Life Sciences Commons^™

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Arkansas Soil Erosion And Conservation Methods In Ornamental Landscapes, Abby J. Cutsinger

ATU Research Symposium

This study will attempt to identify the best soil erosion mitigation methods for Arkansas ornamental landscape settings by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of known techniques. Since soil is not a renewable resource, we must apply conservation practices wherever possible, not just in agricultural settings. To determine the most effective erosion prevention techniques, this study will review soil studies conducted by the NRCS and NASA, as well as articles on best practices observed in ornamental landscape and agricultural industries. These are analyzed by comparing and contrasting techniques against known problems with Arkansas soil to determine which methods are most effective. …

Examination Of Greenhouse Conditions That Influence Scale Infestation Rates On Begonia, Madeline M. Cusick

Honors College Theses

Scale insects are common pests within greenhouse and agricultural settings. I quantified scale infestation on Begonia x Richmondensis, also known as the Dragon Wing begonia, within the Armstrong Campus Greenhouse from March to November of 2023. Six different treatments accounted for variations in sunlight, humidity, and temperature within the greenhouse with the goal of determining the insect’s preferred environmental conditions. Morphological comparisons were also made between host plant Dragon Wing begonia and other begonias present within the greenhouse. Analysis indicated a significant difference in scale presence on replicate plants by zone and sunlight treatments, with more plants hosting at least …

An Interdisciplinary Experience, Reyna Vergara, Michael Dodson

OUR Assignment Repository

This proposal showcases the success of an interdisciplinary approach. It provides an overview of a project titled: "Cacao and Chocolate: A Powerful Legacy." It took place during Hispanic Heritage Month in 2023. The project aimed to explore the rich and multifaceted legacy of cacao and chocolate in Latin America, incorporating perspectives from various academic disciplines, including public history, chemistry, Spanish language, graphic design, culinary arts, and family science. The interdisciplinary nature of the project highlights the power of collaboration in research and education, serving as a model for integrating diverse fields of study.

The project was divided into two main …

Providing Pest Management Education For Home Gardeners In Utah, Nick Volesky, Marion Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

In January 2024, Utah State University (USU) Extension's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program launched a three-part class series targeting Utah's home gardeners. The goal was to enhance their abilities in identifying and managing insect and plant diseases. With over 200 participants, the series notably increased the knowledge of attendees. This initiative aligns with the USU Extension IPM program's mission to promote sustainable pest management practices across Utah, evidencing its commitment to environmental stewardship and community education.

Toward A Coordinated Understanding Of Hydro-Biogeochemical Root Functions In Tropical Forests For Application In Vegetation Models, Daniela F. Cusack, Bradley O. Christoffersen, Chris M. Smith-Martin, Kelly M. Andersen, Amanda L. Cordeiro, Katrin Fleischer, S. Joseph Wright, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramírez, Laynara F. Lugli, Lindsay A. Mcculloch

School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications and Presentations

Tropical forest root characteristics and resource acquisition strategies are underrepresented in vegetation and global models, hampering the prediction of forest–climate feedbacks for these carbon-rich ecosystems. Lowland tropical forests often have globally unique combinations of high taxonomic and functional biodiversity, rainfall seasonality, and strongly weathered infertile soils, giving rise to distinct patterns in root traits and functions compared with higher latitude ecosystems. We provide a roadmap for integrating recent advances in our understanding of tropical forest belowground function into vegetation models, focusing on water and nutrient acquisition. We offer comparisons of recent advances in empirical and model understanding of root characteristics …

A New Permineralized Corypha-Type Coryphoid Palm Stem From K-Pg Of India: Anatomy, Systematics, Saprophytic Fungi, And Paleoecology, Ashif Ali, Kaustav Roy, Biswajit Mukherjee, Subir Bera, Mahasin Khan

Turkish Journal of Botany

Palms are known to be an important and diverse angiosperm component in the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Central India. However, the report of fossilized palm stems inhibiting saprophytic fungal remains is empty in the field of paleobotany. Here, we document for the first time the occurrence of fungal remains in a petrified palm stem collected from the latest Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous)-earliest Danian (early Paleocene) sediments of the Deccan Intertrappean beds of Madhya Pradesh, Central India. The anatomical features of the fossil stem are characterized by the presence of Corypha-type general stem pattern (progressive decrease of fibrous parts of fibrovascular bundles, …

Identification Of Carrying Alien Dna Fragments In Solanum Melongena X Solanum Incanum Interspecific Progeny By Using Cosii Marker, Görkem Sülü, İlknur Polat, Hati̇ce Fi̇li̇z Boyaci, Ahmet Naci̇ Onus

Turkish Journal of Botany

Cultivated eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is produced in many countries with temperate and tropical climates and has great economic importance. In recent years, resistance to biotic and abiotic stress conditions in addition to increasing yield and quality has gained importance in plant breeding including eggplant breeding. Therefore, the wild relative S. incanum is an important parent in breeding studies as it provides resistance to some important biotic and abiotic stresses for eggplant. It is possible to obtain a fully fertile hybrid between the two species, as well as to establish F2 lines. However, it is a mystery whether there is …

Isolation And Assessment Of Halophilic Rhizobacteria Plant Growth-Promoting Traits For Alleviating Salt Stress In Wheat, Alev Sezen, Ömer Faruk Algur, Ferruh Aşçi, Arzu Ünal

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this study, 22 halophilic bacteria were isolated from plants collected together with rhizosphere soil from habitats with high salt content in and around Erzurum. Various plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties of these isolates (nitrogen fixing, phosphate solubilizing, ACC deaminase, and IAA and siderephore production) were determined. Bacteria positive for PGP properties and various combinations with these bacteria were subjected to pot experiments in saline medium (greenhouse conditions) and their effects on growth parameters (root and stem length, fresh and dry weight, protein, and chlorophyll and carotenoid content) of wheat plants were determined. As a result of the research, the isolates …

A New Fossil Wood Species Of Ziziphus From The Middle Miocene Of Türkiye And Its Palaeoenvironmental Evaluation, Ünal Akkemi̇k, Özlem Toprak

Turkish Journal of Botany

The purpose of this study is to describe a new fossil wood from the Middle Miocene of South Anatolia (Mersin) and to identify it and evaluate its palaeoenvironmental implications. Thin sections of transverse, tangential, and radial surfaces were examined and described using the terminology of the International Association of Wood Anatomists. The wood was determined to have characteristics of Ziziphus (Rhamnaceae). It is the first fossil wood of Ziziphus and is described as Ziziphoxylon sayaz Akkemik sp. nov. It is from the Middle Miocene Climate Optimum (MMCO), which is a relatively warm interval in the Miocene. Indistinct annual growth ring …

Dorycnium Vuralii (Fabaceae), A New Species From Türkiye, Bilal Şahi̇n, Seher Karaman, Mevlüde Alev Ateş, Zeki Aytaç

Turkish Journal of Botany

The present study describes a new species Dorycnium vuralii (Fabaceae) from Çankırı, Türkiye. The new species is compared morphologically to the taxa of sect. Bonjeanea and sect. Dorycnium along with pollen micromorphology, leaflet, and seed micromorphology. The geographical distribution of Dorycnium vuralii is mapped. The phylogenetic relationships between the new species and other closely related species in the genus are inferred based on DNA data from both cpDNA and nrDNA (rbcL1&ITS). Although phylogenetic implications are different in the two DNA barcoding regions, D. vuralii is shown to be a new species in both molecular data. The new species is assessed …

Modelling The "Bottom-Up" Development Pattern Of Tar Spot Disease In Corn, Brenden Lane, Joaquín Guillermo Ramírez-Gil, Carlos Góngora-Canul, Mariela Sofia Fernandez Campos, Andres Cruz-Sancan, Fidel E. Jiménez-Beitia, Alex G. Acosta-Guatemal, Wily Sic, C. D. Cruz

Graduate Industrial Research Symposium

In 2015, the corn-infecting pathogen Phyllachora maydis (causal agent of tar spot disease) was reported for the first time in the United States. The disease has since spread across the US, causing major yield losses. In 2021 alone, 5.88 million metric tons (231.3 million bushels) of US corn yield were lost to this disease, costing an estimated US$1.25 billion. Though fungicides can protect against these agroeconomic losses, application timing can be difficult to optimize because our understanding of tar spot dynamics is still evolving. The current view is that tar spot typically develops bottom-up through a repeating infection cycle. Because …

Automated Tree Mortality Detection Using Ubiquitously Available Public Data, Michael T. Huggins

Master's Theses

Understanding the dynamic interplay between fire severity, topography, and tree mortality, is crucial for predicting future forest dynamics and enhancing resilience against climate change-induced wildfire regimes. This thesis develops a multi-sensor approach for automated estimation of tree mortality, then applies it to examine trends in tree mortality over a six-year period across a fire affected study site in the Trinity River basin in Northern California. The Random Forest model uses publicly available USGS 3D Elevation Program Lidar (3DEP) and NAIP imagery as inputs and is likely to be easily adaptable to other landscapes. The model had a Receiver Operating Characteristic …

Prioritizing Indigenous Participation And Compensation In Research, Amanda Sabin

Journal of Critical Global Issues

Throughout history, the dynamic between colonial entities and indigenous groups has been characterized by exploitation and power imbalance. Indigenous knowledge has the potential to positively impact the world, through medicinal breakthroughs, radical approaches to sustainability, cultural heritage, systems of learning and adaptation, and more. Particularly in the context of research, fields like anthropology, botany and pharmacology serve to benefit from indigenous knowledge, but these interactions cannot continue to be based on extraction at the cost of indigenous communities. This work will discuss the future of relationships between researchers and indigenous communities; how this power dynamic must be transformed into an …

Toward A Coordinated Understanding Of Hydro-Biogeochemical Root Functions In Tropical Forests For Application In Vegetation Models, Daniela F. Cusack, Bradley Christoffersen, Chris M. Smith-Martin, Kelly M. Andersen, Amanda L. Cordeiro, Katrin Fleischer, S. Joseph Wright, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramírez, Laynara F. Lugli, Lindsay A. Mcculloch, Mareli Sanchez-Julia, Sarah A. Batterman, Caroline Dallstream, Claire Fortunel, Laura Toro, Lucia Fuchslueger, Michelle Y. Wong, Daniela Yaffar, Joshua B. Fisher, Marie Arnaud, Lee H. Dietterich, Shalom D. Addo-Danso, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Monique Weemstra, Jing Cheng Ng, Richard J. Norby

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Tropical forest root characteristics and resource acquisition strategies are underrepresented in vegetation and global models, hampering the prediction of forest–climate feedbacks for these carbon-rich ecosystems. Lowland tropical forests often have globally unique combinations of high taxonomic and functional biodiversity, rainfall seasonality, and strongly weathered infertile soils, giving rise to distinct patterns in root traits and functions compared with higher latitude ecosystems. We provide a roadmap for integrating recent advances in our understanding of tropical forest belowground function into vegetation models, focusing on water and nutrient acquisition. We offer comparisons of recent advances in empirical and model understanding of root characteristics …

Applicability Of Using Bio-Receptive Concrete For Building Facades In Egypt, Gina Roupheil

Theses and Dissertations

The significant increase in carbon dioxide emissions caused by the construction industry is detrimental to our planet. This is rapidly increasing with the urbanization of cities that is gradually taking its toll on the available green spaces, which help in balancing such emissions. Recently, researchers have been trying to make use of bio-receptivity to create biomaterial systems that could be spread on building envelopes and support the growth of small plant species and microorganisms to establish on. Out of those materials, comes the concrete as a promising material for bio-colonization.

Within this context, this study aims at investigating the applicability …

Effects Of Hemiparasites In Grassland Restorations Are Not Universal, Anna Marie Scheidel, Victoria Borowicz

Faculty Publications – Biological Sciences

Root hemiparasites infiltrate the vascular tissue of host roots to acquire water and nutrients, which often reduces host growth. Hemiparasites are postulated to be keystone species in grassland communities if they suppress dominant species and increase plant community biodiversity, and ecosystem engineers if they increase nutrient accessibility for surrounding species. We examined keystone effects by evaluating species richness and evenness in 1 m2 plots in a recent prairie restoration where Castilleja sessiliflora was naturally present or absent, and in a longer-established prairie restoration with or without Pedicularis canadensis. We examined ecosystem engineer effects by determining nitrate and phosphate concentrations …

Technological Bottlenecks And Innovative Developments For Rubber Tree Breeding In China, Yongshuai Sun, Weimin Tian, Deli Zhai, Yongping Yang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Superior varieties of rubber trees are crucial elements in achieving stable production and supply of natural rubber. In China, rubber tree planting areas are situated at the northern edga of the world’s tropical zone and thus belong to non-traditional rubber tree planting areas with climatic conditions inferior to the traditional ones in Southeast Asia. The planted rubber trees are frequently damaged by low temperatures and diseases. Therefore, an urgent need in natural rubber production is to develop varieties with highyield potential and strong stress-tolerance. The scarcity of such varieties is mainly ascribed to the highly heterozygous genome, a long juvenile …

Genetic Variation In White Poplar (Populus Alba L.) Populations As Characterized By Ssr Markers, Burcu Uzan Eken, Emrah Kirdök, Ercan Veli̇oğlu, Yelda Özden Çi̇ftçi̇

Turkish Journal of Botany

The white poplar (Populus alba L.), which is tolerant to abiotic and biotic stresses, is a tree species that is resilient against changing climatic and environmental conditions, which makes it a suitable candidate for afforestation efforts. However, due to prolonged human intervention associated with the increasing population, the genetic resources of this species are at risk of loss. Additionally, while this species generally reproduces sexually, reproduction clonally via its root suckers has become widespread in some areas. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of white poplar, which is increasingly experiencing genetic diversity loss. Herein, …

A Comprehensive Study On The Molecular Characterization Of Tomato Spotted Wilt Orthotospovirus Isolates And Resistance Genes In Pepper And Tomato, Qurat Ul Ain Sajid, Emi̇nur Elçi̇

Turkish Journal of Botany

Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV, Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae) resistance genes (Tsw, Sw5) have been identified in pepper and tomato plants. The development of resistant cultivars is one of the popular management strategies for overcoming viral infections. However, the breakdown of resistance genes has been documented from many places where resistant cultivars have been developed. This has mainly been due to the emergence of resistance-breaking (RB) lines because of the consecutive use of these cultivars. The development of these isolates may cause great losses in both tomato and pepper plants in Türkiye. To investigate the incidence of TSWV, 150 symptomatic samples were …

A Phylogenetic Analysis And Delimitation Of Turanecio (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), Meryem Bozkurt, Tuna Uysal, Ergi̇n Hamzaoğlu

Turkish Journal of Botany

Recently, Turanecio Hamzaoğlu was described as a new genus for the scientific world. Turanecio has been distributed as far as Asia, Iran, Caucasus, and Iraq. A phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA and cpDNA gene regions was performed to determine the position of the genus within the subtribe Adenostylinae. Results from Bayesian and parsimony analyses of the nuclear and chloroplast DNA regions of the subtribe Senecioninae concordantly indicated that it is monophyletic and belongs to the Quadridentate group, with 4-lobed disc flowers. Nuclear DNA data revealed that some of the researched taxa should be transferred to Turanecio and some taxonomical classifications …

On The Border Of Extinction And Speciation, Polygala Seyfegoluensis (Polygalaceae), A New Species From Marshy Habitat, Central Türkiye: Under The Threat Of Climate Change, Water Retreat, And Subsequent Degradation, Ali̇ Aslan Dönmez, Zübeyde Uğurlu Aydin, İbrahi̇m Sirri Yüzbaşioğlu

Turkish Journal of Botany

Polygala seyfegoluensis Dönmez, Uğurlu & Yüzb. (Polygalaceae) is herein described and illustrated as a new species from Kırşehir Province around Seyfe Lake in Central Türkiye. This new species is similar to P. pruinosa and P. supina is distinctly characterized by its prostrate habit, nearly glabrous and smaller flower parts, and an unwinged capsule. A phylogenetic analysis was conducted to show the placement of the new species within selected Polygala taxa using the trnL-F and rbcL markers. Based on the field observation, an evolutionary scenario is proposed for the new species under the driving forces of climate change, the shrinking of …

A New Species From Türkiye, Centaurea Turhanii (Cardueae, Asteraceae), Tuna Uysal, Meryem Bozkurt, Ergi̇n Hamzaoğlu

Turkish Journal of Botany

In this article, a new cornflower, Centaurea turhanii Uysal & Hamzaoğlu (Asteraceae) from Türkiye was described and reported. Morphological, karyological, and molecular analyses were used to reveal the taxonomic status of the new species with the species thought to be related to taxa. A modified determination key was submitted and its ecology and phenology were given.

Hop Cone Drying For The Small Grower: Temperature And Airflow Considerations, Stacy A. Adams, David M. Mabie, Michael F. Kocher, David Jones

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Small hop growers without nearby processors for cone stripping and drying must attempt to do so on their own farm. Challenges exist for self-built drying systems, including drying capacity, processing speed, airflow direction, and maintaining quality during drying. Research-based recommendations are given for optimal temperature, sizing of drying vessel, maximum cone depth, and influences associated with airflow on processing uniformity and cone quality are presented.

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Comparative Histological Study On The Algerian Thymus Ciliatus At Different Phenological Stages, Nina Sadou, Ratiba Seridi, Hamdi Bendif

Journal of Bioresource Management

The aim of the current study was to compare the histological observations of stems, leaves, and different secretory structures of Thymus ciliatus at three phenological stages. The anatomical observations of stems, leaves, and glandular trichomes were carried out by light microscopy. The results showed that phenological stages do not affect significantly the anatomical, whereas there was a significant increase in secretory trichomes. The glandular trichomes are distributed on the surface of the stems and the leaves. There are only two distinct types of secretory trichomes, Peltate consisting of a basal cell, a stalk cell, and an 8-celled head type, which …

Ethnobotanical Study Of Antihemorrhagic Plants In The Skikda Region (North East Of Algeria), Nabila Souilah, Hamdi Bendif, Abdelkrim Benaradj, Abdelouaheb Belaid, Scherazad Mekious

Journal of Bioresource Management

Our survey was carried out at the level of 17 Municipalities of the Province of Skikda. Questionnaire sheets were distributed to 55 herbalists and 350 locale population (informants). The processing of survey data with the local population shows us that women (52 %) have more knowledge of phytotherapy compared to men (48 %) with a fairly high level of education. For the herbalists, we found that most are men (85.45 %) aged between 31-40 years (29.09 %) and 41-50 years (25.45 %), and with level of university study (36.36 %). On the other hand, 52.73 % of herbalists said they …

Habitat And Demography Of The Ozark Chinquapin (Castanea Ozarkensis) At Roaring River State Park In Barry County, Missouri, Danielle Evilsizor

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The Ozark chinquapin, Castanea ozarkensis Ashe, is a chestnut tree with a range concentrated in the Interior Highlands of North America. Like other North American members of Castanea, it was reduced from an overstory tree to an understory shrub by the invasive chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica [Murrill] M.E. Barr) during the early 20^th century. However, relatively little is known about the habitat of this species or its health and reproductive capability post chestnut blight. Chapter one of this study analyzed the habitat of this species through a random forest species distribution model (SDM) to predict where …

Freezing Tolerance Of Herbaceous Legumes Within Southwestern Ontario: Evidence Of Disproportionate Freezing Sensitivity, Samuel L. Rycroft

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Legumes (Fabaceae) represent a diverse and ecologically significant plant taxon; most described legumes form mutualisms with diazotrophic rhizobia, potentially fixing substantial quantities of nitrogen within habitats where they are well-established. Stressors causing lethal or sub-lethal impacts in legumes or rhizobial symbionts may therefore impact the nitrogen dynamics of such habitats. In recent decades, variability of winter temperatures, precipitation, and soil freeze-thaw cycling has increased in temperate regions. Without adequate snow cover to insulate roots and shoot bases, herbaceous plants will likely be exposed to more frequent or severe freezing. In southwestern Ontario, a pattern of disproportionate freezing sensitivity relative to …

Corn And Grain Sorghum Performance Tests 2023, J. F. Carlin, R. B. Mulloy, R. D. Bond, J. C. Mccoy

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Corn and grain sorghum performance tests are conducted each year in Arkansas by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The tests provide information to companies marketing seed within the state and aid the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in formulating recommendations for producers.

The 2023 corn performance tests contained 46 hybrids and were conducted at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NERREC) at Harrisburg, the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NEREC) at Keiser, the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station (LMCRS) near Marianna, the Rohwer Research Station (RRS) near Rohwer, and the Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) …