THE ROLE OF INBREEDING IN INVASIVENESS: LINKING PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY AND INBREEDING IN MIMULUS GUTTATUS IN HOME AND NOVEL ENVIRONMENTS.

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Funding Source: NRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0190324
• Grant No.: 2001-35320-10899
• Project Start Date: Aug 15, 2001
• Project End Date: Aug 14, 2005
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Project Director
Dudash, M. R.

Recipient Organization
UNIV OF MARYLAND
(N/A)
COLLEGE PARK,MD 20742

Performing Department
PLANT BIOLOGY

Non Technical Summary
This research is timely as fragmentation continues to dissect the habitat of widespread and endangered species. Secondly, an ongoing national problem is the prevention of invasive species altering our natural areas and native species assemblages. Our proposal seeks to investigate the effects of matings between relatives (inbreeding), initial population size and phenotypic plasticity (variation in trait expression among environments) upon the ability of a species to invade new geographic locations.

Animal Health Component

20%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

80%

Applied

20%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
213	2420	1080	100%

Knowledge Area
213 - Weeds Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
2420 - Noncrop plant research;

Field Of Science
1080 - Genetics;

Keywords

mimulus

inbreeding

phenotypes

plasticity

invasive species

population

fitness

life history

environmental effects

weeds

plant genetics

plant adaptation

traits

variability

quantitative analysis

plant ecology

colonization

Goals / Objectives
Perform complementary empirical studies which will highlight the role of vegetative, life history and fitness traits in the ability of M. guttatus to invade and colonize both local and novel habitats. Specifically, we will investigate the effects of matings between relatives (inbreeding), initial population size and phenotypic plasticity (variation in trait expression among environments) upon the ability of a species to invade local and new geographic locations. Our goal is to quantify the role inbreeding plays in the plasticity of individuals in founding populations in an invasive environment and the fitness consequences of this plasticity.

Project Methods
We will use Mimulus guttatus as a model system to study the ecological genetics of founding populations. M. guttatus is a common annual plant in western North America, and has naturalized populations along the East Coast. Specifically, we are interested in examining the interaction between inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity in novel environments associated with changes in geography. We will take a three fold-approach to understand the role of inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity in invasiveness. First, document historic levels of inbreeding and determine the relationship between inbreeding and population size. Second, determine the effect of inbreeding on phenotypic plasticity among maternal lines and the impact of plasticity of vegetative and life history traits on fitness under controlled glasshouse conditions and in the field. Finally, quantify the joint effects of historic levels of inbreeding in source populations and founding population size on colonization success in local and distant novel habitats.

Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02

Outputs
In the calendar year of 2002 we initiated our field research on the role of inbreeding and phenotypic plasticity on invasiveness in northern California. This included identifying 12 viable populations of Mimulus guttatus representing 6 relatively small and 6 large populations. We gathered habitat heterogeneity data regarding overall locality size, estimates of population size at both flowering and fruiting, light, moisture, and soil composition. We have performed protein electrophoresis and collected seed in all 12 populations. We collected detailed data on flower shape, size, stigma-anther separation, elongation of 2nd internode, flower and fruit number, and we are currently weighing plant biomass in the lab at Maryland for 2 California populations. These data are currently being analyzed for a phenotypic selection study comparing East coast and West coast populations and is vital to gain insights into which traits are important in understanding invasiveness and will allow us to focus our future efforts. We have obtained permission to work in our chosen sites in N. California as well as USDA, Beltsville, MD. At Maryland in the greenhouse we are continuing our hand-pollinations in two populations to generate our inbred lines for a future greenhouse and field experiment. We have initiated a pilot study that manipulates water level to determine how to appropriately impose moisture stress on M. guttatus. We have consulted with a statistician to maximize our power for both our colonization experiment being planted in January 2003 and our greenhouse plasticity experiment. M. Dudash has spoken about this Mimulus work at a symposium in August 2002 at the Botanical Society of America annual meeting. Additionally M. Dudash was an invited speaker at a Conservation Genetics symposium at the Missouri Botanical Garden in October 2002. A paper from this symposium is forthcoming on the use of M. guttatus as a model system in investigating both ecological and genetic components in designing conservation and restoration strategies highlighting the similarities in data needed for both species at risk and invasive species.

Impacts
The data from this research project should provide additional insights to what plant traits are important in establishment and persistence of populations of potentially invasive species in nature.

Publications

• No publications reported this period

Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01

Outputs
This new project began late this year. The generation of our inbred lines in the greenhouse have begun and arrangements have been made for the first field season in Spring 2002. A post doc was hired in the fall of 2001 to assist with the new research.

Impacts
The data generated from this research project should provide additional insights to what plant traits are important for establishment and persistance of populations of potentially invasive species in nature.

Publications

• No publications reported this period