Soil characteristics in populations of MacFarlane's Four-O-Clock (Mirabilis macfarlanei), a threatened endemic plant.
Faculty Sponsor
David L. Boose, boose@gonzaga.edu
Session Type
Poster Presentation
Research Project Abstract
MacFarlane’s Four-O-Clock (Mirabilis macfarlanei) is a federally listed threatened plant species found only in about a dozen locations in northeastern Oregon and northwestern Idaho. It exists in small, widely scattered populations despite an apparent abundance of appropriate habitat, and it is unclear what factors are limiting the plant’s spread. To assist recovery efforts, we investigated the physical and chemical characteristics of soils collected from ten M. macfarlanei populations in the canyons of the Salmon, Snake, and Imnaha Rivers, spanning the geographic range of the species. Soils varied widely in both chemical and physical features, suggesting that M. macfarlanei can tolerate a range of soil conditions.
Session Number
PS3
Location
HUB Multipurpose Room
Abstract Number
PS3-n
Soil characteristics in populations of MacFarlane's Four-O-Clock (Mirabilis macfarlanei), a threatened endemic plant.
HUB Multipurpose Room
MacFarlane’s Four-O-Clock (Mirabilis macfarlanei) is a federally listed threatened plant species found only in about a dozen locations in northeastern Oregon and northwestern Idaho. It exists in small, widely scattered populations despite an apparent abundance of appropriate habitat, and it is unclear what factors are limiting the plant’s spread. To assist recovery efforts, we investigated the physical and chemical characteristics of soils collected from ten M. macfarlanei populations in the canyons of the Salmon, Snake, and Imnaha Rivers, spanning the geographic range of the species. Soils varied widely in both chemical and physical features, suggesting that M. macfarlanei can tolerate a range of soil conditions.
