Utah is home to two species of oak, Quercus gambelii and Q. turbinella, which hybridize to form Q. undulata. This mysterious hybrid oak has incited the curiosity of various researchers, leading to many studies in order to better understand it. In spite of this previous research, we are still unsure of how the hybrid has survived in locations well outside of the range of Q. turbinella, which is currently restricted to Washington County in Utah. We hypothesize that the anatomical and physiological structure of Q. undulata plays a vital role in its ability to exist outside of the range of Q. turbinella. We predict that Q. undulata possesses Q. turbinella-like characteristics, such as narrow xylem vessels, low stomatal density, and low leaf vein density that allow it to inhabit dry, hot microsites found in the current range of Q. gambelii. Our primary objective is to identify and compare the functional characteristics of the three species to determine whether these characteristic differences account for the survival and success of Q. undulata. We have collected samples from Three Peaks in Cedar City, and are continuing to collect from different locations throughout Utah. We have measured the stomata size and density, leaf vein density, leaf size and shape, and leaf mass per area, as well as general anatomical traits of the stem and stem wood. We have also identified locations of the hybrid oak and have entered them into GIS to analyze microhabitat characteristics of the species. We are using the collected data to compare and contract the characteristics of the three species in order to test our hypothesis.
