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An Investigation Of Ssglux, A Glucosidase Co-Expressed With Cslf6 In Oat (Avena Sativa) And Barley (Hordeum Vulgare), Michael Christopher Gines

Theses and Dissertations

Mixed Linkage Glucan (MLG, or (1,3;1,4)-ß-D glucan) is a component of cell walls for major cereal crops and is significant to food and beverage industries. To better understand genetic factors affecting MLG content in oats, this study investigates the presence of glucosidases likely to participate in MLG production. A glucosidase showing co-expression with CslF6—the primary gene responsible for MLG synthesis—could indicate a hand in MLG production by association. Reference genes for expression analysis as well as glucosidase candidates were first selected using in silico methods. In both cases, barley was used as model species because it has abundant public bioinformatic …

Ancient Maya Agricultural Resources In The Rio Amarillo Valley Near Copán, Honduras, Bryce Matthew Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use soil physical and chemical analyses to better understand the ancient agricultural landscape around the ancient Maya cities of Rio Amarillo and Piedras Negras, two tributary sites to Copan, Honduras. Our primary objective was to determine whether a mass erosion event around 800 A.D. occurred which could have caused crop failure and famine or if stable soil conditions persisted during the collapse of these city-states. Stable carbon isotope analysis of the humin fraction of the soils showed that much of this valley was used anciently for agriculture, including hillslopes and hilltops; however, there …

Reproductive Ecology Of Greater Sage-Grouse In Strawberry Valley, Utah, Jared Jeffrey Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) are a species of conservation concern in the rangelands of western North America due to their dramatic decline over the last half century. Effective conservation and management of sensitive species requires an understanding of how species respond to management actions. We examined two aspects of the reproductive phases of sage-grouse: nest predation, and habitat selection by female sage-grouse with chicks. In Chapter 1, we developed resource selection functions to assess the influence of mechanical treatments of mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata vaseyana) on habitat selection by greater sage-grouse with chicks. …

Deficient, Adequate And Excess Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Potassium Growth Curves Established In Hydroponics For Biotic And Abiotic Stress-Interaction Studies In Lettuce, Douglas Keith Jacobson

Theses and Dissertations

Mineral nutrients have marked effects on plant health by providing the building blocks for plant growth, as well as for mitigating abiotic and biotic stress factors, particularly disease development. Even if mineral nutrition field studies are conducted to study pest management, they are at the mercy of complex soil, water, and climatic conditions not amenable to strict experimental control. Therefore, a hydroponic method of growing lettuce was developed and growth curves were established for the macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Lettuce plants were grown at varying levels of each nutrient: 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, …

Influence Of Release Timing On Survival And Movements Of Translocated Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus) In Utah, David C. Smedley

Theses and Dissertations

Translocation of wildlife has become common practice for wildlife managers charged with management of animals on increasingly modified landscapes. Translocation can be used to reduce population density in the source area, supplement existing populations, reestablish extirpated populations, and establish new populations. Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are a species of great interest to the public in western North America. Although translocations have been used to manage mule deer, very little has been done to document the outcomes of this management practice. The purpose of this research was to evaluate movement, site fidelity, space use, and survival of translocated mule …

Exploring The Possibility Of Photosynthetic Plasticity In Agave Sensu Lato, John Anthony Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) provides desert plants with distinct advantages over the C₃ and C₄ photosynthetic pathways in harsh climates where water is scarce. CAM is, however more metabolically costly than C₃ or C₄ photosynthesis, and some plants, such as Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, facultatively utilize CAM when water is abundant, and water conservation unnecessary. In such situations, these plants behave akin to a C₃ plant when photosynthesizing. CAM is divided into four phases, with each phase displaying unique metabolic processes. Certain changes, including changes in the timing of CO₂ fixation, stable carbon isotope ratios, …

Competition Dynamics Within Communities Of Desert Wildlife At Water Sources, Lucas Keith Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Water is a vital resource for species inhabiting arid and semi-arid regions and can shape the biotic communities that we observe. Because water is considered a limiting resource for many species in desert environments, there is the potential for competitive interactions between species to occur at or around water sources. For this dissertation I tested hypotheses related to resource competition among different species of wildlife in the Great Basin and Mojave Deserts of western Utah. Chapter one evaluated the influence of feral horses (Equus caballus) on patterns of water use by communities of native birds and mammals. Chapter …

Frémont Island: Great Salt Lake, Utah, Stanley L. Welsh, Dale Gardner, Steve Durtschi

Books by Faculty of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

Abstract

This account is based mainly on two historical records of pioneering attempts that reached Frémont Island, i.e., Report of the Exploring Expeditions to the Rocky Mountains in the year 1842, and to Oregon and Northern California in the years 1843-‘44, by Brevet Captain J. C. Frémont of the Topographical Engineers Under the orders of Co. J. J. Abert, Chief of the Topographical Bureau. Printed by order of the Senate of the United States. Washington: Gales and Seaton Printers, 1845, and especially pages 151–159 of that report, as presented in narrative form in pages 43–47 of the John Charles …

Effects Of Abscisic Acid (Aba) On Germination Rate Of Three Rangeland Species, Turmandakh Badrakh

Theses and Dissertations

Seeds sown in the fall to restore sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe plant communities could experience high mortality when they germinate and seedlings freeze during the winter. Delaying germination until the risk of frost is past could increase seedling survival. We evaluated the use of abscisic acid (ABA) to delay germination of Elymus elymoides, Pseudoroegneria spicata, and Linum perenne. The following treatments were applied: uncoated seed, seed coated with ABA at 2.2, 4.4, 8.8, 13.2, and 17.6 g of active ingredient kg-1 of seed, and seed coated with no ABA. The influence of seed treatments on germination were tested at five …

Ecology Of Gambel's Quail (Callipepla Gambelii) In Relation To Water And Fire In Utah's Mojave Desert, Wesley R. Skidmore

Theses and Dissertations

The efficacy of providing water sources in desert ecosystems to enhance wildlife populations and their distribution continues to be debated among wildlife managers. Some argue wildlife water developments provide a direct benefit to numerous species, while others point to the potential that wildlife water developments alter competition or predation dynamics and disrupt native communities. Additionally, some have argued that the availability of water may become more important to wildlife in the face of vegetative changes associated with expansive fire and conversion of shrub or forest lands to grasslands which alters the thermal landscape available to animals. I evaluated the influence …

Secondary Metabolite Production And Biological Activity Of Endophytic Microbes Of Mahonia Aquifolium, Christopher Rufus Sweeney, Bradley Geary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Secondary metabolites are a result of natural evolutionary mechanism used to aid in plant development and defense, and the research of these metabolites have led to important discoveries in medicines, pesticides and even fossil fuels. In this project, we studied secondary metabolites of microorganisms in Mahonia aquifolium, otherwise known as Oregon grape. This plant is known to produce the chemical compound berberine as a secondary metabolite. Berberine has been shown to have similar effects to metformin and other diabetes treatments, as well as a host of other medicinal qualities. We looked at endophytic fungi and bacteria to see if they, …

Influential Herbal And Botanical Texts From The 16th Through 18th Centuries, Michael C. Goates

Faculty Publications

Humans have always had an intimate and complex relationship with plants. Plants provide many of the basic necessities for survival, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Plants also play an important and rich part in human culture. This fascination with plants has led to detailed studies of their natural history as well as explorations into their unique and useful properties. Throughout recorded history, philosophers, herbalists, botanists, and others have captured their observations about plants. From the Middle Ages through the Early Modern Period, herbalists compiled these collective observations into large printed volumes, referred to as herbals. With the Scientific Revolution …

Improving Cotton Agronomics With Diverse Genomic Technologies, Aaron Robert Sharp

Theses and Dissertations

Agronomic outcomes are the product of a plant's genotype and its environment. Genomic technologies allow farmers and researchers new avenues to explore the genetic component of agriculture. These technologies can also enhance understanding of environmental effects. With a growing world population, a wide variety of tools will be necessary to increase the agronomic productivity. Here I use massively parallel, deep sequencing of RNA (RNA-Seq) to measure changes in cotton gene expression levels in response to a change in the plant's surroundings caused by conservation tillage. Conservation tillage is an environmentally friendly, agricultural practice characterized by little or no inversion of …

Population Structure, Genetic Diversity, Geographic Distribution, And Morphology Of Two Boechera (Brassicaceae) Parental Species (Boechera Thompsonii And Boechera Formosa) And Of Their Resultant Hybrid Boechera Duchesnensis, Christina Elizabeth Fox Call

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Over the relatively short period of its evolutionary history, Boechera (Brassicaceae) has undergone rapid radiation that has produced 70+ morphologically distinct, sexual diploids. However, reproductive isolation has moved more slowly than morphological divergence in this group and the diploids appear to hybridize frequently where they coexist. Boechera duchesnensis appears to be the result of hybridization between its putative parents Boechera thompsonii and Boechera formosa. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to (i) analyze and document genetic diversity patterns in the population structure, - including allelic and heterozygosity frequencies - of B. thompsonii and B. formosa …

Polymer Coated Urea In Kentucky Bluegrass, Jessica Chelise Buss

Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N) is the most commonly over-applied nutrient in urban environments because of the large visual and growth increases. This over-application has led to an increase in the loss of N gas in the forms of ammonia and nitrous oxide, as well as an increase in nitrate leaching to surface and groundwater. Furthermore, excess N results in increased maintenance costs and landfill volume due to increased shoot growth from mowed clipping removal. Polymer coated urea (PCU) has proven to be an excellent source to these losses of N to the environment, but rate and timing parameters need study. A two-year …

Examination And Classification Of Secondary Metabolites From Endophytes Of Cornus Sericea, Madsen Sullivan, Brad Geary

Journal of Undergraduate Research

All civilizations have used plants and their byproducts to effectively grow and cultivate crops, as well as manage and treat many ailments. Even today, approximately 25% of prescribed medications are constituted by plants. Many of the active metabolites are produced in such small quantities that mass production by using the plant is unreasonable. However, the endophytes found within plants tend to produce the same metabolites. These fungi and bacteria commonly produce secondary metabolites possessing antibacterial, antifungal or other medicinal properties. By looking to historical medicinal plants, novel endophytes and metabolites have been discovered and integrated into agriculture and medicine. One …

The Effect Of Gut Microbiota On Starvation Resistance In D. Melanogaster, Alec Judd, John Chaston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It has already been established that gut microbiota affect starvation resistance, fat (TAG) content, and development in D. melanogaster. Previous studies in this lab have suggested that effects of the microbiome on these traits are correlated, but this prediction has not been explicitly tested. We are specifically interested in identifying individual bacterial genes that may mediate microbial effects on all three host traits. One way to identify genes with causal influence on animal traits is MGWA (Meta Genome-Wide Association). To this end we have measured starvation resistance in D. melanogaster individually associated with a panel of 43 bacterial strains, and …

Optimization Of The Memory Protocol And Investigation Of Camp Levels In Axenic And Conventional Flies, Toree Lammel, John Chaston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Going into this project, it was my intention of complete two separate goals: first, to optimize a learning assay for testing memory and learning in Drosophila melanogaster for future use in the Plant and Wildlife Department laboratory at Brigham Young University, and second, to investigate cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels between two genotypes of Drosophila: wild type and dunce. While I was able to successfully complete my first goal, due to unexpected complications while completing it, the second goal was unable to be completed in time. This experience has taught me that experiments can be difficult to work into a specific …

Effects Of Host Microbiota On Intestinal Fiber Content, Kyle Olsen, John Chaston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As a pseudo-ruminant, the alpaca is highly dependent on the bacteria in its intestinal tract to obtain the nutrients it needs. For example the starch-fermenting bacteria in the compartment 1 (C1) access nutrients from the normally indigestible starches the alpaca consumes. The bacteria release volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in return. The alpaca uses VFAs as a source of energy. In turn, the composition of the microbiome (bacteria in the intestinal tract) is affected by many factors involving its host. These factors could include host genome, diet, and location in the digestive tract. Our research was to survey many aspects of …

The Effect Of Promoter Region Indels On Expression Bias In Polyploid Cotton Species, Zachary Liechty, Joshua Udall

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many plants undergo polyploidization events throughout their history, meaning their genome doubles¹; the goal of this project was to identify how these polyploidization events lead to changes in gene expression on a nucleotide level. Polyploidization events provide raw material to be acted upon by natural selection, allowing evolution to occur. Now with four copies of a gene instead of two, mutations can occur or expression levels can change without too great an influence on the plants well-being. This project examines factors relating to changes in gene expression between subgenomes after a polyploidization event among different cotton species. We …

Gene Discovery: Understanding Oat Biosynthetic Pathways Through Characterization Of The Adp-Glucose Pyrophosphorylase Gene, Evan Braithwaite, Eric Jellen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Grains that are high in soluble hemicellulose fiber, such as oat, provide numerous health benefits to consumers. These benefits include decreased risk of heart disease and lowered cholesterol. For this reason, information regarding genes that are involved in regulating starch and fiber synthesis in oat is highly valuable to breeders and cereal companies. However, because of the polyploid nature (allohexaploidy) and intrinsic complexity of the oat genome, given its propensity for chromosomal rearrangement, genetic data available for use in further research is limited, with many important regions still unsequenced. One such region is the gene coding for adenosine diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase …