Native plant restoration policy calls for use of "genetically appropriate" native plant material on USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA Forest Service (USFS) lands. In this article, we summarize experimental evidence showing that local adaptation is widespread in all kingdoms of life, and how this "home-field advantage" has been exploited in forest restoration activities to develop and promote regionally adapted, genetically diverse restoration materials. The importance of such materials is highlighted in the context of changing environmental conditions, such as those predicted in future climate change scenarios. Although the adaptive properties of most restoration species remains unexamined, numerous tools exist for identifying similar environments and ecosystems, and these can be used to develop first-generation seed zones. Finally, general recommendations for establishing foundation populations are outlined so that pre-adapted populations retain sufficient genetic diversity to acclimate to new evolutionary challenges, while minimizing the likelihood of deleterious genetic outcomes (for example, inadvertent selection of undesirable traits; inbreeding depression).Johnson R, Stritch L, Olwell P, Lambert S, Horning ME, Cronn R. 2010. What are the best seed sources for ecosystem restoration on BLM and USFS lands? Native Plants Journal 11(2):117-131.

Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides [Roemer & J.A. Schultes] Barkworth) is a widely distributed, highly desirable native species in desert ecosystems in the western United States. Yet there are no studies linking genetic variation in Indian ricegrass with climate across major areas of its natural distribution. In this study, seeds from 106 collection locations from the southwestern United States were established in common gardens and four phenological traits (Phen; such as blooming date), six production traits (Pro; such as dry weight), and eight morphology traits (Morph; such as leaf dimensions) were measured in 2007 and 2008. Analyses of variance revealed that all basic garden traits differed among source locations (P , 0.01), indicating widespread genetic variation. Within Phen, Pro, and Morph categories, canonical correlation was completed between basic garden traits and source location temperature and precipitation. This resulted in six significant (P , 0.01) canonical variates (Phen 1, Pro 1 and 2, and Morph 1, 2, and 3) representing each category of traits. Linear correlations (r. 6 0.25, P , 0.01) consistently linked monthly temperature at collection locations with Phen 1, Pro 1, and Morph 1. For precipitation, however, correlations were more dependent on month, with the strongest correlations during the spring developmental period. Using regression models between traits and climate, a map with 12 seed zones was developed representing much of the southwestern United States. This generally distinguished genetic variation between cooler and warmer regions, usually separating more northern, higher elevation areas from more southern, lower elevation areas. The correspondence between climate and genetic variation suggested climate-driven differences in natural selection, likely leading to adaptation. The seed zone map is recommended to guide and broaden germplasm collection and utilization for Indian ricegrass restoration. Resumen Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides [Roemer & J.A. Schultes] Barkworth) presenta una amplia distribución, es una especie altamente deseable en los ecosistemas desérticos en el oeste de los estados Unidos. Sin embargo, aún no hay ningún estudio que relacione las variaciones genéticas de Indian ricegrass con el clima a través de las á reas de su distribución natural. En este estudio, semillas de 106 localidades del suroeste de Estados Unidos fueron colectadas y establecidas en jardines comunes y con cuatro características fenológicas (Phen; como día de floración), seis características productivas (Pro; como peso seco), y ocho características morfológicas (Morph; como dimensión de la hoja) fueron medidas en 2007 and 2008. Aná lisis de varianza revelaron que todas las características bá sicas fueron diferentes entre las localidades de origen (P , 0.01), indicando una amplia variación genética. Dentro de las categorías Phen, Pro, y Morph una correlación crónica fue completada entre las características bá sicas de jardín y fuente de origen, temperatura y precipitación. Esto resul...

An important goal for land managers is the incorporation of appropriate (e.g., locally adapted and genetically diverse) plant materials in restoration and revegetation activities. To identify these materials, researchers need to characterize the variability in essential traits in natural populations and determine how they are related to environmental conditions. This common garden study was implemented to characterize the variability in growth and phenological traits relative to climatic and geographic variables of 39 Holodiscus discolor (Pursh) Maxim. accessions from locations throughout the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. Principal component analysis of 12 growth and phenological traits explained 48.2% of the observed variability in the first principal component (PC-1). With multiple regressions, PC-1 was compared to environmental values at each source location. Regression analysis identified a four-variable model containing elevation, minimum January temperature, maximum October temperature, and February precipitation that explained 86% of the variability in PC-1 (r 2 ¼ 0.86, p < 0.0001). Spatial analysis using this regression model identified patterns of genetic diversity within the Pacific Northwest that can help guide germplasm selection (i.e., seed collections) for restoration and revegetation activities.

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