ARS | Publication request: DETECTION OF DEME AND METAPOPULATION STRUCTURE IN NORTH AMERICAN RANGE GRASSES SPANNING LOCAL AND BROAD GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2005
Publication Date: November 17, 2005
Citation: Larson, S.R. 2005. Detection of deme and metapopulation structure in north american range grasses spanning local and broad geographic regions. Meeting Proceedings.

Technical Abstract: Native grass species and local seed sources are one option used for large-scale rangeland revegetation and fire rehabilitation in the western United States. Introduced or non-local grasses may be more or less competitive; however, local germplasm sources theoretically provide some assurance of adaptation even without on-site testing, assuming that environmental factors such as climate, soil condition, weed competition, and herbivory have not dramatically altered the landscape. Yet, commercial collection or production of site-specific seed sources can also be relatively expensive and time consuming compared with native or introduced grass cultivars. Thus, the distribution of natural grass populations is of great interest to land managers, forage and range grass breeders, and seed producers. Recent DNA fingerprinting studies of North American range grasses have detected significant deme and metapopulation structure over local and broad geographical regions, respectively. Results of these studies have been used to help develop and promote cultivated germplasm sources that represent geographically significant natural populations. Native plant materials that have geographically significant metapopulations will help streamline conservation of native grasses and large-scale rangeland revegetation efforts.