Use of Microsatellites in the Identification of Hybridizing Cattail Species in the Typha Genus (T. angustifolia, T. latifolia, and T. x glauca)

Invasive plant species pose a threat by disturbing ecosystem function and native biodiversity. Cattail plants grow in wetlands where they thrive in environments with fluctuations in nutrients and salinity. Typha latifolia is a native species not considered to be a threat. In contrast, exotic T. angustifolia is a highly invasive species. Their hybrid, T. x glauca, is even more aggressive than T. angustifolia. These three Typha species are extremely common in wetlands, but their identification in the field is difficult based on morphological characteristics alone due to significant overlap in phenotypic traits. This problem hinders efforts to control invasive species to restore natural ecosystems. Current efforts remain unsuccessful if we cannot effectively recognize which species are problematic. In this study we are developing molecular techniques to identify species-specific polymorphisms as a more promising alternative to morphological identification. Qiagen DNeasy® Plant Mini Kits were used to extract DNA from ten identified samples of each cattail species. We are currently optimizing amplification of 11 previously described microsatellite loci using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These microsatellites will be visualized in a Beckman Coulter gene sequencer and analyzed using the sequencer software to determine if they are polymorphic. These protocols will be useful to environmental managers when attempting to restore areas heavily invaded by invasive cattail species.