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Chemical Diversity And Antimicrobial Properties Of Spike-Rush Species And Related Genera (Genus Eleocharis, Family Cyperaceae), Yiru Zhang
Masters Theses
The focus of this research was to explore the chemical diversity and antimicrobial properties of Eleocharis dulcis. By using methanol as a solvent to extract phytochemicals, qualitative comparisons were made between HPLC chromatograms from Eleocharis species and other genera. Meanwhile, this study also examined the antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals extracted from various tissues of Eleocharis dulcis in two different solvents (water or methanol) against two Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) and two Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) using a disc diffusion assay. The results suggested that the extracts had limited antimicrobial properties at up to 100 …
Effects Of Chemical Variation On Competition And Insect Communities Across Solidago Altissima Genotypes, Bryan Scott Foster Ii
Effects Of Chemical Variation On Competition And Insect Communities Across Solidago Altissima Genotypes, Bryan Scott Foster Ii
Masters Theses
Individuals within a plant species can differ greatly from one another, especially regarding the range of chemical compounds produced. However, the functions of many of these chemicals are unknown, but likely include defenses against herbivores, attractants for pollinators and seed dispersers, as well as mechanisms for resource competition. To assess the effects of foliar chemical composition on interspecific plant competition and insect communities, I conducted a common garden and greenhouse experiment using 24 genotypes of the allelopathic species Solidago altissima for which the foliar chemistry had been characterized. Using these data and chemical profiles of S. altissima, I linked …
Comparison Of The Effects Of Growing-Season Burns And Dormant-Season Burns On Vegetation Structure And Grassland Bird Diversity In East-Central Illinois Prairies, Joseph Lee Boise
Comparison Of The Effects Of Growing-Season Burns And Dormant-Season Burns On Vegetation Structure And Grassland Bird Diversity In East-Central Illinois Prairies, Joseph Lee Boise
Masters Theses
For managed grasslands, prescribed burns are a method to manage species composition by preventing crowding by bunch grasses and woody encroachment. While dormant-season (spring) burns are routinely performed, managers have recently introduced growing-season (late summer/fall) burns to prairies in east-central Illinois. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of dormant-season and growingseason burns on vegetation structure and associated avian diversity. Specifically, objectives were to determine if: (1) Growing-season burns increase bird diversity or density of rare/declining species relative to dormant season burns; (2) Growing-season burns cause more bare ground to open and reduce litter and woody species …
Variation In Leaf Morphology Of An Alpine Shrub Community Along Environmental Gradients, Abdulssalam Khafsha
Variation In Leaf Morphology Of An Alpine Shrub Community Along Environmental Gradients, Abdulssalam Khafsha
Masters Theses
Mountains represent complex environment gradients which strongly affect local temperature regimes and rainfall. These changes in climate conditions drive a diversity of plant responses. As alpine environments are expected to change dramatically in response to climate change, understanding plant responses to environmental variation is critical in these environments. Although they are a critical component of alpine communities, the environmental responses of shrubs have been much less examined than trees, representing an important knowledge gap. Leaves, as the primary photosynthetic organs on plants, would be expected to respond strongly to local climate conditions. In this study, I documented how the leaf …
A Pipeline For Exogenous Gene Expression And Biomass Analysis In Plants, Bijay Bisunke
A Pipeline For Exogenous Gene Expression And Biomass Analysis In Plants, Bijay Bisunke
Masters Theses
Biological pretreatment of biomass is typically required for the production of liquid biofuels, which are viable alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. While traditional thermomechanical pretreatments are effective at helping to deconstruct lignocellulose, they are often expensive and tend to generate environmentally dangerous waste materials. An alternative to traditional pretreatment strategies is biological pretreatment, which has focused on lignocellulose-degrading organisms, such as white-rot fungi. While direct pretreatment of biomass with white-rot fungi has shown great promise, directly expressing functional white-rot fungi genes in plants (i.e. in planta expression) has the potential to be even more efficient because the biomass itself …
Medicinal Properties Of The Araliaceae, With Emphasis On Chemicals Affecting Nerve Cells, Rana Alharbi
Medicinal Properties Of The Araliaceae, With Emphasis On Chemicals Affecting Nerve Cells, Rana Alharbi
Masters Theses
In recent times, medicinal plants have become the focus of scientists and research. However, many have used traditional medicine to take advantage of plant extracts to treat many diseases, especially neurological diseases. Various central nervous system receptors have been shown to associate with plant extracts influencing the pharmacology and in this manner conceivably assuming a role in human sickness and treatment. For instance, extracts from Cussonia paniculata Eckl. & Zeyh targeted several early nervous and mental disease, and Kalopanax pictus has been traditionally used for the treatment of rheumatoidal arthritis, nerve pain and diabetes mellitus.
In the present study, we …
Context Dependency Of Invasion Impacts On The Controllers Of Invasibility In Microstegium Vimineum, Scott Vincent Janis
Context Dependency Of Invasion Impacts On The Controllers Of Invasibility In Microstegium Vimineum, Scott Vincent Janis
Masters Theses
Although plant invasions are of major conservation concern, understanding of the natural controls on invasion and their impacts is largely limited to static observational studies or artificially manipulated systems. Linking patterns of invasion with subsequent impacts in natural systems is necessary to fully assess invasion causes and consequences. Therefore, I employed a long-term approach to sequentially assess the controls on invasion and their subsequent impacts in a self-assembled system for the highly invasive annual grass Microstegium vimineum. I modeled likely factors contributing to the probability of invasion and local invasion success of a natural invasion of M. vimineum in a …
Haplotype Diversity And Population Genetic Structure Of Antistrophus Gall Wasps Associated With Two Silphium Species And Implication For Host Mediated Speciation, Jiaxin Deng
Masters Theses
Gall making insects form a special feeding guild of phytophagous animals, and by manipulating host plant tissue differentiation, are able to avoid plant chemical defenses and thus have no need for counter defense mechanisms. Host plant selection is crucial to the evolution of these insects because successful gall formation is largely dependent on host plant ability to respond to stimuli. In Illinois and neighboring states, Antistrophus gall wasps associated with the rosin weed (S. integrifolium) and the cup plant (S. perfoliatum) are morphologically indistinguishable and thus have been treated as belonging to single species. However, the wasps from the host …
Impacts Of Plant-Microbe Interactions On Seedling Performance In A Riparian Forest Invaded By Lonicera Maackii, Taylor E. K. Strehl
Impacts Of Plant-Microbe Interactions On Seedling Performance In A Riparian Forest Invaded By Lonicera Maackii, Taylor E. K. Strehl
Masters Theses
Soil microbes have profound impacts on plant growth and survival and can either promote or inhibit plant dominance. Exotic plants are often strongly invasive because they have escaped their natural enemies, potentially including antagonistic soil microbes. I examined how the invasive shrub Lonicera maackii and a common native tree, Acer negundo, responded to soil microbial communities to determine the role of soil microbes in regulating invasion success. This was done by growing both species with microbes from invaded (L. maackii) and uninvaded (A. negundo) soils collected from three locations within a riparian forest. Seedlings were …
An Efficient Protocol For Root Studies In The Common Sunflower Using Composite Plants, Tyler Parks
An Efficient Protocol For Root Studies In The Common Sunflower Using Composite Plants, Tyler Parks
Masters Theses
Sunflower, Helianthus annuus, is one of the most important oilseed crop in the world. Oil from the seeds is prized for its' exceptional quality and flavor. Despite this, sunflowers have been forced onto marginal lands often on semi-arid and non-fertile soil, due to disease pressures and economics making it critical to produce more resilient lines and varieties to withstand these new stresses. The recent availability of the sunflower genome can allow genome-wide characterization of gene families. Stable transformation protocols, which can be used for characterization studies, have been developed for H. annuus using Agrobacterium tumefaciens, but they produce …
The Effect Of Self-Recognition In The Competition Between Genets Of Solidago Altissima, Charles Jaques
The Effect Of Self-Recognition In The Competition Between Genets Of Solidago Altissima, Charles Jaques
Masters Theses
Competition is a major driving force in the abundance, distribution, and diversity within any biological system. Plants are more likely to suffer reductions in fitness as a consequence of competition, as they typically occur in dense communities. Individuals within these populations must respond to both inter- and intraspecific competition. Recent studies suggest that the ability to distinguish kin from non-kin may play an integral role in the success of individuals within different plant populations and communities. However, a less known interaction is that between individual clones within a genet as they grow, spread, and begin to interact with nearby rival …
Investigation Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Protein In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Nicotiana Tabacum, Allen Potter
Investigation Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Protein In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Nicotiana Tabacum, Allen Potter
Masters Theses
The NLG (Novel Leaf Gene) is a recently discovered gene from aspen (Populus tremula x alba). Previous research indicates that NLG impacts leaf shape. Our preliminary analyses indicate that NLG may function as a membrane bound protein with possible localization in plasma membrane and/or nucleus. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus trichocarpa identified four homologous genes in Arabidopsis and five in Populus. Gene expression analysis was done using online tools and indicated that NLG is expressed in multiple tissue types but predominately in stem and flowers. The protein coding region of the NLG orthologs genes from aspen …
Impact Of Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus X Giganteus) Cultivation On Midwestern Farmland Birds, Matthew Craffey
Impact Of Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus X Giganteus) Cultivation On Midwestern Farmland Birds, Matthew Craffey
Masters Theses
Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) is a promising bioenergy feedstock, newly introduced to North America. However, the qualities that make Giant Miscanthus an attractive bioenergy feedstock may pose challenges to local wildlife. To assess the impacts of Giant Miscanthus on Midwestern farmland birds, I conducted point count and vegetation surveys at three sites in east-central Illinois where Giant Miscanthus was being cultivated. I used occupancy modeling to assess the relative influence of Giant Miscanthus on five species relative to other habitat and landscape characteristics. Dickcissel (Spiza Americana), Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), and Red-Winged Blackbird …
Medicinal Properties Of Cyperus Species (Sedge Family, Cyperaceae), Lata Maishaya Udari
Medicinal Properties Of Cyperus Species (Sedge Family, Cyperaceae), Lata Maishaya Udari
Masters Theses
The grasses that yield therapeutically important products are among the least studied in the Cyperaceae family. Herb-based medicine from ancient times have played a vital role in ailments of various disease and nowadays it has been a particular area of interest in medicine. Phytochemicals are inherent compounds derived from plants that are biologically active, non-nutritive chemicals that act as a defensive or prophylactic medicine in humans. Their extracts have proven to show inhibition properties against different microbes. Despite the prevalence of Cyperus species and their traditional use in medicine, the chemical components responsible for their attributes remain largely unknown. This …
Co-Product Potential Of Algae Biocake, Elizabeth J. Nixon
Co-Product Potential Of Algae Biocake, Elizabeth J. Nixon
Masters Theses
Society needs to find replacements for fossil fuels, which are finite resources that may be fully depleted within a few generations. While solar and wind have great potential as alternative energy sources, they are unlikely to completely replace all of the current fuel sources, particularly liquid fuels. Plant biomass has great potential for this market, and is already used in many forms for heat energy (e.g. direct combustion). However, the bulk density of important bioenergy crops, particularly grasses, is often low, which necessitates the use of binders in densification strategies. In the present study, waste algae biocake from a proprietary …
Distiphallus Morphology And Its Role In Copulation Dynamics In Anastrepha Suspensa (Loew), Taylor J. Inboden
Distiphallus Morphology And Its Role In Copulation Dynamics In Anastrepha Suspensa (Loew), Taylor J. Inboden
Masters Theses
Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera; Tephritidae) is an agricultural pest species
causing severe economic damage and is controlled, in part, by applying knowledge
of this species' reproduction (e.g., disrupting fertile copulations by SIT). During
copulation, males transfer sperm as well as protein rich fluids through an aedeagus
and distiphallus, which females then store in three spermathecae and one ventral
receptacle. Within the female reproductive tract, the ventral receptacle and the
three spermathecae are strategically separated from each other. I hypothesized
males' ability to direct sperm transfer within the female reproductive tract is
through the structures found in the distiphallus. Utilizing scanning electron …
The Transcriptional Response Of Trametes Versicolor To Growth On Maple Chips And Miscanthus Straw, Maha Alanazi
The Transcriptional Response Of Trametes Versicolor To Growth On Maple Chips And Miscanthus Straw, Maha Alanazi
Masters Theses
This thesis research explored the transcriptional response of Trametes versicolor, a white-rot fungus, in response to fundamentally different types of lignocellulosic biomass (miscanthus and maple) and rich medium (malt extract agar). After five weeks of growth by the fungus on the biomass, the fungal RNA was extracted from three biological replicates per biomass type and mRNA was sequenced (approximately 30 million reads per sample). The reads were processed using ArrayStar to covert to RPKM and annotated using JGI's T. versicolor GO annotation file along with NCBI's BLAST. Comparisons were made between average gene expression of the fungus grown on …
Comparative Leaf Anatomy Of C3 And Cam Species In Oncidiinae (Maxillarieae, Orchidaceae), Samuel A. Eident
Comparative Leaf Anatomy Of C3 And Cam Species In Oncidiinae (Maxillarieae, Orchidaceae), Samuel A. Eident
Masters Theses
The subtribe Oncidiinae is a diverse group of mostly epiphytic orchids within the tribe Maxillarieae, consisting of 55 genera and 1700 species. In this group, there have been many studies examining morphological and anatomical variation as well as metabolic pathways of carbon fixation, but most have not integrated morphological and anatomical variation with a physiological aspect of inquiry. The objective of my research was to establish a suite of anatomical characteristics that can be used to distinguish between C3 and CAM species. Secondarily, I hoped to use that suite of characteristics in determining whether intermediate CAM species (those that …
Evaluation Of Ecto-Mycorrhizae As A Determinant Of Chestnut Growth And Stress Response, Pabitra Aryal
Evaluation Of Ecto-Mycorrhizae As A Determinant Of Chestnut Growth And Stress Response, Pabitra Aryal
Masters Theses
Although agriculture focuses on row crops throughout much of the Midwest, chestnut (Castanea spp.) appears to be an agroforestry crop well suited as a sustainable alternative to row crops in areas prone to erosion. As ectomycorrhizal (ECM) colonization is often crucial for tree establishment and production, I addressed the importance of ECM colonization on chestnut performance by assessing 1) natural ECM colonization in an established chestnut orchard and 2) the effect of experimental ECM inoculation on seedling establishment and drought response in a greenhouse. In the established orchard, I selected 50 Chinese-American hybrid chestnuts (C. mollisima x C. dentata …
Evaluation Of Hazelnuts As A Sustainable Crop In Illinois, Sharon Neva Dubosky
Evaluation Of Hazelnuts As A Sustainable Crop In Illinois, Sharon Neva Dubosky
Masters Theses
Production of hazelnuts has historically been limited to regions with mild climates, with almost all hazelnut production in the United States occurring in Oregon. A recent boom in demand, along with an expanded selection of varieties with improved environmental tolerances, has pushed hazelnut production into new regions. Hazelnut production could prove profitable in areas of the Midwest that are less well-suited to the cultivation of maize and soybeans. However, the lack of varieties proven to thrive in the climatological conditions of this region (cold winters, hot summers, frequent drought) presents a barrier to the viability of hazelnut production. A trial …
Seeing Red In A Sea Of Green: Anthocyanin Production In A Carnivorous Plant, Pinguicula Planifolia, Jenna Annis
Seeing Red In A Sea Of Green: Anthocyanin Production In A Carnivorous Plant, Pinguicula Planifolia, Jenna Annis
Masters Theses
The Southeastern United States is a biological hot-spot for carnivorous plants, with over half of the North American species occurring along the Gulf Coast. Pinguicula planifolia Chapman is one of six carnivorous perennial butterwort species found in the Florida Panhandle. Among these species, only P. planifolia expresses a distinct variation of red coloration on its leaves. The functional role of foliar anthocyanins may include stress response to drought and nutrient deficiency, herbivory defense, free radical scavenging, and photoprotection. Carnivorous plant leaves face strong selection pressures to optimize prey capture and nutrient absorption. Given the frequency of these red pigments in …
Successional Changes In Leaf Nutrient Concentrations Of Woody And Herbaceous Species, Daniel Walter Kuchta
Successional Changes In Leaf Nutrient Concentrations Of Woody And Herbaceous Species, Daniel Walter Kuchta
Masters Theses
Leaf nutrient concentrations are an example of a functional trait, a trait that can be used to understand community dynamics by observing how plants interact with their environment. I explored how leaf nutrient concentrations were affected over successional time by environmental changes. The majority of prior research on functional traits focuses on either woody or herbaceous species, but not both life forms simultaneously. To address this, I also explored the successional changes to leaf nutrient concentrations, separating the plant community into woody and herbaceous species.
Healthy, mature leaves were taken from 122 taxa of woody and herbaceous species in a …
Allelopathic Effects Of S. Canadensis On The Germination Of Native Prairie Plants, James David Megenhardt
Allelopathic Effects Of S. Canadensis On The Germination Of Native Prairie Plants, James David Megenhardt
Masters Theses
Solidago canadensis has become a aggressive species of North American prairie forb throughout the world and within restored prairies throughout North America, causing the loss of biodiversity within those ecosystems. While reproductive methods of wind dispersed seeds and clonal expansion through rhizomes has helped S. canadensis colonize and spread through these ecosystems, S. canadensis also releases allelopathic chemicals which may inhibit the germination and growth of competing species. What was unknown is if these same allelopathic chemicals which give S. canadensis an edge within foreign ecosystems might also explain why S. canadensis is so prolific in restored North American …
The Functional Role Of Leaf Nutrients In An Old-Field Successional Community, Kirstin I. Duffin
The Functional Role Of Leaf Nutrients In An Old-Field Successional Community, Kirstin I. Duffin
Masters Theses
In functional ecology, traits that capture aspects of plant performance are used to understand how organisms interact with their environment. Leaf nutrients are an example of a functional trait that directly links to plant metabolic processes and therefore may describe plant assemblage dynamics. Multivariate leaf nutrient analyses may be used with other functional traits to understand ecological strategies because they are a direct measure of leaf metabolic processes and can describe nuances in plant allocation patterns. In this thesis, I explored (1) whether a suite of leaf nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium) was related to plant growth …
Comparison Of Oak And Sugar Maple Distribution And Regeneration In Central Illinois Upland Oak Forests, Peter J. Frey
Comparison Of Oak And Sugar Maple Distribution And Regeneration In Central Illinois Upland Oak Forests, Peter J. Frey
Masters Theses
Although white oak (Quercus alba) dominated much of the mid-west and eastern US hardwood forests prior to European settlement, changes in disturbance frequencies and habitat fragmentation, coupled with other biotic pressures, are allowing sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) to displace oak in the upland forest understory. Since our understanding of how disturbance mechanisms influence oak regeneration is not fully clear, there is lack of consensus on how to employ management practices. We collected seedling microhabitat data from 5 upland oak forest sites in central Illinois, each differing in age class and/or silvicultural treatment to determine: 1) Whether …
Morphological And Ecological Investigations Of Species Of Bulrush (Scirpus) In Illinois, Julian G. Moore
Morphological And Ecological Investigations Of Species Of Bulrush (Scirpus) In Illinois, Julian G. Moore
Masters Theses
Two closely related species of bulrush, Scirpus atrovirens (Green bulrush) and Scirpus georgianus (Georgia bulrush), are widely distributed in Illinois. They are difficult to separate in the field, but readily distinguishable under magnification in the lab. These two species have been found in moist meadows, shallow marshes, edges of wet forests, and ditches. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological and ecological distinctness of the species with the aim toward discovering and describing other features to distinguish them reliably. Eighty plants of Scirpus atrovirens and 80 of Scirpus georgianus were examined. Fifty S. atrovirens and 50 S. …
Morphometric Study Of Variation In The Genus Galeopsis (Lamiaceae), Michael T. Hughes
Morphometric Study Of Variation In The Genus Galeopsis (Lamiaceae), Michael T. Hughes
Masters Theses
The genus Galeopsis L. of the family Lamiaceae, also known as hemp-nettle, grows naturally in Europe and Asia, with four species naturalized in North America. The number of real species is in doubt, because of conflict over whether certain taxa are species, subspecies, or synonyms. The genus consists of five to eight taxa. I studied flower and leaf size ratios to clarify the distinctions of taxa in Galeopsis. These data were analyzed statistically, using cluster analysis, Principal Components Analysis (PCA), and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that although some measurements, such as leaf width in G. angustifolia, …
Survey Of Medicinal Herbs Of Central Illinois Prairie And Woodlands, Debra Ann Welch
Survey Of Medicinal Herbs Of Central Illinois Prairie And Woodlands, Debra Ann Welch
Masters Theses
Illinois has been named the "Prairie State" for good reason. When the pioneers discovered a vast sea of grasses and forbs, they thought the prairie infertile. However, they soon found out that the blacksoil prairie was composed of a rich diversity of plant species that could provide much of the medical and nutritional needs of everyday life. The medicinal uses of many prairie species have not only been tested throughout history, but today modern science has also discovered their therapeutic importance.
The purpose of this study was to survey prairie species growing in the central Illinois counties of Coles and …
Gas Exchange And Yields Of Bt Resistant Maize (Zea Mays L.) With European Corn Borer (Ostrinia Nubilalis, Hubner) Infestation, Shad Mallady
Gas Exchange And Yields Of Bt Resistant Maize (Zea Mays L.) With European Corn Borer (Ostrinia Nubilalis, Hubner) Infestation, Shad Mallady
Masters Theses
Seed companies have transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids resistant to European corn borer (ECB) [Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner)]. However, the impact of this Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene on other plant processes is not understood. In 1997 and 1999, a study at Central Golden Harvest Research in Clinton, IL focused on how the Bt gene affects gas exchange and yields of maize with and without ECB infestation. Bt and non-Bt isogenic pairs were planted with or without nets and/or insecticides to eliminate natural infestation of ECB, and with or without manual infestation of ECB. Photosynthesis and transpiration …
Reproductive Biology Of Stylisma Pickeringii (Convolvulaceae), An Endangered Plant Of Illinois Sand Prairies, Brent L. Todd
Reproductive Biology Of Stylisma Pickeringii (Convolvulaceae), An Endangered Plant Of Illinois Sand Prairies, Brent L. Todd
Masters Theses
The sand prairie is a unique ecosystem in the state of Illinois, being the habitat for many interesting plants and animals not found elsewhere in the state. One such plant is the state-endangered Stylisma pickeringii (Torr. ex M.A. Curtis) Gray var. pattersoni (Fern. & Schub.) Myint (Convolvulaceae), also known as Patterson's bindweed or Patterson's dawn flower. It currently is found in only three Illinois counties—Cass, Henderson, and Mason. Presently, two of the three populations of S. pickeringii are located on private lands. Very little information is known about the reproductive biology of S. pickeringii var. pattersoni. Thus, the purpose of …