Genetic disturbance of native plants by alien species examined by specimens in herbaria

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K12255
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental and ecological symbiosis
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Maki Masayuki 東北大学, 学術資源研究公開センター, 教授 (60263985)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 藤井 伸二 人間環境大学, 人間環境学部, 助教授 (40228945) ; 森長 真一 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 助教 (80568262)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 在来種保全

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In general, it is difficult to examine past ecological events, but specimens deposited in herbaria would be useful for such study because the specimens keep their DNA as when they were collected. These materials can be used to examine past hybridization between indigenous plant species and invasive alien species. We examined the possible values of the specimens in herbaria for study on past natural hybridization between native and invasive plants. In addition, field surveys and molecular genetic studies on on-going hybridization between two Rumex species, of which one is native and other is exotic, were conducted.

Free Research Field

植物分類学