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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Phylogenetic Placement Of Seven Strains Of Synechococcales (Cyanobacteria) Isolated From Desert Soils In Zion National Park., Kevin Houk
Senior Honors Projects
Seven strains of cyanobacteria of the order Synechococcales were isolated from the sandstone derived soil of Zion National Park. These strains were analyzed using 16S rRNA and 16S-23S phylogenetic analysis, percent dissimilarity of the ITS sequence, morphology, and the similarity of the 16S rRNA sequence. One strain was placed within the genus Plectolyngbya, but the Bayesian inference and 16S rRNA similarity analysis support the conclusion that Plectolyngbya should not considered a valid genus, and that it should be integrated into the taxonomically prioritized Leptolybya. Two of the strains were found to be similar to Phormidesmus morphologically, but the …
Heat And Chemical Cues Enhance Germination Rates In Fire-Dependent Chaparral Species, Zachary Litwinowicz
Heat And Chemical Cues Enhance Germination Rates In Fire-Dependent Chaparral Species, Zachary Litwinowicz
Senior Honors Projects
Climate change has caused an increase in the frequency and intensity of fire cycles in chaparral ecosystems. In environments impacted by wildfires, some plant species depend on complex fire cues to germinate. Determining how to best replicate wildfire cues is essential to using fire-recruiter species in restoration efforts. This study examines the effects of various simulated fire cues on four chaparral species: Arctostaphylos manzanita, A. viscida, Ceanothus cuneatus, and C. jepsonii. Seeds were exposed to heat, charate, liquid smoke, or combinations of treatments. Other germination cues, such as cold exposure for all species and acid exposure for Arctostaphylos species, were …