Plagiobothrys hirtus: Seed
Viability for Recovery
Courtney Wilson
D r. R o b e r t M e i n k e a n d
Kelly Amsberry
Why Plant
Conservation
Matters
Biodiversity
Natural resources
Medicinal
Agriculture/horticulture
It’s so important, it’s the
law
Photos available at: cyberlawindia.com, beginlivinghealthy.com, paulpenders.com, constructionnvqs.com
Overview
 Introduction to Plagiobothrys hirtus and its habitat
 Germination testing and viability studies
 Site selection for outplanting
 Recovery applications
 Future study
Photo by ODA staff
P. hirtus and its habitat
 Boraginaceae family
 Facultatively perennial
 Hairy stems
 Populations limited to ~45
Photo by Kelly Amsberry
Photo by Melissa Carr
acres of Douglas County,
Oregon
 Wetland species found in
swales, wet meadows, open
marshes
Wetlands
 Ecological role of wetlands:
 Habitat for plants and animals
 Water filtration
 Flood control
Humans and Wetlands
 Economic importance: EPA
estimates functions performed
worldwide by wetlands is
valued at $14.9 trillion per year
 Tourism and recreation:
birdwatching, fishing, canoeing,
hunting
Photo by ODA staff
P. hirtus habitat destruction
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Development
Agriculture
Roadside pesticide usage
Invasive species
Recreational abuse
Photos by Courtney Wilson, ODA staff, and available at supermotors.net
Federal and state listed endangered plant species
P. hirtus is Oregon’s # 1 priority recovery
species
Taxonomically a species
Facing a high level of threat
High potential for recovery
As a small population, P. hirtus is especially
vulnerable to:
Genetic drift
Reduced population adaptability
Inbreeding depression
Photo by Melissa Carr
Research Question:
Do different maternal lines
express differing
germination
rates?
Photo by ODA staff
What we know
about the
germination of
P. hirtus
In the wild, it
germinates when fall
rains begin
Under proper
conditions, germination
rates are ~67-95%
Does not express
dormancy
Objectives:
 Find out if there is a relationship
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between genetic diversity and
germination rate
Develop protocol for seed
management
Find new administratively protected
sites for reintroductions
Grow plants in the OSU greenhouses
Transplant to new sites
Downlist P. hirtus from endangered to
threatened
Seed Collection
 Collections from 4
populations in Douglas
County
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1. South Side Swale-DSWCD
2. Popcorn Swale-TNC
3. North Star Property
4. West Gate-BLM
Seed Collection Protocol
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Monitor plants for ripeness from June-July
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Seed collected from 25 maternal lines from each of the 4 populations
Phenotypic traits
of each plant noted:
 size
 performance
 flower size
 flower quantity
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Seeds dried at 55˚ C for
24 hours
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Photo by Kelly Amsberry
Phenotypic traits of populations
PS Flower Quantity
<20
20-50
50+
<20
12%
Genetic diversity
visible in the range
of phenotypic traits
WG Flower
Quantity
20-50
4%
24%
38%
64%
58%
SSS Flower
Quantity
<20
50+
20-50
NS Flower Quantity
<20
50+
20-50
50+
16%
12%
36%
60%
52%
24%
5 Weeks
4 Populations
100 germination trials
Outcome:
Viability ranking and
range for each
population
Relationships between
phenotypic traits and
germination rates
Photo by Julia McGonigle
Seed Germination
We know it takes less
than 7 days for P. hirtus
seeds to germinate.
Dormancy: a groundbreaking
discovery
7 days + no germination
events + proper enviro.
conditions=these seeds
were expressing
dormancy!
I used 3 different
treatments to break
dormancy.
Treatments
Photo available at “Naturalism: a Genesis” from http://punknaturalism.com/2010/07/
Week 1
Weeks 2 and 3: Treatments added
100% seeds
DI water
20% seeds 0.05% GA3
20% seeds 0.25% KNO3
20% seeds13˚C cold stratification
40% seeds DI water
Results: treatments
Germination Rates by Treatment
51%
13%
1.50%
DI Water
3%
KNO3
GA3
Cold Stratification
Some seeds treated with DI water began to mold
Seeds treated with cold stratification had the highest germination rate
Results: cold stratification
Germination rate by population
10
A
Mean number of seeds germinated (/10)
9
8
88%
7
6
AB
BC
5
4
3
46%
54%
2
C
16%
1
0
South Side Swale
North Star
West Gate
Popcorn Swale
Germination rates by population. n=5 for all populations. Relevance calculated using one-way
ANOVA (P=0.001) Note that bars topped with the same letter are not significantly different, however,
trends indicate that populations with higher genetic diversity have a higher germination rate.
Results: reproductive capacity by population
Population
Reproductive
capacity
Viability range in
maternal lines
North Star
296.36
0 - 10
South Side Swale
181.86
0-9
Popcorn Swale
154.91
0-8
West Gate
39.07
0- 5
Reproductive capacity calculated by multiplying (X)(Y)(Z)(G)
(X) seeds per flower
(Y) flowers per inflorescence
(Z) inflorescences per plant
(G) germination rate
Cold remediation
 Put all the dormant DI treated
seeds (40% of entire experiment)
in cold stratification
Why?  To salvage genetic material
for transplanting new populations
Photo by Courtney Wilson
Site selection for restoration at
NBHMA
 *GIS: compiled aspects of slope and soil type
 *Habitat suitability analysis
Model based on the condition and presence/absence of 9 characteristics:
1.Invasive species
4. Hydrology
7. Elevation
2. Associated
species
5. Canopy cover
8. Proximity
3. Rush/sedge/grass
6. Soil type
9. Disturbance
dominated marsh
Potential habitat map
Map by Mike Hubbard
Results: NBHMA restoration populations
We now know:
P. hirtus expresses
dormancy.
Dormancy is most
easily broken with
cold stratification.
Recovery strategies
should mix seed to
achieve highest levels
of genetic diversity.
Photo by Courtney Wilson
Recovery
Applications
Downlist P. hirtus
The PLHI recovery plan requires 9 protected reserves with a
minimum of 5,000 plants each to downlist status from
endangered to threatened
Currently on our way at
three more potential
populations and ~700 plants
in the greenhouse
Outstanding support from
agencies and private
landowners
Photo by Sam Friedman
Future Study
 The more I observe, the more questions I have!
 Grazing: friend or foe?
 Medicinal properties?
 Roadside locations and spontaneous abortion?
 Dormancy mechanism?
Many thanks
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HHMI
ODA
Mentors Robert Meinke and Kelly Amsberry
Kevin Ahern
My field crew Jordan Brown, Sean Elseth, and Matt Groberg
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Bureau of Land Management
The Nature Conservancy
Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District
Danny Lang and Al Beck