Abstract
Changes in land use have dramatically changed species composition in the agricultural landscape. However, little is known about the effects on the genetic composition of plant populations and interactions among species. In this project, we will use the perennial herb Primula farinosa to examine factors maintaining genetic variation in morphology and life history, and how genetic composition influences the long-term viability of plant populations. Primula farinosa has decreased dramatically in Sweden in recent years due to changes agricultural practices, and occurs in a long-scaped and a short-scaped morph. We have demonstrated that scape length affects the risk of grazing damage, but also seed predation and pollination intensity. We will conduct field experiments and demographic studies to explore the effects of physical environment and land use on intensity of biotic interactions, selection regimes, and population differentiation in plant morphology and life history. The effects of genetic composition and biotic interactions on population viability will be examined with stochastic demographic models. This kind of viability analysis has not been carried out previously.
Sweden