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Diagram of the cross section of a leaf of Festuca campestris. Note the five major vascular bundles with sclerenchymatous strands adjacent to them, and the loosely involute blade. Illustration from Aiken and Darbyshire (1990). Used with permission of Susan Aiken.
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... hallii typically has long rhizomes ( Figure 5) and a much less bunchy habit than F. campestris, which may form bunches up to 50 cm in diameter ( Moss and Campbell 1947). Leaf cross sections (Figure 6 and Figure 7), the number of florets, and relative glume length (Figure 8) are the most useful characteristics for distinguishing F. campestris from F. hallii (Aiken personal communication 2005). Leaf cross sections are relatively unambiguous (Aiken and Consaul 1995). ...
Context 2
... Habitat Type, but these are not specific to the F. scabrella phase of this habitat type. Table 5 is a list of all species documented with F. hallii in Region 2. (Figure 16). Because of overgrazing by elk and horses, D. floribunda is invading areas dominated by F. campestris in Alberta (Scotter 1975). ...
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Citations
... Plains rough fescue [Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper] is the diagnostic, long-lived perennial species in Fescue Prairie, and a North American endemic tetraploid (2n ¼ 4x ¼ 28), presumably outcrossing (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., onwards, 1997Anderson, 2006). It grows on deep, well-drained soils, and is highly palatable to livestock, particularly during the winter. ...
Timing of seed germination influences plant lifetime fitness and can affect the ability of plant populations to colonize and persist in changing environments. However, the genetic variation of the seed germination response remains poorly understood. The amplified restriction fragment polymorphism (AFLP) technique was applied to characterize the genetic variation of germinated seeds collected from three Festuca hallii populations in the Canadian prairie. Three subpopulations with early, intermediate and late germination were identified from each population, based on germination tests at 10, 15 and 20°C in controlled growth chambers. Three AFLP primer pairs were employed to screen a total of 540 assayed seedling samples and 188 polymorphic AFLP bands were scored for each sample. None of the assayed AFLP bands were significantly associated with seed germination, but marked differences in estimates of mean band frequency were observed for various groups of germinating seeds under different test temperatures. Partitioning of the total AFLP variation showed that 5.9% AFLP variation was present among seeds of the three populations, 0.3% among seeds of three germination subpopulations, and 0.5% among seeds grouped for germination temperature. Genetic differentiation was significant among 27 groups of seeds representing population, germination timing and test temperature. Subpopulations with early and intermediate germination shared similar genetic backgrounds and were genetically differentiated from the late germination subpopulation. These results indicate that seed genotypes respond slightly differently to environmental variation, resulting in significant but weak genetic differentiation in the germination of F. hallii seeds. Implications for plant establishment and fescue restoration are discussed.
... Fescue prairie, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., , 1997Anderson, 2006), is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the Canadian prairie (World Wildlife Fund, 1988). Since the time of European settlement, widespread conversion of Fescue prairie has created a landscape with small, isolated patches of remnant fescue embedded in a dissimilar matrix of cultivated fields, grazed pastures, roads, and human settlements (Archibold and Wilson, 1980;Romo, 2003). ...
... Since the time of European settlement, widespread conversion of Fescue prairie has created a landscape with small, isolated patches of remnant fescue embedded in a dissimilar matrix of cultivated fields, grazed pastures, roads, and human settlements (Archibold and Wilson, 1980;Romo, 2003). F. hallii [(Vasey) Piper] (plains rough fescue) is the distinctive characteristic species in the Fescue prairie (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., , 1997Anderson, 2006). Few ecological studies on this species have been conducted (Coupland and Brayshaw, 1953;Pavlick and Looman, 1984;Romo et al., 1991) and little information is available on the ecological impacts of habitat fragmentation on this species. ...
Grassland in North America is expected to expand northward as the climate becomes warmer and drier under many climate change scenarios. Successful adaptation of plant species to climate change depends on regeneration success. This paper aims to identify the spatial variation in seed germination characteristics of Festuca hallii populations and to quantify the effect of genetic, geographic, demographic, or climatic factors on the variation. Seeds were collected from 15 populations in five ecoregions over a wide geographic range in Canada. Seeds were germinated at 7 growth chambers with constant temperatures from 5 to 35 °C with 5 °C increments. Thermal time models were constructed to generate germination thresholds. Correlations between germination parameters and genetic variation, longitude, latitude, population size, geographic distance to the nearest neighbour, mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP) were assessed. Base temperatures (Tb, minimal or base temperature permitting germination) of the 15 populations fell into a narrow range within 2.2 °C with an average of 1.1 °C. Tb was positively correlated with latitude and negatively with longitude and the thermal time requirement for 50% germination was negatively correlated with latitude. Seed mass was negatively correlated with MAT and positively correlated with MAP. High final germination percentage was reached at a wide temperature range from 5 to 20 °C with the highest germination percentage at 10 °C. Germination rate index (GRI) increased with increasing temperature from 5 to 20 °C. Final germination percentage at 5 °C was negatively correlated with MAT and positively correlated with MAP. GRIs at 5 and 10 °C were positively correlated with MAP but not with MAT. GRI at 5 °C was positively correlated with longitude. Germination was not correlated with any genetic and demographic attributes assayed. Population-wise variation in temperature and precipitation affects seed mass, an important attribute determining seed germinability. Sites with greater precipitation and lower temperature had heavier seeds, which usually had lower thermal time requirements for germination and faster germination. The warmer and drier future climate as predicted for the Canadian prairie may reduce regeneration success of this species in the current distribution range, particularly after disturbances followed by sexual regeneration from seeds.
... The Fescue Prairie of North America bordering the southern boreal forest and centered in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana and North Dakota (World Wildlife Fund 1988;Aiken et al. 1997;Anderson 2006) has become increasingly fragmented into small isolated patches as a result of the conversion of once continuous grasslands for agricultural, industrial and domestic use over the past century. The current coverage has been greatly reduced to 15% of the formerly extensive Fescue Prairie in Alberta (Alberta Environmental Protection 1997) and to less than 5% in Saskatchewan (Grilz & Romo 1995;Gerry & Andersen 2002) and in Manitoba (Grilz & Romo 1994). ...
... Plains rough fescue, Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper, is the diagnostic, perennial species in Fescue Prairie and a North American endemic tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing (Aiken et al. 1997;Anderson 2006). It grows on deep, well-drained soils and is highly palatable to livestock, particularly during the winter. ...
Genetic diversity is essential for predicting plant evolutionary potential and for formulating conservation strategies. However, little is known about the genetic variation of plains rough fescue [Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper], a widespread and diagnostic grass in the Fescue Prairie. We used the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique to assess the genetic variation of 30 fragmented populations of F. hallii across the northern Canadian Prairie and its associations with 12 geographical, fragmentation and environmental attributes. Three AFLP primer pairs were used to screen 840 samples, representing approximately 30 samples from each population, and 246 polymorphic bands were scored. The fescue plant was genetically diverse, as revealed by the proportion of polymorphic bands (0.870–0.967), the mean band frequency (0.364–0.457) and the within-population variation (69.4–85.4). The genetic variation was not highly differentiated, with only 6.5% of the total AFLP variation residing among populations. A Mantel test revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances (r = 0.39; P < 0.004) and a spatial autocorrelation up to 60 km among populations was detected. The AFLP variation displayed a longitudinal decline and was significantly associated with environmental attributes related to moisture, indicating local adaptation. However, the AFLP variation was not significantly associated with the estimated population size and geographical distance to the nearest neighbor, suggesting that fragmentation has not generated considerable genetic impact on the fescue populations. Implications for fescue conservation, restoration and management are discussed.
... Plains rough fescue [Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper] is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), probably outcrossing, perennial species in the Fescue Prairie region of North America [21]. Due largely to agricultural conversion, Fescue Prairie has been declining over the last 100 years and currently occupies less than 15% of its original extent [22]. ...
Characterization of individual genetic variation within a plant population is an
25 important component of plant conservation and evolutionary genetics. Here we present a
26 marker-based approach to interpolating individual genetic information from a sample of
27 plants to the whole population. The effectiveness of the approach was demonstrated by
28 applying AFLP markers to estimate genetic distinctiveness from a sample of Festuca
29 hallii (Vassey) Piper plants in six populations across the Canadian Prairies and proposing
30 a linear interpolation to map the estimated genetic distinctiveness within each population.
31 The interpolation was empirically verified for its effectiveness in one fescue population.
32 Issues associated with and potential utility of the proposed interpolation are discussed.
... Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) (PRF) is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing , perennial species (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006 ). This species is widely distributed in the Fescue Prairie region of North America, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006). ...
... Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) (PRF) is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing , perennial species (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006 ). This species is widely distributed in the Fescue Prairie region of North America, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006). Owing largely to agricultural conversion, Fescue Prairies have been threatened over the last 100 years (World Wildlife Fund 1988). ...
Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) is a dominant native grass species in the Fescue Prairie region of North America that has undergone dramatic range reduction in the past century. Little is known about the genetic diversity of this species. The amplified restriction fragment polymorphism (AFLP) technique was applied to assess the comparative genetic diversity of six plains rough fescue populations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and their corresponding seed collections. Three AFLP primer pairs were employed to screen 529 samples, representing about 30 samples each of reproductive tiller, vegetative tiller, and seed collected from each population. A total of 330 polymorphic AFLP bands were scored for each sample; their occurrence frequencies ranged from 0.01 to 0.99 and averaged around 0.47. Analysis of molecular variance revealed more than 90% of the total AFLP variation resided within natural populations (reproductive and vegetative tillers) and within seed samples. Four populations sampled from protected areas appear to have relatively lower within-population variation than two unprotected populations. Only 0.2% AFLP difference was revealed among the three tissue types examined. The tiller samples revealed slightly larger among-population variation than the seed samples and captured substantial associations of AFLP variation with population geographic distances. These findings are important for germplasm sampling for ex situ conservation, are useful for germplasm development for pasture seeding, and should facilitate the management of fragmented fescue populations.
... Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) (PRF) is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing , perennial species (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006 ). This species is widely distributed in the Fescue Prairie region of North America, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006). ...
... Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) (PRF) is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing , perennial species (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006 ). This species is widely distributed in the Fescue Prairie region of North America, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al. 1996Aiken et al. , 1997 Anderson 2006). Owing largely to agricultural conversion, Fescue Prairies have been threatened over the last 100 years (World Wildlife Fund 1988). ...
... For the reasons stated above, this assessment does not provide details regarding the distribution of Festuca hallii in Wyoming. These are provided in the Technical Conservation Assessment for that species (Anderson 2006). Details regarding the seven reports of members of the F. scabrella complex in Colorado are discussed below. ...
... Similar threats pertain to other locations in Colorado where F. scabrella was documented; these are discussed in this section. Because there has been no report of F. campestris in Wyoming, threats dealing specifically with F. hallii in that state are not described explicitly here; instead, they are addressed in a Technical Conservation Assessment for that species (Anderson 2006). ...
... Because of uncertainty regarding the identity of much of the material in Colorado known only as "Festuca scabrella," credence was also given to these records since there remains a chance that at least some of these are F. campestris. A Technical Conservation Assessment is available for F. hallii (Anderson 2006) in which that species is treated in greater detail. ...
... Plains rough fescue [Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper] is a native, tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), probably outcrossing, perennial species in the Fescue Prairie region of North America [21]. Due largely to agricultural conversion, Fescue Prairie has been declining over the last 100 years and currently occupies less than 15% of its original extent [22]. ...
... Fescue Prairie, bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., , 1997Anderson, 2006), is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the Canadian Prairies (World Wildlife Fund, 1988). ...
... Fescue Prairie, and a North American endemic tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28), presumably outcrossing (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., , 1997Anderson, 2006). F. hallii has been found widely distributed throughout the Canadian Prairies, including Moist Mixed Grassland, Mixed Grassland, Aspen ...
... Fescue Prairie is bordering the boreal forest to the south and centred in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota (Aiken et al., 1996(Aiken et al., , 1997Anderson, 2006). Currently it is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the Canadian Prairies (World Wildlife Fund, 1988). ...
Plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) is a dominant grass in the endangered Fescue Prairie of North America. Infrequent and unpredictable seed production presents a challenge for the use of this species in restoration and rangeland seeding. The objective of this study was to compare seed yield of different plains rough fescue populations and to determine the dependence of seed yield on phenotypic characteristics. Effect of weather conditions during the floral induction and initiation period of different years of the study was also compared. In 2007, a completely randomized field plot experiment was established from eleven populations of plains rough fescue at Swift Current, SK, Canada. In 2007, 2010 and 2011, individual plant seed yield, reproductive tillers, above-ground biomass, plant height and crown diameter were measured, and plant vigour was scored. All measured variables differed significantly (P ≤ 0·05) among populations. Four populations were identified as having higher seed yield potential. Plants in these four populations also had characteristics of good plant vigour, taller stems, more reproductive tillers and greater biomass. Seed yield increased linearly with increasing plant height, crown diameter, above-ground biomass and number of reproductive tillers (r2 ranged 0·17–0·67, P < 0·001), but number of reproductive tillers (r2 = 0·53–0·67, P < 0·001) was a better predictor for selection of lines with higher seed yield. Although seed yield varied among years, populations with higher seed yield tended to produce greater amounts of seed over the period of the study.
