Understanding the role of introgression on local adaptation in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.)
Conference Year
2024
Abstract
Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), a climate-sensitive coniferous tree with a distribution along the eastern coast of North America, is known to hybridize with its sister species, black spruce (Picea mariana). Introgression, the transfer of genetic material between species through hybridization, can significantly influence the patterns of local adaptation in forest trees. Introgression can act as a type of “genetic rescue” by introducing adaptive genetic variance for selection to act upon. We aim to unravel the possible contribution of introgression on local adaptation in red spruce by utilizing large-scale genomic data and phenotypic traits.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Stephen R Keller
Status
Graduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Plant Biology
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
Understanding the role of introgression on local adaptation in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.)
Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), a climate-sensitive coniferous tree with a distribution along the eastern coast of North America, is known to hybridize with its sister species, black spruce (Picea mariana). Introgression, the transfer of genetic material between species through hybridization, can significantly influence the patterns of local adaptation in forest trees. Introgression can act as a type of “genetic rescue” by introducing adaptive genetic variance for selection to act upon. We aim to unravel the possible contribution of introgression on local adaptation in red spruce by utilizing large-scale genomic data and phenotypic traits.