Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating Soil And Plant Health In A Wide-Row Maize (Zea Mays L.) Production System Integrated With Perennial Cover Crops And Turkey (Meleagris Gallopavo), Sovika Bhattarai

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In regions dominated by intensive maize (Zea mays L.) production systems, such as the US Midwest, sustainable agricultural practices such as cover crops and livestock integration are gaining interest for their potential to improve soil, plant, and environmental health. Traditionally, annual cover cropping systems (ACCs) have been used to maintain soil quality and crop performance without compromising ecosystem services. However, the high establishment and management costs of ACCs highlight the need for alternative approaches, such as perennial cover crops (PCCs). Grown as companion crops with maize, PCCs provide extended soil cover and can improve soil biochemical properties (e.g., total C …

A Novel 3d Imaging Approach To Study Evolutionary Innovations In Solanaceae Inflorescences, Devin L. Jackson, Joonseog Kim, Wenheng Zhang Dr.

Undergraduate Research Posters

Understanding the relatedness of angiosperms and the evolution of their inflorescence remains challenging, as these structures are highly modified and prone to convergent evolution. The current research describing inflorescence architecture, whether genetically or morphologically focused, typically relies on text based explanations, 2D images, or 3D based models created with CAD modeling software. This creates a disparity in the reader's understanding of these models since descriptions rely heavily on the author's interpretation of the inflorescence. The goal of our study is to bridge this disconnection by producing anatomically and color-correct 3D inflorescence models using Solanaceae flowers that readers can explore directly, …

From Theory To Ecosystems: Exploring Biodiversity And Ecosystem-Function In Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia Californica) Microbial Communities, Gavin Sutter

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem-function (BEF) has been a central focus of ecological research for the last three decades, yet the role of space in shaping BEF relationships remains relatively unknown. Research has shown that community diversity and composition can strongly influence productivity, nutrient cycling, and decomposition, but much of this work treats communities as spatially isolated, leaving open how dispersal and other spatial processes shape BEF at broader scales. To begin addressing this gap, I used microbial communities inhabiting Darlingtonia californica pitcher plant leaves to evaluate how spatial organization and successional change shape biodiversity and ecosystem-functioning. I quantified …

American Elderberry's Next Top Pollinator: Evaluating The Role Of Arthropods In Pollination, Jenny K. Burrow

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

American elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis) is a woody deciduous shrub native to eastern North America. In addition to its long history of use by indigenous peoples, there is renewed interest in cultivating and consuming American elderberry, primarily driven by expanding health supplement markets. Despite recent advances in horticultural development of American elderberry, its pollination ecology remains poorly understood. In this field study, I evaluated the contribution of arthropod visitors to pollination of American elderberry. To do this, I first characterized the identities and abundances of arthropod visitors via timed arthropod collections and floral observations during peak flowering …

[Review Of The Book A Conspectus Of The North American Isoetaceae, By D. F. Brunton, J. T. Kartesz, M. Nishino, And P. C. Sokoloff]., Lytton John Musselman

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Isoetes (Isoetaceae; Lycopodiopsida; quillworts) constitutes a highly successful, cosmopolitan genus with over 200 species. Isoetes is derived from isos Greek for equal and eter for year, referring to the typically long persisting leaves of the sole genus in this ancient plant family. The leaves resemble a ‘quill-of-feather,’ hence the common name ‘Quillworts,’ wort, from old Germanic wurti, meaning plant. In large measure due to its simple form, inconspicuous appearance and negligible economic value, it represents one of the least studied and least collected of all North American genera. Isoetes constitutes a taxonomically enigmatic group with numerous polyploid species that arose …

Hydroponics In The Classroom: Cultivating Plants, Captivating Young People, Stacy A. Adams, Christian Stephenson, Theresa James, Kim Todd

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Few students take the initiative to pursue coursework beyond that required for progression to graduation. Limited are opportunities that connect educational content to industry application, potentially inspiring young people towards impactful careers. The United States government has emphasized the importance of STEM education to ensure national security and to maintain economic competitiveness globally. STEM education is not a defined discipline but an approach for building knowledge through application and engagement. Developing and managing a hydroponics prototype provides numerous opportunities for embedding STEM content into a fun and interactive project. This poster provides inspiration for constructing a simple deep water culture …

Sex In Plants: Birth, Death, And Trying To Survive In Changing Climates, Elena M. Meyer

Theses and Dissertations

Plant mating systems are key determinants of fitness. Angiosperms exhibit a wide variety of reproductive strategies, including self-fertilization (or selfing), outcrossing, and mixed mating. It has been estimated that up to 43% of plant species are capable of selfing, and selfing has been hypothesized to provide reproductive assurance where opportunities for mating may be limited, such as in marginal environments. However, questions regarding the overall distribution of selfing rates across angiosperms, the maintenance of mixed mating in the face of inbreeding depression, and the impact of self-fertilization on diversification rates remain incompletely resolved. Here, we explore the dynamics of self-fertilization …

Non-Native Seagrass, Halophila Stipulacea, Reaches Northern Caribbean, Elizabeth R. Whitman, Elizabeth W. Stoner, Stephanie K. Archer

Gulf and Caribbean Research

Halophila stipulacea, a seagrass native to the western Indian Ocean, has become an established invader throughout the western Atlantic, where it often outcompetes native seagrass species across diverse environmental conditions. Here, we report its presence in the northern Bahamas, ca. 2300 km northwest of the first Caribbean record in Grenada and 304 km northeast of the recent observation in Florida, USA. This range expansion represents the northernmost Caribbean record to date and highlights the species’ capacity for long-distance dispersal and continued spread within the region. Our observation underscores the need for coordinated monitoring efforts to track the trajectory of …

Analysis Of Alternative Oxidase In Non-Angiosperm Plants, Anissa M. Francis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Alternative oxidase (AOX) is a mitochondrial terminal oxidase that provides an alternative pathway for electron transport, allowing plants to maintain respiratory flexibility under environmental stress conditions. While AOX has been extensively studied in angiosperms (flowering plants), little is known about its distribution and conservation in non-angiosperms. Based on gaps identified in the literature, this thesis investigated the distribution of AOX across non-angiosperm plant lineages. Although AOX is present in many green algae and is therefore considered to be an ancient protein that originated before the existence of non-angiosperm plants, it remains unclear whether the protein is uniformly distributed across these …

Clerodendrum Kelli (Lamiaceae), A New Species From Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, And Lectotypification Of Clerodendrum Mindorense, David Justin R. Ples, Jacek Patykowski, John Charles A. Altomonte, Adriene B. Tobias, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante

Biology Faculty Publications

Clerodendrum kelli (Lamiaceae), a new species from the montane forests of Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, is described and illustrated. The species shares morphological features with Clerodendrum quadriloculare and C. mindorense, but differs in inflorescence structure, corolla tube length, and calyx shape and color. A lectotype for C. mindorense is also designated. Preliminary conservation assessment places C. kelli in the Critically Endangered category (CR B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii)). This study contributes to Philippine plant biodiversity knowledge and informs conservation strategies.

Growth Of Porang (Amorphopallus Muelleri) Seedlings As Influenced By Seed Maturity And The Presence Of Sarcotesta, Indri Fariroh, Restiani Sih Harsanti, Aminatun Nisa, Didik Pudji Restanto, Rizky Anugerah Putra

Jurnal Kultivasi

Porang seed maturity based its position on spadix position significantly impacts germination. The presence of the seed coat (sarcotesta) also influenced germination and initial seedling growth. This study aimed to explore the effect of seed maturity and the presence of sarcotesta to the seedling growth. The experiment was conducted from January to June 2023. A two factor Randomized Complete Block Design was employed, examining three maturity levels based on spadix position (physiological maturity seed from the tip spadix (red colour), half physiological maturity seed from the middle spadix (orange colour), and immature seed from the base spadix (green colour)), and …

Patch Mow Grazing: Investigating The Effects Of Mowing On Forage Nutritive Value, The Biomass–Nutritive Value Relationship, And Herbivore Selection, Trace R. Stauble

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

Herbivore foraging behavior plays a critical role in shaping grassland structural heterogeneity, with selection often driven by forage biomass and nutritive value. Currently, it is thought that herbivores primarily select areas that are greater in nutritive value, and low in biomass. More specifically, disturbances like fire and grazing have been thoroughly studied showing that recently burned and grazed areas are not only higher in nutritive value but disproportionately selected by herbivores in comparison to undisturbed areas. However, most studies address only narrow ranges of defoliation, comparing intensely defoliated sites (< 10 cm) to those that are either not defoliated or have experienced a much longer time since defoliation, thereby decreasing grazing pressure as biomass increases. However, one of the most widely used methods of defoliation in grasslands, mowing, hasn’t been thoroughly studied for its effects on nutritive value, and how it impacts herbivore selection. Our study aimed to (1) evaluate how mowing treatments—i.e., short (5 cm), medium (18 cm), and tall (>30 cm, unmown)—affect nutritive value and herbivore selection, (2) assess …

Cover Crop Influence On Arthropod Biodiversity And Soil–Water Dynamics In A Semi-Arid Maize–Soybean Sequence Of The Nebraska High Plains, Carlos Eduardo De Oliveira Martins

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

With the expansion of cover crop (CC) use in semi-arid regions, producers in the Nebraska High Plains are increasingly interested in understanding how CCs influence both beneficial arthropods and soil-water within maize-soybean (Zea mays L., Glycine max [L.] Merr.) rotations. Integrating CCs in these systems can enhance soil water availability and beneficial insect activity, but potential trade-offs include higher early-season water use by CCs and the risk of increasing potential pest populations. This thesis addresses these questions through two complementary studies conducted under field conditions near Brule, Nebraska. The first study evaluated the effects of a multi-species CC mixture …

Post-Fire Soil Health Assessment Of The Grasslands And Woodlands In The Semi-Arid Nebraska Sandhills, Stephanie M. Lugo

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

Grasslands in the Nebraska Sandhills are shaped by natural wildfires, which help maintain the structure and function of native grasslands. In recent decades, afforestation with ponderosa pine and eastern redcedar has introduced new woodlands that altered the region’s fire dynamics and raised important questions about the effects of wildfire on different vegetation types. As wildfires become more frequent, understanding their impacts on soil health in grasslands and woodlands becomes increasingly important. This study examines the short-term effects of the 2022 Bovee Fire on physical, chemical, and biological soil properties in native grasslands and ponderosa pine and eastern redcedar afforested woodlands. …

Root Analysis Of Glechoma Hederacea, Austin Z. Shiner

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Glechoma hederacea, or commonly referred to as ground ivy, is a weed that can be found in many places such as parks, yards, and landscapes. A mutant genotype of Glechoma hederacea that was exhibiting virescence was collected from a single mutant branch of the wildtype ground ivy. The collected mutant has delayed chloroplast development, and this appears to impact plastidial terpenoid synthesis resulting in damage to leaf tissue. Since a range of plant hormones include isoprene units, altered IPP synthesis may have visible impacts beyond the green tissues of the plant, so this study aimed at addressing this question. …

Nepenthes Megastoma (Nepenthaceae), A Micro-Endemic Pitcher Plant From Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan, Philippines, John Charles A. Altomonte, John Paul R. Collantes, Vernaluz Mangussad, Rene Alfred Anton Bustamante, Alastair S. Robinson

Environmental Science Faculty Publications

Nepenthes megastoma is described and illustrated as a new species from the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palawan Philippines. This carnivorous tropical pitcher plant is currently known from just three locations in the Mount Saint Paul karst formation, where it grows on vertical limestone walls. Morphologically, N. megastoma is characterised by its highly branched stems, campanulate pitchers, peltate tendril exsertion, dimorphic upper pitchers, and unidirectionally upturned female flowers. It is assessed as Critically Endangered under the IUCN Red List criteria, based on its restriction to three subpopulations comprising few total individuals. Pitcher morphology …

Seagrass Persistence In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly Kibler, Melinda Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_seagrasspersistence_IRL_LWL.shp was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon (IRL) and Lake Worth Lagoon (LWL). The dataset presented herein represents persistence of seagrass throughout waters of the IRL and LWL.

Exploring The Role Of Environmental Heterogeneity And Transmission In Mutualist Coexistence, Alexandra Campbell, Tom E.X. Miller

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Spread Of Black Sigatoka Disease: A Deterministic And Stochastic Modeling Approach, Bernard Asamoah Afful, Luis F. Gordillo

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Modeling The Probability Of N Clonal Rosettes In A Bromeliaceae Genetic Individual, Erin N. Bodine, Layla K. Lammers

Annual Symposium on Biomathematics and Ecology Education and Research

No abstract provided.

Comparative Analysis Of Taproot And Fibrous Root System Microbiomes Under Flooding Stress, Natalie S. Kozlowski, Leighanna Jake

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

There has been increased interest in understanding how the microbiomes of vascular plants respond to flooding stress and, many studies have focused on monocotyledonous plants with fibrous root systems. This leaves a gap in knowledge of dicotyledonous plants with taproot systems, as previous studies have been in the context of flooding to cropland affecting major food crops which are often monocotyledonous plants with fibrous root systems. Since the structural and functional differences between these root systems may influence microbial community stability and response to flooding conditions, a study looking at both is long overdue As such, this study aims to …

Living Shoreline Prioritization And Hydrodynamic Habitat Suitability Models For Restoration In The Indian River Lagoon And Lake Worth Lagoon, Florida, Kelly M. Kibler, Melinda J. Donnelly, Vincent Encomio, Madison Giuntoli, Manisha Thenuwara, Brice Bennett, Laura Andrade Barron, Mariam Sonbol, Wynter Raine Seppala, Namritha Ramakrishnan, Jennifer Jordan Báez, Beth Orlando, Irene Arpayoglou, Melissa Meisenburg

Indian River Lagoon Shorelines

The spatial dataset: UCF_shorelinemodel_IRL_LWL.shp, was created with support from the Indian River Lagoon National Estuaries Program and Florida Sea Grant. These projects cumulatively led to creation of a living shoreline restoration prioritization model and hydrodynamic habitat suitability models for 1,550 km (963 miles) of estuarine shorelines in Indian River Lagoon and Lake Worth Lagoon.

The dataset presented herein includes:

1. shoreline data from >15,000 transects collected in the field,
2. shoreline wave climate data created through hydrodynamic modeling and frequency analysis of historic data,
3. categorization of potential risk for shoreline boat wake impact,
4. persistence of seagrass within 210 m of the shoreline, …

Genetic Engineering For Pastures, W J. Peacock

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The first genetically engineered food products from horticultural production systems are now entering the mnrke< and field trials of genetically engineered crop species are well advanced. We cnn expect that a range of crop cultivars, in which gene

Grassland For Sustainable Ecosystems, Malcolm Hadley

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grasslnnds present many advantages for examining issues related to sustainability. Grasslands include planted pastures as well as a variety of natural rangelands in situations ranging from semi-arid to subhumid. Diversity is also reflected in the spectrum of grassland users and uses, for example, nomadic pastoralism, extensive ranches, intensive pastures, wildlife tourism, game hunting. And in terms of sustainability of resource management, grasslands encompass a wide range of contrasting situations and conflicts in resource use. Heavy grazing pressure associated with increasing human populations in certain tropical savannas, the implications of rural depopulation to traditional pasture management in alpine regions, and the …

Grasslands For Our World, F Riveros

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The present-day role of grasslands and fodder is reviewed with respect agriculture, animal production and environmental concerns. The world's grazing lands are a finite resource and, overall, arc being badly managed; in most developing countries action is required now, before it is too late. They will continue to be a major source of animal feed for the foreseeable future; encroachment from cropping will continue locally but, for much of what is now natural pasture, exploitation by the grazing animal .will remain the major means of obtaining an economic return; the task of grassland professionals is to assist the managers of …

Human Impact On Terrestrial Ecosystems - What We Know And What We Are Doing About It, H A. Mooney

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

At present the impact of humankind on the Earth System is substantial and will become greater as we continue to add over 80 million people to the global population each year. Collectively the human species utilises over a third of the total fresh water that is available, as well as an equivalent amount of the total terrestrial productivity. Possil energy is being consumed at a prodigious rate and fuels, among other things, over a half a billion vehicles. To support the large human population the Earth has been greatly reconfigured with much of the land utilised for grazing and agriculture. …

Science And Information For Our Grasslands, G A. Nores, R R. Vera

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

This paper favours a view of grasslands, and agricultural research in general, that extends well beyond the limits of the scientific community and promotes the active involvement of scientists in current societal debates from a scientific perspective. It is argued that in developed countries environmental concerns rather than production growth will tend to dominate future social debate. In developing countries there is a need to balance agricultural growth with responsible management of natural resources. Needs for new technology go beyond improving biophysical efficiency, and involve economic and social efficiency objectives. The relevance of grassland research is assessed in terms of …

Vegetation Dynamics In Grazed Systems: A Hierarchical Perspective, D D. Briske

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Grassland vegetation consists of a series of hierarchical levels including the tiller, plant, population and community which collectively influence the productivity and stability of grazed systems. These hierarchical levels may respond uniformly to influence vegetation dynamics, but frequently additional complexity is encountered by the occurrence of opposing responses between or among hierarchical levels. Consequently, it is important to con­sider responses at several hierarchical levels to achieve an accurate interpretation of vegetation dynamics to graz­ing within the community. The significance of a hierarchical perspective to vegetation management is illustrated with examples from bunchgrass dominated rangelands at the level of the individual …

Forage Conservation And Physico-Chemical Conversion, E Zimmer

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The factors on which the digestibility of organic matter (dMO) of forages depend are now well-known. In temperate forages, this digestibility depends mainly on the growth stage, the rank of the growth-cycle, and the botanical species. It is constantly decreasing with advancing age, especially during the first growth-cycle. In after­math growth-cycles, high temperatures accelerate the decrease of digestibility with age. Tropical forages follow the same laws, but tropical grasses are less digestible than cool-season grasses, especially at young stages and in warm weather. This is partly due to the fact that high temperatures increase cell-wall contents and lignification, and also …

The Feeding Value Of Forages, C Demarquilly

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The lower productivity of legume based swards and their instability of yield from year to year compared with nitrogen fertilised grass swards continues to be a major constraint on the integration of leguminous nitrogen fixing species into present-day farming systems. Most legume systems have a high biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potential which is rarely attained in the· field due to limiting environmental or management factors. Enhancement of BNF through manipulation of the Rhizobium and plant components of the symbiosis must be viewed as a long-term objective. Optimisation of nitrogen fixation in the short-term may best be achieved through optimisation of …