Integrative Biology faculty member and UC Botanical Garden Director Ellen Simms studies yellow bush lupines at Bodega Marine Reserve in collaboration with John Maron of UW-Seattle. Lupines in this population (Mussel Point) exhibit high but stable population densities. Adjacent lupine populations in the dunes (visible in the right margin of the photo) are more sparse, but also exhibit stable numbers. In contrast, lupines in grasslands closer to Bodega Head (about 1 km distant) can achieve very high densities but also exhibit mass die-offs, resulting in wildly fluctuating population densities.

Yellow bush lupine introduced into dune systems north of Bodega Marine Reserve are invasive and destroy native plant communities. Our research will help determine which methods will be most effective for controlling this plant in non-native locations.