Abstract Detail

Conservation Biology

Cohen, Jim [1], Turgman Cohen, Salomon [2], Hackett, Rachel [3].

The Conservation Biology of the Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris Nutt.).

The Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris Nutt.) is a federally threatened species endemic to northern Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, primarily growing near the shoreline. The species has been threatened by human development and changes in ecosystem composition. While the Dwarf Lake Iris is known from ca. 200 populations across Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario, the population viability, population structure, genetic diversity, and demographic history of the species have not been studied comprehensively, and trying to understand these is made more challenging by the species being a putative polyploid. To investigate the population genomics of the Dwarf Lake Iris, 94 individuals across 17 populations from Wisconsin and Michigan were sequenced using tunable Genotyping-by-Sequencing (tGBS). Two single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) matrices were constructed, one with all SNPs and one analyzed with PolyRAD to only retain loci that behaved as diploids (8542 and 1319 SNPs, respectively). Population structure of both matrices for the species was analyzed using multiple methods, including fastSTRUCTURE, mavericK, PCA, and DAPC, and Fst and AMOVA were also calculated. Additionally, demographic history was examined with SNAPP in BEAST2. Based on the analyses, population structure of the Dwarf Lake Iris exhibits an overall east-west structure, with four or five distinct genetic clusters recognized as optimal, depending on the method. Of all the populations, the southernmost population in Wisconsin was quite distinct, and this population was resolved as being one of the first to diverge from all of those presently studied. To address population viability, population counts from one historical population (10 years) and more recent counts at eight populations were used to assess trends and multiple threats for Dwarf Lake Iris populations. Both population genetic and population viability analyses will inform the federal recovery plan of the species. Managers will have more information to make decisions for translocation, reintroduction, and breeding options to increase the future viability of the species.

1 - Weber State University, Botany and Plant Ecology, 1415 Edvalson St., Dept. 2504, Ogden, UT, 84408, USA
2 - Kettering University, Chemical Engineering, 1700 University Ave., Flint, MI, 48504, USA
3 - Michigan Natural Features Inventory, PO Box 13036, Lansing, MI, 48901, USA

Keywords:
Iris
Great Lakes
Population genomics
Population viability
GBS.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P1, Conservation Biology Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Monday, July 19th, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM(EDT)
Number: P1CB002
Abstract ID:204
Candidate for Awards:None