DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Comparative phylogeography of Erigonum (Polygonaceae) endemic to California's Channel Islands

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Although islands have long been recognized as ideal natural laboratories for evolutionary studies, evolutionary patterns and processes on near shore islands are relatively unexamined compared to those on distant islands, such as Hawaii. Near shore islands are likely to experience higher rates of colonization and subsequent gene flow among populations, and thus exhibit less evolutionary differentiation from each other and from mainland relatives. These predictions, however, remain largely untested. This study will investigate the patterns of colonization and divergence among native buckwheats endemic to California's Channel Islands. Understanding the patterns of gene flow and differentiation over small geographic distances will allow a more nuanced understanding of how island area and distance from the mainland affect evolutionary dynamics on islands and other isolated areas. The project will promote appreciation of the unique Channel Islands flora and the findings will be immediately applicable to the management of rare Channel Island buckwheats. Moreover, the molecular methods developed will enhance conservation studies of other rare island plants. The project will enhance science education by providing undergraduate research opportunities and instructional modules for students at the University of South Dakota, a rural predominantly undergraduate institution that serves a high proportion of first generation college students. Funding also will enrich local K-12 education through outreach activities and supply interpretive information for Channel Island natural history programs.