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The Virginia Academy Of Science: A Scholarly Forum Over Decades For Students Of A Plant Ecologist, Stewart Ware

Virginia Journal of Science

As a newcomer to Virginia in 1968, I learned that annual meetings of the Virginia Academy of Science (VAS) were regarded as an excellent place for students to have their first experience giving a talk about their research to fellow scientists, and a place for faculty to get to know other Virginia scientists in their fields. Over the next four decades William and Mary students (undergraduate and graduate) and I were presenters or co-authors of 42 talks or posters at VAS annual meetings, 29 of them based on studies of plant ecology across Virginia. Two were talks by colleagues with …

Hilling As A Management Tactic And Tool For Understanding Soybean Gall Midge (Resseliella Maxima Gagné), Pragya Gupta

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Soybean gall midge (Resseliella maxima Gagné, SGM) emerged as a new species in the United States Midwest in 2019, causing injury to soybean (Glycine max L.) Infestation of R. maxima starts with females laying eggs in the fissures or cracks that develop at the base of soybean during the V2-V3 growth stage. The emerged larvae feed on the stem internally, leading to wilting and death of the plants. With knowledge gaps in biology and behavior, management strategies for this pest are challenging. Hilling is a cultural practice causing soil to cover the base of stems and is …

Interacting Effects Of Nutrient Availability And Environmental Change On Grassland Plant Communities, George Robert Wheeler

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The availability of nutrients plays an important role in shaping the composition, productivity and diversity of plant communities. Such effects are particularly well documented in grassland ecosystems, where both independent studies and collaborations such as the Nutrient Network consistently show increasing productivity and decreasing diversity with the addition of limiting nutrients. The specifics of this pattern, however, vary widely from site to site, and within a single site, they may shift with changes in environmental conditions and disturbance regimes.

My research at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (Minnesota, USA), documents such a pattern through resampling of a long-term experiment on …

The Effect Of Sample Grinding On Color-Based Predictions Of Soil Organic Carbon, Mason Rutgers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Measurements of soil color are widely accessible and can be used as indirect measures of soil organic carbon (SOC). Sensor-based soil color measurements, frequently used in quantitative studies to predict SOC, often use ground and sieved soil samples for color analysis. However, it is unknown whether the extra steps of drying, crushing, and sieving a sample improve the quantitative relationship between color and SOC. This study was conducted to evaluate color-based predictions of SOC using intact, sieved (<2 mm), and fine-ground soil samples from northwest Oklahoma. Moist soil color was measured using Munsell color charts (MCCs) and a Nix Mini 3™ portable color sensor (PCS). The color of the soil samples was measured before processing, after crushing to pass through a 2-mm sieve, and after mechanical grinding to less than 0.25-mm. Using Munsell value (from the MCC) and CIEL* (from the PCS) as predictor variables, regression analyses were conducted to develop SOC predictive functions for each physical state. The resulting coefficients of determination (R2) and root mean squared errors (RMSE) were used to assess model fits for predicting SOC. Model contrasts were calculated to evaluate significant differences between each predictive model. All models exhibited strong relationships (0.56 < R2 < 0.70, 0.20 < RMSE < 0.25) between soil lightness and predicted SOC. Models built using aggregated samples measured with both MCCs (R2= 0.70, RMSE= 0.20) and the PCS (R2= 0.69, RMSE= 0.21) produced the best results. Models built using intact samples measured using the PCS did perform significantly better on samples dark in color (CIEL* < 30). These results suggest that grinding soil samples does not improve color-based predictions of SOC using MCCs and the PCS.

Life Line Spring 2024, Otterbein Biology And Earth Science Department

Life Line - The Biology Department Newsletter

In this Issue:

The Department Welcomes Dr. Grooms; Otterbein's New Pollinator/Rain Garden; Alumni Return to Share Research; Svitana Serves on Ohio EPA VAP Rules Review Advisory Committee; Field Geology Students Explore Death Valley and the Grand Canyon; Students Volunteer at Remote Area Medical Clinic; The Mussels of the Stillwater River and Greenville Creek; More Than "Just" a Chickadee; An Enriching Time at the Zoo; Human Reaction Times; Using Computer Models to Inform Real World Control Methods in Street Dogs; Svitana Continues Work with NGWA; DIY Microbial Fuel Cell Challenge; Birds of a Feather...; Students Research Impact of Sunscreens on Corals; …

Grains, Seeds And Hay Industry Funding Scheme Annual Report 2022/2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

The Grains, Seeds and Hay Industry Funding Scheme (IFS) has been operating since 2010 to address biosecurity threats relevant to Western Australia’s (WA) grains, seeds and hay industry. The Scheme was established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 to enable growers to identify the pest and disease priorities at a whole-of-industry level and raise funds for activities to address these priorities.

There are currently three Industry Funding Schemes in operation. In addition to the Grains, Seeds and Hay IFS, there is a Cattle IFS and a Sheep and Goat IFS. The three IFSs operate in a similar manner. …

Growing South Dakota (Spring 2024), College Of Agriculture, Food And Environmental Sciences

Growing South Dakota (Publication of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences)

[Page] 3 Empowering the Next Generation of Agriculture
[Page] 5 Celebration of Faculty Excellence
[Page] 7 Judging Teams Provide Connection, Critical Skills
[Page] 11 Melanie Caffe: SDSU Oat Breeder Finds Motivation in Making a Difference for Farmers
[Page] 13 2024 CAFES Outstanding Seniors
[Page] 14 SDSU Celebrates Students Accepted to Veterinary Schools through Stethoscope Ceremony"
[Page] 15 New Researchers in CAFES
[Page] 17 Hitting the Mark – Shooting Sports Driving Growth in SDSU Extension 4-H Program
[Page] 19 A New Century Leads to a New Barn
[Page] 20 CAFES News & Updates
[Page] 21 Jackrabbits Now & Then
[Page] 22 …

Systematics, Biogeography, And Floral Trait Evolution Of The Plant Genus, Medinilla (Melastomataceae), John Peter Quakenbush

Dissertations

Medinilla is a large paleotropical genus in the plant family Melastomataceae with a long history of systematic uncertainty. The first objective of this research is to test the monophyly of Medinilla. A species tree is estimated using 599 nuclear gene trees, and 87 concatenated chloroplast genes are used to estimate the plastid phylogeny. Sampling includes 272 Medinilla and outgroups. Pachycentria and Plethiandra are resolved within Medinilla. Other fleshy-fruitedgenera long associated with Medinilla (i.e., Catanthera, Heteroblemma, Kendrickia) belong to other clades. With this new evolutionary framework, an infrageneric classification system is proposed for Medinilla consisting of …

Some Notable Women Botanists In The Vas: Their Roles In Supporting The Development Of The Modern Flora Of Virginia, Marion B. Lobstein

Virginia Journal of Science

With the publishing of the 2012 Flora of Virginia by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, the dream of modern flora for Virginia was realized. This was a goal of the Virginia Flora Committee of the Virginia Academy of Science as well as other groups such as the Virginia Botanical Associates and the Virginia Native Plant Society. The Flora of Virginia and the 2017 Flora of Virginia App were realized with the work, support, and encouragement of many individuals and organizations. This paper focuses on the lives, contributions, and work of six women botanists in the Academy who …

Undergraduate Instruction In Plant Pathology: In-Class Group Activities Improve Teamwork Skills In Semester-Long Projects, Teddy Garcia-Aroca

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

PLPT 210: Plant Pathogens and Disease is an introductory-level undergraduate course offered by the Department of Plant Pathology at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The course covers the basic principles of plant pathology, fundamental aspects of pathogen biology, and common management strategies. The course is offered every spring, and the enrollment is ~40 students per semester. Most students enrolled in the course are sophomores, juniors, to a lesser extent seniors from the Agronomy and Horticulture majors, Plant and Landscapes Systems, and Environmental Sciences. The course consists of lectures and in-class activities, and students are evaluated through quizzes, individual and in-group homework assignments, …

The Role Of Geomorphological Context In Vegetative Succession Within The Breiðamerkurjökull Glacial Foreland, Lucas Nerbonne

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As glaciers retreat worldwide at an accelerating pace, understanding primary succession in these newly exposed landscapes becomes increasingly critical. This study examines the initial vegetative colonization patterns in glacial forelands, focusing on the influence of geomorphological formations of resulting plant communities. By analyzing vegetative communities in glaciofluvial and push moraine deposits, this study highlights how the more varied, channelized morphologies of fluvial deposits create potential microclimates better conducive to heterogenous plant colonization than the homogenous terrain of the nearby push moraine. Vegetative coverage, sediment size, and species abundance was collected at 480 sites across 6 different historical glacial extents across …

Assessing The Progress And Effects Of Exotic Plant Invasions In A Sustainably Used Littoral Forest Fragment In Southeastern Madagascar, Grant Gerhardt

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

While it is important to conserve Madagascar’s unique natural forest environments and the biodiversity they contain, it is also essential that populations reliant on these ecosystems for their income and survival have access to the resources they provide. Sustainable use forests, designated by the IUCN as category VI protected areas, are the solution to meeting both of these conditions. At the same time, it is often the case that the use of forests invites disturbance, which in turn encourages the introduction and establishment of nonnative or invasive plant species. This study examines the degree to which the intensity of use …

Investigating The Expression Of Growth-Regulating Factor 2 (Grf2) In Arabidopsis Thaliana, Sophia S. Henry

Senior Theses

Arabidopsis thaliana is a model organism that is used in laboratories across the world for the study of cellular and molecular processes in plants. GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR 2 (GRF2) is a transcription factor that promotes leaf growth in Arabidopsis. It is a member of a family of transcription factors that is conserved across all land plants. Previous studies have characterized GRF2 expression in leaves, but GRF2 expression in floral organs has not been studied as extensively. GRF2 acts redundantly with other members of the GRF transcription factor family during floral development. grf1/2/3/5 quadruple mutants show malformed gynoecia, severe fusions between floral …

Impact Of Temperature On The Bionomics And Geographical Range Margins Of The Two-Spotted Field Cricket Gryllus Bimaculatus In The World: Implications For Its Mass Farming, Henlay J.O. Magara, Chrysantus M. Tanga, Brian L. Fisher, Abdelmutalab G.A. Azrag, Saliou Niassy, James P. Egonyu, Sylvain Hugel, Nana Roos, Monica A. Ayieko, Subramanian Sevgan, Sunday Ekesi

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Gryllus bimaculatus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) is widely considered an excellent nutrient source for food and feed. Despite its economic importance, there is limited information on the impact of temperature on the bionomics of this cricket to guide its effective and sustainable mass production in its geographical range. The biological parameters of G. bimaculatus were investigated at eight different temperatures ranging from 20–40∘C. The Insect Life-Cycle Modelling (ILCYM) program was used to fit linear and non-linear functions to the data to describe the influence of temperature on life history parameters and its farmability under the current and projected climate for 2050. Our …

Experimental Test Of Reforestation With Maesopsis Eminii Engl. And Millettia Drastica Welw. In The Eco-Climatic Conditions Of Kinshasa In The Drc, Bozele Nyabobola Alphonse, Dande Assikpu Patrick, Belesi Katula Honore, Lubini Ayingweu Constantin

Journal of Bioresource Management

The study focuses on the the experimental test of reforestation with Maesopsis eminii and Millettia drastica in the eco-climatic conditions of Kinshasa, with the aim of assessing the development and growth of the species through germination, and their behaviour in relation to the soil in the conditions of Kinshasa, with a view to proposing advice for responsible afforestation and reforestation. The results show that both species tend to reduce soil acidity. After cultivation, the pHs were 4.49 and 4.69 respectively for soils 1 and 2, compared with 3.98 for soil 0. In addition, Millettia drastica neutralises aluminium in the soil …

Univariate And Multivariate Approaches For Identifying Key Differential Volatile Compounds In Wedelia Trilobata Essential Oils From Four Different Locations, Tuan Ashraf Faiz Tuan Anuar, Suria Ramli, Chamroon Laosinwattana, Kamalrul Azlan Azizan

Makara Journal of Science

Geographical location is an important factor affecting the production of the volatile compounds and corresponding bioactivity of essential oil (EO). The aim of this study was to determine whether the bioactivity of Wedelia trilobata EO varies by geographical location and identify the key volatile compounds involved in bioactivity. A total of 95 volatile compounds reported in W. trilobata EOs obtained from Brazil, India, Malaysia and Thailand were retrieved from the literature, and changes and key differential volatile compounds were identified with univariate and multivariate methods. Results showed that the monoterpene hydrocarbon content of α-phellandrene and α-pinene were higher than that …

Two Birds With One Stone: How Rhrap2.4l Controls Both Cell Proliferation And Expansion To Regulate Petal Growth In Rose, Janlo M. Robil

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Soil Change In The Us Great Plains: An Evaluation Of The Haas Soil Archive, Mark A. Liebig, Francisco J. Calderon, Andrea K. Clemensen, Lisa Durso, Jessica L. Duttenhefner, Jed O. Eberly, Jonathan J. Halvorson, Virginia L. Jin, Kyle Mankin, Andrew J. Margenot, Catherine E. Stewart, Scott Van Pelt, Merle F. Vigil

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Diverse patterns of climate and edaphic factors challenge detection of soil property change in the US Great Plains. Because detectable soil change can take decades, insights into the trajectory of soil properties frequently require long-term site monitoring and, where available, associated soil archives to enable comparisons with initial or baseline states. Unfortunately, few multi-decadal soil change investigations have been conducted in this region. Here, we document effects of dryland cropping on a suite of soil properties by comparing matched historic (1947) and contemporary (2018) soil samples from the Haas Soil Archive at three sites in the US Great Plains: Moccasin, …

Effect Of Harvest Season On The Physical Properties, Fatty Acid Composition, And Volatile Compounds Of Roasted Cacao Beans, Amornrat Chumthong, Nuttarisa Limjumrern, Chutikarn Saensano, Pornthep Teerawattanapong, Aekkaraj Nualla-Ong, Adirek Rugkong, Rawee Chiarawipa

Makara Journal of Science

The prevailing climate is an important factor affecting the development of the physical quality and flavor of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) beans. The influence of harvest seasons on the physical, chemical, and flavor characteristics of cacao beans from Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, southern Thailand, was assessed. Among cacao beans, those harvested in the rainy season (R) had the highest fresh and dry weights and the lowest bean count per 100 g (87.00 ± 2.83). Although the overall fat content remained relatively constant across harvest seasons, cacao beans harvested in R exhibited a significantly higher fatty acid (C16:0, C18:1, and …

Assessment Of The Genotoxic Effect Of Pesticide (Profenophos And Cypermethrin) On Allium Cepa L. Through Comet Assay, Ali Hasnian, Muhammad Rizwan, Hamed Dadkhah-Aghdash ., Zahid Mehmood, Ayesha Iqbal, Zarbab Zulfiqar, Bin Yameen, Hafiz Naveed Anjum, Sohaib Muhammad, Muhammad Luqman, Andleeb Anwar Sardar, Muhammad Umer Farooq

Journal of Bioresource Management

Pesticides are specially designed to control pests and help in increasing the yield of crops. This study aims to investigate the genotoxic effect of the major ingredients of commonly used pesticides (Profenophos and Cypermethrin) on Allium cepa L. in different regions of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Profenophos and Cypermethrin pesticides are extensively used by local farmers. Six different dilutions of Profenophos and Cypermethrin pesticide ranging from, 0.5 ml/L, 1 ml/L, 1.5 ml/L, 2 ml/L, 2.5 ml/L and 3.0 ml/L were applied initially on seeds germination. Seeds grown in a 3.0 ml/L concentration showed a lower radical length percentage as …

Unlocking The Promise Of The ″Miracle Tree: A Review On Therapeutic Applications And Phytochemistry Of Moringa Oleifera L., Ali Zeeshan, Mubashrah Munir, Sehrish Sadia

Journal of Bioresource Management

Moringa oleifera, commonly known as the "miracle tree", has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and has recently garnered interest from the scientific community for its therapeutic potential. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the phytochemistry, nutritional composition, and medicinal properties of different parts of M. oleifera. The leaves, pods, bark, roots, seeds, and flowers contain various essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals such as flavonoids, glucosinolates, and phenolic acids. These bioactive compounds confer anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, anti-venom, and wound healing properties. Extracts and isolates from M. oleifera have shown …

Eurasian Aspen (Populus Tremula L.): Central Europe's Keystone Species 'Hiding In Plain Sight', Antonín Kusbach, Jan Šebesta, Robert Hruban, Pavel Peška, Paul C. Rogers

Aspen Bibliography

Knowledge of Eurasian aspen’s (Populus tremula L.) ecological and growth characteristics is of high importance to plant and wildlife community ecology, and noncommercial forest ecosystem services. This research assessed these characteristics, identified aspen’s habitat optimum, and examined causality of its current scarce distribution in central Europe. We analyzed a robust database of field measurements (4,656,130 stands) for forest management planning over 78,000 km² of the Czech territory. Our analysis we used GIS techniques, with basic and multivariate statistics such as general linear models, ordination, and classification. Results describe a species of broad ecological amplitude that has heretofore attracted …

Genomes Of Multicellular Algal Sisters To Land Plants Illuminate Signaling Network Evolution, Xuehuan Feng, Jinfang Zheng, Iker Irisarri, Huihui Yu, Bo Zheng, Zahin Ali, Sophie De Vries, Jean Keller, Janine M. R. Fürst-Jansen, Armin Dadras, Jaccoline M. S. Zegers, Tim P. Rieseberg, Amra Dhabalia Ashok, Tatyana Darienko, Maaike J. Bierenbroodspot, Lydia Gramzow, Romy Petroll, Fabian B. Haas, Noe Fernandez-Pozo, Orestis Nousias, Tang Li, Elisabeth Fitzek, W. Scott Grayburn, Nina Rittmeier, Charlotte Permann, Florian Rümpler, John M. Archibald, Günter Theißen, Jeffrey P. Mower, Maike Lorenz16, Henrik Buschmann, Klaus Von Schwartzenberg, Lori Boston, Richard D. Hayes, Chris Daum, Kerrie Barry, Igor V. Grigoriev, Xiyin Wang, Fay-Wei Li, Stefan A. Rensing, Julius Ben Ari, Noa Keren, Assaf Mosquna, Andreas Holzinger, Pierre-Marc Delaux, Chi Zhang, Jinling Huang, Marek Mutwil6,, Jan De Vries, Yanbin Yin

Center for Plant Science Innovation: Faculty Publications

Zygnematophyceae are the algal sisters of land plants. Here we sequenced four genomes of filamentous Zygnematophyceae, including chromosome-scale assemblies for three strains of Zygnema circumcarinatum. We inferred traits in the ancestor of Zygnematophyceae and land plants that might have ushered in the conquest of land by plants: expanded genes for signaling cascades, environmental response, and multicellular growth. Zygnematophyceae and land plants share all the major enzymes for cell wall synthesis and remodifications, and gene gains shaped this toolkit. Co-expression network analyses uncover gene cohorts that unite environmental signaling with multicellular developmental programs. Our data shed light on a molecular …

Deep Learning Can Be Used To Classify And Segment Plant Cell Types In Xylem Tissue, Reem Al Dabagh, Benjamin Shin, Sean Wu, Fabien Scalzo, Helen Holmlund, Jessica Lee, Chris Ghim, Samuel Fitzgerald, Marinna Grijalva

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Studies of plant anatomical traits are essential for understanding plant physiological adaptations to stressful environments. For example, shrubs in the chaparral ecosystem of southern California have adapted various xylem anatomical traits that help them survive drought and freezing. Previous studies have shown that xylem conduits with a narrow diameter allows certain chaparral shrub species to survive temperatures as low as -12 C. Other studies have shown that increased cell wall thickness of fibers surrounding xylem vessels improves resistance to water stress-induced embolism formation. Historically, these studies on xylem anatomical traits have relied on hand measurements of cells in light micrographs, …

Silvopastoral Agroforestry In Upland And Lowland Uk Grassland: Tree Growth And Animal Performance, W R. Eason, R Lavender, R O. Clements, C Duller, E Gill, M Hislop

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Trees, individually protected from herbivore damage using plastic shelters, were planted at two densities (100 and 400 stems/ha) into sheepgrazed pasture in upland and lowland UK grassland sites in 1988. Tree and animal performance were compared with conventional forestry (no sheep) and pasture (no tree) systems. Effects on tree growth and survival are highly species and site dependent although some treatment effects did emerge. Tree shelters encouraged rapid early height growth compared to forestry controls although in some cases tree form was also adversely affected. Generally tree performance within agroforestry treatments was better at the higher planting density. Eight years …

Use Of Annual Self-Reseeding Legumes In An Oak Forest In Central Italy, P Talamucci, G Argenti, A Pardini, S Piemontese, N Stagliano

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

A trial has been carried out for three years in an oak coppice geometrically thinned out of Mediterranean Central Italy, about the functioning of a pastoral system made by four different resources: native pasture, subterranean clover (Trifolium brachycalycinum Katzn. et Morley) in pure stand, strips thinned out and firebreaks improved with oversown subclover, all grazed by sheep. Subclover increased the forage yield and improved the palatabilty of the pasture and the regularity of grazing; the higher biomass intake by animals reduced the quantity of dried biomass in summer and contributed to keep low either fire hazards or flame diffusion …

The Effects Of Shelterbelts On Adjacent Pastures And Soils In A Temperate Climate, A G. Gillingham, M F. Hawke

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Two trials were conducted to differentiate the direct (exposure) from the indirect (modified soil fertility due to nutrient transfer by grazing animals) effects of farm shelterbelts on associated pasture growth.Soil from close to “unmanaged”shelterbelts with dense shelter to ground level had relatively high potassium (K) levels and, in a glasshouse situation, provided more pasture growth than soil from further distances, or from adjacent to “managed” shelterbelts. Pasture grown in boxes of a common soil implanted at increasing distances from a shelterbelt also produced highest growth rates close to shelter. These results generally explain the pattern of resident pasture growth, except …

Temperate Pasture And Sheep Performance Under Radiata Pine And In Open Pasture, K M. Pollock, R J. Lucas, D B. Pownall, S E. Thomson

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Forage production from years 4 to 6 of an agroforestry system at 400-600 trees per ha and pasture alone were compared for a temperate sub-humid environment. Forage production was best for lucerne pasture followed by phalaris/clover and cocksfoot/clover, and least for ryegrass/clover and the ryegrass only pastures. Total pasture production in the agroforest relative to the open pasture was from 10% more for phalaris to 20% less for lucerne. Sheep carrying capacity over all pastures was 14.6 sheep/ha in the open and 11.8 sheep/ha in the agroforest and varied by ±15% according to the pasture types.

Grazing Management Of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus Proliferus) For Sheep And Cattle Production In Southern Australia, N J. Edwards, G M. Allen, D M. Mcneill, C M. Oldham

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Direct grazing of hedgerows of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) by sheep or cattle appear to be very robust systems. Tagasaste persists under a continuous grazing regime with cattle such that plant regrowth maintained between 5 and 10 cm in length produces in excess of 215 kg of animal liveweight/ha/year. This level of production is also sustained within a rotational grazing regime. Under both grazing systems cattle production within a year is highly seasonal, with liveweight gains from young cattle peaking at 1.0-1.5 kg/head/day in winter and spring, but dropping to maintenance only by late summer-autumn. Sheep, like cattle, can …

Shrub Palatability To Rusa Deer (Cervus Timorensis Russa) In New Caledonia, C Corniaux, S Le Bel, J M. Sarrailh

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

The objective of this study was to determine a palatability scale of five shrub legumes to rusa deer during the dry season in New Caledonia. Acacia ampliceps and Samanea saman remain low in acceptability. Gliricidia sepium is more palatable but quite less than Leucaena leucocephala (native cultivar) and Calliandra calothyrsus (San Ramon). Therefore, since the regression of Leucaena leucocephala population, Calliandra calothyrsus could be very promising to replace it in the deer diet. On the other hand, Acacia ampliceps seems to be the most interesting shrub legume to plant in the west coast, where soil erosion, due to successive droughts …