Collaborative Research: Seed-flow in California Valley Oak (Quercus lobata)--Novel Approaches to an Old Problem

人类造成的干扰，如景观的碎片化和改变，分散剂的损失，以及全球变暖，要求植物种群能够将基因和个体分散到新的地点。我们引入了一种创新的方法来研究种子流动，该方法基于种皮中母体组织的分子遗传分析，通过分析散布在景观中的几组种子的种子池结构。我们将应用这一新的分析方法来研究橡子啄木鸟对一种受威胁的树种加州山谷橡树的种子传播。我们有两个目标：(1)对统计模型进行新的理论工作，该模型允许对不同情况下的种子扩散进行假设检验；(2)检验在橡子啄木鸟储藏点发现的种子的种子库结构和扩散距离，以及在天然苗圃中发现的种子。(1)它开发了研究种子传播的方法，这些方法适用于广泛的物种，包括那些经历景观变化和脊椎动物传播者丧失的物种。(2)这有助于生态学家和种群遗传学对种子传播分布的形状进行越来越多的讨论。(3)这项研究的结果将包括在几个K-12环境讲习班、与政策制定者、州和联邦科学家的会议上。

Human-caused disturbances, such as landscape fragmentation and alteration, loss of dispersal agents, and global warming, require that plant populations be able to disperse both genes and individuals to new sites. We introduce an innovative approach to the study of seed flow, based on molecular genetic analysis of maternal tissue in the seed coat, by analyzing the seed pool structure of sets of seeds dispersed across a landscape. We will apply this novel analysis to seed dispersal of a threatened tree species, California valley oak, by the acorn woodpecker. We have two objectives: (1) to conduct novel theoretical work on the statistical model that allows hypothesis testing on seed dispersal under different circumstances; (2) to examine the seed pool structure and dispersal distances of seeds found in acorn woodpecker storage sites, and recruits in natural seedling patches.This research makes several valuable contributions. (1) It develops methods for studying seed dispersal that are applicable to a wide range of species, including those experiencing landscape change and loss of vertebrate dispersers. (2) It contributes to a growing discussion by ecologists and population genetics about the shape of the seed dispersal distribution. (3) Results from this study will be included in several K-12 environmental workshops, meetings with policy-makers, nd state and federal scientists.