The purpose of this study is to compare the chemical compositions of two plants in the genus Chamerion, and to relate their compositions to how they adapted to such different soils – river beauty preferring wet, mineral rich soil, such as around glacier streams, and fireweed preferring dry, organic rich soils, like areas that recently had forest fires. We have primarily been analyzing their polyphenols – ‘antioxidants’ which plants use to protect themselves from predation as well as from chemicals in their environment. Using HPLC, mass spec, and Folin assays, we have been identifying and quantifying the polyphenols in the leaves and flowers of both plants. We have also been using extractions to find their concentrations of fiber, fat, and polars (sugars and polyphenols), and plan to find the metal content using ICP analysis. Our current results are that the content of the two plants are very similar, particularly in the types of polyphenols they contain: three flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin, and myricetin) which differ by just one OH group and which sugar attached to them, and ellagitannins called oenothein A and B. However, they vary greatly in the amounts of polyphenols, with river beauty having more myricetin and fireweed having more total polyphenols. To finish the project we need to complete the polyphenol analysis, find the metal content of the plants, and try to relate those to each other by how the polyphenols bind to the metals. By comparing this to the metal content of the soils they live in, and to the polyphenol content of other related plants, we will try to learn how they adapted to their current habitats, and hope this information will aid in predicting how plants will adapt to current changes in climate.
Author: Rene Halcom
Advisor: Ann Hagerman, Chemistry and Biochemistry
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