Local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in the California endemic toyon

To survive climate change and habitat loss plants must rely on phenotypic changes to the environment, local adaptation, or migration; understanding the drivers of intraspecific variation is critical to anticipate how plant species will respond to climate change and inform conservation decisions. In this talk, I will explore the extent of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in Heteromeles arbutifolia, toyon, a species endemic to the California Floristic Province. To investigate the intraspecific variation, plasticity, and local adaptation of toyon, we collected leaves from 286 individuals across toyon’s range and used seeds from 37 individuals to establish experimental gardens in the northern and southern parts of toyon’s range. We measured leaf functional traits of the wild collected leaves, and functional and fitness traits of the offspring grown in the experimental gardens. We then investigated the relationships between traits and source environment. We were able to establish both plastic and locally adapted traits, and consider its application to climate change and habitat restoration!
Biography: Laurel Thomas (she/her) graduated in 2023 with a degree in Environmental Science from UCLA. Fittingly named after the California Bay Laurel tree, she is passionate about conserving and increasing access to native plants and their respective ecosystems. She spent her undergrad studying the California native plant toyon, working as a habitat restoration technician in the last remaining wetland in Los Angeles, and leading students in conservation and outdoor recreation all around southern California. Currently, she is applying for PhD programs in applied conservation, and has been working seasonally from teaching ecology in the Grand Tetons, to developing a habitat restoration plan for the National Park Service in the US Virgin Islands.