Interactive Roles of Predation and Hybridization on Population Dynamics of an Endangered Lupinus Species

物种引进是全球生物多样性的主要威胁之一。 目前的模式，旨在探讨本土植物物种灭绝的风险没有考虑到两个重要的机制，引进的物种可能会伤害本地物种：改变本地植物和他们的消费者之间的关系，和本地和引进的植物物种之间的杂交。 这项研究首次将这些因素用于灭绝风险模型。 实验将用于测量植物繁殖率和消费者对它们的影响;遗传研究将用于测量杂交率。这些结果将被用来设计模型，将评估消费者和杂交对人口增长和长期生存能力的联邦濒危，本地plant species.The结果的影响，这项研究将有重要意义的保护重点植物物种，这是濒危，只发现在北方加州内的14个种群。 更广泛地说，这项研究应该为未来研究这两种对我们本土植物群的快速灭绝风险铺平道路。 这些研究至关重要，因为消费者和杂交可能威胁到无数稀有动植物物种。

Species introductions are one of the major threats to global biodiversity. Current models designed to explore risks of extinction for native plant species have not considered two important mechanisms by which introduced species may harm native species: altered relationships between native plants and their consumers, and hybridization between native and introduced plant species. This research represents the first time these factors will be used in an extinction risk model. Experiments will be used to measure plant reproductive rates and the effects of consumers on them; genetic studies will be used to measure hybridization rates. These results will be used to design models that will evaluate the effects of consumers and hybridization on population growth and long-term viability of a federally-endangered, native plant species.The results of this study will have important implications for the conservation of the focal plant species, which is endangered and only found in 14 populations within Northern California. More broadly, this study should pave the way for future research on these two rapidly-acting extinction risks to our native flora. Such studies are of critical importance, since consumers and hybridization may threaten countless rare plant and animal species.