The Humboldt Lily (Lilium humboldtii) is a rare riparian plant endemic to California, and listed on the California Native Plant Society's Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. These plants are subject to human impact in a variety of ways, including urbanization, horticultural collection, deer browsing, and other threats. To to correctly implement good conservation management practices on this and other rare species, it is essential to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of the species. We tested genetic variation between four stream populations of Humboldt Lilies in the Santa Monica Mountains. Three of these streams were classified as having low levels of human impact and one was classified as having higher levels of human impact.
Results/Conclusions
Genetic variation was assessed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLPs). Analyses showed no statistical differences among stream populations, indicating no significant human impact on the stream population genetics.
