Sea oats exist along an extremely long and narrow band of suitable coastal habitat stretching from temperate to tropical climates. This distribution makes it ideal for studying the effects of distance, climate, and historical geological change on genetic structure. Genetic diversity will be lower in small populations. Edge effects reduce genetic diversity. Genetic diversity will be lower at the edges of populations than at the centers and lower at the end of the species geographic range than at the middle.
Gene flow is restricted by distance, geographic barriers, and local adaptation.
There will be genetic differences among spatially separated populations, and differences will exist between Gulf and Atlantic populations as well as between northern and southern populations. Sea oats is obligately outcrossing and highly clonal. The proposed project will produce the following results that will aid coastal conservation and restoration. The first description of genetic patterns in sea oats. Information on the relationship between sea oat genetic diversity, and such factors as fragmentation, distance to edge of range, climate, and historical geological change.