LINDER, C. RANDAL1*, BRIAN VANDEN HEUVEL1, and ROBERT B. JACKSON2. 1Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 USA; 2Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0340 USA. - Making the connection: using DNA fingerprinting to link above- and below-ground plant parts in ecological studies.
Studying below-ground ecological processes of plants in natural
systems can be very difficult. It can be even more difficult to
connect individual roots and shoots in population level and
ecophysiological studies. To overcome this problem, we demonstrate
that rapid and simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing,
and DNA fingerprinting techniques can be used to reliably link above-
and below-ground parts of plants in ecological studies of natural
systems. We used PCR and DNA sequencing of the internal transcribed
spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA repeat to determine the
species to which roots belong. Then, amplified fragment length
polymorphisms (AFLPs) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) were
used to link individual roots with individual shoots. Using Bumelia
lanuginosa syn. Sideroxylon lanuginosum (Sapotaceae) as a
test case, we showed, at two different sites, that both ISSR and AFLP
approaches to fingerprinting roots and leaves are excellent means of
establishing above- and below-ground connections in natural systems.
Individuals were readily distinguished and the methods also revealed
when stems were ramets from a single genet. We will discuss the
strengths and weaknesses of each fingerprinting method for use in
ecological studies.
Key words: AFLP, Bumelia lanuginosa syn. Sideroxylon lanuginosum, DNA fingerprinting, ISSR, plant ecology, Sapotaceae