
native and naturalized populations are mapped.http://plants.usda.gov/java/county?state_name=Colorado&statefips=08&symbol=VETH
Ecological Impact
Threatens natural meadows and forest openings Easily adaptable to these areas
Grows more vigorous then native plants Covers large area (big biomass)
Fire species Takes over after a fire Numerous seeds that may lay dominant for years
Very resilient species
Very hard to eradicate!
Project
Hypothesis #1 Native populations are set in a specific ecological
niche and are locally adapted. performance decrease as distance increases when
individuals from different populations are crossed. Increased distance between populations will cause
offspring to have a lower fitness than the progeny from crosses with individuals in the same population
outbreeding depression in native range?
Procedure: distance between outcrossing populations related to
progeny performance
6:00am remove stamen from Receptor plant To ensure it wont self-pollinate
12:00pm remove stamen off Donor plant and pollinate Receptor plant Cover flower and wait for seeds to grow
Test in native and introduced range Evaluate results
"Population Admixture, Biological Invasions and the Balance between Local Adaptation
and Inbreeding Depression."
Verhoeven, Koen J.F., Mirka Macel, Lorne M. Wolfe, and Arjen Biere.
S. Latifolia (broadleaf
arrowhead, duck potato or Indian
potato)
Project (contd.)
Hypothesis #2 With respect to inbreeding:
Introductions select for the ability to self-pollinate when mates are limited in small founding populations.
Self-pollination in the introduced range will yield a higher performance than self-pollination in the native range.
Inbreeding depression in native population?
Procedure: self-pollination succession in its native and introduced range
No-manipulation flower Cover flower so it must self-pollinate
Outcross within its population Genetically different
Measure difference between self-pollinated and outcrossed plants Compare data between native and
introduced range
Theoretical Model#
Of S
eeds
Compare between native and introduced range Difference in
#seeds of self and outcrossed plantsNative Introduced
SelfOut-cross
My Role
Dig plants out of mulch and snow Vernalization
Move into greenhouse Initiate flowering
My Role (contd.) Arrange plants
spatially & numerically
Water/Fertilize Facilitate growth
Coming to an End
Research continues… Continue procedures Acquire data Discuses results
Theorize
What I learned Lab work Applied Research Experiment Procedures Invasions
Reproductive ecology
Works Cited Brickell, C. and J.D. Zuk. 1997. The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants.
DK Publishing, Inc., NY. http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Verbascum+thapsus&guide=Wildflowers&cl=US/NC/Jackson
/Balsam_Mountain_Preserve
http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/gorge/5petal/figwort/verbascum/commonmullein.htm Rambuda TD, Johnson SD (2004) Breeding systems of invasive alien plants in South Africa: does Baker’s
rule apply? Diversity and Distributions, 10, 409–416. Eckert CG, Samis KE, Dart S (2006) Reproductive assurance and the evolution of uniparental
reproduction in flowering plants. In: Ecology and Evolution of Flowers (eds Harder LD, Barrett SCH), pp. 183–203. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
Keller, L. F. & Waller, D. M. 2002 Inbreeding effects in wild populations. Trends Ecol. Evol. 17, 230–241. (doi:10.1016/S0169-5347(02)02489-8)
Verhoeven, Koen J.F., Mirka Macel, Lorne M. Wolfe, and Arjen Biere. "Population Admixture, Biological Invasions and the Balance between Local Adaptation and Inbreeding Depression." Proceedings of The Royal Society (2010). Print.
Remaley, Tom. "FACT SHEET: COMMON MULLEIN." Plant Conservation Alliance®s Alien Plant Working Group, 20 May 2005. Web. 26 Apr. 2012. http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AmCyc_Mullein_-_Common_Mullein.jpg