Geographical parthenogenesis in Pacific Northwest hawthorns (Crataegus; Rosaceae)

This week we recognize the work of alumnus Ph.D. student Eugenia Lo (Stefanovic Lab). Eugenia recently published “Geographical parthenogenesis in Pacific Northwest hawthorns (Crataegus; Rosaceae)”, in Botany. In this study, Eugenia sought to compare the environments and geographic distribution of diploid and polyploid black-fruited hawthorns in the Pacific Northwest. She used flow cytometry to determine the ploidy and mating systems of samples, and microsatellite markers to examine genetic relationships among populations. She found that polyploid Crataegus douglasii occupies more widely distributed sites that experience more extreme temperatures and moisture regimes than do the sites occupied by diploid C. suksdorfii.

Eugenia is now a Research Associate at UC Irvine. Great work, Eugenia!

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