Population Status and Reproductive Biology of Clematis Morefieldii, a Federally Endangered Plant
POPULATION STATUS AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF CLEMATIS MOREFIELDII, A FEDERALLY ENDANGERED PLANT by Kyle Jordan Paris A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Auburn University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science Auburn, Alabama December 14, 2013 Cumberland Plateau, herbivory, insecticide, limestone outcrop endemic, reproductive attrition, seedling establishment Copyright 2013 by Kyle Jordan Paris Approved by Robert S. Boyd, Chair, Professor of Biological Sciences, Auburn University Kevin S. Burgess, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, Columbus State University, GA Amy N. Wright, Professor of Horticulture, Auburn University Abstract Clematis morefieldii is a federally endangered, perennial climbing vine. It inhabits limestone drains and outcrops on the Cumberland Plateau escarpments of northeast Alabama and south-central Tennessee. The NatureServe network ranks this species as imperiled in Alabama and critically imperiled in Tennessee. Given its habitat specificity, localized distribution, and rarity, it is of considerable interest to the conservation community and to the organizations obligated to manage it. Since its discovery over 30 years ago, there has been no in depth study of this species and pertinent information for management is absent. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the condition of current populations, document the species’ biology and life history, and assess impacts of herbivory. To achieve this goal, a one-year population structure and herbivory survey, a four-year reproductive attrition study, and a three-year insecticide study were conducted between 2009-2012, sponsored, in part, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The population structure and herbivory survey estimated range-wide population numbers, described proportions of life history stages in each population sampled, and evaluated the extent of vegetative herbivory in each sampled population across the range of C.
[Show full text]