CRB: Genetics of Ecological Restoration with Native Grasses

两种广泛生长的草种，原产于美国西部。S.（Escherus glaucus和Nassella pulchra）将被用作模型系统，以确定从加州沿海到内陆的环境梯度的适应程度。 对当地环境的适应将在一系列相互移植实验中确定。 如果发现草的种群适应当地环境，这将表明种子不应该转移到这些地区之外。我们还将确定非本地种群进化本地种群属性的能力。 这些研究结果将对利用本地草种质资源具有广泛的意义。 如果种群能够以这种方式进化，那么在某些情况下，严格保持现有种群的完整性可能比在最初收集中最大化遗传变异量的种子收集方法优先级低。 拟议的研究将显着增加目前的理解的重要性，不同方面的原生草适应栖息地恢复。 了解1）当地适应的空间尺度，2）进一步适应的进化潜力，3）遗传污染的进化后果，以及4）种子生产中不必要的遗传转移的潜力，将提高成功建立本地草种的机会。 增加对这些本地物种的利用将促进生物多样性的维护，并有助于恢复具有健康生态功能和进化潜力的生态系统。这些研究的结果应有助于开发实用的解决方案，使本土植物种子产业和生态系统健康受益。

Two widely grown grass species native to the western U. S. (Elymus glaucus and Nassella pulchra) will be used as model systems to determine the extent of adaptation across environmental gradients from coastal to interior sites in California. Adaptation to local environments will be determined in a series of reciprocal transplant experiments. If grass populations are found to be adapted to the local environment, this would indicate that seed should not be transferred outside of these regions. We will also determine the capacity of non-local populations to evolve the attributes of the local populations. Results of these studies will have broad implications for use of native grass germplasm. If populations are able to evolve in this manner, strict maintenance of the integrity of existing populations may in some situations be a lower priority than seed collection methods that maximize the amount of genetic variation in the initial collection. The proposed research will significantly increase the current understanding of the importance of different aspects of native grass adaptation to habitat restoration. Knowledge of 1) the spatial scales of local adaptation, 2) the evolutionary potential for further adaptation, 3) the evolutionary consequences of genetic contamination, and 4) the potential for unwanted genetic shifts in seed production will enhance the chances of successful establishment of native grass species. An increase in the use of these native species will promote the maintenance of biodiversity and facilitate the restoration of ecosystems with both healthy ecological function and evolutionary potential. Findings from these studies should assist with developing practical solutions that benefit both the native plant seed industry and ecosystem health.