Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Cameron, Kenneth [1], SYTSMA , KENNETH JAY [2], Waller, Donald H [3], Givnish, Tom [2], Pace , Matthew Charles [4], Li, Pan [3], SPALINK, DANIEL [3], Drummond, Chloe [3], Zaborsky, John [3], Rose, Jeff [3], Alverson, Bil [3], Kriebel, Ricardo [3].

A Molecular Phylogeny of the Wisconsin Flora.

The flora of Wisconsin offers local botanists the opportunity to study terrestrial species representing northern coniferous forests, eastern deciduous forests, savannas, and grassland biomes, as well as various freshwater communities distributed across both a historically glaciated and driftless landscape.  In total it is estimated that the state harbors at least 2,640 species of vascular plants, of which 1,873 are native and 767 are introduced; there are at least 158 families and 779 genera represented.  In order to provide phylogenetic information to ecologists and others interested in studying changes in floristic composition through time (past, present, and future), we have made considerable progress toward reconstructing the relationships among species present in the Wisconsin flora.  Genomic DNA has been extracted almost exclusively from existing herbarium specimens held within the Wisconsin State Herbarium (WIS) at the UW-Madison, and a highly variable gene segment from both rbcL and matK (the two-gene universal plant DNA barcode) has been sequenced from at least one individual of each species.  The challenges of amplifying and sequencing loci, especially matK, from decades old vouchers has been overcome by using primer pairs that target particular plant orders when ‘universal’ primers fail.  Remarkably, our phylogenetic reconstructions are well resolved and mostly congruent with known phylogenetic relationships for vascular plants, in spite of the fact that many angiosperm orders and tropical elements are absent from the flora.  With a nearly complete phylogeny of the Wisconsin flora in hand, we are now able to document trends, correlations, and patterns of change in genome size, life history, key functional traits, phylogenetic diversity, and other dimensions of biodiversity across multiple plant communities in the state.

1 - University Of Wisconsin, Department Of Botany, 154 Birge Hall, 450 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
2 - University Of Wisconsin, Department Of Botany, Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
3 - University of Wisconsin, Madison
4 - University Of Wisconsin - Madison, 430 Lincoln Drive, Birge Hall, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

Keywords:
Floristics
DNA Barcoding
phylogenetics
functional traits
diversity
Herbarium.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 34
Location: Evergreen/Grove
Date: Wednesday, July 30th, 2014
Time: 9:00 AM
Number: 34005
Abstract ID:570
Candidate for Awards:None