Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Category
STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics)
Abstract/Artist Statement
Rangelands cover approximately 47% of the Earth’s land surface and are often dominated by perennial grasslands. In recent decades many of these perennial grass populations have been declining due to land use and climate shifts. With this decline of many perennial grass populations, and the vulnerable state of many rangelands, several varieties of perennial grass have been developed for consideration for rangeland restoration in the Southwestern United States. Using three perennial grass restoration “workhorse” species (Bouteoula gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Sporobolus cryptandrus), several varieties of these species have been developed and are commonly used. Three different types are Cultivars, Wild-collected seeds, and Novel-Composites. Cultivars have been artificially selected for specific traits and often have improved performance compared to Wild-collected seeds that are usually locally sourced but expensive and difficult to collect in sufficient quantities for restoration. Finally, Novel-Composites, a recently emerging seed variety, are ideally a blend of multiple wild-populations mixed with the goal of maintaining genetic diversity. However, to fully understand their efficacy in restoration, we must first assess their early life stages, including germination characteristics. Germination is one of the first steps a seed takes toward establishment and is critical to a population’s success. Utilizing germination chambers and petri dishes, seeds of these different varieties were exposed to warming and drought stress to assess their relative performance. Across environmental treatments, Cultivars out-performed both Wild-collected and Novel-Composite individuals while the different species exhibited variable germination characteristics. As expected, Cultivars are a likely strong contender for restoring rangelands, though could perform with more variability compared to Novel-Composites and Wild-collected seeds. With an increasing need for rangeland restoration, careful selection of different seed varieties could play a vital role in supporting and protecting perennial grasslands.
Mentor Name
Akasha Faist
Personal Statement
Anthropogenic disturbance and climate change are causing many ecosystems to weather change and become degraded. Rangelands are no different. My research is working on how to support and re-establish perennial grass populations, the dominant plant type in many rangelands. Grass populations are important for stabilizing the soil, providing food for forage, and protecting biodiversity in many rangelands globally. If rangelands lose perennial grasses, the damage to rangelands and beyond could be catastrophic. With the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and other groups creating different seed varieties that could help restore rangelands, the future is hopeful for rangelands. My research focuses on the germination of several perennial grass varieties. Germination is one of the first steps to establishment of grass populations and is a bottleneck to restoration. If seeds do not make it thru this vital life step, then every other hope for establishment is dashed. However, little is known how these emerging varieties could move thru this life-stage. Understanding how these seed varieties could move thru their initial life-stage and into following life-stages is huge in understanding if these seeds will even have a chance in establishment, or if it is back to the drawing board for seed practitioners. This research could help land managers as they seek to protect their land against the real-world problem of rangeland degradation for their generation and generations to come.
Lasche oral presentation video
Investigating the germination of perennial grasses: A key to restoring rangelands
UC 333
Rangelands cover approximately 47% of the Earth’s land surface and are often dominated by perennial grasslands. In recent decades many of these perennial grass populations have been declining due to land use and climate shifts. With this decline of many perennial grass populations, and the vulnerable state of many rangelands, several varieties of perennial grass have been developed for consideration for rangeland restoration in the Southwestern United States. Using three perennial grass restoration “workhorse” species (Bouteoula gracilis, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Sporobolus cryptandrus), several varieties of these species have been developed and are commonly used. Three different types are Cultivars, Wild-collected seeds, and Novel-Composites. Cultivars have been artificially selected for specific traits and often have improved performance compared to Wild-collected seeds that are usually locally sourced but expensive and difficult to collect in sufficient quantities for restoration. Finally, Novel-Composites, a recently emerging seed variety, are ideally a blend of multiple wild-populations mixed with the goal of maintaining genetic diversity. However, to fully understand their efficacy in restoration, we must first assess their early life stages, including germination characteristics. Germination is one of the first steps a seed takes toward establishment and is critical to a population’s success. Utilizing germination chambers and petri dishes, seeds of these different varieties were exposed to warming and drought stress to assess their relative performance. Across environmental treatments, Cultivars out-performed both Wild-collected and Novel-Composite individuals while the different species exhibited variable germination characteristics. As expected, Cultivars are a likely strong contender for restoring rangelands, though could perform with more variability compared to Novel-Composites and Wild-collected seeds. With an increasing need for rangeland restoration, careful selection of different seed varieties could play a vital role in supporting and protecting perennial grasslands.