TY - JOUR
T1 - Reproductive Ecology of Physaria kingii Subsp. Kaibabensis, an Endemic Species of the Kaibab Plateau, USA
AU - Molano-Flores, Brenda
AU - Coons, Janice
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank the following individuals and organizations that made this project possible: Angela Gatto, William Austin, Samantha Primer, Jenna Annis, Mary Ann Feist, Jean Mengelkoch, Eric Janssen, Michael Wolcott, Samantha Harrow, and Tim Wilson for their assistance during fieldwork. Thanks to Charlie G. Helm, emeritus entomologist from the Illinois Natural History Survey, for insect identification. Also, thanks to two anonymous reviewers for suggestions that improved the manuscript. And lastly, the Arizona Department of Agriculture funded this project through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act) Grant Program: Grant No. Segment 18 2014-2016-11 F14APOO869 and the U.S. Forest Service provided additional funding to complete the project (FS Agreement No. 16-CR-11030703-013; Cooperator Agreement No. 2016-06506-00-00).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Natural Areas Association. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis, the Kaibab bladderpod (Brassicaceae), is endemic to the Kaibab Plateau, in Coconino County, Arizona. Due to its limited distribution, state and federal agencies are concerned about its conservation status. However, limited information is available regarding the ecology of this species. To better understand several aspects of its ecology, in 2015 and 2017 the following parameters were assessed at six sites: plant density, habitat assessment (characteristics/disturbances), reproductive ecology (pollination biology, reproductive output, and flower visitors), pre-dispersal seed predators, and seed germination. Overall we found that plant density and habitat characteristics/disturbances varied across time and among sites for Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis. In addition, this species requires pollinators for fruit and seed production. At the site level, fruit set, seed set, and seed germination, can be up to 73%, 39%, and 93%, respectively. Also, evidence was found for the presence of pre-dispersal seed predators and gall formers. These studies provide much-needed information to assist with the conservation and management of this endemic species and will assist the US Fish and Wildlife Service with any future listing decisions for the species.
AB - Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis, the Kaibab bladderpod (Brassicaceae), is endemic to the Kaibab Plateau, in Coconino County, Arizona. Due to its limited distribution, state and federal agencies are concerned about its conservation status. However, limited information is available regarding the ecology of this species. To better understand several aspects of its ecology, in 2015 and 2017 the following parameters were assessed at six sites: plant density, habitat assessment (characteristics/disturbances), reproductive ecology (pollination biology, reproductive output, and flower visitors), pre-dispersal seed predators, and seed germination. Overall we found that plant density and habitat characteristics/disturbances varied across time and among sites for Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis. In addition, this species requires pollinators for fruit and seed production. At the site level, fruit set, seed set, and seed germination, can be up to 73%, 39%, and 93%, respectively. Also, evidence was found for the presence of pre-dispersal seed predators and gall formers. These studies provide much-needed information to assist with the conservation and management of this endemic species and will assist the US Fish and Wildlife Service with any future listing decisions for the species.
KW - INHS
KW - conservation
KW - Physaria kingii subsp. kaibabensis
KW - endemic plant
KW - Arizona
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097063714&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85097063714&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3375/043.040.0407
DO - 10.3375/043.040.0407
M3 - Article
SN - 2162-4399
VL - 40
SP - 345
EP - 354
JO - Natural Areas Journal
JF - Natural Areas Journal
IS - 4
ER -