Botany Commons^™

The Population Genetics Of Morro Bay Eelgrass (Zostera Marina), Julia Gardner Harencar

Master's Theses

Seagrass populations are in decline worldwide. Zostera marina (eelgrass), one of California’s native seagrasses, is no exception to this trend. In the last 8 years, Morro Bay, California has lost 95% of its eelgrass. Eelgrass is an ecosystem engineer, providing important ecosystem services such as sediment stabilization, nutrient cycling, and nursery habitats for fish. The failure of recent restoration efforts necessitates a better understanding of the causes of eelgrass decline in this estuary. Previous research on eelgrass in California has demonstrated a link between population genetic diversity and eelgrass bed health, ecosystem functioning, and resilience to disturbance and extreme climatic …

Differentiating The Neches River Rose Mallow (Hibiscus Dasycalyx) From Its Congeners By Means Of Phylogenetics And Population Genetics, Julia Norrell

Biology Theses

This study used molecular phylogenetic methods to attempt to resolve the taxonomic status of the federally threatened East Texas-endemic wildflower, the Neches River Rose Mallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx). Hibiscus dasycalyx co-occurs with two other closely related congeners that are currently not of conservation concern: the halberdleaf rose mallow (H. laevis); and the crimson-eyed rose mallow (H. moscheutos). This study assessed the phylogeny of these three Hibiscus species, and attempted to determine if there is possible hybridization occurring between them. To this end, Restriction Site Associated DNA Sequencing (RAD-Seq), a Next Generation Sequencing method, was used …

The Effect Of Insects On Seed Set Of Ozark Chinquapin, Castanea Ozarkensis, Colton Zirkle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ozark chinquapin (Castanea ozarkensis), once found throughout the Interior Highlands of the United States, has been decimated across much of its range due to accidental introduction of chestnut blight, Cryphonectria parasitica. Efforts have been made to conserve and restore C. ozarkensis, but success requires thorough knowledge of the reproductive biology of the species. Other Castanea species are reported to have characteristics of both wind and insect pollination, but pollination strategies of Ozark chinquapin are unknown. Experiments were conducted to determine the influence of insects on successful pollination of C. ozarkensis, as measured by production of burs and seeds. Exclosure treatments …

Ultramafic Geoecology Of South And Southeast Asia, M.L. Galey, A. Van Der Ent, M.C.M. Iqbal, N. Rajakaruna

Biological Sciences

Globally, ultramafic outcrops are renowned for hosting foras with high levels of endemism, including plants with specialised adaptations such as nickel or manganese hyperaccumulation. Soils derived from ultramafic regoliths are generally nutrient-deficient, have major cation imbalances, and have concomitant high concentrations of potentially phytotoxic trace elements, especially nickel. The South and Southeast Asian region has the largest surface occurrences of ultramafic regoliths in the world, but the geoecology of these outcrops is still poorly studied despite severe conservation threats. Due to the paucity of systematic plant collections in many areas and the lack of georeferenced herbarium records and databased information, …

Ultramafic Geoecology Of South And Southeast Asia, Nishanta Rajakaruna, M. Galey, Van Der Ent, M. Iqbal

Faculty Publications, Biological Sciences

Globally, ultramafic outcrops are renowned for hosting floras with high levels of endemism, including plants with specialised adaptations such as nickel or manganese hyperaccumulation. Soils derived from ultramafic regoliths are generally nutrient-deficient, have major cation imbalances, and have concomitant high concentrations of potentially phytotoxic trace elements, especially nickel. The South and Southeast Asian region has the largest surface occurrences of ultramafic regoliths in the world, but the geoecology of these outcrops is still poorly studied despite severe conservation threats. Due to the paucity of systematic plant collections in many areas and the lack of georeferenced herbarium records and databased information, …

Evaluating The Utility Of Rbcl In Identifying Nigerian Speciesof The Genus Afzelia Sm. (Fabaceae; Caesalpinioideae), Aramide Oshingboye, George Nodza, Temitope Onuminya, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe

Turkish Journal of Botany

The genus Afzelia Sm. (Fabaceae) represents one of the most useful tree species in tropical Africa. These trees have huge socioeconomic and ecological importance, but are under serious threat from incessant exploitation. This has caused a decline of the species in the wild; several species are now registered as threatened and endangered in the IUCN red list. However, conserving this species for posterity has been hampered by the complexity of morphological characters that exist among Afzelia species. In our study, we evaluated the utility of rbcL as a single barcode region, exploring its performance to accurately identify Nigerian Afzelia species …

Tomus Nominum Eriastri: The Nomenclature And Taxonomy Of Eriastrum (Polemoniaceae: Loeselieae), Sarah J. De Groot

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

A revised taxonomy for the genus Eriastrum is presented, including type information, synonymy, descriptions, and keys for identification. The nomenclature of Hugelia lanata, Gilia floccosa, and Gilia virgata var. yageri is clarified. Additionally, issues pertaining to August Brand’s, Thomas Nuttall’s, and Asa Gray’s names in Eriastrum are reviewed. An illustrated glossary of important descriptive terms is provided, along with photographs and illustrations of taxa and features. Lectotypes are proposed for 14 taxa. There is further discussion about the nomenclature and type localities for each taxon, comparison of circumscriptions from previous authors, and some field observations. Discussion of identifying …

Historic Distribution And Ecology Of Tall-Grass Prairie In Western Canada, Darcy C. Henderson, Nicola Koper

The Prairie Naturalist

Rapid settlement and agricultural development of western Canada in the late 1800s and early 1900s nearly eliminated the tall-grass prairie, and pre-empted a detailed description by ecologists. A combination of literature review and historical ecological analysis of soils, climate, and composition data are applied to estimate the historic distribution, and area occupied by tall-grass prairie in southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. The resulting area estimate of 20,830 km² is more than three times any previously reported value. Some confusion of terms from the first half of the 1900s, and the impact of invasive species on vegetation patterns observed …

Campanula Alisan-Kilincii (Campanulaceae), A New Species From Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, Hasan Yildirim, Serdar Gökhan Şenol

Turkish Journal of Botany

Campanula alisan-kilincii Yıldırım & Şenol (Campanulaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Malatya Province in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. The new species belongs to the section Rupestres, based on morphological features. It is morphologically similar to Campanula quercetorum and C. strigillosa but clearly differs from them based on the morphological differences presented in the species description. In addition, the conservation status, the distribution map, and notes on the biogeography and ecology of the new species are given.

The Interaction Of Climate Change, Land Cover, And Political Representation In The Usa, Brady W. Allred, Dirac L. Twidwell, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The difficulties in tackling climate change are inherently complex and primarily centered on political and social values. This is evident in the United States where political divisions and polarizations are fundamental barriers to advancing national policies, which in turn hinder international agreements, mitigation, and adaptation. Within the United States, the vast majority of agricultural and natural resource lands are projected to incur significant climate departures and are represented by the Republican Party. The resources and economic sectors that will be directly affected by climate change are represented by national leadership that is unlikely to accept policies to prevent or adapt …

In Vitro Protocorm Development And Mass Multiplication Of An Endangered Orchid, Dactylorhiza Hatagirea, Ashish Rambhau Warghat, Prabodh Kumar Bajpai, Ravi Bihari Srivastava, Om Prakash Chaurasia, Rajinder Singh Chauhan, Hemant Sood

Turkish Journal of Botany

Immature seeds were cultured on 10 different media for germination. Maximum germination was achieved on Lindeman orchid medium (37.12%) within 17 days of culturing. Protocorms with leaf primordia were cultured on BM-2 and 7 different modifications of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various hormone combinations [0-3 mg/L indole butyric acid (IBA) and 0-3 mg/L kinetin (Kin)] for plantlet regeneration and mass multiplication. Maximum number of shoots (18.12 ± 0.3), highest shoot length (17.80 cm ± 2.16), maximum root number (8.25 ± 0.69), and highest root length (8.02 cm ± 1.45) were found on MS medium with 3 mg/L IBA …

Reseda Malatyana (Resedaceae), A New Chasmophytic Species From Eastern Anatolia, Turkey, Hasan Yildirim, Serdar Gökhan Şenol

Turkish Journal of Botany

Reseda malatyana Yıldırım & Şenol (Resedaceae) is illustrated and described as a new species to science, endemic to eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Reseda malatyana is related to Reseda armena Boiss. It differs from Reseda armena by the following characters: densely smaller, unbranched at the upper part, papillate-hispidulous stems; dark green, thicker, and densely papillate-hispidulous leaves; bigger petals; smaller pedicels; relatively smaller with sinus seeds; oblate-spheroidal, tricolporate, and rugulate pollen grains. R. malatyana is a perennial species that colonizes on marlstone rocky cliffs, known from a single locality in Levent Canyon, located in Malatya Province. It is an obligated chasmophytic species. In …

Reproduction And Diversity Of The Endangered Salix Lapponum L. Populations In Eastern Poland, Magdalena Pogorzelec, Katarzyna Glebocka, Barbara Hawrylak-Nowak, Marzena Parzymies

Turkish Journal of Botany

The main aim of the study was to increase the knowledge on the ecology and biology of the boreal relict Salix lapponum L., an endangered plant in Poland, in order to create an effective protection program. An important aspect was to determine the within- and among-population genetic diversity of the studied species in order to evaluate whether the basic stages of the generative reproduction cycle in the populations were correct. The results confirmed that S. lapponum pollen viability and germinability, for both fresh and stored pollen, were high and so were the seed germination ability and dynamics. All individuals were …

Species Status Of Sclerocactus Brevispinus, S. Wetlandicus, And S. Glaucus: Inferences From Morphology, Chloroplast Dna Sequences, And Aflp Markers, J. Mark Porter, Jennifer Cruse-Sanders, Linda Prince, Robert Lauri

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We examine patterns of variation in 12 continuous morphological traits, chloroplast DNA sequences from 10 intergenic spacer regions (petA-psbJ, psbk-trnS, psbM-trnD, rpob-trnC, trnC-trnD, trnGCU-trnG2S, trnFM-trnUGA, atpF-atpH, trnT-trnD, trnQ-psbk), atpF, and rpl16, and Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) genetic markers in Sclerocactus glaucus sensu lato (= S. brevispinus, S. glaucus, and S. wetlandicus), a complex that historically has been considered conspecific and afforded protection …

A Revision Of Erythranthe Montioides And Erythranthe Palmeri (Phrymaceae), With Descriptions Of Five New Species From California And Nevada, Usa, Naomi S. Fraga

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The genus Erythranthe (Phrymaceae) continues to be a source of floristic novelty, especially in the American West, as evidenced by recent discoveries presented here. Two species in Erythranthe section Paradantha (E. montioides and E. palmeri) have long been a source of taxonomic confusion. Recent research reveals that a total of ten species have previously been treated as part of these two species. Here I present a revised taxonomy for E. montioides and E. palmeri including clarification of species circumscriptions (E. montioides, E. palmeri), recognition of three species that have previously been treated as synonyms …

Reproductive Biology Studies Towards The Conservation Of Two Rare Species Of Colchic Flora, Arbutus Andrachne And Osmanthus Decorus, Nina Melia, Laura Gabedava, Tinatin Barblishvili, Lali Jgenti

Turkish Journal of Botany

Our study examines the structural peculiarities of the generative sphere at different phases of development, and the processes of pollination, fertilisation, and seed formation in 2 species of wild flora: Arbutus andrachne L. (Ericaceae), the eastern strawberry tree, and Osmanthus decorus (Boiss. & Balansa) Kasapligil (Oleaceae), Caucasian osmanthus. These Arcto-Tertiary plants are included in the Red Data Book of the Georgian SSR. As germinable seeds are the main factor determining species distribution and the complete transfer of genetic information, the aim of our research was to establish the self-regeneration capacity of the species under study and choose optimum conditions for …

Reassessment Of Conservation Status Of The Genus Salvia (Lamiaceae) In Turkey Ii, Ahmet Kahraman, Safi Bagherpour, Ersi̇n Karabacak, Musa Doğan, Hakan Mete Doğan, İsmet Uysal, Ferhat Celep

Turkish Journal of Botany

The current conservation status of the Salvia L. (sage) taxa of the family Lamiaceae distributed in the East, South-East, Central, North Anatolian, and Marmara geographic regions of Turkey was reassessed at regional, national, and global levels using IUCN Red List categories and criteria. In accordance with the present taxonomic revision of the genus since 2005, the study area seems to cover 79 taxa, 36 of which are endemic and 4 of which are rare nonendemic; the remaining 39 taxa are widely distributed. The rate of endemism is 46% in the area. Based on new field observations of populations and distribution …

Reproductive Success Of The Rare Endemic Orchis Galilaea (Orchidaceae) In Lebanon, Nisrine Machaka Houri, Mohammad Souheil Al-Zein, Duncan Brian Westbury, Salma Nashabe Talhouk

Turkish Journal of Botany

The biology and ecology of Orchis galilaea Schltr., a species endemic to Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan, is poorly studied, a fact that hinders present and future management and conservation efforts concerning this species. In this paper, we report findings of a field investigation that assessed the impact of altitude, population density, and plant size on the reproductive success of O. galilaea. The results revealed that plant size and population density were significantly correlated with reproductive success while altitude was not. This study is part of ongoing research on the ecological responses of O. galilaea and provides a baseline for understanding …

The Flora Of Greater San Quintín, Baja California, Mexico (2005–2010), Sula E. Vanderplank

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The plants of San Quintín (Baja California, Mexico) were documented through intensive fieldwork and collection of herbarium specimens to create a checklist of species. The region is located near the southernmost extent of the California Floristic Province, and the flora is influenced by the adjacent desert to the south. A total of 435 plant taxa were documented, of which 82% are native plants. Almost one in three native plant taxa in Greater San Quintín is a sensitive species, here documented as rare and/or locally endemic, and many taxa have yet to be evaluated fully for rarity and threats. Four major …

Plants Of The Colonet Region, Baja California, Mexico, And A Vegetation Map Of Colonet Mesa, Alan B. Harper, Sula Vanderplank, Mark Dodero, Sergio Mata, Jorge Ochoa

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

The Colonet region is located at the southern end of the California Floristic Province, in an area known to have the highest plant diversity in Baja California. A preliminary list of vouchered specimens is developed for the area, and a vegetation map for Colonet Mesa is presented. The Colonet region has at least 435 vascular plant taxa, of which 383 are native to Baja California, and 52 are endemic or nearly endemic. This list includes five local endemic taxa known only from the Colonet region, 18 taxa on the California Native Plant Society List 1B of taxa that are "rare, …

The Vascular Flora Of Greater San Quintín, Baja California, Mexico, Sula E. Vanderplank

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The plants of San Quintín (Baja California, Mexico) were documented through intensive fieldwork and the collection of herbarium specimens to create a checklist of species. This region is home to a diverse flora with high levels of local endemism and many rare plants. The flora documented in this study was compared to historical records from the region and shows the impact of agriculture and urbanization on the plants, including several extirpated species. A study of the perennial vegetation using a 1 km grid provides species distribution data for 140 native species, which were assessed to highlight areas of significant species …

Elizabeth Findley Shores Collection Of Roland M. Harper, Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections

Finding Aids

This collection consists of articles and letters-to-the-editor written by Roland M. Harper for publication in scholarly journals. Sometimes in typescript, his works focus on botany, conservation, and social conditions, primarily in the southeastern United States. Spanning 1906-1965, additional documents, photographs and audio visual materials pertaining to Roland M. Harper’s family history are included. The collection’s creator, Elizabeth Findley Shores, is the author of the biography On Harper's Trail: Roland McMillan Harper, Pioneering Botanist of the Southern Coastal Plain (2008).

Find this collection in the University Libraries' catalog.

Descriptive Anatomy And Evolutionary Patterns Of Anatomical Diversification In Adenia (Passifloraceae), David J. Hearn

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

To understand evolutionary patterns and processes that account for anatomical diversity in relation to ecology and life form diversity, anatomy of storage roots and stems of the genus Adenia (Passifloraceae) were analyzed using an explicit phylogenetic context. Over 65,000 measurements are reported for 47 quantitative and qualitative traits from 58 species in the genus. Vestiges of lianous ancestry were apparent throughout the group, as treelets and lianous taxa alike share relatively short, often wide, vessel elements with simple, transverse perforation plates, and alternate lateral wall pitting; fibriform vessel elements, tracheids associated with vessels, and libriform fibers as additional tracheary elements; …

Notes On The Sikkim Himalayan Rhododendrons: A Taxa Of Great Conservation Importance, Kaushal K. Singh

Turkish Journal of Botany

Rhododendrons form dominating species all along the temperate, subalpine and alpine zones in the Sikkim Himalaya. Rhododendron L. is one of the largest genus of the Ericaceae family, occurring in the higher altitudes having ecological significance and economic importance in addition to its splendiferous flowers. It has aesthetic, sacred, aromatic, medicinal and fuelwood values. There are 36 species with 45 different forms (including subspecies and varieties) in the Sikkim Himalaya. Using IUCN guidelines for categorization eight species are being evaluated according to population characters. It has been observed recently that the rhododendrons of the region are under pressure, which are …

Challenges Of In Situ Conservation Of Crop Wild Relatives, Vernon Hilton Heywood

Turkish Journal of Botany

Crop wild relatives (CWRs) will gain in importance as changing climates put both traditional and advanced cultivars under increasing stress, leading to a need for plant breeding to produce new varieties able to grow under the new climate regimes. Traditionally, the approach to the conservation of CWRs has been ex situ - the collection and maintenance of seed accessions in national, regional, and international germplasm banks, supplemented by field genebanks for species with recalcitrant seeds. More recently the need to maintain CWRs in their natural habitats (in situ) has been advocated. This is very different from on-farm conservation of traditional …

Conservation In Developing Countries, Shahina A. Ghazanfar

Turkish Journal of Botany

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) set a number of targets to work towards by 2010 in order to aid conserve the world´s biodiversity. Several countries are now aiming at ex-situ and in-situ programmes for the protection and conservation of plant species through the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation targets (GSPC). Is it possible to achieve these targets in rapidly developing countries where the usage of land for urban expansion and agriculture to support basic human needs holds priority? How can conservation and development be sustainable? I take examples from a rapidly developing country in the Arabian Peninsula to show …

Notes On Native Vascular Plants From Mima Mound-Vernal Pool Terrain And The Importance Of Preserving Coastal Terraces In Orange County, California, Richard E. Riefner Jr., Steve Boyd, Roy J. Shlemon

Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany

We report the following noteworthy collections of native vascular plants from mima mound fields in coastal Orange County, California: Deschampsia danthonioides, Lepidium strictum, and Sagina saginoides (new county records), Lepidium oblongum var. oblongum (previously excluded from the flora), Deinandra paniculata, Holocarpha virgata subsp. elongata, and Navarretia prostrata (new localities in the county), and Hordeum brachyantherum subsp. californicum (uncommon species of local interest). A herbarium study, preparation of voucher specimens, and a generalized distribution, facultative wetland status, and taxonomic notes, where appropriate, are cited for each taxon. An overview of the mima mound micro-relief associated with coastal …

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 …

Biology Of The Central Desert Of Oman, Shahina A. Ghazanfar

Turkish Journal of Botany

A biological survey of the central desert of Oman was done using long distance transects. Vegetation was sparse and consisted of 200+ plant species, 22 species of mammals, 17 species of reptiles and amphibians, and more than 50 species of birds (migratory and resident). Three main vegetation types were identified based on ground substrate and the dominance of species. These were communities with Acacia Willd., Zygophyllum L., and open woodlands of Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce. Over-grazing and development in the central desert has led to concerns over the conservation of the desert ecosystem in Oman.

Taxonomy And Conservation Status Of Acantholimon Laxiflorum Boiss. Ex Bunge (Plumbaginaceae), Musa Doğan, Hayri̇ Duman, Gali̇p Akaydin

Turkish Journal of Botany

Acantholimon laxiflorum Boiss. ex Bunge (Plumbaginaceae), a local endemic species in Turkey, was subjected to taxonomic analysis in order to clarify its taxonomic status, because this species seems to have been wrongly treated and overlooked since it was first described by Boissier. The species is restricted to the east of Arsuz (C5 Hatay, Turkey) along dry riverbank, where it grows in rocky places on serpentine rocks. A full description and an illustration of the species are given, along with some additional information dealing with its ecology, phytogeography and conservation status.