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How Is International Orchid Trade Regulated, And How Effective Are Those Regulations?, Madeline Roubik

Mary Ann Bolton Undergraduate Research Award

When investigating the trafficking of wild species, animals are often considered before plants (Phelps et al. 2015). This is especially detrimental to members of the orchidaceae family, which are victims of an extensive illegal trade. It spans the entire globe but is especially concentrated in Southeastern Asia (Phelps et al. 2015). When regarding legislation, however, orchidaceae species are some of the most protected in the world. International legislation such as CITES restricts the movement of endangered orchidaceae across borders (Hinsley 2018). The 1992 Convention on Biodiversity (Lawson et al. 2019) also has policies regarding international orchid trade. National laws regulate …

Changes In The Barley Stem Proteome In Response To Drought During Grain Filling, Mohammed Al Slamh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Drought is the major environmental factor that limits crop yield worldwide. Crops are particularly vulnerable to drought at the reproductive stage. In cereals, grain filling during drought depends on the contribution of current photosynthesis products from the leaf and spike and carbohydrates stored mainly in the stem and remobilized to the grain. Even though stem reserve is an important source for grain filling, changes in the proteome of barley stem under drought have not been studied. Also, the molecular events associated with differential stem reserve remobilization under drought are not well understood. In this study, barley plants were exposed to …

The Development Of A Photographic Atlas Of Plant Adaptations For Pollination, Bethany Van Dusseldorp

Honors Program Theses

Plants have biotic, abiotic, or both biotic and abiotic adaptations for pollination, depending on how they are structured and the attraction between the plant and pollinator. The main focus for this project was biotic adaptations for pollination, and how various plants are specifically structured for the insect, bird, or mammal to pick up the pollen and carry it to the next plant. Documentation, using image/focus stacking and macro photography, was done of the structures of various plants from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Botanical Center to support the reason for why plants are structured the way they are. While …

Developing Methods To Assess The Role Of Lumbricus Terrestris On Seed Predation In Prairie Restoration, Jacey R. Meier

Honors Program Theses

Tallgrass prairie used to cover Iowa and much of the midwest, but now only a small percentage of it remains. Many prairie restoration efforts are in place to revitalize Iowa’s former prairie landscape. Native prairie seed that is genetically diverse and regionally appropriate is expensive, and only 5-10% of the seeds planted germinate into seedlings. Ungerminated seed loss can occur many ways, one being due to seed predation. The common earthworm, Lumbricus terrestris, is a seed predator that has been observed to be present at prairie restoration sites by its numerous middens. The goal was to develop methods that would …

Understanding Morphological Responses Of Typha (Cattail) Species To Nutrient Pollution, Anna Marie Shapiro

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the Midwestern United States, Typha x glauca is a hybrid of the native Typha latifolia and the non-native Typha angustifolia. Typha x glauca is considered invasive, and it is dominating Typha latifolia when they co-occur. Wetlands in the Midwest face nutrient pollution, due to fertilization used within the agricultural industry. Wetlands are nutrient sinks, which store the increased levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. These nutrients are known to increase Typha growth. Within this thesis, it was hypothesized that an increase of nitrogen in the wetland may increase the width of Typha leaves, making it difficult to distinguish the …

The Systematics Of Physaria Sensu Stricto From Wyoming And Surrounding Areas, Jason Ratcliff

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Two genera of Brassicaceae – Lesquerella and Physaria – were recently united on the basis of monophyly. Classically, these genera have been distinguished based on morphology with 'traditional” Physaria species having doubly inflated (didymous) fruits. Molecular data consisting of ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences indicate Physaria has evolved from the larger Lesquerella genus, thus making Lesquerella a paraphyletic grouping as previously described. A revised treatment of the combined Physaria recognized 106 species within the genus, of which 26 taxa occur in Wyoming. Of the Wyoming taxa, those traditionally described as belonging to Physaria (i.e.Physaria sensu stricto) have …

Community Diversity Influences Selection On Nutrient Resorption In Panicum Virgatum, Michael J. Lashbrook

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) is a bioenergy crop shown to conserve and recycle nutrients through a process known as nutrient resorption. While there are many studies looking at various aspects of nutrient cycling in switchgrass, it remains unclear whether selection is acting upon increased nutrient resorption in this species. Further, there are no phenotypic selection studies coupling empirical sexual and asexual reproduction data.

A field study and a modeling study were conducted to determine phenotypic selection on nutrient resorption and the influence of resorption on asexual reproduction in switchgrass. For the field study of phenotypic selection, I hypothesized selection favors …

Seed Mix Design, Planting Time, And First-Year Mowing Management To Improve Multifunctionality And Cost-Effectiveness Of Tallgrass Prairie Reconstructions, Alec James Glidden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The conversion of the Midwestern United States’ tallgrass prairies to agriculture has resulted in extensive habitat loss and degradation and a decline in the provisioning of ecosystem services. To restore these services the United States Department of Agriculture created the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) which provides incentives to agricultural landowners to implement conservation practices designed to meet goals pertaining to single ecosystem services. We studied the effects of seed mix design, planting time, and first-year management on the multifunctionality and cost-effectiveness of prairie reconstructions. We established research plots planted with one of three seed mixes either in the dormant (fall) …

Carbon Sequestration And Weedy Invasion In Crp Fields, Destiny Danielle Magee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) aims to provide ecosystem services in landscapes dominated by agriculture by converting previous agricultural fields into reconstructed prairies and wetlands. The main priorities of the program include reducing soil erosion and improving water quality, but the perennial vegetation in the fields can also provide other benefits such as increased carbon sequestration and biodiversity. These additional benefits of the program are not closely monitored, though these benefits are potentially equally valuable to the targeted program benefits. This study compared soil carbon in CRP fields and a subset of corn fields in order to determine the impact …

Productivity And Community Composition Change In Prairie Biomass Feedstocks, Kathleen Loretta Madsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With increasing concerns of climate change and resource usage, there is a growing interest in diverse prairie biomass as a form of alternative energy. In this study, we look at four potential biomass feedstock treatments that were chosen specifically to target high biomass yields and consist of native Iowa tallgrass prairie species. The four feedstocks consist of a one-species monoculture of C₄ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a 5-species mixture of C₄-grasses, a 16-species mixture of C3 and C₄-grasses, forbs, and legumes, and a 32-species mixture of C3 and C₄-grasses, sedges, forbs, and …

Supplemental Seeding And Seed Predation In A Newly Planted Tallgrass Prairie, Isabella Betzer

Honors Program Theses

The Iowa around today looks vastly different from the Iowa that was originally around. What once used to house vast tallgrass prairies is now home to about 0.1% of what was originally here (Smith 1998). However, conservationists have been working hard to restore even a fraction of what originally here despite high costs and low yields in restoration prairies. Recently experiments have been done on the use of sacrificial seed to potentially increase plant yield in restoration with successful results. This study was done to further research the effects of supplemental seeding on seed predation and if seedling emergence would …

Evaluation Of The Csr1-2 Allele From Arabidopsis Thaliana Cs3102 As An Imazapyr Herbicide Resistance Marker For Biolistic Transformation Of The Shoot Apical Meristem, Amanda J. Stump

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Plant genetic engineering requires a marker gene to differentiate transformed cells. To test the csr1-2 allele as a selectable marker for the shoot apical meristem (SAM), we cloned a genomic fragment from Arabidopsis thaliana mutant CS3102 which contained the coding sequence and promoter. We then evaluated the utility of this allele on two model systems, Arabidopsis and tobacco, with soybean as the positive control. Initial dose-response experiments were conducted using a seedling plate assay to determine the lethal dose of imazapyr. For the mutant Arabidopsis thaliana CS3102, a concentration of 500 μM imazapyr was required to overcome the resistance phenotype …

Construction Of Crispr/Cas9 Vectors For Directed Mutagenesis Of Fusarium Graminearum, Rebekah Akers

Honors Program Theses

Fusarium graminearum causes the fungal disease known as scab or head blight in cereals, including barley. There is no known resistance in barley against scab disease. Generating mutations in the fungus is a promising strategy to reduce infection. Research has shown that CRISPR/Cas9 is a very powerful tool for gene mutation. In this study, CRISPR/Cas9 vectors containing guide RNA sequences were constructed to mutate one visual marker gene (AUR1) and two genes essential for infection in F. graminearum (Tri5 and MGV1). Plasmids pFC332 and pFC334 were used to create vectors with the target genes using the …

The Effect Of Cold Stratification And Perigynia Removal On The Germination Of Three Prairie Carex Species, Christina M. Boeck Crew

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Sedges (Carex spp. Linneaus. [Cyperaceae]) are a major component of Midwestern U.S. tallgrass prairie and prairie wetland plant communities, yet they are often lacking in restoration projects because they can be difficult to germinate. Cold-wet stratification and perigynia removal have been shown to increase germination in some Carex species. The germination response of 3 native species, plains oval or shortbeak sedge (C. brevior (Dewey) Mack.), field oval or troublesome sedge (C. molesta Mack.), and prairie or Bicknell’s sedge (C. bicknellii Britton.), was tested to cold-wet stratification (28d) and perigynia removal in stored seed (10 months). Seed treatments …

Morphological And Morphometric Analysis Of Nekemias Arborea And Ampelopsis Aconitifolia (Vitaceae), Sally Rose Gray

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Leaf morphology in angiosperms is not constrained by the leaf’s important function of providing energy through photosynthetic reactions. In just one family, Vitaceae, it is easy to observe among it’s over 900 species, various leaf shapes and sizes even among closely related species as well as within individual species. Observation of these leaf forms within species can be used to determine, for example where a vine transitions from the juvenile state to the adult state as well as their relationship to the spatial and temporal patterning of inflorescence initiation. Analysis of two species within the Ampelopsis clade, one that retained …

The Effects Of Nutrient Resorption, Photosynthetic Rate, And Leaf Longevity On The Success Of Typha × Glauca, Clarissa Marie Ruiz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The hybrid cattail Typha × glauca is invasive in the Midwestern United States, and outcompetes wetland natives and its parent species, Typha angustifolia and Typha latifolia under high nutrient conditions. Typha × glauca’s large size and copious litter production are the main factors known to contribute to its success, although research is lacking on physiological processes that contribute to its nitrogen use efficiency.

Nitrogen resorption was investigated as a mechanism of dominance in Typha × glauca. Due to nitrogen resorption being a nutrient conservation strategy, nitrogen resorption should be high in areas of low nitrogen availability. Since nitrogen …

The Effects Of Mycorrhizal Inoculant And Micronutrients On Early Plant Establshment During A Tallgrass Prairie Reconstruction, Christopher L. Barber

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Symbiotic relationships between mycorrhizal fungi and land plants are one of the most widespread examples of symbiosis on Earth yet there is still much to discover about their ecological impacts.

Prairie reconstructions are often done on highly disturbed sites such as reclaimed cropland, turf grass, and road rights-of-way. Disturbed soils often lack adequate quantities of both mycorrhizal fungi and micronutrients. I hypothesized that inoculated seeds with mycorrhizal spores or micronutrient seed treatments will aid in the early establishment of a tallgrass prairie.

To test this hypothesis four treatments (T1 control, T2 mycorrhizal, T3 micronutrient, and T4 mycorrhizal and micronutrient) were …

Developmental Analysis Of Leea Guineensis (Leeaceae), Sally Gray

Honors Program Theses

Vitaceae is the grape family of flowering plants that is composed of twelve genera of woody plants (Jones et al., 2013). Vitis has been studied extensively for the commercial value of the fruit in the wine and grape production. However, not a lot of research has been done specifically on its basic biology such as leaf development within the family.

Understanding the basic biology of the plant can help with understanding its growth habit and help with improving the overall health of the plant. For example, analyzing flowers and leaves is a good way to draw inferences about developmental similarities …

Effects Of Predator Satiation On Seed Predation In New Roadside Prairie Plantings, Jessica Riebkes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Restoration efforts in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem are inhibited by high seed cost and as little as 10% emergence of planted, pure live seed. This study examined the portion of loss due to seed predation and sought to reduce this predation in new roadside prairie plantings. Studies document the occurrence of predation in several plant communities and across all plant families, but little is known about how to reduce the impact of seed predators, especially in a restoration setting. On three sites where native prairie seed was recently drilled, we attempted to satiate seed predators by broadcasting a supplemental food …

Analysis Of Ipomoea (Morning Glory) Leaf Mutants, Abigail Anne Lee

Honors Program Theses

Ipomoea (morning glory) is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. Cultivation of morning glory plants began in the late Edo period in Japan, and this horticultural success resulted in thousands of plants with varying floral displays. In addition to the different flower morphologies, leaf shape is highly variable within this family making it an ideal group in which to study leaf development. We selected four mutants that vary in lobe number and lobe depth: 1) Tokyo Standard (TKS1065; wild-type; 3 lobes), yellow maple (ym1018; 5 lobes), delicate maple (dlm620; 5 deep lobes), and maple willow …

Functional Analysis Of Drought-Resistant Genes In Barley Using Vigs, Natalie Catherine Martin

Honors Program Theses

The following study analyzed the role of the gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABAT) gene in the response of barley plants to drought stress. Expression of GABAT in barley was suppressed using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). In VIGS, an RNA virus is used to replicate a small portion of the target RNA. In this study, barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV), that carries a piece of the GABAT gene to infect barley, was used. As the virus replicates inside infected barley plants, it also makes RNA that is complementary to GABAT messenger RNA (mRNA) that is normally made by the host. The presence …

Variation In Mineral Content Of Prairie Forb Species And Content Changes Over Winter Related To Slagging Potential, Jennifer Nyla Wahl Rupp

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Coal fired power plants are responsible for more than 75 percent of the energy produced in Iowa. Burning coal releases large amount of carbon dioxide and other chemical compounds into the atmosphere.

A variety of types of biomass, including prairie vegetation, are being proposed as biofuel alternatives for electrical generation. Tilman et al. (2006) determined that biofuels from mixtures of prairie vegetation of increasing diversity provide more usable energy, reduce greenhouse gases and produce less agriculture pollutants. The Prairie Power Project of the Tallgrass Prairie Center is testing four mixtures of prairie species for maximum production of biomass. A primary …

Biodiversity And Ecosystem Function And The Design Of Tallgrass Restorations For Biomass Production, Dustin Robert Jon Graham

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Biodiversity and ecosystem function research (BEF) suggests species richness may provide high levels of ecosystem functions. However, few studies have applied a BEF perspective of restoration, which utilizes biodiversity to achieve increases in ecosystem functions. In this study, we test the application of the BEF perspective of restoration in the design of tallgrass prairie plantings as a biomass crops. Specifically, we examine the effects of planted species richness on biomass production, resistance to disturbance, and resistance to invasion by weeds.

Four seed mixes which range in species richness (1, 5, 16 and 32 species) were established in four, field-scale (0.33-0.55 …

Butterfly And Floral Community Dynamics At A Native Prairie Agrofuel Research Site, Benjamin J. Hoksch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Agrofuel production in the Midwest has historically relied upon monoculture food crops (Zea mays and Glycine max) that do little to support biodiversity or maintain soil and water quality. The University of Northern Iowa’s Tallgrass Prairie Center is investigating the feasibility of establishing and harvesting diverse mixes of native prairie vegetation for use as a sustainable agrofuel. In 2009 48 research plots were established on three soil types, on land with a >30 year history of row crop production in Black Hawk County, IA. Each plot was seeded with one of four native prairie agrofuel crops: (1) Switchgrass1, (2) Grasses5 …

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Burning, Haying And Mowing On Plants And Small Mammals In A Tallgrass Prairie Reconstruction, Ryan Allan Neuhaus

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fire is an effective management tool for reconstructed prairies. However, due to safety concerns, road departments and other prairie managers are sometimes reluctant to use fire. Therefore, alternative techniques to manage reconstructed prairie, such as mowing or haying, need to be considered. The goal of this study is to determine if mowing and/or haying can be used to manage vegetation in lieu of fire for prairie reconstructions. This study examines the effects of four management techniques on plant and small mammal species in a tallgrass prairie reconstruction. No management, mowing, haying, and burning were replicated six times using a split …

Development Of Leaf Shape And Vein Homologies In Five Species Of The Genus Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae), Austin William Jones

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Angiosperm leaves are extremely variable in form while predominantly maintaining the function of the primary photosynthetic organ of the plant. Changes in leaf form can result from myriad physiological processes which may be influenced by ecology, physical stimuli, phylogeny, or other factors. In studying the development of divergent leaf forms among closely related species, conserved morphological elements may be identified that are not apparent in the mature form. The genus Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) contains over 600 species and a wide range in leaf shapes. Five species, I. purpurea, I. coccinea, I. sloteri, I. quamoclit, and I. cairica show a range in …

Analysis Of The Canola Lip Mutant, Matthew Rafferty

Honors Program Theses

Canola (Brassica napus) is a broadleaf agricultural plant grown mainly in regions of the United States and Canada. Its seeds are used to produce edible oil (canola oil) as well as biofuel. The study of mutagenized wild-type Brassica napus seeds in the CAN-TILL project, (http://www.botany.ubc.ca/can-till/), led to the discovery of a phenotype called Lamina epiphylla (LIP ). The lip mutant is characterized by changes in leaf shape that cause the leaves to look trumpeted, among other variations. This research project compared wild-type Brassica napus leaf development with the lamina epiphylla mutant to assess leaf development and to determine the precise …

A Preliminary Systematic Analysis Of The Species Of Genus Physaria (Brassicaceae) Of Wyoming, Kayla Rethwisch

Honors Program Theses

Physaria is a recent and rapidly evolving genus of plants in the Brassicaceae family. Particularly problematic are the taxa in the “old” Physaria sensu stricto found in Wyoming, characterized by highly inflated, didymous fruits. Due to the plants in this group being of recent origin, the relationships among them are unknown. This study examined several samples from each taxon in a preliminary study of the taxonomy of these species. The resulting phylogenies were analyzed to determine relatedness among the species. By looking at gene regions, sections on the genomic sequence, it is possible to determine how these various plants are …

Using Seed Recovery Methods To Determine Causes Of Failed Germination In Native Prairie Species, Paige Leytem

Honors Program Theses

Prairie restorations are expensive and emergence rates as low as ten percent are often observed. This could be because seeds are exposed to dangers from microbial and fungal attack, as well as predation from granivores after planting. Our experiment aimed to determine the post-dispersal seed fates of four native prairie species after they had been planted in the soil and covered with an exclosure to limit vertebrate predation. It was performed in a prairie restoration on the University of Northern Iowa Campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I coated five sets of 100 seeds of each species (Elymus canadensis, Oligoneuron rigidum, …

Tracking Above- And Below- Ground Seed Persistence And Mortality In A Native Tallgrass Prairie Restoration, Carmen Pellish

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The large cost of seed and low seedling establishment rates make restoring native tallgrass prairies expensive and difficult. Tallgrass prairie restorations typically achieve seedling emergence rates of only 10%. This begs the question of what happens to the remaining 90% of seeds that do not emerge as seedlings. This thesis sought to assess or quantify the importance of seed predators and death by microorganisms or to senescence on seed survival and seedling establishment within a newly planted native tallgrass prairie restoration under typical restoration conditions. I hypothesized that small vertebrate seed predators would play be detrimental to overall seedling emergence …