First Advisor

Mitchell E. McGlaughlin

First Committee Member

Carol Dawson

Second Committee Member

Jennifer Ackerfield

Degree Name

Master of Science

Document Type

Thesis

Date Created

5-2026

Department

College of Natural and Health Sciences, Biological Sciences, Biological Sciences Student Work

Abstract

Landscape stewardship is an integral role for land managers that becomes more important when rare or endangered species occur within managed areas. Conservation across the landscape is a primary concern for land managers, but resources allocated for conservation can be limited due to many competing goals. Taxonomic uncertainty surrounding rare and endangered taxa, particularly plant taxa, that have historically been classified solely using morphological features further complicates conservation planning. One such taxon is Potentilla rupincola, a rare plant endemic to the eastern Rocky Mountains in Colorado. For over a century, botanists have debated whether P. rupincola is a distinct species or a morphological variant of the more widespread Potentilla effusa. This project focuses on the collection and use of genetic and morphometric data to investigate the taxonomy of P. rupincola. Field collections cover the entire range of P. rupincola. Analyses employed in this study leverage data generated through next generation sequencing and include genetic relatedness between sampled populations, phylogenetic relationships between sampled individuals, and morphological comparisons. Analyses incorporate a third closely related species, Potentilla hippiana, as well as outgroup taxa to strengthen phylogenetic resolution. Results indicate that there is genetic differentiation between P. rupincola and P. effusa, supporting the separation of these taxa into two separate species. Morphological analyses confirm consistent differences between P. rupincola and P. effusa that align with genetic species assignment. Resolving the taxonomy of P. rupincola will support evidence-based conservation and resource management, enabling land managers to prioritize actions and allocate resources appropriately within their landscapes.

Abstract Format

html

Disciplines

Biodiversity | Bioinformatics | Biology | Botany | Genetics | Genomics | Molecular Genetics | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy

Keywords

Taxonomy; Genetics; Morphometrics; Conservation

Language

English

Places

Greeley, Colorado

Extent

95 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

Download

Share

COinS