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Julie Etterson's lab
Plant ecological & evolutionary genetics
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF SOLIDAGO ALTISSIMA CYTOTYPES ACROSS THE PRAIRIE-FOREST BORDER IN MINNESOTA
Jeff Willging
The study of polyploidy has only recently received renewed attention in the
literature (Thompson and Lumaret 1992; Leitch and Bennett 1997; Ramsey and Schemske
1998; Soltis and Soltis 2000; Otto and Witton 2000; Ramsey and Schemske 2002).
Little research has been done to investigate the evolutionary implications of
polyploidy in plant populations (Burton and Husband 1998; Keeler 1989). Even
current estimates of the overall frequency of polyploidy in all plants vary
by almost 50 % (Masterson 1994). However, it is widely acknowledged polyploid
polymorphism within plant species and even within populations is fairly common
(Keeler 1989). The goal of this research project is to continue the preliminary
work initiated in summer 2002 to more fully characterize the distribution of
cytotypes across the prairie-forest border. In addition, I will use a more rapid
and reliable method of assessing ploidy level, flow cytometry, and a rapid screening
technique that can be used on plants in natural populations. In this project
six populations of S. altissima will be sampled which will include three prairie
populations and three forest populations. Prairie and forest populations will
be paired by latitude and a single pair will be sampled in the north, central
and southern regions of Minnesota. At each location rhizomes from 100 plants
will be collected and clones will be grown in the UMD Biology greenhouse to
provide vegetative material for root-tip squashes and flow cytometry.
