ASSESSING HEAT AND DROUGHT STRESS IN UMTANUM DESERT BUCKWHEAT

Project ID: F24AC01497

Federal Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2024

Initial Funding: $69,974

Total Funding: $69,974

Principal Investigator: Owen, Christina

Agreement Technical Representative: Rhodes, Carol

Abstract: UMTANUM DESERT BUCKWHEAT (ERIOGONUM CODIUM) IS A FEDERALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES FOUND IN WASHINGTON STATE. IT ISKNOWN FROM ONLY POPULATION ON UMTANUM RIDGE, WHICH HAS SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASED IN SIZE OVER THE PAST SEVERALDECADES. IN 2023, ONLY 2,354 PLANTS WERE TALLIED, THE LOWEST SIZE RECORDED SINCE THE FIRST CENSUS IN 1995. INADDITION, WILDFIRES IN 1996 AND 2017 RESULTED IN POPULATION LOSSES OF 17.7% AND 51.2%, RESPECTIVELY. WILDFIRES,DROUGHTS, COMPETITION FROM INVASIVE PLANTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND DAMAGE FROM TRAMPLING ARE ALL SIGNIFICANTTHREATS. DURING RECENT POPULATION CENSUS, SURVEYORS NOTICED APPARENT WILTING IN PORTIONS OF OLDER PLANTS,SUGGESTING THAT DROUGHT AND OR HEAT STRESS, DRIVEN BY SHIFTS IN PRECIPITATION AND EVAPOTRANSPIRATION AMOUNT ANDTIMING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, MAY BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN POPULATION DECLINES. NO STUDIES HAVE EVALUATED THEPRESENCE AND SEVERITY OF HEAT AND DROUGHT STRESS IN UMTANUM DESERT BUCKWHEAT.THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE: 1) TO PREVENT LOSS OF LOCAL GENETIC ADAPTATIONS OF THE NATIVE POPULATION ANDNEAR-TERM EXTINCTION BY EXPANDING EX SITU SEED COLLECTIONS, 2) TO IMPROVE OUTPLANTING ESTABLISHMENT BYALLEVIATING HEAT AND DROUGHT STRESS, AND 3) TO INVESTIGATE THE ROLE OF HEAT AND DROUGHT STRESS IN THE DOCUMENTEDDECLINES AT THE UMTANUM RIDGE POPULATION. TO MEET THESE OBJ