Botany Commons^™

Using Avifauna To Access The Functional Success Of The Restored Beaver Creek Wetlands Near Cave Run Lake, Menifee County, Kentucky, Brian D. Wulker

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Brian D. Wulker on December 1, 2014.

Traversing Swanton Road, 17th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

Next-Generation Field Guides, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, Miyoko Chu, W. John Kress, Amanda K. Neill, Jason H. Best, John Pickering, Robert D. Stevenson, Gregory W. Courtney, John K. Vandyk, Aaron M. Ellison

John K. VanDyk

To conserve species, we must first identify them. Field researchers, land managers, educators, and citizen scientists need up-to-date and accessible tools to identify organisms, organize data, and share observations. Emerging technologies complement traditional, book-form field guides by providing users with a wealth of multimedia data. We review technical innovations of next-generation field guides, including Web-based and stand-alone applications, interactive multiple-access keys, visual-recognition software adapted to identify organisms, species checklists that can be customized to particular sites, online communities in which people share species observations, and the use of crowdsourced data to refine machine-based identification algorithms. Next-generation field guides are user …

Allopolyploidy, Diversification, And The Miocene Grassland Expansion, Matt Estep, Michael Mckain, Dilys Diaz, Jinshun Zhong, John Hodge, Trevor Hodkinson, Daniel Layton, Simon Malcomber, Rémy Pasquet, Elizabeth Kellogg

Biology Department Faculty Works

The role of polyploidy, particularly allopolyploidy, in plant diversification is a subject of debate. Whole-genome duplications precede the origins of many major clades (e.g., angiosperms, Brassicaceae, Poaceae), suggesting that polyploidy drives diversification. However, theoretical arguments and empirical studies suggest that polyploid lineages may actually have lower speciation rates and higher extinction rates than diploid lineages. We focus here on the grass tribe Andropogoneae, an economically and ecologically important group of C4 species with a high frequency of polyploids. A phylogeny was constructed for ca. 10% of the species of the clade, based on sequences of four concatenated low-copy nuclear loci. …

Identification And Characterization Of Signal Components In Early Aba Signaling In Arabidopsis, Yueh-Ju Hou

Open Access Dissertations

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates growth, development, and response to abiotic stress in plants. The core ABA signaling has three key components: ABA receptors PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1 and PYR1-Like protein (PYR1/PYLs), type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) and SNF1- related protein Kinase 2s (SnRK2s). In the presence of ABA, PYR1/PYLs bind to and inhibit PP2Cs, leading to the release of SnRK2s from suppression, to activate downstream events such as ABA-responsive gene expression. To identify new components in the ABA signaling pathway, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screen for PYLs and SnRK2s interactors. We identified two proteins that interact with PYLs …

Identification And Characterization Of Factors Involved In Dna Demethylation And Anti-Silencing In Arabidopsis, Zhaobo Lang

Open Access Dissertations

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mark for transcriptional gene silencing in many eukaryotes. DNA methylation status can be dynamically controlled by methylation and active demethylation processes. Compared to the well-known mechanisms of DNA methylation, the mechanisms of DNA demethylation and its regulation are poorly understood. In order to better understand the DNA demethylation pathway, we developed two genetic screening systems in Arabidopsis to identify new components involved in the DNA demethylation. In the first system, which is based on 35S promoter driven SUC2 (sucrose transporter 2) transgene, a mutant (91-1) was isolated and map-based cloning identified the …

Population Differentiation, Dispersal Limitation, And Local Adaptation In The Gametophytic Fern Vittaria Appalachiana, Sally M. Stevens

Open Access Dissertations

Species' distributions are driven by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. As these factors become altered by global climate change, species are believed to respond to these projected environmental changes in four different ways. One response is the shifting of the species' geographic range to higher latitudes and elevations, which will be unlikely for those species that have limited dispersal potential. Alternatively, organisms may tolerate the change, which will be unlikely for those organisms that are not phenotypically plastic. A third potential response is to adapt to the new environment via rapid evolution, an unlikely response for those organisms …

Expression And Functional Characterization Of Mtp Genes From Arabidopsis Thaliana In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Yessica E. Cerino

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In this study the functional characterization and overexpression of Metal Tolerance Protein (MTP) cDNA were evaluated using a transgenic yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) model system as a preliminary means for the characterization of metal tolerance conferred by putative Group III MTP genes from Arabidopsis thaliana. Metal disc assays for nickel, zinc, cobalt and cadmium treatments were performed to measure the tolerance imparted to yeast by the MTP cDNAs. Statistical analysis from zinc and cadmium assays showed AtMTP1 imparted the highest zinc tolerance in yeast, while AtMTPB1 imparted the highest cadmium and cobalt tolerance. However, AtMTPA2 and AtMTPB produced a decrease in …

Abcb11 Functions With B1 And B19 To Regulate Rootward Auxin Transport, Jesica Elyse Reemmer

Open Access Theses

Auxin transport is essential for the architecture and development of erect plants. In a network of transporters directing auxin flows, ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) transporters are a ubiquitous family of proteins that actively transport important substrates, including auxins, across the plasma membrane. ABCB1 and ABCB19 have been shown to account for the majority of rootward auxin transport, but residual fluxes to the root tip in Arabidopsis b1b19 double mutants implies the involvement of at least one additional auxin transporter in this process. Of specific interest, the severe dwarfism seen in abcb1abcb19 is strikingly reminiscent of that seen in mutants defective in …

Refining Phylogenetic Hypotheses Using Chloroplast Genomics And Incomplete Data Sets In Lasthenia (Madieae, Asteraceae), Joseph Frederic Walker

Open Access Theses

The genus Lasthenia (Madieae, Asteraceae), consists of predominantly annual plant species that are largely endemic to the California Floristic Province of western North America and occupy a large range of habitat types. With high levels of morphological and ecological diversity, Lasthenia is a robust tool, capable of providing a natural non-model organism for answering a diverse array of ecological and evolutionary questions. Future studies would benefit greatly from a strong phylogenetic hypothesis and more molecular resources, such as the whole plastome sequence for a representative species in the genus. Over a decade ago there was a study that laid a …

[Accepted Article Manuscript Version (Postprint)] Auxin Input Pathway Disruptions Are Mitigated By Changes In Auxin Biosynthetic Gene Expression In Arabidopsis, Gretchen Spiess, Amanda Hausman, Peng Yu, Jerry Cohen, Rebekah Rampey, Bethany Zolman

Biology Department Faculty Works

Auxin is a phytohormone involved in cell elongation and division. Levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the primary auxin, are tightly regulated through biosynthesis, degradation, sequestration, and transport. IAA is sequestered in reversible processes by adding amino acids, polyol or simple alcohols, or sugars, forming IAA conjugates, or through a two-carbon elongation forming indole-3-butyric acid. These sequestered forms of IAA alter hormone activity. To gain a better understanding of how auxin homeostasis is maintained, we have generated Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants that combine disruptions in the pathways, converting IAA conjugates and indole-3-butyric acid to free IAA. These mutants show phenotypes indicative …

Traversing Swanton Road, 16th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia) Provide A 21st-Century Perspective On Infraspecific Ranks And Interspecific Hybrids: A Modest Proposal* For Appropriate Recognition And Usage, Aaron M. Ellison, Charles C. Davis, Pat Calie, Robert F. C. Naczi

Biological Sciences Faculty and Staff Research

The taxonomic use of infraspecific ranks (subspecies, variety, subvariety, form, and subform), and the formal recognition of interspecific hybrid taxa, is permitted by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. However, considerable confusion regarding the biological and systematic merits is caused by current practice in the use of infraspecific ranks, which obscures the meaningful variability on which natural selection operates, and by the formal recognition of those interspecific hybrids that lack the potential for inter-lineage gene flow. These issues also may have pragmatic and legal consequences, especially regarding the legal delimitation and management of threatened and endangered …

Photosynthetic Thermal Tolerance And Recovery To Short Duration Temperature Stress In Desert And Montane Plants: A Comparative Study, David William Gallagher

Master's Theses

• Climate change models predict an increase in frequency and amplitude of extreme weather events, including heat waves. To better predict how the composition and distribution of plant assemblages might respond to these changes in temperature, it is important to understand how species currently respond to these extremes. Photosynthetic thermal tolerance (T₂₅)and photosynthetic recovery (RT₂₅) were quantified in 27 species. We also studied the relationships between T₂₅, RT₂₅ and leaf mass per area (LMA). Leaf temperature was also monitored in the field.
• Leaves used in this study were collected from two distinct …

Traversing Swanton Road, 15th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

Antimicrobial And Antiinsectan Phenolic Metabolites Of Dalea Searlsiae, Gil Belofsky, Mario Aronica, Eric Foss, Jane Diamond, Felipe Santana, Jacob Darley, Patrick F. Dowd, Christina M. Coleman, Daneel Ferreira

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Continued interest in the chemistry of Dalea spp. led to investigation of Dalea searlsiae, a plant native to areas of the western United States. Methanol extractions of D. searlsiae roots and subsequent chromatographic fractionation afforded the new prenylated and geranylated flavanones malheurans A–D (1–4) and known flavanones (5 and 6). Known rotenoids (7 and 8) and isoflavones (9 and 10) were isolated from aerial portions. Structure determination of pure compounds was accomplished primarily by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. The absolute configurations of compounds 1–5, 7 …

Sexual Dimorphism Of Staminate- And Pistillate-Phase Flowers Of Saponaria Officinalis (Bouncing Bet) Affects Pollinator Behavior And Seed Set, Dana A. Dudle, Leah M. Freestone, Peter Konieczny, Michael B. Tobin, Michael M. Britton

Biology Faculty publications

The sequential separation of male and female function in flowers of dichogamous species allows for the evolution of differing morphologies that maximize fitness through seed siring and seed set. We examined staminate- and pistillate-phase flowers of protandrous Saponaria officinalis for dimorphism in floral traits and their effects on pollinator attraction and seed set. Pistillate-phase flowers have larger petals, greater mass, and are pinker in color, but due to a shape change, pistillate-phase flowers have smaller corolla diameters than staminate-phase flowers. There was no difference in nectar volume or sugar content one day after anthesis, and minimal evidence for UV nectar …

Weed Seed Germplasm Collection 1964-2014 Of The Weed Biology Laboratory, Jack Dekker

Jack Dekker

J. Dekker weed seed germplasm collection; including: Lots 1-3974: 1964-2014; main seed library listed by lot numbers. Lots 649-1457: 1989 all-Iowa Setaria transect study. Lots 1762-1812: 1981; Diane Manthey, North Dakota St. Univ., Setaria collection at Bob Anderson's (USDA, Univ. of Minn) 1960's wild oat study sites. Lots 2389-2595: 1992 north temperate world collection (Japan, Russia, Europe) by J. Dekker. Lots 3270-3685: 1993 Brent Reschly transect study of eastern Iowa conventional and Amish farmers. Lots 3786-3962: 2000 J. Dekker 2000 salt-tolerant Setaria of southern Japan collection. All seed in all these collections belong, and were collected and archived by Jack …

Maine's Kelp Highway, Catherine Schmitt

Catherine Schmitt

No abstract provided.

Another Look At The Root Of The Angiosperms Reveals A Familiar Tale, Bryan Drew, Brad Ruhfel, Stephen Smith, Michael Moore, Barbara Briggs, Matthew Gitzendanner, Pamela Soltis, Douglas Soltis

Brad R. Ruhfel

Since the advent of molecular phylogenetics more than 25 years ago, a major goal of plant systematists has been to discern the root of the angiosperms. Although most studies indicate that Amborella trichopoda is sister to all remaining extant flowering plants, support for this position has varied with respect to both the sequence data sets and analyses employed. Recently, Goremykin et al. (2013) questioned the “Amborella-sister hypothesis” using a “noise-reduction” approach and reported a topology with Amborella + Nymphaeales (water lilies) sister to all remaining angiosperms. Through a series of analyses of both plastid genomes and mitochondrial genes, we continue …

Traversing Swanton Road, 14th Ed., James A. West

Academic, Government & Associated Organizational Research Resources

Situated at the northwest end of Santa Cruz County and occupying circa 30 square miles of sharply contrasted terrain, the Scott Creek Watershed concentrates within its geomorphological boundaries, at least 10-12% of California's flora, both native and introduced. Paradoxically, the use/abuse that the watershed has sustained over the past 140+ years, has not necessarily diminished the biodiversity and perhaps parallels the naturally disruptive but biologically energizing processes (fire, flooding, landslides and erosion), which have also been historically documented for the area for +60 years. This is an early edition of an extensive document by James A. West. Please visit the …

The Performance Of Simple Artificial Floating Wetland Communities And Their Effects On Aquatic Nutrient Levels And Algal Abundance, Bradley L. Sleeth

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Harmful algal blooms are exponential increases in autotrophic microorganisms that proliferate in such a way that the surrounding environment, the local economy and the health of regional populations are negatively affected. Among the causes of these blooms are anthropogenic inputs of excess nitrogen and phosphorus into the environment through overfertilization. Floating treatment wetlands (FTW) have emerged as a novel method of reducing the negative impacts of these nutrient inputs by using artificial rafts to float normally emergent wetland plants on the surface of water bodies to assimilate excess nutrients. Because their use is so new, only limited research has been …

Different Meal, Same Flavor: Cospeciation And Host Switching Of Haemosporidian Parasites In Some Non-Passerine Birds, Diego Santiago-Alarcon, Adriana Rodríguez-Ferraro, Patricia Parker, Robert Ricklefs

Biology Department Faculty Works

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that haemosporidian parasites (Haemoproteus(Parahaemoproteus) and Plasmodium) infecting passerine birds have an evolutionary history of host switching with little cospeciation, in particular at low taxonomic levels (e.g., below the family level), which is suggested as the main speciation mechanism of this group of parasites. Recent studies have characterized diverse clades of haemosporidian parasites (H. (Haemoproteus) and H. (Parahaemoproteus)) infecting non-passerine birds (e.g., Columbiformes, Pelecaniiformes). Here, we explore the cospeciation history of H. (Haemoproteus) and H. (Parahaemoproteus) parasites with their non-passerine hosts.MethodsWe sequenced the mtDNA cyt b gene of both haemosporidian parasites and their avian non-passerine hosts. We …

Bacon's Swamp- Ghost Of A Central Indiana Natural Area Past, Rebecca W. Dolan

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Bacon’s Swamp was identified in the 1920s as a ca. 12 ha glacial kettle lake bog system at the southernmost limits of these habitats in Indiana. Located just 9.6 km from the center of Indianapolis, the site was all but destroyed in the mid-20th century by urban expansion. Prior to habitat conversion at the site, Bacon’s Swamp was a frequent location for Butler University ecology class field trips and student research projects. Herbarium specimens and published inventory records allow for analysis of the historical vegetation of Bacon’s Swamp using modern techniques. Floristic Quality Assessment applied to these historical records reveals …

A Structure-Function Analysis Of The Arabidopsis Chloroplast Import Protein Attic20, James H. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Arabidopsis thaliana protein Tic20 (atTic20) is a member of the translocon at the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts. Evidence to date suggests it is part of the main preprotein conducting aperture in the complex, but its exact role is still debated. To help characterize its role, a protocol optimizing yield and purity of recombinantly expressed atTic20 was developed, and a series of experiments was performed to examine its secondary structure and its ability to interact with chloroplast transit peptides. The attempt to increase protein yield was successful, with growth at 20^oC in the auto-inducing media ZYP-5052 showing the …

Different Meal, Same Flavor: Cospeciation And Host Switching Of Haemosporidian Parasites In Some Non-Passerine Birds, Diego Santiago-Alarcon, Adriana Rodríguez-Ferraro, Patricia G. Parker, Robert E. Ricklefs

Robert Ricklefs

Different Meal, Same Flavor: Cospeciation And Host Switching Of Haemosporidian Parasites In Some Non-Passerine Birds, Diego Santiago-Alarcon, Adriana Rodríguez-Ferraro, Patricia G. Parker, Robert E. Ricklefs

Patricia Parker