Dr. Margaret Pooler
The Environmental & Plant Biology Colloquium Series presents Dr. Margaret Pooler on “Genetic diversity of Magnolia ashei characterized by SSR markers” on Friday, Feb. 9, at 11:50 a.m. in Porter Hall 104.
Pooler is Research Leader at the USDA/ARS U.S. National Arboretum.
Abstract: The Ashe magnolia (Magnolia ashei) is a deciduous small tree most noted for its large 1-2 foot long leaves and fragrant creamy white flowers. Although the species is adapted to and used in landscapes in many parts of the U.S., it is endemic only to Northwest Florida where it is limited to ten counties growing on undisturbed bluffs and ravine banks. The populations are highly fragmented and are threatened by degradation of habitat, leading the species to be listed as threatened in the state of Florida. ARS scientists in Beltsville, MD collected samples from the wild populations of Ashe magnolia and used molecular techniques to determine the genetic diversity of these populations. Results from this study indicate that the populations are genetically distinct and contain substantial diversity within each population. This information will be used to develop long-term conservation strategies to protect the species both in the wild and in cultivation.
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