Identification of the vascular plants of Churchill, Manitoba, using a DNA barcode library

Background Because arctic plant communities are highly vulnerable to climate change, shifts in their composition require rapid, accurate identifications, often for specimens that lack diagnostic floral characters. The present study examines the role that DNA barcoding can play in aiding floristic evaluations in the arctic by testing the effectiveness of the core plant barcode regions (rbc L, mat K) and a supplemental ribosomal DNA (ITS2) marker for a well-studied flora near Churchill, Manitoba.