Dissertation Research: Population Genetics and Dynamics of Postelsia Palmaeformis: A Metapopulation Approach

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0073542Waaland & WhitmerThis project focuses on the population dynamics and genetics of an annual marine plant species, a kelp commonly known as the Sea Palm (Postelsia palmaeformis). The Sea Palm is an annual alga that grows in the Pacific Northwest. It appears in the early spring and dies off each fall. Population locations and sizes vary dramatically from year to year. This research studies how these populations are related along the coast and through time. Individuals' locations have been mapped using computerized surveying equipment over the last two years. Concurrently, tissue samples have been collected for genetic analysis. DNA markers will be used to reveal the relationship of individuals found in a single year within a population, between two or more populations, and between populations from one year to the next.Studying population dynamics through space and time allows us to understand how populations are interconnected. This understanding provides insight into what is otherwise unknowable for many organisms, namely where individuals come from and how they interact with each other. DNA markers allow us to estimate the genetic diversity of populations (i.e., the "genetic health" of a species). Results of such studies are of fundamental scientific interest and may be applied in managing and conserving living resources in coastal regions.