Event Title
Patterns of Genetic Variation in Tiquilia
Location
Science Center, Bent Corridor
Start Date
9-26-2014 12:00 PM
End Date
9-26-2014 1:20 PM
Poster Number
25
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to study the genetic variation in species of the genus Tiquilia. There are twenty-seven species of Tiquilia, some of which display gypsum endemism, or the confinement of a plant to the substrate gypsum, which occurs naturally in island-like formations. We hope to learn how gypsum “islands” affect the genetic differences that occur based on geography (phylogeography) of Tiquilia and how it compares to non-gypsum endemic plants. We hypothesize that there will be greater variation in gypsum endemic plants because of the segregated nature of the gypsum ‘islands.’ We compared genetic differences by sequencing DNA from several species of Tiquilia. We tested species that grow solely on gypsum (Tiquilia hispidissima), species that grow both on and off gypsum (Tiquilia greggii) and species that grow predominately off gypsum (Tiquilia canescens). The sequenced DNA was used to build phylogenies that showed us the variation by species.
Recommended Citation
Hutchison, Vera, "Patterns of Genetic Variation in Tiquilia" (2014). Celebration of Undergraduate Research. 38.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/cour/2014/posters/38
Project Mentor(s)
Michael Moore, Biology
Document Type
Poster
Patterns of Genetic Variation in Tiquilia
Science Center, Bent Corridor
The purpose of this project was to study the genetic variation in species of the genus Tiquilia. There are twenty-seven species of Tiquilia, some of which display gypsum endemism, or the confinement of a plant to the substrate gypsum, which occurs naturally in island-like formations. We hope to learn how gypsum “islands” affect the genetic differences that occur based on geography (phylogeography) of Tiquilia and how it compares to non-gypsum endemic plants. We hypothesize that there will be greater variation in gypsum endemic plants because of the segregated nature of the gypsum ‘islands.’ We compared genetic differences by sequencing DNA from several species of Tiquilia. We tested species that grow solely on gypsum (Tiquilia hispidissima), species that grow both on and off gypsum (Tiquilia greggii) and species that grow predominately off gypsum (Tiquilia canescens). The sequenced DNA was used to build phylogenies that showed us the variation by species.