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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Reproduction And Ecology Of Hypericum Edisonianum: An Endangered Florida Endemic, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii, Sam P. Vander Kloet
The Reproduction And Ecology Of Hypericum Edisonianum: An Endangered Florida Endemic, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii, Sam P. Vander Kloet
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
The reproduction and ecology of the narrow endemic and Florida endangered shrub Hypericum edisonianum (Edison’s St. John's Wort) was investigated through field and greenhouse studies. Hypericum edisonianum exhibits a number of traits common to rare and geographically limited plant species including heavy reliance on clonal propagation to maintain local stands; passive seed dispersal resulting in a near-parent seed shadow; limited numbers of genetically unique individuals in its isolated seasonal-pond habitat; and likely self-incompatibility. In the field study, most flowers were produced by a small subset of the monitored ramets. Indeed, three ramets belonging to a single genetic individual accounted for …
The Spatial Signature Of Biotic Interactions Of A Clonal And A Non-Clonal Palmetto In A Subtropical Plant Community, Mizuki Takahashi, Toshiro Kubota, Liana Horner, Nathan Keller, Warren Abrahamson
The Spatial Signature Of Biotic Interactions Of A Clonal And A Non-Clonal Palmetto In A Subtropical Plant Community, Mizuki Takahashi, Toshiro Kubota, Liana Horner, Nathan Keller, Warren Abrahamson
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
Spatial analyses of plant-distribution patterns can provide inferences about intra- and interspecific biotic interactions. Yet, such analyses are rare for clonal plants because effective tools (i.e., molecular markers) needed to map naturally occurring clonal individuals have only become available recently. Clonal plants are unique in that a single genotype has a potential to spatially place new individuals (i.e., ramets) in response to intra- and interspecific biotic interactions. Laboratory and greenhouse studies suggest that some clonal plants can avoid intra-genet, inter-genet, and inter-specific competition via rootplacement patterns. An intriguing and yet to be explored question is whether a spatial signature of …
Extensive Clonal Spread And Extreme Longevity In Saw Palmetto, A Foundation Clonal Plant, Mizuki K. Takahashi, Liana M. Horner, Toshiro Kubota, Nathan A. Keller, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii
Extensive Clonal Spread And Extreme Longevity In Saw Palmetto, A Foundation Clonal Plant, Mizuki K. Takahashi, Liana M. Horner, Toshiro Kubota, Nathan A. Keller, Warren G. Abrahamson Ii
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
The lack of effective tools has hampered our ability to assess the size, growth and ages of clonal plants. With Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) as a model, we introduce a novel analytical frame work that integrates DNA fingerprinting and mathematical modelling to simulate growth and estimate ages of clonal plants. We also demonstrate the application of such life-history information of clonal plants to provide insight into management plans. Serenoa is an ecologically important foundation species in many Southeastern United States ecosystems; yet, many land managers consider Serenoa a troublesome invasive plant. Accordingly, management plans have been developed to reduce or …
Genetic Variation For Susceptibility To Storm-Induced Stem Breakage In Solidago Altissima: The Role Of Stem Height And Morphology, M. Wise, W. Abrahamson
Genetic Variation For Susceptibility To Storm-Induced Stem Breakage In Solidago Altissima: The Role Of Stem Height And Morphology, M. Wise, W. Abrahamson
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
While storms can have obvious ecological impacts on plants, plants’ potential to respond evolutionarily to selection for increased resistance to storm damage has received little study. We took advantage of a thunderstorm with strong wind and hail to examine genetic variation for resistance to stem breakage in the herbaceous perennial Solidago altissima. The storm broke the apex of nearly 10% of 1883 marked ramets in a common-garden plot containing 26 genets of S. altissima. Plant genets varied 20-fold in resistance to breakage. Stem height was strongly correlated with resistance to breakage, with taller stems being significantly more susceptible. A stem’s …
Spatiotemporal Variation Of Fruit Digestible-Nutrient Production In Florida's Uplands, J. Layne, W. Abrahamson
Spatiotemporal Variation Of Fruit Digestible-Nutrient Production In Florida's Uplands, J. Layne, W. Abrahamson
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
We examined annual total digestible nutrient (TDN) production by fruits of eight species (Quercus chapmanii, Q. geminata, Q. inopina, Q. laevis, Q. myrtifolia, Carya floridana, Sabal etonia, Serenoa repens) that account for the major proportion of TDN production by fruits and seeds in Florida’s xeric upland associations (southern ridge sandhill, sand pine scrub, scrubby flatwoods). Mean annual fruit TDN of all species combined over a 27-year span in sandhill and scrub and 24 years in scrubby flatwoods was highest (45.4 kg/ha) in sandhill, intermediate in scrubby flatwoods (28.8 kg/ha), and lowest in scrub (14.2 kg/ha). Sandhill fruit TDN production was …
Ducking As The Means Of Resistance In "Candy-Cane" Stems Of Goldenrod: Straightened Stems Lose Their Edge, M. J. Wise, W. G. Abrahamson, J. A. Cole
Ducking As The Means Of Resistance In "Candy-Cane" Stems Of Goldenrod: Straightened Stems Lose Their Edge, M. J. Wise, W. G. Abrahamson, J. A. Cole
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
Herbivores are among the most pervasive selective forces acting on plants, and the number of plant chemicals that presumably evolved for defense against herbivory is immense. In contrast, biologists are only beginning to appreciate the important roles that architectural traits can play in antiherbivore defense. One putative architectural-resistance trait is the nodding stem apex of some goldenrods (Solidago ; Asteraceae). Individuals of S. altissima genets that undergo temporary nodding in the late spring (i.e., “candy-cane ramets) have been shown to be more resistant than individuals of erect-stemmed genets to certain apex-attacking” herbivores. We tested the hypothesis that the greater resistance …
Life In The Slow Lane: Palmetto Seedlings Exhibit Remarkable Survival But Slow Growth In Florida's Nutrient-Poor Uplands, W. G. Abrahamson, C. R. Abrahamson
Life In The Slow Lane: Palmetto Seedlings Exhibit Remarkable Survival But Slow Growth In Florida's Nutrient-Poor Uplands, W. G. Abrahamson, C. R. Abrahamson
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
The palmettos Serenoa repens and Sabal etonia are crucial foundation species in many peninsular Florida vegetative associations. We monitored the survival and growth of individual palmetto seedlings using two cohorts found in different vegetative associations. Seedling cohorts containing both S. repens and S. etonia were individually tagged in 1989 and have been monitored until 2008, a period of 19 years. One cohort (N = 100 seedlings) occurs in a xeric, “inopina-phase” scrubby flatwoods and a second cohort (N =78 seedlings) lives in a well-drained, “wiregrass-phase” flatwoods. The soils at both sites are very nutrient-poor Entisols that show rapid permeability, low …
Montandon Marsh: A Vegetation Description Of A Potentially Endangered Wetland, E. Hochman, W. Abrahamson, J. Clark
Montandon Marsh: A Vegetation Description Of A Potentially Endangered Wetland, E. Hochman, W. Abrahamson, J. Clark
Warren G. Abrahamson, II
No abstract provided.