Horticulture & Related FieldsAdam Herdman

Regional Scale Population Genetics of the Endangered Ghost Orchid (dendrophylax Lindenii); Sequencing of Wild Populations Across Southwest Florida.

Conservation of species in decline is often a rush to gather as much information as possible before total extirpation from historic ranges. Data gathered in the remnant populations can be critical to future management and restoration of the species. Though submitted for further protection under the Endangered Species Act, many gaps in our understanding of the ghost orchid still exist. One such gap includes the population genetics of the species and the relatedness between the highly fragmented and remote populations. Successful reproduction has not been observed within reintroduced ghost orchid populations, despite annual monitoring, suggesting inbreeding may be a factor. In this study, we will sample 138 ghost orchid roots from around the Southwest Florida region. We will sample two robust populations for internal genetic similarity, one reintroduced population, and five other more remote sites of varying sizes and distances. Pairing this information with existing demographic data will help to characterize the past and present status of the populations.