Botanical exploration of the Canadian Arctic: floristics, DNA barcoding, and phylogeny from the Far North

Botanical exploration of the Canadian Arctic: floristics, DNA barcoding, and phylogeny from the Far North

Categories: Lectures and Seminars | Intended for

Friday, January 30, 2015

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM | Add to calendar

4440Q Carleton Technology and Training Centre

1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON

Contact Information

Andrew Wimons, 613-520-2600 ext. 3869, andrew.simons@carleton.ca

Registration

No registration required.

Cost

Free

About this Event

Host Organization: Biology Department
More Information: Please click here for additional details.

Paul C Sokoloff, MSc
Research Assistant
Canadian Museum of Nature

Host Lab: Hepworth

Abstract: The 40% of Canada’s landmass north of the treeline harbours ca. 800 vascular plant species - an estimated 21% of our nation’s vascular plant biodiversity. Uniquely adapted to the short growing season, cold climate, and paucity of water and nutrients found across the various Arctic ecozones, Arctic plant communities currently face mounting pressure due to climatic change and increasing development in the north. In the face of such rapid change, accurate and comprehensive knowledge on the current state of the Canadian Arctic flora is essential. However, despite over 100 years of collection effort by botanists, many remote areas in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are scientifically underexplored. Currently, the botanists at the Canadian Museum of Nature are leading a project to create a new Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska – a publication that will treat all North American Arctic vascular plants. New discoveries made during ongoing fieldwork supporting this project, including five major expeditions from 2008 to present, has increased the number of species known in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago by 7.7%, and added three new families and seven new genera to the flora of the region. Additionally, genetic samples taken from these expeditions, in addition to those from the collection at the National Herbarium of Canada, have given us new insight into the phylogeny and evolution of several Arctic plant groups, for example, hybridization and Introgression in louseworts (Pedicularis L.). These genetic resources have been also used to develop a DNA barcode database for the Canadian Arctic vascular plant flora (matK and rbcL sequences for 490 species).

This presentation will cover the ongoing Arctic flora research at the Canadian Museum of Nature, touching on these major research themes, as well as the future of floristics research in the far north.

Phylogeny - Canadian Arctic - Plant Communities