DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Invasion Dynamics of the Parasitic Plant, Epifagus Virginiana

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This project investigates how parasites invade and persist in host populations. The study's approach is historical and compares the post-glacial migration of a parasitic plant, Epifagus virginiana (beechdrop; Orobanchaceae), with its host, Fagus grandifolia (American beech; Fagaceae). The objectives are (A) to reconstruct the broad scale colonization patterns of E. virginiana using genetic data, (B) to investigate potential forces (e.g., host density effects, limited parasite dispersal) limiting parasite infection through fine scale mapping and genotyping, and (C) to test for local adaptation of the parasite through germination studies. This research will produce a comprehensive migration history of this parasite with an emphasis on what factors influenced its invasion, and it builds upon previous work on the host's colonization history. Understanding what controls the spread of parasites is especially relevant today considering that future climate change may force species to move at their full migration capacities. The proposed study will provide significant data on herbaceous plant migration that is currently missing and can answer questions about the cohesiveness of communities during migration. Results from this study will be incorporated into interpretive signs along public nature trails that describe the natural history of the beech woods and parasitic plants.