Various factors threaten the sagebrush steppe: human land use change, plant invasion, wildfire, and anthropogenic climate warming. These form a novel habitat unsuitable for seedling recruitment. I investigated local adaptation related to water use efficiency in sagebrush populations and their genetic underpinnings. Results indicate populations show local adaptation, with phenotypic diversity underpinned by genomic differences. Genome to phenome research contributes to GEM3’s mission to look at adaptive capacity. Vertical and horizontal mentorship initiatives were key elements in conducting multi-disciplinary research even when overall integration was a challenge, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
