Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

Here, We Propose to Investigate the Landscape Genetics of Three Taxonomically Complicated and Confused Plant Species Systems, Including Cylindropuntia Viridiflora and Eriogonum Lachnogynum Var Colobum by Sampling Across the Range of These Taxa, Including Sympatric Congeners, and a Few Closely Related Species, We Can Determine If These Taxa Meet the Criterion of Species Under the Endangered Species Act Using Genomic Scale Data, From Double Digest Restriction Site Associated Dna Markers, We Will Test Whether These Taxa Are Part of a Larger, Panmictic Metapopulation Hypothesis 1 No Genetic Basis for Taxon Recognition , or If They Represent a Single Taxon Lineage Hypothesis 2 Genetically Supported Taxon , or If They Are Composed of More Than One Taxon Lineage Hypothesis 3 Genetic Support to Multiple, Cryptic Taxa Further, We Will Be Able to Determine If Hybridization Has Played a Role in the Origin of These Taxa, as in Some Cases Has Been Purported E G , C Viridiflora in Addition, We Will Sample Ex Situ Populations of C Viridiflora and Contrast Natural Populations With These Ex Situ Ones This Will Provide Insight Into the Amount of Genetic Variability That Is Actually Being Conserved in Cultivation Genetic and Morphological Analyses Will Be Provided in Reports for Each System, and All Genetic and Morphologic Data Sets Will Be Made Available to BLM and the General Public We Anticipate That We Will Provide Genetic and Morphological Evidence Supporting One of the Three Hypotheses for Taxon Status and Evidence Supporting Either Hybrid or Non Hybrid Origin This Research Will Provide Benefit to the BLM, Usfws, Navajo Nation, Pojoaque Pueblo, Acoma Pueblo, Scientific Community, and General Public by Clearly Defining Genetically Meaningful Taxonomic Units, Government Agencies, Tribes, Ngos and the Scientific Community Can Appropriately Manage These Biological Resources, Provide Sound Conservation Effort and Develop an Understanding of the Ecology of Real I E , Genetically Defined Taxa the General Public Have an Opportunity to Learn and Appreciate a More Well Understood Biotic Diversity in Addition, They Can Have Confidence That Government Agencies Are Managing Resources and Applying Conservation Effort to Organisms That Require Management and Resources