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Effectiveness Of Hand Removal For Small-Scale Management Of Japanese Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Paul V. Switzer, Ryan M. Cumming Jan 2014

Effectiveness Of Hand Removal For Small-Scale Management Of Japanese Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), Paul V. Switzer, Ryan M. Cumming

Paul V. Switzer

Hand removal is often recommended as a method for small-scale control of Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman). In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of daily hand removal for controlling damage by Japanese beetles on grape plants. We also investigated whether the timing of the removal (at 0800, 1400, or 1900 hours, or at all 3 periods) inßuenced the effectiveness of the technique. We found that hand removal signiÞcantly lowered the number of beetles on, and consequently the damage to, grape plants relative to nonremoval controls. Of the single removal treatments, removal of beetles at 1900 hours was most effective, …


Effects Of Hot Water On Breaking Seed Dormancy Of The Endangered Kankakee Mallow (Iliamna Remota Greene (Malvaceae), April Mcdonnell, Marissa Grant, Janice M. Coons Jan 2012

Effects Of Hot Water On Breaking Seed Dormancy Of The Endangered Kankakee Mallow (Iliamna Remota Greene (Malvaceae), April Mcdonnell, Marissa Grant, Janice M. Coons

Janice M. Coons

Iliamna remota Greene (Kankakee mallow, Malvaceae) is listed as endangered in Illinois and is endemic to Langham Island in the Kankakee River, Kankakee County, Illinois. Information on ways to break seed dormancy of I. remota would be useful for restoration and management. The purpose of this study was to determine if hot water at different temperatures and for different lengths of time would break seed dormancy. Seeds were dipped for 60 seconds into water at 70, 80, 90 or 100 degrees C with 22 degrees C dips as a control. In another trial, seeds were dipped into 80 degrees C …


Terrestrial Macrofungi Of Illinois Old-Growth Prairie Groves, Scott J. Meiners, Andrew Methven, Vincent P. Hustad Jan 2011

Terrestrial Macrofungi Of Illinois Old-Growth Prairie Groves, Scott J. Meiners, Andrew Methven, Vincent P. Hustad

Scott J. Meiners

ABSTRACT.—Macrofungi from two old-growth prairie grove remnants in the Midwestern United States (Brownfield and Trelease Woods. Champaign Co., IL ) were surveyed over two summer and fall fruiting periods. Communities of Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Myxomycètes were sampled and compared using multivariate statistical analyses. Standard estimations of species richness were calculated for comparison with other studies of fungal diversity. Environmental factors (rainfall, humidity, air temperature and soil temperature at 10 cm depth) as well as leaf litter composition, and woody plant communities were surveyed to assess their impact on fungal communities. Fungal community structure was found to differ significandy both between …


Succession, Scott J. Meiners, Steward Pickett Jan 2011

Succession, Scott J. Meiners, Steward Pickett

Scott J. Meiners

Succession in a strict sense refers to the recovery and revegetation of an area following a disturbance such as the cessation of agriculture, the retreat of a glacier, or an intense forest fi re. Succession is a special case of vegetation dynamics, although many early ecologists referred to all vegetation change as succession. Succession includes a series of compositional and structural changes, often in a directional manner. The common occurrence of natural disturbances coupled with the extent of human activity on the planet makes succession one of the most ubiquitous ecological processes. Because invasion is a crucial feature of succession, …


Angiosperm Phylogeny: 17 Genes, 640 Taxa, Douglas E. Soltis, Steven A. Smith, Nico Cellinese, Kenneth J. Wurdack, David C. Tank, Samuel F. Brockington, Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez, Jay B. Walker, Michael J. Moore, Barbara S. Carlsward, Charles D. Bell, Maribeth Latvis, Sunny Crawley, Chelsea Black, Diaga Diouf, Zhenxiang Xi, Catherine A. Rushworth, Matthew A. Gitzendanner, Kenneth J. Sytsma, Yin-Long Qiu, Khidir W. Hilu, Charles C. Davis, Michael J. Sanderson, Reed S. Beaman, Richard G. Olmstead, Walter S. Judd, Michael S. Donoghue, Pamela S. Soltis Jan 2011

Angiosperm Phylogeny: 17 Genes, 640 Taxa, Douglas E. Soltis, Steven A. Smith, Nico Cellinese, Kenneth J. Wurdack, David C. Tank, Samuel F. Brockington, Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez, Jay B. Walker, Michael J. Moore, Barbara S. Carlsward, Charles D. Bell, Maribeth Latvis, Sunny Crawley, Chelsea Black, Diaga Diouf, Zhenxiang Xi, Catherine A. Rushworth, Matthew A. Gitzendanner, Kenneth J. Sytsma, Yin-Long Qiu, Khidir W. Hilu, Charles C. Davis, Michael J. Sanderson, Reed S. Beaman, Richard G. Olmstead, Walter S. Judd, Michael S. Donoghue, Pamela S. Soltis

Barbara S. Carlsward

• Premise of the study : Recent analyses employing up to fi ve genes have provided numerous insights into angiosperm phylogeny, but many relationships have remained unresolved or poorly supported. In the hope of improving our understanding of angiosperm phylogeny, we expanded sampling of taxa and genes beyond previous analyses.• Methods : We conducted two primary analyses based on 640 species representing 330 families. The fi rst included 25 260 aligned base pairs (bp) from 17 genes (representing all three plant genomes, i.e., nucleus, plastid, and mitochondrion). The second included 19 846 aligned bp from 13 genes (representing only the …


Domain And Propositions Of Succession Theory, Steward Pickett, Scott J. Meiners, Mary L. Cadenasso Jan 2011

Domain And Propositions Of Succession Theory, Steward Pickett, Scott J. Meiners, Mary L. Cadenasso

Scott J. Meiners

Succession is perhaps the oldest of ecological concepts, having arisen when ecology was emerging as a self-conscious discipline (Mcintosh 1985). Yet it continues to address many fundamental issues in ecology, to support important applications, and to synthesize the insights and perspectives of other theories. Thus, it fulfills two functions key in assessing the utility of a contemporary ecological theory. First, it exhibits the attributes of a mature, welldeveloped, and intensively tested theory (Glenn-Lewin et al. 1992; Pickett and Cadenasso 2005). Second, it provides a linkage among theories and applications that have usually been considered separately (Walker et al. 2007). For …


Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Allelopathic Effects Of Goldenrod Species On Turnover In Successional Communities, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

While goldenrod species are often found to be allelopathic in laboratory settings, its importance in controlling plant community dynamics has been much more difficult to assess. We designed a study to determine whether allelopathy is related to the success of goldenrods in abandoned agricultural land. To accomplish this, we conducted laboratory bioassays for six co-occurring goldenrod species and compared these results to the cover and impacts of these species in the field. We determined the germination responses of two target species to a gradient of leaf extract concentrations to assess the allelopathic potential of these goldenrods. We also used long-term …


Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Liana Host Preference And Implications For Deciduous Forest Regeneration, Laura M. Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Lianas have the potential to shape forest communities and alter forest regeneration. However, impacts of lianas on forest regeneration, particularly in temperate forests, are largely unstudied. To understand potential liana impacts on the community we need to first know the location and intensity of liana burdens on host trees. We examined liana-tree host references within a series of young regenerating deciduous forests in the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Established trees ($ 5 cm dbh) and the lianas associated with each tree were surveyed in 2008. The five most abundant liana species were Celastrus orbiculatus, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, …


Relative Allelopathic Potential Of Invasive Plant Species In A Young Disturbed Woodland, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Relative Allelopathic Potential Of Invasive Plant Species In A Young Disturbed Woodland, Nikki Pisula, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Invasive plant species are often more successful within introduced areas when compared to their natural ranges. Allelopathy has been suggested as a potential mechanism for this success because invasive plants frequently establish monocultures and may produce allelochemicals evolutionarily novel to the recipient community. However, species are typically tested in isolation making the relative strength of allelopathy difficult to assess. We conducted laboratory bioassays for 10 co-occurring non-native species to determine the relative strength of their allelopathic potential. These species represented a suite of successful invaders within a young forest and were from a variety of plant life forms: trees, lianas, …


Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2010

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Lianas During 50 Years Of Succession To Temperate Forest, Laura Ladwig, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Although they are important components of forest communities, the general ecology and spatiotemporal patterns of temperate lianas during forest regeneration are largely unknown. The dependence of lianas on other plants for physical support makes them a potentially important driver of community dynamics. We examined 50 years of vegetation data from an old-field succession study to determine the dynamics and community controls on liana expansion within the Piedmont region of New Jersey, USA. Four lianas, Lonicera japonica, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Toxicodendron radicans, and Vitis spp., occurred in enough abundance for detailed analyses. In general, liana cover peaked during mid-succession (20–30 years post-abandonment) …


Native And Exotic Plant Species Exhibit Similar Population Dynamics During Succession, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2007

Native And Exotic Plant Species Exhibit Similar Population Dynamics During Succession, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

A growing body of literature has led to the debate in invasion biology whether exotic species perform within communities differently than native taxa due to inherent advantages. To address this issue, the population dynamics of native and exotic plant species were assessed from a 48-year record of permanent plot data from the Hutcheson Memorial Forest Center (New Jersey, USA) to determine rate of increase, lag time, maximum frequency, and the year of peak frequency. Overall, native and exotic species exhibited very similar population dynamics. Rates of increase and length of lag times were similar between native and exotic taxa but …


Molecular Phylogenetics Of Vandeae (Orchidaceae) And The Evolution Of Leaflessness, Barbara S. Carlsward, W. Mark Whitten, Norris H. Williams, Benny Bytebier Jan 2006

Molecular Phylogenetics Of Vandeae (Orchidaceae) And The Evolution Of Leaflessness, Barbara S. Carlsward, W. Mark Whitten, Norris H. Williams, Benny Bytebier

Barbara S. Carlsward

Members of tribe Vandeae (Orchidaceae) form a large, antropical clade of horticulturally important epiphytes. Monopodial leafless members of Vandeae have undergone extreme eduction in habit and represent a novel adaptation to the canopy environment in tropical Africa, Asia, and America. To study the evolution of monopodial leaflessness, molecular and structural evidence was used to generate phylogenetic hypotheses for Vandeae. Molecular analyses used sequence data from ITS nrDNA, trnL-F plastid DNA, and matK plastid DNA. Maximum parsimony analyses of these three DNA regions each supported two subtribes within monopodial Vandeae: Aeridinae and a combined Angraecinae þ Aerangidinae. Adding structural characters to …


Fungal Spore Dispersal By The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), S. C. Jones, W. J. Jordan, Scott J. Meiners, A. N. Miller, A. S. Methven Jan 2006

Fungal Spore Dispersal By The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene Carolina Carolina), S. C. Jones, W. J. Jordan, Scott J. Meiners, A. N. Miller, A. S. Methven

Scott J. Meiners

Although spores from most macrofungi are wind- or water-dispersed, dispersal may also occur via biotic vectors. The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a facultative mycovore that may play an important role in fungal spore dispersal although, to date, no information exists on fungi occurring in fecal samples of box turtles or on the ecological significance of box turtles as spore dispersal vectors. Consequently, a study of the potential for Eastern box turtles to act as vectors for spore dispersal was initiated by capturing wild turtles and collecting fecal samples. Serial dilutions from fecal samples were made to enumerate …


Seed And Seedling Ecology Of Acer Saccharum And Acer Platanoides: A Contrast Between Native And Exotic Congeners, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2005

Seed And Seedling Ecology Of Acer Saccharum And Acer Platanoides: A Contrast Between Native And Exotic Congeners, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

The exotic tree, Acer platanoides, is increasing in forests of northeastern North America, largely within the range of its native congener, Acer saccharum. A combination of field and controlled experiments was used on seeds and seedlings of these congeners to determine species characteristics that may be contributing to these floristic changes. Acer platanoides experienced lower rates of seed predation than A. saccharum in field experiments. Differences in the dispersal and allocation characteristics of the two species were small and not likely to explain the relative success of A. platanoides. Greenhouse- grown seedlings of A. platanoides were much larger than those …


The Relationship Between Community Diversity And Exotic Plants: Cause Or Consequence Of Invasion?, Scott J. Meiners, Mary L. Cadenasso Jan 2005

The Relationship Between Community Diversity And Exotic Plants: Cause Or Consequence Of Invasion?, Scott J. Meiners, Mary L. Cadenasso

Scott J. Meiners

Invasion ecology has suffered from the artificial separation of invasibility and impact processes in understanding the ationship between diversity and plant invasion. By studying these independently functioning stages of invasion in concert, we can gain great insight into the biological causes and consequences of invasions, and develop crucial information for the generation of adequate management strategies. Our conceptual framework provides a structure to synthesize the current body of research, suggests research needed to fill the gaps in understanding and to organize results from future research. The framework is a powerful tool to guide ecological understanding of the relationship between invasion …


Growth Rates, Survivorship, And Sex Ratios Of Juniperus Virginiana On The New Jersey Piedmont From 1963 To 2000, James A. Quinn, Scott J. Meiners Jan 2004

Growth Rates, Survivorship, And Sex Ratios Of Juniperus Virginiana On The New Jersey Piedmont From 1963 To 2000, James A. Quinn, Scott J. Meiners

Scott J. Meiners

Growth rates, survivorship, and sex ratios of Juniperus virginiana on the New Jersey Piedmont from 1963 to 2000. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. XXX:000–000. 20XX.—Studies of the growth, survival, and sex ratios of dioecious species have been predominantly short-term. This research investigated growth rates, survivorship, and sex ratios among cohorts of Juniperus virginiana L. from 1963 through 2000. Males (M) and females (F) in six old-fields of different ages on the New Jersey Piedmont were analyzed, starting with the initial data on height and sex expression collected by John Small on labeled recruits from 1963 through 1976. These plants were relocated …


Molecular Phylogenetics Of Neotropical Leafless Angraecinae (Orchidaceae): Re-Evaluation Of Generic Concepts, Barbara S. Carlsward, W. Mark Whitten, Morris H. Williams Jan 2003

Molecular Phylogenetics Of Neotropical Leafless Angraecinae (Orchidaceae): Re-Evaluation Of Generic Concepts, Barbara S. Carlsward, W. Mark Whitten, Morris H. Williams

Barbara S. Carlsward

Phylogenetic relationships of leafless Neotropical Angraecinae (Dendrophylax Rchb.f., Harrisella Fawc. & Rendle, Polyradicion Garay, and Campylocentrum Benth.) were estimated using combined nuclear (ITS nrDNA) and plastid (matK and trnL-F) data sets with African angraecoid taxa as outgroups. Results indicate that Harrisella, Polyradicion, and Campylocentrum filiforme (Sw.) Cogn. are embedded within Dendrophylax and should be included in Dendrophylax. This contrasts with earlier generic concepts, which have been based mainly on gross differences in floral size and various morphological autapomorphies. Based on our current sampling, Campylocentrum includes both leafy and leafless species and is sister to a broadly defined Dendrophylax.


Survival Of And Herbivore Damage To A Cohort Of Quercus Rubra Planted Across A Forest-Old-Field Edge, Scott J. Meiners, Matthew J. Matinkovic Apr 2002

Survival Of And Herbivore Damage To A Cohort Of Quercus Rubra Planted Across A Forest-Old-Field Edge, Scott J. Meiners, Matthew J. Matinkovic

Scott J. Meiners

Forest edges are known to affect plant community composition and habitat use by animals. However, the direct influence of edges in determining patterns of tree regeneration is poorly understood. Survival of and herbivore damage to Quercus ruln-a seedlings were experimentally determined for seedlings planted across a forest--old-field edge gradient. Seedling survival was lowest inside the forest ( 1%), intermediate at the edge (25%) and highest within the old-field portion of the gradient (49%). Deer herbivory decreased with increasing distance into the old field. Seedling survival increased under Rosa multiflora and decreased in plots with mammalian herbivory. Seedling height was significantly …


Probability Of Tree Seedling Establishment Changes Across A Forest–Old Field Edge Gradient, Scott J. Meiners, Steward T.A. Pickett, Steven N. Handel Jan 2002

Probability Of Tree Seedling Establishment Changes Across A Forest–Old Field Edge Gradient, Scott J. Meiners, Steward T.A. Pickett, Steven N. Handel

Scott J. Meiners

Forest edges affect many aspects of plant communities, causing changes in microclimate, species composition, and community structure. However, the direct role of edges in regulating forest regeneration is relatively unknown. The pattern of tree establishment across a forest–old field edge was experimentally examined to determine the response of three tree species to the edge gradient. We placed 100 1-m2 plots in a 90 3 90 m grid that began 30 m inside the forest, extended across the edge, and ended at 60 m into the old field. Into each plot, we planted seeds of Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, and Quercus …


Additive And Nonadditive Effects Of Herbivory And Competition On Tree Seedling Mortality, Growth, And Allocation, Scott J. Meiners, Steven N. Handel Jan 2000

Additive And Nonadditive Effects Of Herbivory And Competition On Tree Seedling Mortality, Growth, And Allocation, Scott J. Meiners, Steven N. Handel

Scott J. Meiners

The interaction between simulated cotyledon herbivory and interspecific competition was studied in a greenhouse experiment using two species of trees, Acer rubrum and Quercus palustris, which commonly invade abandoned agricultural fields. Herbivory treatments were applied as a gradient of cotyledon removal for A. rubrum with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of cotyledon tissue removed. Cotyledons from Q. palustris were clipped and removed (control, early, and late removal) to create a gradient of seed reserve availability. The competition treatment consisted of plugs of old-field vegetation that filled the pots with perennial cover. Mortality of seedlings was higher with competition. There …


Season And Distance From Forest - Old Field Edge Affect Seed Predation By White-Footed Mice, Scott J. Meiners, James T. Mccormick Jan 2000

Season And Distance From Forest - Old Field Edge Affect Seed Predation By White-Footed Mice, Scott J. Meiners, James T. Mccormick

Scott J. Meiners

We studied the spatial pattern of seed predation across a forest-old field edge in both fall and winter to assess the potential for seed predators to influence plant spatial patterns. We used a 100 x 100 m grid that began 30 m inside the forest and extended 60 m into the old field. Inside this grid we placed seed stations at regular 10 m intervals and monitored seed removal. Seed predation varied significantly across the edge gradient in both fall and winter with the highest rate of seed removal at the edge in both trials. The spatial pattern of seed …


Effects Of Distance To Juniperus Virginiana On The Establishment Of Fraxinus And Acer Seedlings In Old Fields, Scott J. Meiners, David L. Gorchov Apr 1998

Effects Of Distance To Juniperus Virginiana On The Establishment Of Fraxinus And Acer Seedlings In Old Fields, Scott J. Meiners, David L. Gorchov

Scott J. Meiners

It has been hypothesized that Juniperus virginiana facilitates tree seedling establishment in secondary succession. To test this hypothesis, we sampled four old fields in southwestern Ohio and monitored experimentally planted seeds and seedlings of Acer saccharum and Fraxinus americana for two years. Seeds and seedlings were placed into herbivore exclosures placed 0.3 and 3.0 m from J virginiana trees in an old field in Ohio. We found a significant positive spatial association between juniperus virginiana and tree seedling densities in all four old fields. Soil temperature, soil moisture, evaporative demand and light level in the 0.3 m treatment were significantly …


Selective Predation On The Seeds Of Woody Plants, Scott J. Meiners, Edmund W. Stiles Jan 1997

Selective Predation On The Seeds Of Woody Plants, Scott J. Meiners, Edmund W. Stiles

Scott J. Meiners

Selective predation on the seeds of woody plants. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 124: 67-70). 1997.-Seed predation may be an important factor influencing the structure of successional plant communities. We used a cafeteria-style experiment, placed in an old field and an early successional forest, to determine predator preferences for seeds of nine species of woody plants. Intensity of seed predation was equivalent in both sites. Seed predators preferred Acer saccharum, flex vertic illata, and Viburnum dentatum, but this was not related to seed mass. Predation intensity was more variable in the old field than in the forest, possibly related to the …


The Soil Seed Pool Of Huffman Prairie, A Degraded Ohio Prairie, And Its Potential In Restoration, Scott J. Meiners, David L. Gorchov Jan 1994

The Soil Seed Pool Of Huffman Prairie, A Degraded Ohio Prairie, And Its Potential In Restoration, Scott J. Meiners, David L. Gorchov

Scott J. Meiners

The germinable seeds in the soil of a relict Ohio prairie were investigated to determine the composition and density of dicots of potential value in restoration. Soil samples were collected from three areas of the prairie with distinctive species compositions: swale, north upland, and south upland. Seed density and species composition were based on seedling emergence over 90 days. North upland and south upland samples yielded similar total seedling densities (5,902 and 5,109 m·2 ) while that of the swale was greater ( 15,262 m·2 ). Thirteen introduced and 18 native dicot species were present; seven of the latter were …


Flora Of An Unusually Diverse Old Growth Forest In The Southeastern Adirondacks, Gordon C. Tucker, Richard S. Mitchell Jan 1994

Flora Of An Unusually Diverse Old Growth Forest In The Southeastern Adirondacks, Gordon C. Tucker, Richard S. Mitchell

Gordon C. Tucker

A lowland, virgin white pine-hemlock stand and associated old-growth habitats were studied at Pack Forest Preserve, Warren County, NY. An area of 48.1 acres, interrupted only by nature trails, has white pines up to 58 inches in diameter, and supports 355 native plant species-an unexpectedly high number, considering its location in the climatically severe Adirondack Mountains. This minimally disturbed old-growth forest and its associated wetlands are not only diverse, but essentially weed-free, making them ideal for future ecological research, botanical teaching and monitoring activities.


Achene Microstructure In Eriophorum L. (Cyperaceae): Systematic Implications And Paleobotanical Applications, Gordon C. Tucker, Norton G. Miller Jan 1990

Achene Microstructure In Eriophorum L. (Cyperaceae): Systematic Implications And Paleobotanical Applications, Gordon C. Tucker, Norton G. Miller

Gordon C. Tucker

Silica bodies in the outer cells of the achene epidermis in 17 species of Eriophorum-and nine species of Scirpus, some of which have been placed in Eriophorum, were revealed by sonication and/or acetolysis and examined by scanning electron microscopy. A silica body consists of a basal platform, one or more large elevated protuberances, and sometimes smaller satellite protuberances. Individual species differ in the number of protuberances, the presence/absence of satellites, the texture of the platform, and the occurrence of nodules on the larger protuberances. These features, combined with achene shape and characteristics of the anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells …


Taxonomic Notes On Two Common Neotropical Species Of Cyperus (Cyperaceae), Gordon C. Tucker Jan 1984

Taxonomic Notes On Two Common Neotropical Species Of Cyperus (Cyperaceae), Gordon C. Tucker

Gordon C. Tucker

No abstract provided.


Two New Species Of Cyperus (Subgenus Protocyperus) From Mexico And Central America, Gordon C. Tucker Jan 1983

Two New Species Of Cyperus (Subgenus Protocyperus) From Mexico And Central America, Gordon C. Tucker

Gordon C. Tucker

Two new species of Cyperus (Subgenus Protocyperus) from Mexico and Central America, Cyperus nayaritensis, endemic to Nayarit, Mexico, and C. microbrunneus, of Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica, are described, illustrated and compared to their nearest relatives.