In the natural world all species are not represented equally. That is, while some species are common, others are rare. Scientists do not fully understand why such differences in the abundance of species exist and in particular how rare species can continue to persist. As the natural world is dynamic, in order to persist, species must successfully respond to the environmental changes they experience. Possible ways to do this include adaptation and acclimation. Adaptation involves a genetic change in a population over generations. This ability to adapt is influenced by the variation found within a population and this variation may be limited for rare species, which often are found in small numbers. Acclimation involves the ability of an individual within its life-time to adjustment to different conditions. Acclimation may be especially important in the face of rapid environmental change because adaptation takes time. This study will examine how common and rare plant species adapt and acclimate to environmental change to understand how each can persist. The results of this study will help guide the conservation of rare species and will foster collaborations among researchers at botanical gardens and several undergraduate focused universities. This research will support student experiential learning, as well as the mentoring and inclusion of students from underrepresented groups in the natural sciences and community colleges. Finally, this project will also engage the public through science cafés and outreach opportunities at botanical gardens.
The question of why some species are rare while others are common is enduring and has important implications for ecological theory, the conservation of rare species, and the understanding of biodiversity patterns. This study will use a multi-faceted approach to address why some species are rare while others are common. First, to assess the potential acclimatory and adaptive constraints associated with the commonness of species, laboratory experiments using controlled-environments, as well as field surveys, will be conducted to compare the genetic diversity and ecophysiological plasticity found within and across a suite of rare endemic and common congeneric plant species. Second, to frame empirical investigations and understand the traits associated with plant rarity, a comprehensive synthesis of the existing primary literature will be conducted. And third, to predict the performance and persistence of rare species, empirically derived trait and plasticity based data will be used to develop mechanistic trait-based models. The collaborative research efforts supported by this study will provide a deeper conceptual understanding of species rarity and guidance for conservation efforts.
