Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
Major
Biology
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Ingrid Jordon-Thaden
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
The biodiversity of alpine ecosystems are grossly underestimated, in turn threatening habitat loss. Much work is needed in this respect to better understand the process of speciation and extinction in these environments, given the threat of global climate change. We are testing hypothesis regarding rapid radiation of plant lineages both into and out of refugia in the context of dispersal during post-glacial and inter-glacial periods, focusing on the phylogeny of trans-Beringian alpine plant species by observing circumpolar lineages extending into southern portions of the North American Cordillera, the Rocky Mountains and the Intermountain Region. Focal taxa include species of Draba (Brassicaceae), Claytonia (Montiaceae), Potentilla (Rosaceae), Campanula (Campanulaceae), Oxytropis (Fabaceae), Acontium (Ranunculaceae) and Silene (Caryophyllaceae). We hypothesize that alpine lineages occupying regions repeatedly glaciated during the Pleistocene epoch will differ from consistently unglaciated lineages due to vicariance events reducing gene flow, effecting intrapopulation and interpopulation genetic diversity. We predict that these glaciated alpine lineages will exhibit lower intrapopulation genetic diversity and higher interpopulation genetic diversity than populations from continuously glaciated regions due to increased vicariance events, thus reduced gene flow and smaller population sizes. Integrating population genetics, phylogeny, polyploid analyses, and phylogeography allows for direct correlation between the historical environmental impacts of glaciation events and the levels of extant genetic diversity. For this, we identified multiple localities in the western United States following specific guidelines; focal taxa occupation, glaciated and unglaciated areas, and accessibility. In summer 2025, we visited these localities and collected our samples for DNA extraction and sequencing using ddRADtag.
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Watershed Studies Institute Research Symposium
Included in
Pleistocene Glacial effects on North American Phylogeographic patterns
The biodiversity of alpine ecosystems are grossly underestimated, in turn threatening habitat loss. Much work is needed in this respect to better understand the process of speciation and extinction in these environments, given the threat of global climate change. We are testing hypothesis regarding rapid radiation of plant lineages both into and out of refugia in the context of dispersal during post-glacial and inter-glacial periods, focusing on the phylogeny of trans-Beringian alpine plant species by observing circumpolar lineages extending into southern portions of the North American Cordillera, the Rocky Mountains and the Intermountain Region. Focal taxa include species of Draba (Brassicaceae), Claytonia (Montiaceae), Potentilla (Rosaceae), Campanula (Campanulaceae), Oxytropis (Fabaceae), Acontium (Ranunculaceae) and Silene (Caryophyllaceae). We hypothesize that alpine lineages occupying regions repeatedly glaciated during the Pleistocene epoch will differ from consistently unglaciated lineages due to vicariance events reducing gene flow, effecting intrapopulation and interpopulation genetic diversity. We predict that these glaciated alpine lineages will exhibit lower intrapopulation genetic diversity and higher interpopulation genetic diversity than populations from continuously glaciated regions due to increased vicariance events, thus reduced gene flow and smaller population sizes. Integrating population genetics, phylogeny, polyploid analyses, and phylogeography allows for direct correlation between the historical environmental impacts of glaciation events and the levels of extant genetic diversity. For this, we identified multiple localities in the western United States following specific guidelines; focal taxa occupation, glaciated and unglaciated areas, and accessibility. In summer 2025, we visited these localities and collected our samples for DNA extraction and sequencing using ddRADtag.