Plant Science: Areas of interest

Conservation Science

Restoration Research

The Garden has a number of studies underway that focus on the science of restoring plant species. Species restoration involves reintroducing plants into natural communities under management conditions that allow the species to persist. The goal of rare plant reintroduction is to create new populations that are as able to withstand evolutionary challenges as healthy, natural populations. Restoration is becoming an integral part of species recovery because intact habitats are increasingly becoming more degraded, fragmented or, in many cases, completely destroyed.

These are some of the Garden's studies related to restoration:

Outbreeding depression in two species of Lobelia — Outbreeding depression is a reduction in fitness that occurs when individuals that are very different genetically, such as plants from widely separated populations, are crossed. The concept of outbreeding depression interests restorationists because of its implications for the choice of genetic stock in reintroduction projects. The Garden in collaboration with Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is studying outbreeding depression over three generations in two species of Lobelia that vary in the distance their genes (pollen) travel in nature. The study will have direct stewardship implications.

Research on reproductive biology and demography — These studies seek better understanding of the factors that influence the reproductive success and population stability in a number of rare plant species. Research is underway on the reproductive biology of Viola conspersa, a rare violet called dog violet, and Lespedeza leptostachya, prairie bush clover. The Lespedeza work is conducted in collaboration with Nachusa Grasslands, a preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy. Another project involves studying the demographic "cost" of hand-pollination on Platanthera leucophaea (Eastern prairie white fringed orchid), i.e., does promoting high levels of fruit set through hand pollination affect the life of the plant?

The relationship between light and flowering in Aster furcatus (forked aster) — This rare species occurs naturally in the Garden’s McDonald Woods and other wooded areas in the Midwest. Flowering in densely wooded areas is sparse, but in open garden situations the species flowers profusely. Garden research is examining the relationship between canopy cover, light levels, deer browse and flowering.

Top right photo: Carol Freeman.