Testing the Efficacy of Seed Zones for
Adaptation of Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Brad St.Clair
Francis Kilkenny
Nancy Shaw
2014 Great Basin Native Plant Project Annual Meeting
Bluebunch Wheatgrass
(Psuedoroegneria spicata)
• Widely used in post-fire restoration
• Occurs across wide range of habitats
• California and Texas to Alaska and Saskatchewan
• 200 to 10,000 ft elevation
• 8 to 50 in precipitation
• Suggests adaptation to variable climates
• Genecology study to look for evidence of adaptation
• Seed zones delineated to help ensure adaptation and
genetic diversity in restoration projects
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Genecology Study
PC 1
< -7.75
-7.75 - -6.9
-6.9 - -6.05
-6.05 - -5.2
-5.2 - -4.35
-4.35 - -3.5
Evidence for adaption
-3.5 - -2.65
-2.65 - -1.8
-1.8 - -0.95
-0.95 - 0.1
0.1 - 0.75
0.75 - 1.6
1.6 - 2.45
2.45 - 3.3
3.3 - 4.15
4.15 - 5
PC1 - size
PC 2
< -4
-4 - -3.5
-3.5 - -3
-3 - -2.5
-2.5 - -2
-2 - -1.5
-1.5 - -1
-1 - -0.5
-0.5 - 0
0 - 0.5
0.5 - 1
1 - 1.5
1.5 - 2
2 - 2.5
2.5 - 3
3 - 3.5
PC2 - phenology
PC 3
< -5.2
-5.2 - -4.6
-4.6 - -4
-4 - -3.4
-3.34 - -2.8
-2.8 - -2.2
-2.2 - -1.6
-1.6 - -1
-1 - -0.4
-0.4 - 0.2
0.2 - 0.8
0.8 - 1.4
1.4 - 2
2 - 2.6
2.6 - 3.2
3.2 - 3.8
PC3 – leaf width
Bluebunch wheatgrass common garden experiment
at Lucky Peak Nursery near Boise, Idaho
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Seed Zones
PC 1
< -7.75
-7.75 - -6.9
-6.9 - -6.05
-6.05 - -5.2
-5.2 - -4.35
-4.35 - -3.5
-3.5 - -2.65
-2.65 - -1.8
-1.8 - -0.95
-0.95 - 0.1
0.1 - 0.75
0.75 - 1.6
1.6 - 2.45
2.45 - 3.3
3.3 - 4.15
4.15 - 5
PC1 - size
PC 2
< -4
-4 - -3.5
-3.5 - -3
-3 - -2.5
-2.5 - -2
-2 - -1.5
-1.5 - -1
-1 - -0.5
-0.5 - 0
0 - 0.5
0.5 - 1
1 - 1.5
1.5 - 2
2 - 2.5
2.5 - 3
3 - 3.5
PC2 - phenology
PC 3
< -5.2
-5.2 - -4.6
-4.6 - -4
-4 - -3.4
-3.34 - -2.8
-2.8 - -2.2
-2.2 - -1.6
-1.6 - -1
-1 - -0.4
-0.4 - 0.2
0.2 - 0.8
0.8 - 1.4
1.4 - 2
2 - 2.6
2.6 - 3.2
3.2 - 3.8
PC3 – leaf width
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Seed Zones
PC 1
< -7.75
-7.75 - -6.9
-6.9 - -6.05
-6.05 - -5.2
-5.2 - -4.35
-4.35 - -3.5
-3.5 - -2.65
-2.65 - -1.8
-1.8 - -0.95
-0.95 - 0.1
0.1 - 0.75
0.75 - 1.6
1.6 - 2.45
2.45 - 3.3
3.3 - 4.15
4.15 - 5
PC1 - size
PC 2
< -4
-4 - -3.5
-3.5 - -3
-3 - -2.5
-2.5 - -2
-2 - -1.5
-1.5 - -1
Small, early flowering, narrow
leaves at hot, dry sites
-1 - -0.5
-0.5 - 0
0 - 0.5
0.5 - 1
1 - 1.5
1.5 - 2
2 - 2.5
2.5 - 3
3 - 3.5
PC2 - phenology
PC 3
< -5.2
-5.2 - -4.6
-4.6 - -4
-4 - -3.4
-3.34 - -2.8
-2.8 - -2.2
-2.2 - -1.6
-1.6 - -1
-1 - -0.4
-0.4 - 0.2
0.2 - 0.8
0.8 - 1.4
1.4 - 2
2 - 2.6
2.6 - 3.2
3.2 - 3.8
PC3 – leaf width
Large, later flowering, wider leaves
at cool, moist sites
Reciprocal Transplant Studies
Populations from local environments are compared
with populations from distant environments in a
series of common garden tests in the same or similar
native environments
Seed source
Potentilla glandulosa from
three different elevations
planted at three different
elevations in California
(Clausen, Keck & Hiesey
1940)
But difficult to interpolate
between environments
Test site
Reciprocal Transplant Studies
A direct test of adaption including local adaptation
Can generate models to predict adaptation as a function of:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Growing environments (response function for each genetic entity)
Source environments (genecology functions at each test site)
Difference between source and growing environments
(transfer functions)
Both the growing environment and source environment together
(universal response functions)
Universal Response Function Example
Response surface for Douglas-fir 4-yr height
Modeling Growth Given Climate Change
Present
Future
Difference
Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Reciprocal Transplant Study
Objectives:
• To evaluate adaptation (survival, growth, reproduction)
of populations from local seed zones relative to distant
seed zones
• To model adaptation of populations as a function of the
climates of source locations and growing sites
• To evaluate traits and climatic variables important for
adaptation
• To model effects of climate change on native populations
Study Design
• Replicated across two broad regions/transects
• Select populations within each of 8 seed zones
in each transect
• Plant back into test sites representative of
climates in each of the 8 seed zones
• Populations from two seed zones planted in
same seed zones in the other transect to test
transfer between distant ecoregions
• In addition, test 2-3 commonly used varieties
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Reciprocal Transplant Study
Northern Transect: Columbia Basin
and Blue Mountains
Southern Transect: Snake River Plain
and Northern Basin and Range
Bluebunch Wheatgrass Collections
Summer 2013
Diversity of climates/ecotypes
Northern Transect
Southern Transect
Currently looking for candidate test sites
Experimental Design
In each transect:
8 seed zones per transect
5 populations per seed zone
1 test site per seed zone
At each test site:
Split-plot design with populations nested within
seed zone plots
Plot = 5x5 plants with one buffer row
10-12 plots = 8 seed zones + 2 varieties
+ 2 seed zones from other transect
4 or 5 replications
Plant spacing = 0.5 m
About quarter acre
Fenced
Next steps
•
•
•
•
Finalize test sites
Seedling production
Site preparation
Study establishment
– Planting in fall
– Fencing
• Measurements
• Analyses and reporting
Acknowledgements
• Help with seed collections:
– Northern transect: Jeff Riddle, Chris Poklemba, Siri Jackman,
Berta Youtie, Karen Prudhomme, Vicky Erickson, RC Johnson
– Southern transect: Robin Bjork, Alexis Malcomb, Roger Blew,
Jan Gurr, Matt Fisk, Jeff Ott, Nancy Shaw
• Help with test sites:
– Many BLM folks; Forest Service: Vicky Erickson; Jerry Benson
• Funding: Great Basin Native Plant Project, USFS
National Fire Plan, USFS Pacific Northwest and Rocky
Mountain Research Stations
Bluebunch: recommended seed zones
early
early
late
late
small
Intermed.
large
1
red
brown
13.4%
3a
yellow
24.7%
6
light blue
4.0%
wide
none
3b
7
light
dark blue
orange
2.6%
1.2%
narrow
2a
dark
orange
4.4%
4
light
green
17.6%
8a
light
purple
1.7%
wide
2b
orange
2.5%
5
dark
green
17.1%
8b
dark
purple
11.0%
narrow