Georgia Southern University
Local Adaptation for Life-History Traits in Silene Latifolia
Abstract
dc:description.abstractA fundamental question in evolutionary ecology is how species adjust post colonization. The plant Silene latifolia was introduced to North America (NA) from Europe (EU) in the 1800s. The goal of this thesis was to test if Silene latifolia has become locally adapted across its range. My first experiment tested local adaptation of germination success to three temperatures across three latitudinal regions in a growth chamber using seeds from nine EU and NA populations. Germination success or speed was similar among latitudinal regions across continents. My second experiment examined local adaptation at a continental scale; I grew plants from 15 EU and NA populations in four common gardens across continents. Growth and survival for the first year revealed that plants grew larger in their respective continents. My results demonstrate while germination does not appear to be locally adapted, but continental factors have selected for differential juvenile growth.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)
- Level thesis:degree_level
- Thesis (open access)
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Department of Biology
- Year dc:date.available
- 2006
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Penna, Brandy May
- Contributors dc:contributor
-
- C. Ray Chandler
- Lissa M . Leege
Subjects
dc:subject × 5Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Repository record dc:identifier
- https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/734
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu:etd-1734