Plant Science: Areas of interest

Conservation Science

Current Laboratory Projects

The genetics lab is a facility set up to help the staff at the Chicago Botanic Garden better utilize the powerful tools of genetic analysis for critical conservation needs. These techniques, which are often underutilized in conservation efforts, can aid in the preservation of rare plants by providing important data to guide management, future research, and policy. The lab is equipped to use many of the molecular markers now commonly employed in genetic studies, including amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), microsatellites, isozymes and DNA sequencing.

Another important role of the genetics lab is the training of interns, students and volunteers in laboratory techniques. In teaching molecular techniques to a diverse audience, we hope these methods will be increasingly used to drive conservation research forward.

The Institute extends the Garden's conservation mission to contribute to the preservation of global biodiversity through the study and dissemination of information about endangered native plants and communities in the upper Midwest. The Institute builds on the foundation provided by the Conservation Science Department and involves collaboration with the Joseph Regenstein, Jr. School of the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Garden's Native Habitats and Lake Enhancement Programs, federal agencies, local universities and stewardship organizations.

Current Projects

Brighamia insignis (cabbage on a stick, native Hawaiian name is alula) is a federally listed endangered species. It occurs on cliff faces in Hawaii, where climbers have been recruited to help with pollinating wild plants because its pollinator is unknown and thought to be extinct. The Chicago Botanic Garden, is assessing the genetic diversity of B. insignis plants growing in botanic gardens around the world to determine if this source of plants could be used to supplement the genetic diversity of the few remaining wild plants in Hawaii. If additional genetic diversity is found, then the potential exists for supplementing the remaining natural population. More info on Brighamia is available at The Center for Plant Conservation.

Hybridization is a naturally occurring phenomenon that is an important part of plant evolution (Stebbins 1950), but for rare species it can have serious consequences. In Florida, three endangered varieties of Lantana depressa are hybridizing with the exotic Lantana camara, forming hybrid swarms and threatening these rare taxa with and morphometric study of Lantana depressa var. floridana and L. depressa var. depressa to better understand how we can best target non-hybridized populations for conservation?

Ammophila breviliqulata (American beachgrass) has the ability to stabilize sand dunes, which makes it an invaluable component of dune ecosystems and, therefore, an important species for dune restoration projects. Scientists at the Garden want to compare populations of A. breviliqulata from around Lake Michigan to determine how variability is distributed in natural populations so we can better inform conservation groups on sources of plant material.

The rare Viola conspersa (dog violet) can reproduce by outcrossing through pollinators, by exclusively self-pollinating flowers and by using vegetative means. For that reason, molecular techniques have been invaluable in analyzing the genetic structure of violets, from the composition of individual clumps to differences between populations.

Other Research (Posters)

Comparing the ability of two PCR-based techniques, RAPD and ISSR, to detect low levels of genetic diversity (Kendra Bradford)

Effect of crossing distance in two species of Lobelia. The first generation (Kayri Havens, Rebecca Weaver, and Pati Vitt)

Estimating the genetic diversity of the threatened orchid Platanthera leucophaea to aid management decisions (Kendra Bradford, Pati Vitt and Kayri Havens)

Weed risk assessment and evaluation protocols: An integrated approach. (Kayri Havens; Jim Ault and Lara Jefferson)

Allelopathic substances may shape secondary chenopod communities on mine site waste material. Sowing the seeds for change: Restoration of plant communities (Lara Jefferson and Marcello Pennacchio) Janet Meakin Poor Research Symposium, Glencoe, IL, Oct 23, 2003.

Effects of smoke on prairie seed germination (Forsberg, B., Jefferson, L.V., Havens, K. and Pennacchio, M) Presented at the Janet Meakin Poor Research Symposium, Chicago Botanic Garden, Illinois, October 26 2004.

Prairie species from a temperate environment exhibit positive germination responses to smoke treatments (Jefferson, L.V., Pennacchio, M. and Havens, K.). Presented at the International Botanical Congress, Vienna, July 17-23 2005.

Two novel uses for Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh seeds. Presented at the 17th International Botanical Congress, Vienna, Austria, July 17-23, 2005.

Investigation the possibility of hybridization in breeding lineages of Victoria cruziana and V. amazonica. (Keith Hartley and Jeremie Fant).