Esther Stroh

Zigadenus elegans in flower and its relictual habitat in the Missouri Ozarks.

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Habitat microclimate, demographics, and genetic diversity of Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus, [Liliaceae].

I am investigating habitat microclimate, demographics, and gene (allozyme) diversity of three Pleistocene relict populations of Zigadenus elegans ssp. glaucus in Missouri. I am also investigating allozyme diversity in other relict (IL, IN, NC) and non-relict(WI and MI) populations of the same subspecies. Z. e. glaucus typically grows in wetlands and prairies in the northern tier of eastern States and Canada, but the disjunct populations (MO, IL, IN, NC) tend to grow on north-facing limestone bluffs. I plan to look at allozyme diversity in the other subspecies (Z. elegans ssp. elegans), which grows in the Rocky Mts., and allozyme diversity in plants from a zone of overlap where the two subspecies intergrade. Z. elegans often exhibits high proportions of polymorphic loci, but my results to date on the Missouri populations show very little polymorphisms.

The objectives my study are to:

1) identify important microclimatic parameters that support Z. elegans ssp. glaucus in three known Missouri sites;

2) describe population demographics in each Missouri site;

3) assess genetic diversity and gene flow between the three Missouri populations; and

4) compare genetic diversity of Missouri populations to disjunct and non-disjunct populations of the same subspecies in other states, and to populations of Z. elegans ssp. elegans.

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