Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Fourteen undergraduates were mentored and supported as lab assistants under this grant in 2006-2007: Christopher Bella, Meghan Bishop, Jessica Grice, David Hamburger, Kendra Hauser, Adrian Haynes, Christopher Heintzelman, Nell Kolden, Jeremy Mason-Herr, Ian Miller, Kristopher Orre, Fahim Popalzai, Anne Shattuck, Rebekah Weber. In June 2007, one of these students (Kristopher Orre) completed a senior thesis in the lab. Kristopher is currently in the masters of education program at UCSC. PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA During this period, Dlugosch gave the following five oral presentations and posters at the national and international level: Dlugosch, KM and IM Parker. 2007. Founding events in invasions: genetic patterns & evolutionary consequences. University of California Los Angeles Symposium on Microevolutionary Change in Human-altered Environments. February 11. Dlugosch, KM. 2007. Rapid evolution in founding populations of an island endemic set loose. University of California Berkeley. March 1. Dlugosch, KM. 2007. Rapid evolution in founding populations of an island endemic set loose. University of California Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory. March 7. Dlugosch, KM and IM Parker. 2007. Founding events in invasions: genetic variation lost & found. Western Evolutionary Biology, Irvine, May 27. Dlugosch, KM and IM Parker. 2007. Living fast on the edge: Adaptive evolution in founding populations of an invasive plant. Ecological Society of America, San Jose, Aug 7. WEBSITE We continued to host a website dedicated to the dissemination of information about Hypericum canariense, a new noxious invader about which little work has been published: http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/parker/hypericum PARTICIPANTS: One P.I. (Ingrid Parker) was involved in this project. One Postdoctoral associate (Katrina Dlugosch) was supported under this grant. Seven undergraduates (Christopher Bella, Meghan Bishop, Jessica Grice, Nell Kolden, Jeremy Mason-Herr, Kristopher Orre, Rebekah Weber) worked at least 160 hours as lab assistants on the project in 2005-2006. One postdoctoral associate, Eduardo Cuevas, who was supported under the UC MEXUS program, collaborated on this grant by developing allozyme markers to estimate the mating system of Hypericum canariense populations. TARGET AUDIENCES: No change. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No change.
Impacts
Hypericum canariense is a native of the Canary Islands that is now invading areas of California and Hawaii. We have been studying the genetic variation and evolution of traits during colonization. Our work resulted in the following outcomes (changes of knowledge) this year: 1) The graduate student on this project, Katrina Dlugosch, earned her PhD for this work. 2) Postdoctoral fellow Eduardo Cuevas tested allozyme and microsatellites markers in this system, establishing microsatellites as a promising technique for discriminating among individuals. This will be useful for studying gene flow and changes in the reproductive patterns of this species, in response to our previous observation of increased ability to self-pollinate. 3) Because of possible changes in defensive chemistry in the invasions, we conducted an experiment to test the reproductive rate of aphids on these plants, and we found no difference in aphid reproduction on invading vs. native genotypes. 5) Again because of possible changes in chemistry in the invasions, we isolated and characterized a number of fungi that have infected plants in the field. 4) We conducted an experiment to test whether these plants are mycorrhizal and found that they do associate with endomycorrhizae in both the field and the greenhouse, and that this does not appear to differ between invading and native genotypes. 5) Our undergraduate assistants learned skills in insect propagation, fungal staining, culture, preservation and sterile technique, as well as experimental design and analysis.
Publications
- Dlugosch, KM and IM Parker. 2007. Molecular and life history trait variation across the native range of the invasive species Hypericum canariense: evidence for ancient patterns of colonization via pre-adaptation? Molecular Ecology 16: 4269-4283.
- Parker, I.M., E. Cuevas-Garcia, K.M. Dlugosch, P. Holloran, S.M. Swope, K.B. Hulvey, and R. Clark. 2007. Invasions as a tool for basic research. Review of D.F. Sax, J.J. Stachowicz, and S.D. Gaines, eds., Species Invasions: Insights into Ecology, Evolution, and Biogeography. Conservation Biology, in press.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
OUTPUTS: UNDERGRADUATES Nine undergraduates were mentored and supported as lab assistants under this grant in 2005-2006: Christopher Bella, Emily Bruns, Kendra Hauser, Adrian Haynes, Ian Miller, Fahim Popalzai, Anne Shattuck, Rebekah Weber, Peter Zee. In June 2006, one of these students (Emily Bruns) completed a senior thesis in the lab, for which she was awarded the university's highest prize for undergraduate research (Chancellor's Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Education). Emily is now in graduate school at the University of Minnesota, and Peter Zee is now in graduate school at Indiana University. PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA During this period, we gave the following three oral presentations and posters at the national and international level: Dlugosch, K.M. and I. M. Parker. 2005. Founding events: what are the consequences for genetic diversity and adaptation? Poster presented at the meeting of the USDA/NSF/EPA principal investigators of invasive species,
Washington D.C. October 15. Dlugosch, K.M. and I. M. Parker. 2006. Inbreeding depression, outbreeding depression, and evolution in founding populations of an invasive plant. Annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America, Chico, California. August 1. Given award for best talk (Genetics section). Crockett, S., K. M. Dlugosch, and O. Kunert. 2006. Investigating the ecological relevance of Acylphloroglucinol production in Hypericum L. (St. John's Wort, Clusiaceae) species. Poster presented at the International Society of Chemical Ecology meetings, Barcelona, Spain. July 15. Parker and Dlugosch both participated in the Interagency Invasive Species P.I. Meeting on "Combining Management and Basic Research." (Washington, D.C. Oct 16-19, 2005.) Parker was an invited participant for "The mathematics of biological invasions" at the Banff International Research Station for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery. (December 2005). Parker was also an invited participant in a working group on
"Biotic interactions and Plant Invasions" at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (2004-2006, Santa Barbara, CA). WEBSITE We continued to host a website dedicated to the dissemination of information about Hypericum canariense, a new noxious invader about which little work has been published: http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/parker/hypericum PRO BONO CONSULTATION (RELATED) Parker was brought in as a (pro-bono) consultant on mechanisms and pathways of weed spread to the County of Santa Cruz for County Superior Court Case #CV141711, Michael Shaw vs. County of Santa Cruz. Parker was appointed as resource person for CRISISCat: California Invasive Species Information Catalog (National Biological Information Infrastructure website, http://cain.nbii.org/crisis/crisiscat/people)
PARTICIPANTS: One P.I. (Ingrid Parker) was involved in this project. One PhD student (Katrina Dlugosch) was supported under this grant. Four undergraduates (Christopher Bella, Emily Bruns, Rebekah Weber, and Peter Zee.) worked at least 160 hours as lab assistants on the project in 2005-2006. Two are currently in graduate programs (Bruns, University of Minnesota, Zee, Indiana University). Former undergraduate in the lab James Sowerwine (see 2004-2005 report) went on to write a grant with California State Parks to fund removal of Hypericum canariense from their lands. We also collaborated with Sarah Crockett (Research Associate, Karl Franzens University, Austria), on a project looking at the evolution of plant chemistry.
Impacts
Hypericum canariense is a native of the Canary Islands that is now invading areas of California and Hawaii. We have been studying the genetic variation and evolution of traits during colonization. Our work resulted in the following outcomes (changes of knowledge) this year: 1) We completed molecular work (AFLP's and DNA sequencing) which revealed that all of the invading lineages under study originated from the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, and that invading populations have lost about half of their genetic diversity relative to populations on Tenerife. This is profound in that we have been observing rapid evolution of life history in these populations despite this loss of genetic material. 2) Because growth rates appear to have increased in the invading populations, we hypothesized that resources may have been diverted away from chemical defenses in these plants, and we have sent tissue samples to collaborator Sara Crockett at Karl Franzens University
Austria for chemical analysis. Dr. Crockett has identified the major compounds present in these tissues. 3) Our undergraduate assistants learned skills in molecular laboratory techniques (DNA extraction, amplification, sequencing, analysis), preparation of tissues for chemical analysis, as well as experimental design and analysis. (change of action:) 4) One undergraduate student, James Sowerwine, has used the knowledge of Hypericum canariense that he gained during his internship with California State Parks to obtain funding for removal of this invader on their lands.
Publications
- Simberloff, D., I.M. Parker, and P.N. Windle. 2005. Introduced species policy, management, and future research needs. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 3(1):12-20.
- Mitchell, CE, AA Agrawal, JD Bever, GS Gilbert, RA Hufbauer, JN Klironomos, JL Maron, WF Morris, IM Parker, AG Power, EW Seabloom, ME Torchin, DP Vazquez. 2006. Biotic interactions and plant invasions. Ecology Letters 9(6):726-740.
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Hypericum canariense is a native of the Canary Islands that is now invading areas of California and Hawaii. We have been studying the genetic variation and evolution of traits during colonization. Our work resulted in the following outcomes (changes of knowledge): 1) We developed methods to do hand pollinations of plants in the field. 2) In one invading population, we hand pollinated plants with both self and non-self pollen. We found that plants at the leading edge of the invasion were better able to use self pollen, making them better able to reproduce without other plants nearby. 3) We conducted an experiment to compete H. canariense plants against a grass (Lolium perene). We found that H. canariense competes poorly with grasses, showing highly reduced germination and slowed growth. We conclude that this species is unlikely to invade grasslands. 4) We collected data from our two-year field common garden experiment. Our results showed that larger plants have a competitive
and reproductive advantage in the field, that plants typically take two years to flower, that genotypes from invading populations have diverged in flowering phenology in accordance with adaptation to different latitudes, and that invading genotypes appear to be less stressed in the invading range than do native plants. 5) We developed techniques to propagate lines to asses heritability of life history traits. 6) Our undergraduate assistants learned skills in plant breeding and propagation, as well as experimental design and analysis.
PARTICIPANTS: One P.I. (Ingrid Parker) was involved in this project. One PhD student (Katrina Dlugosch) was supported under this grant. Three undergraduates (Adrian Deveny, Jodi Stewart, James Sowerwine) worked at least 160 hours as lab assistants on the project in 2004-2005. Two are currently in graduate programs (Stewart, University of Washington, Sowerwine, University of Alaska Anchorage).
TARGET AUDIENCES: Much of our work is directed at academic audiences, from the local scale to the national and international scale. We also communicate our work to weed management audiences, primarily at the local scale, but also in other regions where Hypericum canariense is invading. Our website provides information and networking within this group, as well as talks we have given to weed management and invasive species control groups such as the California Invasive Plant Council.
Impacts
RESEARCH TRIPS & ACTIVITIES Collecting trips were conducted to the Canary Islands and to Hawaii and San Diego, to collect from a broad range of native populations and two invasive populations. Local collecting was done from an invasive population near Santa Cruz. Crossing experiments and common garden experiments were started in the greenhouse and field. UNDERGRADUATES Five undergraduates were mentored and supported as lab assistants under this grant in 2004-2005: Adrian Deveny, Neil Petersen, Tzong Rogers, Jodi Stewart, James Sowerwine. In June 2005, two of these students completed senior theses within the project. Both students received campus-wide awards for excellence in research, and both have gone on to graduate school. James Sowerwine (now in graduate school at University of Alaska Anchorage): "Pollination success in the invasive shrub Hypericum canariense (Hypericaceae)." Recipient of the Deans' Undergraduate Excellence in Research Award. Jodi Stewart (now in
graduate school at University of Washington): "HPLC profiling of the invasive plant species Hypericum canariense to assess rapid evolutionary changes in defensive chemistry" Recipient of the Deans' Undergraduate Excellence in Research Award. PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA Dlugosch gave the following four oral presentations and posters at the local, regional, and national level: Dlugosch, K.M. and I. M. Parker. 2005. Genetic bottlenecks and rapid evolution in an invasive shrub. Annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, Anchorage, Alaska. June 10. Dlugosch, K.M. and I. M. Parker. 2005. Genetic bottlenecks and rapid evolution in an invasive shrub. Biannual Graduate Student Symposium of the California Botanical Society, Tiburon California. February 19. Best Talk (Research in Progress). Dlugosch, K.M.. 2005. Genetic diversity and rapid evolution in an invasive shrub. University of California -Santa Cruz Plant Research Symposium. February 12. Dlugosch, K.M. 2004.
Genetic Diversity in the shrub Hypericum canariense (Canary Island St. Johnswort): Have demographic bottlenecks truly led to reduced genetic variation? Poster presented at the California Invasive Plant Council Symposium, October 7. In addition, Parker was an invited participant in a working group on "Biotic interactions and Plant Invasions" at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (Santa Barbara, CA), and an invited panelist for a UCSC workshop on "Balancing work and family in a research career." We organized the 2005 UCSC Plant Research Symposium, a day-long event including 70 participants from 21 labs (7 departments) and 6 administrative units, at which this research was highlighted. WEBSITE We designed a website dedicated to the dissemination of information about Hypericum canariense, a new noxious invader about which little work has been published: http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/people/parker/hypericum NOXIOUS PLANT ASSESSMENT As experts on the invasion of
Hypericum canariense, we were approached by the California Invasive Plant Council and asked to write the Plant Assessment for H. canariense. This assessment was published as a technical report (see below).
Publications
- Parker, I. M. 2004. Mating patterns and rates of invasion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 101(38):13605-13606.
- Dlugosch, K. 2005. Plant Assessment Form for Hypericum canariense. California Invasive Plant Council, Berkeley, California.
- Parker, I.M. 2005. Understanding the impacts of nonnative species (Box 9.1). In: Groom, M.J., G.K. Meffe and C.R. Carroll, eds, Principles of Conservation Biology; pp. 305-6.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Demographic bottlenecks are thought to be a common feature of species introductions. However, it is not known to what extent these bottlenecks limit adaptive genetic variation in new introductions, particularly for key life history traits. We are comparing genetic variation in both molecular markers and life history traits between the native range and on-going invasions of California and Hawaii by the shrub Hypericum canariense. We have identified a region in the native range (Canary Islands) that was the likely source of these invasions using molecular genetic surveys of AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) variation. Fine scale comparisons of AFLP variation between this source region and the introduced populations are beginning to reveal a substantial genetic bottleneck in the introductions. To examine variation in life history traits, plants grown from seed collected in the native and introduced ranges were grown in common gardens in both a greenhouse and
a field setting. In contrast to the pattern suggested by the molecular markers, life history traits examined in the greenhouse do not show a consistent loss of variation in the introduced populations. (Data from the field garden are still being analyzed). These results suggest that, as predicted by theory, demographic bottlenecks may not result in substantial losses of variation in life history traits. To address this question more directly, we are rearing lineages with which to estimate additive genetic variation (narrow sense heritability) in life history traits in native and introduced populations. Additionally, we are investigating the role that changes in mating system may play in shaping the genetic diversity of these populations. We are preparing to use molecular markers and controlled crosses to assess the frequency and success of self fertilization in three native and three introduced populations. This work has been presented and well received at a variety of scientific
conferences, including meetings of the San Mateo Weed Management Area (Jan 2003), the California Native Plant Society (Feb 2003), the Society for the Study of Evolution (Jun 2003, 2004) and the California Exotic Pest Plant Council (Oct 2004). Two undergraduate students at the University of California-Santa Cruz, Jodi Stewart and Jim Sowerwine, are exploring questions related to this work for their senior theses.
Impacts
This research will contribute critical information to our understanding of the role of local adaptation in invasion success. If founding events diminish adaptive genetic variation in key traits, then multiple introductions may be required for adaptation to augment invasion success. This study is one of the first to examine changes in genetic variation early in the course of an invasion, to compare these changes in both molecular and quantitative (life history) traits, and to measure additive genetic variation directly. At a more basic level, this is the first study to focus on the ecology and genetics of Hypericum canariense, a plant that threatens coastal habitats in several regions of the globe. Finally, this project has already contributed to the scientific training of nine undergraduate students.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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