Comparison of the Chemical Profiles of Sagebrush Subspecies Using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Additional Funding Sources
The project described was supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) award number OIA-1757324 from the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NSF. Additional support was received from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Instrument Grant No. 201914150:05/28/2020, “Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer,” and NSF RII Track-2 FEC Award No. OIA-1826801, “Genomes Underlying Toxin Tolerance (GUTT).
Abstract
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate) is the most widespread shrub in North America3, therefore understanding its function is important in conservation and ensuring that the ecosystem does not falter. Sagebrush species and subspecies have complex and distinctive chemical profiles. It is important to understand how the chemistry of sagebrush relates to maintaining a healthy habitat and ecosystem for other species. In order to characterize distinctive chemical profiles of sagebrush species and subspecies, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis was carried out on individual plants of two sagebrush species, Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate and Artemisia tridentate ssp. wyomingensis, in two different seasons. Sagebrush foliage was collected from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Orchard Common Garden in southwestern Idaho. The chemical profiles of foliage extracts were determined using LC/MS. Individual compounds were monitored using UV absorbance and retention times. Chemical profiles of sagebrush subspecies were consistent for individual plants over time. Chemical profiles of Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate with 2n ploidy were uniform across samples. However, the chemical profiles of Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate with 4n ploidy and Artemisia tridentate ssp. wyomingensis with 4n ploidy showed more variation. This study will contribute to understanding how sagebrush chemistry may be a variable in the matrix of ecological interactions.
Comparison of the Chemical Profiles of Sagebrush Subspecies Using Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate) is the most widespread shrub in North America3, therefore understanding its function is important in conservation and ensuring that the ecosystem does not falter. Sagebrush species and subspecies have complex and distinctive chemical profiles. It is important to understand how the chemistry of sagebrush relates to maintaining a healthy habitat and ecosystem for other species. In order to characterize distinctive chemical profiles of sagebrush species and subspecies, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis was carried out on individual plants of two sagebrush species, Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate and Artemisia tridentate ssp. wyomingensis, in two different seasons. Sagebrush foliage was collected from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Orchard Common Garden in southwestern Idaho. The chemical profiles of foliage extracts were determined using LC/MS. Individual compounds were monitored using UV absorbance and retention times. Chemical profiles of sagebrush subspecies were consistent for individual plants over time. Chemical profiles of Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate with 2n ploidy were uniform across samples. However, the chemical profiles of Artemisia tridentate ssp. tridentate with 4n ploidy and Artemisia tridentate ssp. wyomingensis with 4n ploidy showed more variation. This study will contribute to understanding how sagebrush chemistry may be a variable in the matrix of ecological interactions.