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

人为干扰，如景观破碎化和改变，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。我们介绍了一种创新的方法来研究种子流，基于分子遗传学分析的母体组织在种皮，通过分析种子库结构的种子分散在整个景观。我们将应用这种新的分析种子传播的受威胁的树种，加州谷橡树，由橡子啄木鸟。我们有两个目标：（1）对不同环境下种子扩散的统计模型进行了新的理论研究，（2）对橡实啄木鸟贮藏地种子和自然幼苗斑块中新种子的种子库结构和扩散距离进行了研究。(1)它开发了研究种子传播的方法，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损失的物种。(2)它有助于生态学家和种群遗传学关于种子传播分布形状的讨论。(3)这项研究的结果将包括在几个K-12环境研讨会，与政策制定者，州和联邦科学家会议。

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.