Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons^™

Molecular Phylogenetics Of Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae) Based On Chloroplast And Nuclear Dna Sequence Data, Jeffery M. Saarela, Paul M. Peterson, Ryan M. Keane, Jacques Cayouette, Sean W. Graham

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We conducted a phylogenetic analysis to characterize relationships among Bromus and test the monophyly of five of the seven morphologically distinct groups within Bromus (Poaceae: Pooideae) that have been treated as sections, subgenera, or genera. We sequenced the chloroplast trnL (UAA) intron, the 3'-end of the chloroplast ndhF gene, and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region for 46 species that represent a large proportion of the morphological and geographical diversity in the genus. Independent analyses of plastid and nuclear ribosomal data identified several lineages in Bromus, but there is some evidence of …

Dicliny In Bouteloua (Poaceae: Chloridoideae): Implications For The Evolution Of Dioecy, Michael S. Kinney, J. Travis Columbus, Elizabeth A. Friar

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The New World grass genus Bouteloua (Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae) comprises 57 species, 13 of which produce unisexual spikelets and hence are diclinous. Andromonoecy, gynodioecy, monoecy, trimonoecy, and dioecy all occur in the genus, and ten species are known to express more than one of these breeding systems. Employing a phylogenetic estimate based on parsimony analysis of DNA sequences from the ITS (nrDNA) and trnL–F (cpDNA) regions representing 35 species of Bouteloua, including ten of 13 diclinous species, we used parsimony character state reconstructions to investigate the evolution of unisexual spikelets and breeding systems. Our specific goals were to estimate …

Phylogeny, Adaptive Radiation, And Historical Biogeography Of Bromeliaceae Inferred From Ndhf Sequence Data, Thomas J. Givnish, Kendra C. Millam, Paul E. Berry, Kenneth J. Sytsma

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Cladistic analysis of ndhF sequences identifies eight major bromeliad clades arranged in ladderlike fashion. The traditional subfamilies Tillandsioideae and Bromelioideae are monophyletic, but Pitcairnioideae are paraphyletic, requiring the description of four new subfamilies, recircumscription of Pitcairnioideae and Navioideae, the sinking of Ayensua, and description of the new genus Sequencia. Brocchinioideae are basalmost, followed by Lindmanioideae, both restricted to the Guayana Shield. Next is an unresolved trichotomy involving Hechtioideae from Central America, Tillandsioideae, and the remaining bromeliads in subfamilies Navioideae, Pitcairnioideae, Puyoideae, and Bromelioideae. Bromeliads arose as C₃ terrestrial plants on moist infertile sites in …

Towards A Comprehensive Survey Of C3 And C4 Photosynthetic Pathways In Cyperaceae, Jeremy J. Bruhl, Karen L. Wilson

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Members of the family Cyperaceae were surveyed by original observation and from the literature to assess the distribution of C₃ and C₄ photosynthetic pathways in the family. All 107 genera were included in the current sample, with 91 genera assessed as consistently C₃ and 11 genera as C₄. The genera Abildgaardia, Cyperus, Eleocharis, Fimbristylis, and Rhynchospora are variable for this trait. Of the total number (1474) of specific (1406) and infraspecific (68) taxa sampled, 938 taxa (63%) are C₃, 527 taxa (36%) are C₄, and nine species …

A Preliminary Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Grass Subfamily Pooideae (Poaceae), With Attention To Structural Features Of The Plastid And Nuclear Genomes, Including An Intron Loss In Gbssi, Jerrold I Davis, Robert J. Soreng

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Phylogenetic relationships in the grass family (Poaceae), with specific attention to the internal structure of subfamily Pooideae, are analyzed on the basis of nucleotide sequence variation in plastid-encoded genes (matK, ndhF, ndhH, and rbcL). The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis was examined with attention to the taxonomic distributions of two inversions and an insertion/deletion within ndhF, the absence of intron 10 of the nuclear gene GBSSI (waxy), and positions of the boundaries between the Short Single Copy (SSC) region and the neighboring Inverted Repeat (IR) regions of the plastid genome, relative to the endpoints of ndh …

Phylogenetic Relationships Among The One-Flowered, Determinate Genera Of Bambuseae (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), Lynn G. Clark, Soejatmi Dransfield, Jimmy Triplett, J. Gabriel Sánchez-Ken

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Bambuseae (woody bamboos), one of two tribes recognized within Bambusoideae (true bamboos), comprise over 90% of the diversity of the subfamily, yet monophyly of the tribe is generally only moderately supported, and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe are poorly understood. In addition, there appears to be some level of conflict between morphological and molecular data within the tribe. We conducted a parsimony analysis of 43 species of Bambuseae, three of Olyreae (herbaceous bamboos), and two outgroup taxa using morphological and plastid rpl16 intron sequence data to (1) further test the monophyly of Bambuseae, (2) test the monophyly of Chusqueinae …

Phylogenetics Of Chloridoideae (Gramineae): A Preliminary Study Based On Nuclear Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer And Chloroplast Trnl–F Sequences, J. Travis Columbus, Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa, Michael S. Kinney, Maria Elena Siqueiros-Delgado, Hester L. Bell, M. Patrick Griffith, Nancy F. Refulio-Rodriguez

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The phylogeny of Chloridoideae (Gramineae) was inferred from parsimony analyses of DNA sequences from two genomes—the chloroplast trnL intron, trnL 3' exon, and trnL–F intergenic spacer, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1 + 5.8S + ITS2). Eighty species representing 66 chloridoid genera were sampled, including all but four of the native New World genera. Analyses of the individual and combined data sets were performed. The phylogenies were found to be highly congruent. Of the four tribes and seven subtribes of Chloridoideae sensu Clayton and Renvoize (1986) whose phylogenetic status could be tested with our …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Year-End Progress Report, October 1, 2006 To September 30, 2007, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• The Weed Sentry program surveyed more than 750 miles of federal lands in Clark County for invasive, exotic plant species.
• Weed Sentry also removed more than 600,000 individual invasive plants from federal
  lands. These removals represent pro-active efforts that may have forestalled large
  infestations difficult and costly to eradicate.
• In response to a request by the manager of the Fish and Wildlife Service Desert National
  Wildlife Refuge, a major effort of surveying springs for plant community composition
  and invasive plants provided unique knowledge services by the Weed Sentry program.
  No such baseline information existed for the Sheep Range. …

Distribution Patterns Of Great Basin Conifers: Implications Of Extinction And Immigration, David A. Charlet

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

Factors influencing the distribution of scattered montane conifers on mountaintops in the Great Basin of North America were investigated. The sources of data were collections and observations on more than 300 mountain ranges in the region. All mountains in the region with at least one montane conifer species and all adjacent source areas were included in the data set. In all, 164 montane island sites and 40 mainland sites were used in the analyses. Physical data for each site were compiled and regression analyses were conducted to test the predictions of three island biogeography models: immigration, extinction, and equilibrium. These …

Reassessment Of Yucca Brevifolia And Recognition Of Y. Jaegeriana As A Distinct Species, Lee W. Lenz

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

A brief historical account of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia, Agavaceae) is presented. The geographical distribution, morphological and pollinator differences between subsp. brevifolia and subsp. jaegeriana are examined and the latter is raised to specific rank. The fossil Protoyucca and its possible relationship to the Joshua trees are considered together with implications as to the possible origin of the genus.

Wood Anatomy Of Crossosomatales: Patterns Of Wood Evolution With Relation To Phylogeny And Ecology, Sherwin Carlquist

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The seven families hypothesized by Sosa and Chase to comprise Crossosomatales possess relatively long vessel elements with scalariform perforation plates and scalariform to opposite vessel-ray pitting; tracheids; diffuse axial parenchyma; and heterogeneous rays. These and other primitive character states do not indicate relationships, but they do not offer any evidence against the idea that Crossosomatales are a natural order. Departures from the primitive character states are related to ecological adaptations. Crossosomataceae have simple perforation plates (scalariform briefly at the beginning of the secondary xylem), a feature correlated with the seasonal aridity of habitats occupied by the family, the sole family …

A Brief Nomenclatural Review Of Genera And Tribes In Theaceae, Linda M. Prince

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The angiosperm family Theaceae has been investigated extensively with a rich publication record of anatomical, cytological, paleontological, and palynological data analyses and interpretation. Recent developmental and molecular data sets and the application of cladistic analytical methods support dramatic changes in circumscription at the familial, tribal, and generic levels. Growing interest in the family outside the taxonomic and systematic fields warrants a brief review of the recent nomenclatural history (mainly 20th century), some of the classification systems currently in use, and an explanation of which data support various classification schemes. An abridged bibliography with critical nomenclatural references is provided.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2007, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• Weed Sentry staff surveyed several springs and seeps on the Desert Range National Wildlife Refuge, measuring exotic species abundance and plant community composition. In addition, 63 miles were surveyed for exotic species on National Park Service (NPS) land, nine miles on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and 119 miles on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) land. A total of 867 exotic plants in incipient populations were treated on NPS land, and 53 plants were treated on ISFWS land.
• Research Assistant Ms. Jessica Spencer assumed coordination duties for Weed Sentry mapping this quarter to replace Ms. Carrie …

The Prairie Naturalist, Volume 39, No. 2 June 2007

The Prairie Naturalist

USING DISTANCE SAMPLING TO ESTIMATE DENSITIES OF WHlTE-TAILED DEER IN SOUTH-CENTRAL MINNESOTA, M. A. LaRue, C. K. Nielsen, and M. D. Grund

BURROWING OWL ASSOCIATIONS WITH BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG COLONIES IN SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS AND SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO, S. L. Winter and J. F. Cully, Jr.

OPTIMAL FORAGING IN EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL: FOOD SIZE MATTERS FOR A GENERALIST FORAGER, R. Tatina

IN MEMORIAM: ROBERT N. RANDALL. C. Talkington

Editor's Note regarding Christmas Bird Count

OCCURRENCES OF SMALL MAMMAL SPECIES IN A MIXEDGRASS PRAIRIE IN NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA, R. K. Murphy, R. A. Sweitzer, and J. D. Albertson

SILPHIDAE (INSECTA: COLEOPTERA) COLLECTED IN …

Editor's Note Regarding Christmas Bird Count, Elmer J. Finck

The Prairie Naturalist

Lawrence Igl has agreed to summarize the North Dakota Christmas Bird Counts for submission to The Prairie Naturalist. We plan to have a short biography for Larry when the first summary is published. Elmer J. Finck, Editor

Notes On Black-Footed Ferret Detectability And Behavior, David S. Jachowski

The Prairie Naturalist

Despite over two decades of recovery efforts, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) remains one of the least understood and most critically endangered mammals in North America. Once extinct in the wild, over 2,400 captive-born individuals of black-footed ferret (hereafter referred to as ferret) have been released at 13 reintroduction sites ranging from northern Montana to Chihuahua, Mexico, since 1991. However, ferret populations currently are considered to be self-sustaining at only two sites in South Dakota and a single site in Wyoming (United States Fish and Wildlife Service 2006). To understand why ferret recovery is not succeeding at a …

Optimal Foraging In Eastern Fox Squirrel: Food Size Matters For A Generalist Forager, Robert Tatina

The Prairie Naturalist

Classical optimal foraging theory (OFT) predicts that an animal forages optimally when it chooses foods with the highest energy benefit or minimizes time searching for and handling food. r evaluated OFT by presenting eastern fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) multiple food items (i.e., sunflower seeds and • fruits) in various density combinations. When the choice was between foods of equal energy benefits but different costs, they chose forage items with greater costs, seemingly not foraging optimally. However, individuals showed a partial preference for food items which minimized search time, but not handling time. The eastern fox squirrel also was …

Review Of Appreciating Your Feathered Neighbors, By Dana Gardner And Nancy Overcott, Melinda G. Knutson

The Prairie Naturalist

Fifty Common Birds of the Upper Midwest. Watercolors by Dana Gardner; text by Nancy Overcott. 2006. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa. 106 pages. $34.95 (cloth).

What's the best way to interest a friend in bird watching? Buy them a field guide, a CD of bird songs, or take them out bird watching? All of these ideas might work, but another approach is to tell personal stories and draw pictures of common birds in yards, parks, and natural areas where they live; help them "get to know their neighbors with feathers." That's exactly what Dana Gardner and Nancy Overcott …

First Record Of Field Speedwell From South Dakota, Robert Tatina

The Prairie Naturalist

Veronica agrestis L. (field speedwell or green field speedwell), a member of the Scrophulariaceae, is a small, weedy, prostrate annual with blue or white flowers (Gleason and Cronquist 1991). Until recently, its distribution included most of the eastern half of the United States and the southern two-thirds of the Great Plains, but not South Dakota (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=VEAG &photoID=veag_001_avd.tif, accessed 5 February 2007). Neither the Great Plains Flora Association (1986) nor Van Bruggen (1996) includes this species in the flora of South Dakota; however, the former has it naturalized in southeastern Nebraska and in Iowa (Great Plains Flora Association 1986). In May, …

Occurrences Of Small Mammal Species In A Mixedgrass Prairie In Northwestern North Dakota,, Robert K. Murphy, Richard A. Sweitzer, John D. Albertson

The Prairie Naturalist

Documentation is limited for many species of vertebrates in the northern Great Plains, particularly northwestern North Dakota (Bailey 1926, Hall 1981). Here we report relative abundances of small « 450 g) species of mammals that were captured incidental to surveys of amphibians and reptiles at Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge (LNWR) in northwestern North Dakota from 1985 to 1987 and 1999 to 2000. Our records include a modest range extension for one species. We also comment on relationships of small mammals on the refuge to vegetation changes associated with fire and grazing disturbances.

Burrowing Owl Associations With Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Colonies In Southwestern Kansas And Southeastern Colorado, Stephen L. Winter, Jack F. Cully Jr.

The Prairie Naturalist

We quantified the use of black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies as habitat for the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado. We used incidental sightings and breeding season avifauna surveys to document the presence of the burrowing owl on black-tailed prairie dog colonies, non-colonized rangeland, and cropland during the spring and early summer. Burrowing owl rarely was observed on noncolonized rangeland and cropland sites, and black-tailed prairie dog colonies appear to be used substantially as a habitat type for the burrowing owl in the region encompassing Cimarron and Commanche National Grasslands in …

Using Distance Sampling To Estimate Densities Of White-Tailed Deer In South-Central Minnesota, Michelle A. Larue, Clayton K. Nielsen, Marrett D. Grund

The Prairie Naturalist

Distance sampling is a method of estimating population abundance and density used by wildlife biologists for several species because of its advantages relative to other techniques. However, few wildlife biologists have used distance sampling to estimate abundance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We describe a distance sampling technique used to estimate prehunt and post-hunt population densities of deer in Watonwan County, Minnesota. Estimates of white-tailed deer density were compared between distance sampling versus population modeling, and costs for distance sampling versus aerial surveys were determined. We drove 2,704 km during 24 spotlight surveys conducted from 21 October to …

In Memoriam Robert N. Randall, October 26, 1915 - January 30, 2007, Clark Talkington

The Prairie Naturalist

Among his friends, Bob Randall will be remembered as a caring, gentle man. Bob was one of those rare individuals who had a keen awareness of everyone around him. In social settings, he would make sure that everyone was comfortable, and it was always clear that he was genuinely concerned about everyone. Those who knew him will greatly miss his gentle nature and enthusiasm for birds. He never got caught up in all of his achievements. He had a sense of balance to his life which was evident in his many interests including birding and bird banding, rocks and minerals, …

Marshes-In Photos And Words. Review Of Marshes: The Disappearing Edens By Bill Burt, Douglas H. Johnson

The Prairie Naturalist

Bill Burt has done it again. The author of two superbly illustrated books (Shadowbirds and Rare and Elusive Birds of North America) that were reviewed earlier in this journal, Burt has returned with another excellent book, this one focusing on marshes. Like his earlier books, Marshes features wonderful close-up views of many hard-to-photograph birds. Here, in addition, are grand images of marsh landscapes and other marsh denizens, especially plants. Burt best characterizes his own book, which he intends as "an evocation and exploration, rather than a catalog of marshland life." He tells of his 30 years spent prowling …

Silphidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) Collected In North Central North Dakota, Including New Occurrences Of Thanatophilus Sagax (Mannerheim),, Guy A. Hanley

The Prairie Naturalist

Members of the beetle family Silphidae are relatively large (10-35 mm) and often brightly colored insects. They usually are found in association with dead animal bodies (carrion), but some are phytophagous while others are predatory. Thirty endemic species are known to occur in North America north of Mexico (Ratcliffe 1996), and 17 species in North Dakota. (Hanley et aI., unpublished data). To date, there has been little to no silphid collection data available from north central North Dakota counties, due mostly to the lack of entomological research in the area.

Nine species of silphids were collected in a single season …

First Record Of Corisella Inscripta (Uhler) (Heteroptera: Corixidae) From North Dakota, Bruce A. Hanson, David M. Mushet, Ned A. Euliss Jr., Stephen Chordas Iii

The Prairie Naturalist

Corisella inscripta is a water boatman species that was reported in H. B. Hungerford's (1948) seminal monograph as occurring throughout Mexico and nine western states of the United States. Subsequently, additional records of C. inscripta have been reported for British Columbia in Canada (Maw et al. 2000) and for Montana (Roemhild 1976), Arkansas (Cochran and Harp 1990), Missouri (Polhemus et al. 1988), Ohio (Chordas and Armitage 1998), and Michigan (Chordas et al. 2002) in the United States. There have been no published records of C. inscripta from North Dakota (Fig. I). We collected one male C. inscripta at the Cottonwood …

Review Of Some Scarce Birds Of The Upper Midwest By Dana Gardner And Nancy Overcott, Stephen J. Dinsmore

The Prairie Naturalist

Fifty Uncommon Birds of the Upper Midwest. Watercolors by Dana Gardner; text by Nancy Overcott. 2007. University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa. 112 pages. $34.95 (cloth).

Nancy Overcott has written series of short essays of birds found in the Upper Midwest and assembled them in an easy-to-read book. As an ornithologist and avid birder in this region, I'll admit that I didn't know what to expect when I opened the cover-would the focus be on rarities, would there be an identification component, are there tips for finding each species, and at what audience was the book aimed? Ultimately, I …

Comparison Of Water Dynamics In Aspen And Conifer: Implications For Ecology Water Yield Augmentation, Eric Martin Lamalfa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Differences in water dynamics between deciduous aspen (Populus tremuloides) and co-occurring evergreen conifer species in the Northern Rocky Mountains result from complex physical and biological interactions. A comprehensive evaluation of individual water transfer mechanisms was used to elucidate the relative importance of several components of the hydro logic cycles of aspen and conifer, and determine which water transfer mechanisms have potential to cause differences in net water yield.

Adjacent aspen and conifer stands were monitored to determine snow accumulation and ablation (snow survey), soil moisture recharge (capacitance probes), snowpack sublimation (sublimation pan), transpiration period (thermal dissipation probes), and …

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Vegetation Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending March 31, 2007, Margaret N. Rees

Vegetation Monitoring

Executive Summary

• Weed Sentry staff surveyed for exotic species on 208 miles of roads on NPS land and on 61 miles of BLM land. Due to sparse precipitation this winter, exotic species are much less abundant this year compared to last year at this time.
• Other exotic species projects initiated this quarter included an assessment of invasion patterns below native shrubs for early detection of potential invasion “hotspots,” and a community invasibility experiment established near the NPS nursery with substantial involvement from NPS ATR Ms. Alice Newton.
• A manuscript detailing several experiments with the invasive species Sahara mustard was submitted …

Vegetative Characteristics Of Pronghorn Bed Sites In Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, Christopher N. Jacques, Jonathan A. Jenks, Jaret D. Sievers, Daniel E. Roddy

The Prairie Naturalist

Much of the previous literature on pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) fawns has focused on fawn mortality (Beale 1978, Barrett 1984, Gregg et al. 2001) and social behavior (Kitchen 1974, Autenrieth and Fichter 1975, Bromley 1977). Selection of bed sites by pronghorn fawns is a major factor affecting fawn survival (Bromley 1978, Barrett 1981, O'Gara et al. 1986, VanSchmus 1990) because adequate cover is a crucial component of fawn bed site selection (Autenrieth 1984). Alldredge et al. (1991) reported that fawns selected dense shrub cover but avoided the most-dense cover in sagebrush-steppe communities in southcentral Wyoming while Tucker and Gamer …