Danielle Agyemang
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Research Mentor(s): Wesley Bickford
Research Mentor School/College/Department: U.S. Geological Survey / Other
Program:
Authors: Wesley Bickford, Danielle Agyemang
Session: Session 1: 9:00 am – 9:50 am
Poster: 55
Abstract
Manoomin is Annishinaabemowin for two native plants to North America and the Great Lakes Region. These wetland grasses are vital in the Anishinaabe cultures and wildlife. However, European colonization and environmental ignorance, as well as climate change, hampered its abundance through direct and indirect habitat destruction. Because of the diminishing habitat range, restoration efforts led by Indigenous Tribes in partnership with state, federal, and non-profit organizations are occurring in Michigan (Barton 2018). Restoration of manoomin has been challenging. However, the microbiota’s symbiotic role is not well understood to equip restoration efforts further. Therefore, to bolster and further the restoration methods’ efficiency, it is essential to consider the wetlands’ different makeup of microbiota communities that can support or inhibit germination with varying ecological symbiosis relationships. The difference between horizontal (habitat-contracted) and vertical (parental) transmission of manoomin seed microbiota’s effects can determine the altitude of restoration success (Shade et al. 2017). For different microbial sources to influence the seeds, three Michigan lakes’ water and soil samples with unique manoomin histories/backgrounds were provided to overwinter and grow seeds in a laboratory setting. Using gifted Zizania palustris seeds from an Anishinaabek, eight different seed groups with 10 repetitions each were made with/out soil from these histories including sterilized topsoil and reverse osmosis water. After overwintering, half of each group switched from soil and water to just water or the other way around for the growth chamber stage. The seeds that overwintered in the lake water supporting the healthiest manoomin beds are expected to perform better than in water from degraded beds or naïve locations. The actual outcome could further determine relevant research to reach better restoration strategies for this culturally and ecologically important native plant species.
