Life Sciences Commons^™

Selection For Seed Size And Coleoptile Length In Timothy (Phleum Pratense L.), Hans Arne Jonsson

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

The intention of this study was to show the effect of selection for seed weight and coleoptile length on morphology and agronomically important characters in timothy (Phleum pratense L.). Two cycles of selection increased the seed weight as well as the length of coleoptile and root. The emergence from deep sowing in sand and in the field were insignificantly increased, whereas the percentage stand and the dry matter yield were decreased, albeit insignificantly. Inbreeding and linkage effects were considered possible causes for this.

Consciousness, Evolution, And The Self-Organizing Brain, Karen Seymour

Journal of Conscious Evolution

While evolution is guided by natural selection, it is internally driven by self-organizing processes. The brain encompasses these complementary forces and dynamics of evolution in both its structure and dynamics by embodying a historical record of the factors that have shaped it throughout its evolutionary past, as well as by being shaped by selective parameters in real time. Self-organization is evident in not only the brain’s structure and form, but also in the processes that support consciousness. From the convergence of complex structure and the novelty-generating dynamics of chaos that both characterize the brain arises the experience of explicit consciousness, …

Buoyancy And Emergence In Elymus Species, Sandor Jakab

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

It is important that native plants are able to successfully emerge in wetlands because they play an important role in maintaining diversity. The relationship between seed buoyancy and seedling emergence was analyzed for three wetland species of the same genus: Elymus canadensis (FACU), Elymus macgregorii (FACW), and Elymus virginicus (FACW). E. macgregorii seemed to be the most buoyant, and E. virginicus and E. canadensis demonstrated very similar, less buoyant levels. Based on the idea that more buoyant seeds will be deposited at a shallow depth, and less buoyant seeds will be deposited at a deeper soil level, a relationship between …

Effect Of Soil Ph On Emergence And Survival Of Austrodanthonia Spp., M. A. Islam, P. M. Dowling, B. C. Jacobs, P. J. Milham, D. L. Garden, M. K. Conyers, R. Van De Ven

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

We evaluated the effects of soil acidity on seedling emergence and seedling persistence of several ecotypes of Austrodanthonia spp. collected from the Central, Southern and Monaro Tablelands of New South Wales (NSW) in southern temperate Australia. A pot experiment was conducted outdoors to identify the most promising material tolerant to soil acidity for domestication. In the experiment, 183 ecotypes and two commercial cultivars of Austrodanthonia were grown in pots at three levels of pH_Ca (3.9, 4.4 and 5.3). The pH treatments were achieved by adding either aluminium sulphate or lime to an acid earthy sandy loam soil collected from …

Seedling Emergence And Survival Of Iris Lactea. Var. Chinensis In Different Vegetations, Y. C. Sun, Z. M. Yang, Kun Wang

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Modeling Emergence Of Annual Bluegrass (Poa Annua L.) In Hybrid Bermudagrass [C. Dactylon (L.) Pers. X C. Transvaalensis Burtt-Davy], Dallas Rose Taylor

Masters Theses

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.; ABG) is a troublesome weed of turfgrass systems. A model to predict ABG emergence patterns could aid in timing measures to control ABG. Field research was initiated in January 2019 at the East Tennessee AgResearch & Education Center (ETREC) (Knoxville, TN) to better understand environmental conditions associated with ABG emergence. Plots (1 m²) included both hybrid bermudagrass [C. dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy, cv. ‘Tifway’, at a 1.5 cm cutting height] and bare soil. Emerged ABG inside a 1000 cm² area in the center of each plot was …

Controls Of Seeding Recruitment Of Annual Species In Temperate Perennial Pastures, P. Cornaglia, M. P. Clavijo, H. Harkes, Ayala Torales

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

No abstract provided.

Acroneuria Lycorias (Boreal Stonefly, Plecoptera: Perlidae) Emergence Behaviors Discovered In Pinus Strobus Canopy, Hannah Hoff, Jonathan G. Martin, Patrick J. Liesch, Erik R. Olson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Species of Plecoptera, or stoneflies, are known to use vertical emergence supports, and researchers believe many species of Plecoptera exploit arboreal habitats during emergence. However, the exact nature of these arboreal behaviors has largely remained a mystery. While exploring the habitat potential of Pinus strobus (L.) (Eastern White Pine) canopies in northern Wisconsin we observed Acroneuria lycorias (Newman) (Boreal Stonefly, Plecoptera: Perlidae) exuviae at heights as high as 12m (observations at 6.6, 9, 9.5, and 12m). Most A. lycorias exuviae appeared to have a strong preference for emergence sites at the underside or base of branches similar to some Odonate …

Dragonfly (Odonata: Corduliidae, Macromiidae, Gomphidae, Aeshnidae) And Damselfly (Odonata: Calopterygidae) Exuviae Observed At Record Heights In Pinus Strobus And Picea Abies Canopies, Madison M. Laughlin, Jonathan G. Martin, Patrick J. Liesch, Erik R. Olson

The Great Lakes Entomologist

Most odonate species do not typically climb higher than 50 cm when choosing an emergence support. We observed multiple species of odonate nymphs using trees as emergence supports at heights greater than 50 cm and up to 4, 6.9, and 14.6 m for Calopteryx maculata (Ebony Jewelwing), Somatochlora minor (Ocellated Emerald), and Didymops transversa (Stream Cruiser), respectively. These heights represent the greatest heights ever documented for odonate nymphs emergence supports. Our research suggests that some species (S. minor; D. transversa) appear to have a greater affinity for climbing to great heights during emergence than others (Dromogomphus spinosus …

Identifying And Characterizing Salt-Tolerant Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa Subsp Falcata Germplasm, Katelin E. Frerichs, Lan Xu

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Soil salinity limits plant growth and crop production. More than 20% of cultivated land worldwide is affected by salinity. The situation is becoming more severe due to shifts in precipitation and evaporation patterns and improper irrigation. There is an urgent need to develop salt-tolerant, economically valuable plants to minimize the loss of and to sustain agricultural production. Alfalfa is one of the most extensively cultivated forage crops. Some yellow-flowered alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. falcata) have exhibited morphological and physiological drought tolerance. Since soil salinity is associated with physiological drought, it is reasonable to expect that these drought tolerant falcata populations …

Catalyzed Synthesis Of Zinc Clays By Prebiotic Central Metabolites, Marcelo I. Guzman, Ruixin Zhou, Kaustuv Basu, Hyman Hartman, Christopher J. Matocha, S. Kelly Sears, Hajatollah Vali

Chemistry Faculty Publications

How primordial metabolic networks such as the reverse tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle and clay mineral catalysts coevolved remains a mystery in the puzzle to understand the origin of life. While prebiotic reactions from the rTCA cycle were accomplished via photochemistry on semiconductor minerals, the synthesis of clays was demonstrated at low temperature and ambient pressure catalyzed by oxalate. Herein, the crystallization of clay minerals is catalyzed by succinate, an example of a photoproduced intermediate from central metabolism. The experiments connect the synthesis of sauconite, a model for clay minerals, to prebiotic photochemistry. We report the temperature, pH, and concentration dependence …

Emergence, Competition, And Management Of Glyphosate-Resistant Common Ragweed (Ambrosia Artemisiifolia L.) In Nebraska Soybean, Ethann R. Barnes

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is a competitive annual broadleaf weed in soybean (Glycine max) production fields throughout North America. The recent confirmation of glyphosate-resistant common ragweed in Nebraska justified the need to assess the emergence pattern and competitive ability of common ragweed in soybean and to evaluate alternative herbicide programs for effective management. The objectives of this research were to: 1) evaluate the effect of tillage and develop a predictive model for the emergence pattern of common ragweed in Nebraska; 2) model the competitive interaction between soybean and common ragweed as influenced by density and irrigation …

Early Emergence And Seasonality Of The Red-Bellied Snake (Storeria Occipitomaculata) Along The Platte River In South-Central Nebraska, Usa, Simon P. Tye, Keith Geluso, Mary J. Harner

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

The Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) primarily inhabits moist woodlands of eastern North America, with two disjunct populations occurring in the Great Plains, one of which is in south-central Nebraska. This species is listed as at-risk in Nebraska, in part, due to being uncommon with limited information available about the ecology and natural history of this isolated population. We amassed 48 observations of Red-bellied Snakes in Nebraska from museum specimens and published accounts, including our observations and others reported to us published herein. The previous earliest documented date of spring emergence was 6 April from a specimen collected in …

Consciousness Is Not Inherent In But Emergent From Life, Jon Mallatt, Todd E. Feinberg

Animal Sentience

Reber’s theory of the cellular basis of consciousness (CBC) is right to emphasize that we should study consciousness (sentience) in its simplest form, taking its evolution into account. However, not enough evidence is presented to support CBC’s unorthodox claim that even simple, one-celled organisms are conscious. As pointed out by other commentators, the CBC seems to be based on outdated ideas about evolution and does not acknowledge that consciousness could be an evolutionary novel feature. Such emergent features are abundant in living organisms. We review our own emergentist solution, in which consciousness evolved in the elaborating nervous systems of the …

Winter Activity Of Myotis Septentrionalis: Role Of Temperature In Controlling Emergence From A Hibernaculum, Cliff A. Lemen, Patricia Freeman, Jeremy A. White

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

We acoustically monitored a small mine in southeastern Nebraska known to be a hibernaculum for the Northern Long-eared Myotis (Myotis septentrionalis) for two winters (2014-2015 and 2015-2016). Some M. septentrionalis emerged on nights with mild temperatures throughout both winters. There was an 89% probability of detecting this species when temperature at sunset was >5°C. Our results indicated that acoustical surveys outside mines or caves in winter, particularly on nights with mild temperatures, are an effective method of identifying hibernacula of M. septentrionalis and potentially other species without disturbing individuals by entering the hibernaculum or by netting individuals as …

Regeneration: An Overlooked Aspect Of Trait-Based Plant Community Assembly Models, Julie Larson, Jennifer L. Funk

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Despite the disproportionate influence that propagule production, dispersal, seed to seedling recruitment, and vegetative reproduction can have on plant population and community dynamics, progress has been slow in the directed collection of regeneration traits to inform community assembly outcomes.

While seed mass is globally available and linked to growth and reproductive output, there are limits to its explanatory ability. In this essay, we call for expanded efforts to integrate a more diverse set of regeneration traits into community assembly models.

First, we extend an existing community assembly framework to conceptualize regeneration as a series of transitional processes whose outcomes are …

Bootstrapping In Miniature Language Acquisition, Rutvik Desai

Rutvik Desai

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) In Utah: An Analysis Of The Post-Denning Activities And Bear-Human Conflict, Julie Ann Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined two different aspects of black bear (Ursus americanus) ecology in Utah. First, we determined the post-denning behaviors of female black bears in order to help management agencies protect bears from human disturbances as well as set spring hunts that minimize the taking of females with dependent young. We looked at the timing of den emergence (X = 25 March), the number of days at the den site post emergence (X = 11 days), and departure (X = 8 April) for female black bears in Utah from 2011—2013. We also analyzed the effects of cohort (lone …

The Effects Of Phragmites Australis Litter On Seed Emergence In The Erie-Huron Corridor, Michigan, Travis White

Wayne State University Theses

The invasive reed, Phragmites australis, is widespread within the Great Lakes region, and is often blamed for habitat degradation. Once established, it creates dense litter mats that may persist following remediation efforts of living stock removal. We investigated the effects of P. australis and Typha angustifolia, narrow-leaf cattail, litter on seedling emergence from the native seed bank by harvesting soils from five Great Lakes coastal marshes densely populated by either Phragmites or Typha and exposing them to Phramities or Typha litter in treatments of varying litter depths. Seedling emergences were quantified for six weeks. Soils from Phragmites dominated sites had …

Identifying Promising New Falcata Alfalfa Populations For Use In Semiarid Rangelands, Derek Kannenberg

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a valuable crop worldwide. In addition to its use as forage, the nitrogen fixation capabilities of root nodules make it a valuable component for improving soil health. Unfortunately, the semi-arid region of the Northern Great Plains introduces a number of environmental stresses that are detrimental to stand establishment and persistence. The ability to produce adventitious shoots from roots is generally considered a favorable trait for increasing stress resistance. This study aimed to identify alfalfa populations possessing the ability to produce adventitious shoot from root segments. Seven Plant Introductions (PIs), selected from the National Plant …

Hydropriming And Hot Water-Induced Heat Shock Increase Cotton Seed Germination And Seedling Emergence At Low Temperature, Yüksel Bölek, Mehmet Nuri̇ Nas, Hati̇ce Çokkizgin

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Increasing seed germination ability in cold soil conditions is necessary for effective cotton production. A major aim of cotton producers is to have good stand establishment and healthy seedlings. To determine the effects of hydropriming and heat shock treatment on seed germination and seedling emergence, seeds of 3 cotton cultivars, i.e. Stoneville-468, Maraş-92, and Sayar-314, were primed in distilled water at 5 °C or 25 °C for 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 h or subjected to a hot water bath (96 °C) for 10, 30, 60, 90, 120, or 240 s. Germination and emergence percentage, and seedling fresh weight …

A Study Of The Spawning Ecology And Early Life History Survival Of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Phaedra E. Budy, Sarah Wood, Brett B. Roper

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

We completed a large-scale field experiment in four tributaries of the Logan River, Utah, where the largest metapopulation of imperiled Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii utah persists. We documented the spatial and temporal distributions of spawners, quantified substrate use versus substrate availability, and evaluated differences in hatch and emergence fry success between and among sites in relation to habitat characteristics. We observed considerable variability in the timing, magnitude, and duration of spawning among study areas (streams), in part as a function of a variable, multipeaked hydrograph. Nevertheless, across study areas, >70% of redds were constructed on the final descending limb …

Seedling Root Morphology Of Six Alfalfa Populations, Brianna J. Gaughan

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Seedling root morphology plays a crucial role in seedling survival and stand establishment. Naturalized yellow-flowered alfalfa (YFA) (Medicago sativa subsp. falcata) has demonstrated adaptation to semiarid conditions of the Northern Great Plains and tolerance to grazing. Seedling stage root morphology is poorly defined. Our objective was to compare morphological traits of seedling roots for six alfalfa populations. Six entries were evaluated: one M. sativa population as a control, two M. falcata entries, with reported “spreading characteristics” and three naturalized YFA populations. Uniform seeds of each entry were scarified with 320 grade sand paper and inoculated with rhizobium before planting. A …

Enhancement Of Emergence Potential And Stand Establishment Of Moringa Oleifera Lam. By Seed Priming, Wasif Nouman, Muhammad Tahir Siddiqui, Shahzad Maqsood Ahmed Basra, Irfan Afzal, Hafeez Ur Rehman

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Moringa oleifera is a miracle tree that can be used in multiple ways, including as foodstuff, livestock fodder, a plant growth enhancer, or a water purifier. While the stem cutting method is easy and successful for tree propagation, the recent introduction of moringa as a field crop for biomass production requires propagation through seeds. The germination of stored moringa seeds is a problem of great concern that may be overcome by employing seed priming techniques. A pot study was conducted to explore the potential of seed priming in moringa. Seeds were subjected to hydropriming, matripriming, and priming with moringa leaf …

Ecology And Systematics Of Coleoptera In Woody Debris Of Eastern North American Forests, Michael Leslie Ferro

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Dead wood is a largely unexplored reservoir of taxonomic diversity and its ecology is poorly known despite its use as fuel and its roles in the carbon cycle and healthy ecosystems. During this research 15 new species of dead wood associated rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) in the genus Sonoma Casey were discovered and described. Sonoma tolulae (LeConte) was redescribed. Taxonomic issues obfuscated the identity of another dead wood associate, Thoracophorus costalis (Erichson) (Staphylinidae: Osoriinae). Examination of holotypes resulted in the discovery of two nomenclatural synonyms: T. longicollis Motschulsky, and T. fletcheri Wendeler. An inexpensive emergence chamber used to collect insects …

Emergence, Change And Precarious Systems: A New Lens On People And Organisation, Helen M. Hasan, Mary Barrett

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Stratification, Warm Treatment, And Mechanical And Acid Scarification On The Emergence Of Yellow-Flowered Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa Subsp. Falcata) Seeds, Diane Narem

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Yellow-flowered alfalfa (YFA) has great potential to improve rangelands in the Northern Plains. Greater than 99% of YFA seeds from soil were viable but less than 4% germinated under standard laboratory conditions. The objective was to determine if low germination was due to physical or physiological seed dormancy. The experiment utilized a random complete block design with two trials, eight replications per trial. Each replication consisted of ten treatments plus a control, four stratification treatments consisting of a combination of two temperatures (-5°C, -20°C) and two durations (48 hr, 72 hr), one warm treatment (4 min, 60°C), four sandpaper scarification …

Reductionism And Holism, Chance And Selection, Mechanism And Mind, Ursula Goodenough

Biology Faculty Publications & Presentations

Despite its rich and deepening panoply of empirical support, evolutionary theory continues to generate widespread concern. Some of this concern can be attributed to misunderstandings of the original concept, some to unfamiliarity with its current trajectories, and some to strongly held fears that it strips the human of cherished attributes. In this essay I seek to deconstruct such misunderstandings, lift up current concepts of what evolution entails, and address some of the existential issues it generates.

From Biology To Consciousness To Morality, Ursula Goodenough, Terrence W. Deacon

Biology Faculty Publications & Presentations

Social animals are provisioned with prosocial orientations that operate to transcend self-interest. Morality, as used here, describes human versions of such orientations. We explore the evolutionary antecedents of morality in the context of emergentism, giving considerable attention to the biological traits that undergird awareness and our emergent human forms of mind. We suggest that our moral frames of mind emerge from our primate prosocial capacities, transfigured and valenced by our symbolic languages, cultures, and religions.

Portions of this article were given by Deacon in a paper at the forty-ninth annual conference of IRAS, “Is Nature Enough? The Thirst for …

Crop Updates 2002 - Geraldton, Steve Penny Jr, Robin Wilson, Iian Barclay, Robyn Mclean, Robert Loughman, Jenny Garlinge, Bill Lambe, Neil Venn, Peter Clarke, Wal Anderson, Raffaele De Cima, James Bee, Darshan Sharma, Sheena Lyon, Melaine Kupsch, Mohammad Amjad, Pam Burgess, Veronika Reck, Brenda Shackley, Ray Tugwell, Bindi Webb, Robert Park, Daya Patabendige, Phil Michael, Debbie Thackray, Jenny Hawkes, Roger Jones, David Stephens, Bob French, Laurie Wahlsten, Glen Riethmuller, M. Bolland, P. White, T. Khan, Kevin Walden, Ravjit Khangura, Martin J. Barbetti, Graham Walton, Françoise Berlandier, Paul Carmody, Christiaan Valentine, Roy Latter, Keith Devenish, Bill Bowden, Michael O'Connell, Chris Gazey, David Gartner, Caroline Peek, David Rogers, Greg Shea, George Yan, Alexandra Douglas, Sally Peltzer, Paul Matson, David Minkey, Clinton Revell, Giles Glasson, Dean Thomas, Aik Cheam, Siew Lee, Mike Clarke, Peter Newman, Glenn Adam

Crop Updates

This session covers twenty seven papers from different authors:

1. Taking the Why out of Wyalkatchem – the new widely adapted wheat variety, Steve Penny Jr, Department of Agriculture

2. Future wheat varieties, Robin Wilson, Iain Barclay,Robyn McLean, Robert Loughman, Jenny Garlinge, Bill Lambe, Neil Venn and Peter Clarke

Department of Agriculture

3. Maximising wheat variety performance through agronomic management, Wal Anderson, Raffaele Del Cima, James Bee, Darshan Sharma, Sheena Lyon, Melaine Kupsch, Mohammad Amjad, Pam Burgess, Veronika Reck, Brenda Shackley, Ray Tugwell, Bindi Webb and Steve Penny Jr

Department of Agriculture

4. Cereal rust update 2002 – …