Randall Hughes

Sponsor: Ramboll US Consulting

Genetic assessment and native plant production for the US Army Corps of Engineers BAA 6 Belle Isle Project, Boston, MA

Genetic variation can be critical for population performance and resilience, yet it is seldom accounted for in habitat restoration efforts. This project will assess the genetic diversity of the dominant salt marsh plants Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens in natural marshes in and around Belle Isle Marsh, MA. We will also produce local stocks of each of these species from seed and compare their genetic and phenotypic diversity in a common greenhouse environment. This work will inform ongoing and future marsh restoration efforts in Belle Isle and the surrounding region.