Molecular Biology & Evolution POSTERS 770
GAYNOR, MICHELLE* 1, LAPORT, ROBERT 2 and NG, JULIENNE 3
Identifying the Factors Influencing Plant Communities Across the United States Using A Phylogenetic Framework
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he structure of communities - the species that are present and their respective attributes - are the result of a number of processes acting at varying spatial and temporal scales. The field of community ecology, however, has largely ignored the influence of historical processes in community assembly and has instead focused on whether present-day patterns can be explained by ecological processes, such as environmental filtering and competitive exclusion. We used a phylogenetic framework to test the importance of historical and ecological factors in influencing plant communities across the United States. Our results show that using a dynamic modeling approach can help identify the factors influencing plant communities. 1
University of Central Florida, Department of Biology , Biological Sciences Bldg., 4110 Libra Drive,, Orlando, Fl, 32816, United State2 s University of Colorado-Boulder, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA3University of Colorado Boulder, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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SANCHEZ, VIVIANNA* 1, NG, JULIENNE 2 and LAPORT, ROBERT 3
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SCHROYER, TINA* 1, THOMPSON, PAM 1 and CRUZAN, MITCH 2
How do invasive plants move? The case of Brachypodium sylvaticum
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lobal exchange and establishment of exotic species is occurring at an unprecedented rate. A small subset of exotic species become aggressively invasive and obliterate native ecosystems. To become invasive, an introduced species must be able to adapt rapidly to novel environmental conditions. Such adaptation may be hampered by reduced genetic diversity resulting from genetic bottlenecks that frequently accompany introduction. After successful colonization of a new area, gene flow from nearby populations may provide the necessary genetic diversity and phenotypic variation required for populations to respond to selection and to continue expanding into new environments. Conversely, excessive gene flow between populations in different environments could swamp beneficial mutations and prevent improvement of the invasive genotype. Spatially heterogeneous gene flow generates a genetic structure which exists not only as a record of an invasive species’ past, but as a signpost indicating its evolutionary future. However, it is not understood how elements of the suburban landscape affect gene flow; this proves problematic for our understanding of the evolution of invasive species, as a significant number of invaders exist in the suburban landscape. To improve our understanding, I have investigated the influence of suburban landscape features on gene flow and genetic differentiation in slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), a model species for invasive plant evolution.
Testing the Role of Historical Processes In Shaping Plant Communities Across the United States
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oth ecological and historical processes influence the structure of communities. However, linking patterns of community structure to the underlying process can be complicated by the fact that both ecological and historical processes can give rise to similar patterns. We combined phylogenetic comparative methods with NEON-collected plant community data to investigate how historical processes have shaped plant communities across the United States. Our findings highlight the importance of including a historical perspective in analyses of community structure.
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Mount Saint Mary's University, Department of Biological Sciences, 12001 Chalon Rd., Los Angeles, California, 90049, United States2University of Colorado Boulder, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA3University of Colorado-Boulder, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
Portland State University, Biology, 1719 SW 10th Avenue, SRTC rm 246, Portland, OR, 97201, USA2Portland State University, Department Of Biology, PO BOX 751, PORTLAND, OR, 97207, USA
BAKER, STOKES S* 1, FIJAL, SAVANNAH 2, KOONER, TAJ P. 2, ABDULRAZZAQ, MUSTAFA F. 2 and YOUNG, IAN T. 2
Giant duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) gene expression response to phosphorus
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obust pollution monitoring methods can be used in mitigation strategies. Experiments have been initiated to determine if Spirodela polyrhiza (giant duckweed) gene expression patterns can be used to monitor the concentration of phosphorus, the limiting factor of algae growth in most aquatic ecosystems. Sterile cultures of S. polyrhiza were grown under standard laboratory conditions (40,385 ppb), under phosphorous starvation (0 ppb), and under eutrophic condition (50 ppb). Next generation sequencing experiments (i.e., RNAseq) was used to identify candidate genes that respond to phosphate. When plants were moved from 40,385 ppb P to 0 pbb P, 1060 transcripts were upregulate by phosphate starvation and 1715 were down regulated. In contract, a comparison of plants growing in 50 ppb P versus 0 ppb P showed only two genes upregulated by phosphate starvation and no genes down regulated. Population growth studies of sterile cultures showed a
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