Plants Commons^™

Reintroducing Hemp (Rongony) In The Material Palette Of Madagascar: A Study On The Potential Of Hemp Clay Components And Its Impact On Social And Ecological Communities., Henintsoa Thierry Andrianambinina

Masters Theses

When mentioning the word hemp, especially in the local language of Madagascar, the literal translation does not set it apart from marijuana, as they are both called “rongony” - creating the stigma around hemp as the negative stereotype of marijuana. However, the material has been used by the ancestors of Madagascar, as well as across cultures, in its fibrous form to produce fabrication like textile goods and packaging. During colonization, the prohibition of hemp intensified, and since then, any activity related to either of these plants is prohibited and will end in severe punitive measures. This thesis explores the strengths …

Eco-Interoception: What Plants, Fungi And Protista Have Taught My Body, Sara Riley Dotterer

Art Theses and Dissertations

To me, ecology is the relational, full-body awareness that I am made up of and deeply connected to everything around me; and for better or worse, this is reciprocal. I form ecotones, an ecological transitional zone between two ecosystems, with the world around me. I use this ecotonal lens to blur binaries and dissolve boundaries between me and the world “outside my body.” During my Masters of Fine Arts at Southern Methodist University, I have continuously explored and represented the lives of various more-than-human species outside of my body, including plants, fungi and protista through an ecotonal lens. Although these …

Restoration Agriculture In Louisiana: On The Prospects And Ethics Of Creating A Permanent, Dynamic Agricultural System Suited For Louisiana's Environment, Noah Willsea

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Eelgrass (Zostera Marina) Population Decline In Morro Bay, Ca: A Meta-Analysis Of Herbicide Application In San Luis Obispo County And Morro Bay Watershed, Tyler King Sinnott

Master's Theses

The endemic eelgrass (Zostera marina) community of Morro Bay Estuary, located on the central coast of California, has experienced an estimated decline of 95% in occupied area (reduction of 344 acres to 20 acres) from 2008 to 2017 for reasons that are not yet definitively clear. One possible driver of degradation that has yet to be investigated is the role of herbicides from agricultural fields in the watershed that feeds into the estuary. Thus, the primary research goal of this project was to better understand temporal and spatial trends of herbicide use within the context of San Luis …

Phantom Ocean, Real Impact: Natural Surf Sound Experiments Alter Foraging Activity And Habitat Use Across Taxa, Ryan N. Wardle

Master's Theses

A growing body of research focuses on how background sounds shape and alter critical elements of animals’ lives, such as foraging behavior, habitat use, and ecological interactions (Bradbury & Vehrencamp, 2011; Barber et al., 2010; Kight & Swaddle, 2011; Shannon et al., 2016). Much of this research has centered on the effects of anthropogenic noise (Dominoni et al., 2020; Francis & Barber, 2013; Ortega, 2012; Swaddle et al., 2015), but recent studies have also revealed that natural sound sources can influence animal behavior (Davidson et al., 2017; Le et al., 2019). Natural sounds, such as crashing surf, can create conditions …

Subcellular Localization Of Tobacco Sabp2 Under Normal And Stress Conditions, Sanjeev Das

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Subcellular Localization of Tobacco SABP2 under Normal and Stress Conditions

Salicylic acid (SA), a phytohormone, plays an important role in plant physiology. SA mediated innate immune pathway is an important pathway for plant immunity against pathogens. Plants resisting pathogen infection synthesize higher levels of Methyl Salicylate (MeSA), which is then converted to SA by the esterase activity of Salicylic Acid Binding Protein 2 (SABP2). The high level of the converted SA leads to enhanced pathogen resistance. The study of subcellular localization of a protein is critical in explaining its potential biochemical functions. SABP2 tagged with eGFP was expressed transiently in …

Biogeography Of Biological Control: Spatial Variation In Agent-Host Interactions, Nathan Harms

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Management of plant invasions using biological control has the potential to generate spatial patterns which reflect geographic or genetic variation in invader or control agents. Despite its rarity in practice, investigations into the biogeography of interacting species (i.e., plant invader and control agent) in the context of biological control can lend insights into species distribution-abundance patterns and provide predictions for spatial variation in control success. I explored spatial variability in biological control agent-plant interactions using two wetland weed study systems with large geographic distributions: flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus L.) and alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb). Through literature and …

The Potential For Dickeya Dianthicola To Be Vectored By Two Common Insect Pests Of Potatoes, Jonas K. Insinga

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dickeya dianthicola (Samson) causing blackleg and soft rot was first detected in potatoes grown in Maine in 2014. Previous work has suggested that insects, particularly aphids, may be able to vector bacteria in this genus between plants, but no conclusive work has been done to confirm this theory. In order to determine whether insect-mediated transmission is likely to occur in potato fields, two model potato pests common in Maine were used: the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decimlineata Say) and the green peach aphids (Myzus persicae Sulzer). Olfactometry and recruitment experiments evaluated if either insect discriminates between infected and …

Characterization Of Immunomodulatory Microbial Factors In Medicinal Plants, Kriti Kalpana

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Medicinal plants are one of the biggest sources of natural products with therapeutic importance. There are currently over 28,000 plants with putative medicinal values. Plant-derived compounds have been explored extensively for various biological activities ranging from anti-cancer, immune-boosting to anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant. Some of the most important therapeutic agents are of plant-origin, such as paclitaxel from Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia) and artemisinin from qinghao su (a Chinese medicinal herb; a.k.a. Artemisia annua) to name a few.

The study presented in this thesis started out as classical pharmacognosy research, which focused on the identification of immunostimulatory factors in …

Range-Wide Prevalence And Impacts Of Pseudocercosporella Inconspicua On Lilium Grayi And An Assessment Of L. Superbum And L. Michauxii As Reservoirs, Cindy L. Barrett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lilium grayi (Gray’s Lily), a southern Appalachian endemic species, is threatened by a Lilium-specific fungal pathogen, Pseudocercosporella inconspicua. The disease is characterized by tan lesions that can cause early senescence, while also lowering seed production and viability. This project tested for P. inconspicua conidia and accessed health at nine locations. The disease was present and ubiquitous across the range of L. grayi. Through identification of P. inconspicua conidia in the field, L. superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily) was identified as an additional host, while L. michauxii (Michaux’s Lily) was disease-free. However, infection was inducible in both species. With …

Surviving Catastrophe: Resource Allocation And Plant Interactions Among The Mosses Of Mount St. Helens Volcano, Trevor David Williams

Dissertations and Theses

Mosses are some of the first colonizers to disturbed sites, yet their roles in early plant community structuring are not well understood. The primary succession zones of volcanoes provide opportunities to conduct natural experiments into how mosses contribute to early plant community formation, as well as how the unique environments found in such zones affect plant traits, particularly those associated with stress tolerance. Though plant community changes have been well-documented since Mount St. Helens (MSH) volcano erupted in 1980, the volcano's moss assemblages, their influence on other plants, and their potential roles in chemical-mediated competition and biogeochemical cycling have garnered …

Organics: Exploring The Parallels Between Botany And Human Anatomy Through Sculpture And Watercolor Painting, Allison Borek

Honors Theses

Integrating my two passions of the visual arts and science for my senior thesis, I created a collection of paintings that represent human organs and the parallels between plant biology and animal biology. Genetically, plants are just as complex – if not more – than many animals. They have intricate sensory and regulatory systems highly comparable to humans, and on a cellular level, we share many analogous features. In addition, every single carbon atom that makes up the human body was at one time fixed in a plant during photosynthesis. We also rely on photosynthesis to give us the oxygen …

13c Composition In Bryophyte Primary Sugars As An Indicator Of Water Availability, Olivia Hope Williamson

Honors Theses

Bryophytes (mosses and their relatives) are a major carbon sink, and their productivity, is expected to be affected by climate change. Changes in plant productivity caused by changes in the climate can be tracked through stable carbon isotopes. This research aims to find a connection between stable carbon isotope signatures and water availability in bryophytes by examining the composition of 13C in soluble sugars and bulk tissue. Similar to trees, which leave rings of growth every year, mosses build up peat deposits, which can be used to gain information about the weather and water availability of a region. Information on …

Mechanisms Of Adaptation In The Newly Invasive Species Brachypodium Sylvaticum (Hudson) Beauv., Gina Lola Marchini

Dissertations and Theses

It is common knowledge that invasive species cause worldwide ecological and economic damage, and are nearly impossible to eradicate. However, upon introduction to a novel environment, alien species should be the underdogs: They are present in small numbers, possess low genetic diversity, and have not adapted to the climate and competitors present in the new habitat. So, how are alien species able to invade an environment occupied by native species that have already adapted to the local environment? To discover some answers to this apparent paradox I conducted four ecological genetic studies that utilized the invasive species Brachypodium sylvaticum (Hudson) …

Community Level Impacts Associated With The Invasion Of English Ivy (Hedera Spp.) In Forest Park: A Look At The Impacts Of Ivy On Community Composition And Soil Moisture, Sara Rose Copp

Dissertations and Theses

Invasive species degrade ecosystems by altering natural processes and decreasing the abundance and diversity of native flora. Communities with major fluctuations in resource supply allow invasive species to exploit limiting resources making the community prone to invasion. In the Pacific Northwest, urban forests characterized with limited light and seasonally limited soil moisture are being dominated by nonnative English ivy (Hedera spp). Three observational studies were conducted in the Southern end of Forest Park within the Balch Creek Subwatershed in Portland, Oregon in order to understand 1) how English ivy changes over three growing seasons, 2) how the native …

The Effects That Liquid And Solid Cattle Manure Have On The Water Quality Of Drainage Ditches In Putnam County, Ohio, Janelle Horstman

Honors Projects

Lake Erie has experienced harmful algal blooms with increased frequency since the mid-1990s due to excess nutrients from Rivers, such as the Maumee River, and largely agricultural watersheds. Nonpoint source pollution from agriculture contributes to eutrophication, algal blooms, and the degradation of water quality. This creates stress on aquatic fauna, reduced aesthetic quality, odor, and limits of the water for usage of drinking, recreation, and industry. This research paper asks what the contributions of having access to manure application records, soil records, and information about antibiotics have on what is known about manure management and antibiotic resistance, which has been …

Effects Of Planting Date, Harvest Date, And Environmental Conditions On Germination Of Forage Kochia Accessions, Cody F. Creech

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Forage kochia is used to re-seed areas in harsh environments that have been infested by annual weeds or disturbed by repetitive fires. It is an introduced perennial semi-shrub that is valuable to livestock and wildlife as a forage. The seed of forage kochia is very unpredictable and successful establishment in areas of low precipitation where it is utilized has often been erratic. Forage kochia seeding failures are costly and leave the land vulnerable to further degradation and erosion. This study was conducted to investigate how germination of forage kochia is affected by different harvest and planting dates, age of seed, …

The Relationship Between Salinity And Drought Tolerance In Turfgrasses And Woody Species, Nisa Leksungnoen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Both salt and water deficit make it difficult for plants to uptake water from soil. Thus, plants under those conditions may respond and deal with them similarly. The overall objectives of this study were to 1) determine visual appearance and physiological responses, and mechanisms to deal with salt and water deficit of turfgrasses and woody species, and 2) determine the relationship between salt and water deficit tolerance ability in those species.

Five turfgrass entries, ‘Gazelle’ and ‘Matador’ tall fescue (TF), ‘Midnight’ Kentucky bluegrass (KBG), PI368233 (Tolerant KBG), and PI372742 (Susceptible KBG), and three woody species, bigtooth maple (xeric-non saline), bigleaf …

Influence Of Soil Microorganisms On Plant Growth And Fitness, Benjamin Jayne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Most terrestrial plants benefit from symbiosis with soil microorganisms. Symbiotic bacteria and fungi have wide-ranging effects on host plants, including improved nutrition, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Association with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) can enhance growth and protect plants from environmental stressors while they share products of photosynthesis with the resident fungi. Scores of studies indicate that mycorrhizal plants are more resistant to drought stress than their non-mycorrhizal counterparts. Use of microbes as a plant and soil supplement in home gardens represents a sustainable alternative to resource-intensive inputs and may allow for reduced water use. I investigated the effects of …

Natural And Synthetic Viniferins Associated With The Grapevine Disease Young Vine Decline, David Michael Mcginnis

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses & Dissertations

Grapevine disease has been thc subject of intense research amongst viticulturists over the last few decades, especially during the 1990's. There has been discoveries that suggest grapevine disease is commonly caused by fungal pathogens. One of the most common fungi that the vine may become infected by is known as Botrytis cinerea. B. cinerea is capable of attacking the grapevine which in turn will lead to bunch rot in the grape clusters. This disease has been researched in great detail during the past several years and is one of only few microorganisms that have actually been identified. Phaeoacremrmium chnlmydospnrum …

Dissolution And Precipitation Of Gypsum In The Soil Under Irrigation, Badier J. Alawi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two soils were used in this soil column study. Yolo loam soil a non-calcareous, non-gypsiferous soil from central California and Vernal soil a calcareous soil from eastern Utah.

Initial studies were conducted where the solubilities of pure CaC0₃ and CaS0₄ ' 2H₂0 were determined in the presence of Logan river water, a KCl solution (2.8 mmhos/cm) and a K₂S0₄ solution (2. 7 mmhos/cm). Gypsum was more soluble in the KCl solution than in the K₂S0₄ solution. The solubility product of both gypsum and lime were determined from the analytical …

Mitochondrial Activity Of Hardened And Nonhardened Rye (Secale Cereale) Plants Exposed To Freezing Temperatures, Bryce D. Bennett

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Five day old dark-grown seedlings of Secale cereale variety "cougar" grown at 20 C were subjected to hardening at 2 C in daily increments from 0 to 7 days, to temperature stress at -5 C for 0, 1, and 3 days, and to recovery at 20 C for 0, 1, and 3 days. Unhardened plants were killed by temperature stress but as the time of hardening increased fewer plants were killed. After 5 days of hardening all plants survived subsequent freezing stress.

Mitochondria were isolated from the plants after they received various combinations of the three temperature treatments. There were …

Ice Nuclei Inventory: Wasatch Weather Modification Experimental Area, William F. Slusser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Several large sources of ice nuclei were identified for the Wasatch Weather Modification Experimental Area. When stable air masses remained over the area for several days, ice nuclei concentrations as large as 1750 per liter (measured at -20 C) were found at the surface. Concentrations as large as 6000 per liter were measured with an airborne ice nuclei counter over the smelter industry of the Salt Lake Valley. Ice nuclei concentrations during storm periods were usually less than 3 per liter, indicating an excellent potential for increasing precipitation amounts over the Wasatch Mountains through the release of artificial ice nuclei. …

Potato Variety Trial As A Step Of A Potato Breeding Program, Gonzalo Claure-Vallejo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A potato varietal trial, the equivalent of the final step in a potato breeding and testing program was conducted in 1972 at the Farmington Experimental Sub-station, Farmington, Utah. The test consisted of twelve named varieties and two numbered selections.

This study measured the yielding capacity of new potato varieties and selections during one growing season at one location in Utah. Yields were compared with those of the older accepted varieties grown in the state and used as control or standard varieties in the varietal trial.

This study provided valuable information for growers and processors in determining the suitability of these …

Boron Movement In Soil Columns, Joseph William Stucki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three adsorption theories--Langmuir, B.E.T., and Freundlich--were applied to boron interaction with Aiken clay loam and Vernal sandy loam soils to determine which bests describes the system.

Column studies were conducted to obtain constants related to mass fluid flow and fluid dispersion within the column. An inert ion was used to obtain the pore volume and to calculate the fluid dispersion coefficient. These data were used to solve the material balance equation by the explicit numerical method developed by Lai for a digital computer. The output from the computer was a predicted profile boron distribution within the soil column.

The soil …

Nutrients And Phytoplankton In Hyrum Lake, Robert Bruce Murray

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The current investigation indicates that the routine appearance of a noxious blue-green algal bloom of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, in Hyrum Lake, a reservoir in northern Utah is a result of excess phosphorus. Data indicate that the algal growth is initiated by phosphorus liberated from the phosphorus rich bottom sediments, and at a time when nitrogen is present in excess in the lake relative to phosphorus.

Results indicate that the Little Bear River is the major source of nitrogen and phosphorus contributing to the eutrophication of Hyrum Lake. Nitrogen and phosphorus fluctuations in the Little Bear River proved to be concurrent with …

Nitrogen Movement Under Irrigated Corn As Influenced By Nitrogen Source And Rate, Douglas C. Muir

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine nitrogen movements under a fall applied fertilizer as affected by rate of application of fertilizer, type of fertilizer carrier, and by crop grown. Two nitrogen fertilizers, calcium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, were applied in the fall of 1970. The soil profile was sampled in the spring of 1971 and again in the fall of 1971. Nitrate-nitrogen from both the calcium nitrate and the ammonium sulfate applications was found to have moved significantly from the time of application to the time of spring soil sampling. Two effects from the high rate of both …

Reed Canarygrass Germination At Five Seed Maturity Stages And Sixteen Seed Treatments, Richard N. Peaden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) has long been recognized as adapted to wetlands and those subject to periodic flooding. In Utah, Wilson (1955) estimate that 40 percent of the valley bottom land is flooded at least part of the year. Much of this land is very dry late in the summer. Forages such as Alsike clover tolerate flooding and some salt but do not perform well under drouth. Work by Bolton (1946) indicated that flooding for 49 day did not cause serious permanent damage to Reed canarygrass. The author has observed Reed canarygrass growing in a shallow reservoir which …

A Cyto-Taxonomic Study Of The Genus Geranium Within The Wasatch Region, Richard J. Shaw

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The western North American species of the genus Geranium have never been satisfactorily clarified. The perennial, indigenous species of this interesting group have been particularly confusing. One important reason for confusion in this group is the fact that the taxonomic problems of the perennial species have never been studied from the genetic point of view. A sound delimitation of specific and subspecific boundaries and phylogenetic relationships cannot be achieved without the application of cyto-genetic principles.

In respect to the cytological phase of this study, the author has placed emphasis on chromosome numbers in order to show evidences for and possible …

Factors Affecting The Translocation Of Herbicides In Mesquite (Prosopis Juliflora), Dale W. Young

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The control of mesquite is a major range problem in the Southwest. Mesquite is a thorny, woody shrub or tree that has infested 75 million acres of valuable range and pasture land in this region. It competes with grasses and other valuable plants for sunlight, moisture, and plant food. Mesquite also acts as a serious barrier to the handling of cattle on the range.