Population differentiation of a threatened plant: Variation in response to local environment and implications for restoration
Sanders S and McGraw J. 2005. Population differentiation of a threatened plant: Variation in response to local environment and implications for restoration. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society. 132(4):561-572
Intraspecific genetic variation in plants is frequently associated with adaptation to local environments. Detection of ecotypic differentiation can promote an understanding of a species' distribution and be an important consideration in restoration efforts. We performed a classical reciprocal transplant study using four natural populations of Hydrastis canadensis to test for localized adaptation. We found that populations established with plant material from single sources performed better than those established with multiple sources. Collectively, our findings indicate that restoration efforts should involve multiple sources dispersed over multiple sites as a bet-hedging strategy to increase the likelihood of suitable source-site compatibility. However, within a given restoration site, these sources should be spatially separated, such that numerous populations are introduced, each comprised of only a single source.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Sanders, Suzanne; McGraw, James
- Units
- GLKN