Survey of genetic and epigenetic diversity across Borrichia frutescens and Spartina alterniflora sites (follow-up to Richards et al 2004 Ecology Letters) Dr. Christina L. Richards University of South Florida

Department of Integrative Biology University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620 USA

clr@usf.edu http://biology.usf.edu/ib/faculty/crichards/ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7848-5165 Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

gcelter@uga.edu https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/ Dr. Christina L. Richards University of South Florida

Department of Integrative Biology University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620 USA

clr@usf.edu http://biology.usf.edu/ib/faculty/crichards/ https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7848-5165 Principal investigator 2026

In 2000, I sampled Borrichia frutescens and Spartina alterniflora sites around Sapelo Island to document clonal structure and genetic diversity using allozymes. I will sample the same sites using AFLP and MS-AFLP to document changes in genetic structure over these 10 years (and relate to climate measurements) as well as epigenetic structure across the natural environmental gradients of the marsh.

Question 2: How do the spatial and temporal patterns of biogeochemical processes, primary production, community dynamics, decomposition, and disturbance vary across the estuarine landscape, and how do they relate to environmental gradients? (more information)

creek marsh LTER NSF GCE Borrichia plants Spartina botany plant ecology population ecology Overall geographic extent of the research project -81.307978 -81.176185 31.536369 31.380150 2011-05-16 2011-05-20

USF start-up for Richards

estuary marsh complex Sapelo Island - Sapelo Island on the Southeast Georgia Coast -81.307978 -81.176185 31.536369 31.380150

Leaf samples only will be collected at six sites total: B. frutescens: Cabretta, Hunt Camp, Lighthouse, Marsh Landing, Shell Hammock S. alterniflora: Cabretta, Hunt Camp, Island Apex, Lighthouse, Marsh Landing

10-20 cm of plant leaf tissue only will be collected, which is not destructive to the whole plant.

Foust, C.M., Preite, V., Schrey, A.W., Alvarez, M., Robertson, M.H., Verhoeven, K.J. and Richards, C.L. 2016. Genetic and epigenetic differences associated with environmental gradients in replicate populations of two salt marsh perennials. Special Issue: Epigenetic Studies in Ecology and Evolution. Molecular Ecology. 25:1639-1652. (DOI: 10.1111/mec.13522) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.13522/full