Abstract Detail

Ecology

Diaz, Nicolas [1], Cantley, Jason [2], Martine, Christopher [2].

Examining niche divergence of cryptic species within the Hawaiian Coprosma foliosa Complex (Rubiaceae).

The taxonomy among Coprosma spp. (Rubiaceae) in the Hawaiian Islands is complex, making it difficult to properly identify taxa in the field or even with herbarium specimens. Of particular confusion are taxa of the Coprosma foliosa Complex, which currently includes C. menziesii on Hawai‘i Island, C. stephanocarpa and C. cordicarpa on Maui, C. fauriei on Kaua‘i, C. molokaiense on Moloka‘i, and many synonymized taxa on O‘ahu and Lana‘i. Taxa of the C. foliosa Complex occur in both native and non-native dominated mesic forests and represent the lowest elevation distribution of the genus in the archipelago. Their form varies from upright trees to lianas >15 meters in length. An excursion in March 2016 helped elucidate morphological and geographic differences garnered from morphometric analyses and field observations for the two recently segregated taxa from the C. foliosa Complex: Coprosma fauriei H. Lév. and Coprosma molokaiense J. Cantley & N. Diaz. The analyses used in the description of these taxa, ecological niche modeling and morphometrics, have been applied to an expanded set of data that includes the other recognized taxa and potentially novel taxa. The niche models were produced in MaxEnt using GPS localities collected from 2010-2016 and a non-correlated subset of the 19 BIOCLIM variables along with a DEM layer. Using ENMTools, the output of each of the models was further analyzed using a niche overlap test and niche identity test. The preliminary results of these analyses will be ground-truthed with upcoming molecular data.

1 - Bucknell University, Biology, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, USA
2 - Bucknell University, 1 Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, United States

Keywords:
pilo
undergraduate research
Maxent
niche modeling
Rubiaceae.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Ecology
Location: Exhibit Hall/Omni Hotel
Date: Monday, June 26th, 2017
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PEC010
Abstract ID:273
Candidate for Awards:Ecological Section Best Undergraduate Presentation Award