Project Description
The Greenland stitchwort (Minuartia groenlandica) is a rare alpine plant that occurs in the southern Appalachians as a relic of the previous glacial period. Despite dramatic changes to the climate and vegetation of the southeast over the last ten thousand years, populations of this plant have persisted in rocky, exposed sites in the highest elevations of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. It’s important to protect these plants since they represent a unique and irreplaceable record of how plant species have evolved and adapted to past climate change. Using modern molecular genetic techniques, we aim to answer the following questions: 1) How much genetic diversity exists within small and geographically isolated mountaintop populations of M. groenlandica occurring in Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee? 2) How much genetic divergence is there among populations of M. groenlandica in the southern Appalachians? 3) What is the evolutionary history of these populations, and what can that tell us about the impacts of past and future climate change on endemic plant species? Students working on this project will gain experience in laboratory techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing. Analysis of DNA sequence data and communication of findings will be required.
Prerequisites
Genetics Lab experience is preferred, though not required
Special Comments
Project Information (subject to change)
Estimated Start Date: 6/9/2025
Estimated End Date: 8/15/2025
Estimated Project Duration: 10 weeks
Maximum Number of Students Sought: 2
Research Location: On campus
Contact Information: Charles Winder (email: winderc@wlu.edu)