COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: LTREB: The Interplay of Genetic and Numerical Dynamics in Severely Fragmented Prairie Populations of Echinacea Angustifolia

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This project will extend a study of genetics and ecology of Echinacea angustifolia, a long-lived perennial plant native to the plains and prairie of the United States. Land-use changes over the past century have eliminated prairie habitat, confining populations of this typical prairie plant to small remnants. Previous work has revealed feedbacks between the genetics and demography of E. angustifolia. To clarify the effects of these feedbacks on the persistence and ongoing evolution of this plant, this project will continue the annual census of all flowering plants of E. angustifolia growing in 23 prairie remnants within a 6400 hectare study area in MN. It will include intensive searches for seedlings and subsequent monitoring of their survival to evaluate recruitment rates among remnant populations. This research will also continue monitoring plants in three experiments designed to 1) characterize divergence among remnant populations in the health, survival, and reproduction of individuals, 2) determine how inbreeding and inter-remnant mating affect progeny fitness and 3) assess genetic variation in the fragmented populations. This project contributes substantively to understanding of the population biology of long-lived herbaceous plants. Results from this project will inform the conservation and management of perennial populations in fragmented habitat.