Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

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 …

Germination Trends Of American Chaffseed, Schwalbea Americana L., And Factors Affecting First-Year Seedling Development, Trenton Miller

All Theses

Following centuries of exploitation and fire suppression, longleaf pine systems are now the focus of many conservation efforts. Efforts to restore populations of Schwalbea americana L. in longleaf pine savannas have been met with frustratingly low recruitment. While past studies have briefly quantified germination rates for Schwalbea, there have not been any studies yet that truly investigate this plant’s germination requirements. Additionally, there has been little research into characterizing the parasitic relationship between Schwalbea and its various host species. We conducted a germination study in a growth chamber that investigated Schwalbea’s germination rate and time to germinates as …

A Foundational Population Genetics Investigation Of The Sexual Systems Of Solanum (Solanaceae) In The Australian Monsoon Tropics Suggests Dioecious Taxa May Benefit From Increased Genetic Admixture Via Obligate Outcrossing, Jason T. Cantley, Ingrid E. Jordon-Thaden, Morgan Roche, Daniel S. Hayes, Stephamie Kate, Christopher T. Martine

Faculty Journal Articles

Solanum section Leptostemonum is an ideal lineage to test the theoretical framework regarding proposed evolutionary benefits of outcrossing sexual systems in comparison to cosexuality. Theoretically, non-cosexual taxa should support more genetic diversity within populations, experience less inbreeding, and have less genetic structure due to a restricted ability to self-fertilize. However, many confounding factors present challenges for a confident inference that inherent differences in sexual systems influence observed genetic patterns among populations. This study provides a foundational baseline of the population genetics of several species of different sexual systems with the aim of generating hypotheses of any factor—including sexual system—that influences …

Mowing Cattail Cover To Increase Aquatic Vegetation Diversity On The Coeur D’Alene River Floodplain In Cataldo, Idaho, Makenna J. Tabino

2023 Symposium

The Schlepp Easement is a 400 acre wetland on the Coeur D’Alene River floodplain, near Cataldo, Idaho. The wetland has been restored to protect it from heavy metal pollution transported downstream from mining sites near Kellogg, Idaho, the location of the Bunker Hill EPA Superfund Site. This wetland was restored to provide safe habitats and feeding grounds for migratory waterfowl and to maintain wetland biodiversity. However, cattail is prone to becoming overdominant and outcompeting other plants, which greatly limits a wetland’s biodiversity. Our objectives were to test whether aquatic boat mowing can reduce cattail cover, improving species diversity and cover …

The Bellarmine Bee Bed: Organizing A Native Plant Garden Using Feedback From The Local Community, Kate Moran

Undergraduate Theses

Animal pollinators are the cornerstone of healthy ecosystems. Their survival is essential for the persistence of entire food chains: from the flowers they cross-pollinate directly, to the animals who depend on those plants for nutrition. The establishment of pollinator gardens—particularly ones that consist of native plants—is an effective way to enhance their biodiversity, abundance, and well-being.

The main goal of this thesis is to construct a pollinator garden that maximizes the benefits for animal pollinators using feedback from local gardeners. A survey was used to gather information about the popularity and preferences of 40 flowering plants, and after analyzing the …

Taxonomic Relationships Of Established Plant Species In The Conterminous United States, Daniel Buonaiuto, Annette Evans, Mathew Fertakos, William Pfadenhauer, Justin Salva, Bethany Bradley

Data and Datasets

Invasion status of non-native vascular plants established in the conterminous United States and their phylogenetic relationships to other invaders at multiple taxonomic resolutions.

Belowground Plant Communities: Seed Bank Dynamics And Relationship To Aboveground Vegetation In Grazing Allotment Of Klamath County, Oregon, Dellaina C. Morse, Scott M. Estepa

Environmental Science & Management Senior Capstones

Seed banks are valuable resources for restoration but are understudied. The species present in the aboveground composition influence the seed bank through seed inputs. Land managers utilize herbicides to selectively reduce certain species in the above- and belowground composition. The aim of this paper is to observe and assess the species present in a seed bank post-herbicide application, and to discuss the seed bank potential for future restoration at the specific site in Klamath County, Oregon. Soil core samples were collected in the field and brought to the lab where they were processed and prepared for germination. We watered and …

Csi Botany: Dna Barcode “Fingerprints” Identify Cryptic Urban Flora, Luis R. Vega

Theses

As short genomic markers, DNA barcodes can play a role in conservation by identifying cryptic species and hybrids when morphological approaches fall short. Here we present our application of barcodes to the identities of two wetland taxa as part of an ongoing floristic inventory of Van Cortlandt Park (VCP), Bronx, NY. Previous barcode data by Marriott et al. (2018) identified the VCP lake water lily as the exotic Nymphaea alba, rather than the native N. odorata as historically described. In addition, cattails in the park were historically identified as the native Typha latifolia and the exotic T. angustifolia …

Historical Plant Sales (Hps) Database: Documenting The Spatiotemporal History Of Plant Sales In The Conterminous U.S., Matthew Fertakos, Evelyn M. Beaury, Neil R. Ford, Nicole L. Kinlock, Denise W. Adams, Bethany Bradley

Data and Datasets

The purpose of this database was to extract, standardize, and geocode the historical trade of vascular and non-vascular plant taxa sold in the horticultural industry of the conterminous United States. The HPS database aims to serve as a resource for analysis of contemporary patterns of introduced and invasive plants as well as for identifying opportunities to expand native plant sales in horticulture. Key data sources that make up this database include the Biodiversity Heritage Library's Seed and Nursery Catalog Collection, and the book Restoring American Gardens by D.W. Adams.

Investigating The Effects Of Disturbance And Competition On Establishment, Growth, And Reproduction Of The Endangered Ripariosida Hermaphrodita, Daniel Engelking

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Ripariosida hermaphrodita (Virginia Mallow) is a perennial riparian plant with broad, maple-like leaves. It grows up to three meters high and is often found in large clonal patches, but sexually reproduces readily. While this plant may seem like a redoubtable competitor when growing in large colonies, it is declining across its range in North America. The only known occurrences in Canada are in southern Ontario. Prior to this study, no new populations had been recorded even though one of the known populations produces copious amounts of viable seed with potential to disperse. There are many hypotheses for its rarity, but …

Discerning Friend From Foe: Systematic Revision Of Cuscuta L. Section Indecorae Using A Combined Ecological, Morphometric, And Phylogenetic Approach., Corey Burt

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The genus Cuscuta (Dodder; Convolvulaceae) are obligate parasitic plants. In one clade known as section Indecorae, there are species which are considered pests that pose significant threats to agricultural crop production, while other species are rare or known only from historical records. Section Indecorae contains three species: C. coryli, C. warneri, and C. indecora (the latter with three infraspecific taxa: var. indecora, var. longisepala, and var. attenuata). The systematics of section Indecorae are not currently resolved. Cuscuta indecora has a long and complicated taxonomic history with many infraspecific varieties described, and …

Attack Of The Clones: Elucidating The Role Of Clonality In The Invasion Success Of Carpobrotus Edulis, Eduardo Luis Cruz

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Transcriptomics is a modern technique in genomics that utilizes RNA sequences to get a snapshot of genetic expression. This is a powerful tool in non-model species lacking a reference genome. Thus, the application of comparative transcriptomics has the potential to help us elucidate the evolutionary mechanisms that facilitate species invasion. Carpobrotus edulis is a prolific and widespread invasive succulent plant belonging to the Aizoaceae family. A native to South Africa, this species has become a dominant invader of many Mediterranean coastal areas. In this study, we leveraged the use of RNAseq to investigate evolutionary changes among invasive populations. RNA-seq data …

A Sky Island Perspective: New England Alpine Plant Distributions Across The Region, Andrea Tirrell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alpine ecosystems around the globe are at risk due to climate change, human disturbance, and habitat loss. New England alpine zones are small and fragmented, which could make them vulnerable to global change. However, the persistence of tundra relics throughout the Holocene suggests the persistence of these communities in microclimate refugia. Assessing the near-term vulnerability of alpine plant communities is challenged by a lack of standardized, repeat surveys and long-term monitoring data, which presents a challenge for the many agencies monitoring New England’s alpine zones. Island biogeography theory predicts that alpine species richness is a function of area, but this …

Animal Husbandry In The 21st Century: Application Of Ecological Theory And Precision Technology To Inform Understanding Of Modern Grazing Systems, Ira Lloyd Parsons

Theses and Dissertations

Ruminant animals comprise the greatest proportion of herbivores around the world, provide essential ecosystem services and human consumable protein by consuming grass and human inedible dietary fiber. Herbivory pressure alters plant communities and species diversity, effectively making grazing animals ecosystem engineers in dynamic ecosystems. Development of advanced computer processing power coupled with biometric and ecosystem sensors may be employed in the internet of things framework to create an integrated information system designed to inform understanding of grazing system function and animal energy balance. Towards this end, I utilized Bos indicus / Bos taurus crossbred steers (n = 20) across two …

Taxonomic Revision And Morphometric Analysis Of Selected Anthurium (Araceae) Species From Bolivia And Peru, Daniel M. Tarazona Ocana

Theses

The genus Anthurium (Araceae) consists of around 1,200 species distributed in the Neotropics, particularly in Central and South America. The montane forests in the eastern flank of the Andes, ranging from northern Ecuador to central Bolivia; hereafter, the East Andes Gradient region, are particularly rich in terms of species diversity, and include an understudied group of Anthurium species endemic to the region. Within this group of species, some taxa are difficult to distinguish from each other mainly due to the lack of identification keys, incomplete species descriptions and unknown synonyms. In this study, a combination of traditional taxonomic techniques and …

The Ecology And Evolution Of Species Rarity In Oaks (Quercus Spp.), Yingtong Wu

Dissertations

Rare species are susceptible to extinction due to ecological and genetic factors. Understanding the distribution, ecology, and evolution of rare species can provide useful information for effective conservation. To investigate species rarity, this dissertation focuses on a species-rich and ecologically diverse genus, Quercus (oaks). In Chapter 1, I aimed to understand how interactions between hosts and soil microbes contribute to habitat restriction in oak species. I performed a soil inoculum experiment on two pairs of sister oak species that show habitat divergence. I found that host-specific soil microbes contribute to habitat divergence and exclusion among sister species of oaks, but …

Chromosome Number Evolution, Phylogeography, And The Effects Of Climate Change On Species Distributions In Polyploid Plant Systems, Courtney H. Babin

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Polyploidy, a term used to describe organisms with cells having more than two paired sets of chromosomes, is a significant driver of diversification among land plants. Over a century of research has advanced our understanding of polyploidization in some taxa, but polyploid organisms remain understudied. In this dissertation, I investigate chromosome number evolution, phylogeographic structure, genetic differentiation, and the effects of climate change on ploidy level distribution using polyploid plant systems. In the first chapter, I inferred a molecular phylogeny of Allium, an economically important genus that includes cultivated crops and ornamentals, to investigate evolutionary transitions in chromosome number …

Nitrogen Availability In Dune Systems And Its Effect On Root Fungal Endophyte Communities., Haley E. Sage

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

As global change persists, changes in resource availability can influence plant-microbe interactions. To understand how resource availability can influence these interactions and species diversity, I focused this research on how varying nitrogen (N) levels affect root endophyte communities in the plant species Ammophila breviligulata, an ecosystem engineer in the dune system. I analyzed the relationship between nitrogen addition and microbial community composition across 60 plots treated with three nitrogen addition levels (control, low, and high) in a long-term experimental field site in the Lake Michigan dunes. I identified Ammophila breviligulata's root endophyte community after creating a culture collection and …

Plant Community Responses To Interactive Anthropogenic Disturbances Along A Natural-Wildland-Urban Gradient And Undergraduate Students’ Attitudes Toward Disturbances, Mali M. Hubert

Doctoral Dissertations

Anthropogenic disturbances are defined as any change caused by human activity that alters biodiversity. Wildfire and urbanization disturbances are among the most influential on the landscape because of their individual and interactive properties. Areas deemed wildland-urban interfaces (WUI; area where environment intermingles with human-built structures) are increasing near protected lands because of human population growth and movement, which often facilitates fire ignitions by humans. Houses that are adjacent to or overlap with wildland vegetation can complicate protection of urban development and wildlands from fires. The expansion of the WUI due to population growth will exacerbate fire risk, which can ultimately …

Mark-Recapture Study And Habitat Assessment For The Northern Metalmark Butterfly, Calephelis Borealis (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae), Weston J. Henry, Kristian S. Omland, Henry Frye, Wagner L. David

EEB Articles

Background: The northern metalmark (Calephelis borealis), is an exceedingly local, globally rare butterfly that is declining across the Midwestern and Northeastern USA. The principal stressors driving colony losses include afforestation and invasive plants that crowd out its larval hostplant (Packera ovata) and nectar resources.

Aims/Methods: To better understand its declines and guide restoration efforts, we 1) performed a mark-recapture study in Connecticut to document population trends where we were actively managing vegetation; 2) conducted a range-wide survey for evidence of phylogeographic structure, using cytochrome oxidase (CO1); 3) investigated abundance determinants of its larval foodplant, Packera ovata …

Conservation, Comparative Genomics And Species Delimitation Of The Reindeer Lichens (Cladonia), Jordan R. Hoffman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The genus Cladonia represents one of the most speciose genera of lichenized fungi, with more than 500 known species encompassing a diverse array of morphologies and habits. These lichens form keystone species in many habitats, serving a variety of ecological roles. However, despite being among of the more well studied lichens, there is much still unknown or under-studied about them. As is the case with most lichen study systems, phylogenetic study has been limited to a small number of partial loci, while adoption of next-generation sequence methods has been slow. As a consequence, there are still knowledge gaps in Cladonia …

Responses Of Arthropods To Fire And How Pollinators And Pollination Services Are Affected By Fire Severity, Blyssalyn V. Bieber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fires impact ecosystems globally and due to climate change, there are shifts in fire regimes that impact ecological communities which provide essential ecosystem services. Focusing on arthropods, fire can influence this ubiquitous animal group in various way. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis evaluating how fires impact differing arthropod functional groups. We found that overall, fire negatively effects community level responses for most functional groups with herbivores as the only exception showing some positive effects of fire. We also studied mixed-severity fires that burned >20 years ago and compared floral visitor communities across fire severities. We implemented a pollinator exclusion experiment …

Environmental Gradients Impact Key Leaf Traits In Riparian Trees, Amanda Malone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Specific leaf area (SLA) reflects a plant’s carbon investment per area and relates to generalized leaf economics spectrum growth strategies (LES). To fill gaps of knowledge about intraspecific SLA variation and why it is often inconsistent with the LES, we studied the response of two riparian tree species along the urban-rural gradient in Northeastern Colorado: an invasive, nitrogen-fixer with broad tolerances and a nitrogen-limited and shade-intolerant native. Despite these differences, the two species responded similarly, apart from the response to the urban-rural gradient, in which lower nitrogen in rural areas was associated with a more conservative strategy in the native …

Changes In Plant Community Composition, Structure, And Function In Response To Permafrost Thaw, Katherine Standen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Air temperature is increasing at three or more times the global average in high latitudes, causing widespread permafrost thaw across the boreal biome. Since the boreal biome stores 30-40% of global terrestrial carbon (C), of which about 30-45% is found in permafrost soils, this temperature increase could cause a large efflux of C to the atmosphere. Climate warming and permafrost thaw are also expected to alter plant community composition and productivity and, given the link between plant functional traits and ecosystem C fluxes, may alter overall ecosystem function. Across the boreal biome of western Canada, we know surprisingly little about …

Getting To The Root Cause: The Genetic Underpinnings Of Root System Architecture And Rhizodeposition In Sorghum, Farren Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Plants are some of the most diverse organisms on earth, consisting of more than 350,000 different species. To understand the underlying processes that contributed to plant diversification, it is fundamental to identify the genetic and genomic components that facilitated various adaptations over evolutionary history. Most studies to date have focused on the underlying controls of above-ground traits such as grain and vegetation; however, little is known about the “hidden half” of plants. Root systems comprise half of the total plant structure and provide vital functions such as anchorage, resource acquisition, and storage of energy reserves. The execution of these key …

How Do Cover Crops Change Soil Health In A No-Till System?, Aysha Kirsten Tapp Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nutrient levels and aggregation measurements are currently the most accurate means to measure soil health. It has been suggested that bacterial and fungal communities may prove to be a more accurate measure of soil health. In this study soil microbe communities and nutrient levels were compared in rye cover cropped soils to measure for differences between treatments. Effects between the microbial communities and environmental measurements were also measured within those treatments to test for correlations between soil health measures and microbial communities. The plots were put in a biennial corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max …

Study Of The Vegetation Cover Along The Coastal Area Of Al Rayyan-Mayfa Hadramout-Yemen, Khaled Saleh Bawahadi, Salah Adellah Ben Fraijan, Abdulkarim Saber Ali

Hadhramout University Journal of Natural & Applied Sciences

A survey was conducted along the coast dividing it into several segments and a distance estimated at .1.121 km from region to region where Sheher Reedah district is the study area characterized with solid earth nature and dry weather. Therefore the vegetation in the study area is weak and most of the plant species are saline, 95 vegetable types have been identified as belonging to 90 genus and comprise 40 species. The results showed that vegetation more prevalent species Aerva javanica with 100% ،37.2% density as for the frequency of plant desert palms Digera muricata ،Agave sislana ،Jatropha spinosa are …

Global Population Divergence Of A Cosmopolian Desert Plant, Victor Ryan Alfaro

Biology ETDs

Genetic and phenotypic variation can have different patterns within a species if it has populations with contrasting histories. Populations can have discrete differences that are shaped by different evolutionary scenarios, but within each population, range, or region, traits and association with fitness can also be affected by both edaphic and landscape variation. For my dissertation, I surveyed and experimentally analyzed variation and adaptive potential in Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii), a desert annual that has endemic, invasive, and agricultural populations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Although my multi-trait analysis generated complex results, my findings can be applied to …

Interspersed Denuded Zone (Idz): How Patchy Leaf Litter Dynamics In A Buckthorn-Invaded Urban Woodland Can Affect Microarthropod Species Richness, Angela Stenberg

DePaul Discoveries

Biodiversity loss may serve as a key diagnostic of the Anthropocene. An important driver of this loss is by means of invasive species. In this study of a forest preserve in Chicago, Illinois we examined Interspersed Denuded Zones (IDZs for short), which are areas of patchy leaf litter in invaded forests caused in this case by the rapid decomposition of litter from buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica). We characterized the leaf litter mass in IDZs and enumerated litter-inhabiting microarthropod populations. We found that plots of high buckthorn density are associated with IDZs: there was significantly less leaf litter mass in …

Effects Of Wetland Management And Associated Abiotic Factors On Rare Plant Communities Of Spring-Fed Arid Wetlands, Antonio Cantu De Leija

LSU Master's Theses

Spring-fed arid wetlands support high biological productivity and are hotspots for endemism and distribution of rare plants, making them areas of high conservation value. These systems are driven by complex interactions among groundwater discharge and the geomorphic and climatic features of the setting, which provide gradients of edaphic conditions, particularly soil moisture and salinity that influence the presence and abundance of rare plant communities. However, spring-fed arid wetlands are at particular risk of increases in salinity and drier hydrological regimes due to anthropogenic activities. Such alterations to abiotic conditions may jeopardize the distribution and abundance of rare plants by exceeding …