Botany Commons^™

Climate And Shared Evolutionary History Drive Trait Variation Among Species Of Neotropical Understory Monocots, Eleinis Ávila-Lovera, Oscar M. Vargas, Jennifer L. Funk, Kathleen M. Kay, Gregory R. Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Environmental variation commonly drives functional trait diversity within species, among species, and across communities. Climate and shared evolutionary history can both influence trait–environment relationships. We studied variation in plant functional traits among closely related Costus species occurring across environmental gradients, the extent to which this variation occurs within single species, and how that variation may be influenced by shared evolutionary history. We measured leaf, aboveground stem, rhizome, and fine root traits of 17 species of Costus in eight sites in Costa Rica and Panama, which varied in elevation, temperature, and precipitation. We then assessed the relationships among traits and environmental …

Tissue‑ And Time‑Dependent Metabolite Profiles During Early Grain Development Under Normal And High Night‑Time Temperature Conditions, Nathan Abshire, Andrew L. Hauck, Harkamal Walia, Toshihiro Obata

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Background Wheat grain development in the first few days after pollination determines the number of endosperm cells that influence grain yield potential and is susceptible to various environmental conditions, including high night temperatures (HNTs). Flag leaves and seed-associated bracts (glumes, awn, palea, and lemma) provide nutrients to the developing seed. However, the specific metabolic roles of these tissues are uncertain, especially their dynamics at different developmental stages and the time in a day. Tissue- and time-dependent metabolite profiling may hint at the metabolic roles of tissues and the mechanisms of how HNTs affect daytime metabolic status in early grain development. …

How Different Modes Of Photosynthesis Impact Stormwater Runoff And Weed Growth On Ecoroof Trays During Early Establishment?, Michelle Hesek

University Honors Theses

Ecoroofs remove of stormwater runoff from the combined sewer system in Portland, Oregon. Reducing runoff is essential in cities considering how impervious surfaces promote flooding. A limited number of studies focus on comparing stormwater retention of ecoroof plants during their establishment period within Portland's climate. Different photosynthetic pathways in plants may impact stormwater runoff based on their water use efficiency. This study undertook a one-year study to determine the effect of plant establishment on water retention for a C4 and CAM species in six ecoroof trays. Weeds were investigated as a factor in water retention, and whether plant type within …

On The Importance Of Sequence Alignment Inspections In Plastid Phylogenomics – An Example From Revisiting The Relationships Of The Water-Lilies, Jessica A. Roestel, John H. Wiersema, Robert K. Jansen, Thomas Borsch, Michael Gruenstaeudl

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The water-lily clade represents the second earliest-diverging branch of angiosperms. Most of its species belong to Nymphaeaceae, of which the “core Nymphaeaceae”—comprising the genera Euryale, Nymphaea and Victoria—is the most diverse clade. Despite previous molecular phylogenetic studies on the core Nymphaeaceae, various aspects of their evolutionary relationships have remained unresolved. The length-variable introns and intergenic spacers are known to contain most of the sequence variability within the water-lily plastomes. Despite the challenges with multiple sequence alignment, any new molecular phylogenetic investigation on the core Nymphaeaceae should focus on these noncoding plastome regions. For example, a new plastid phylogenomic study on …

From Pixels To Plants: Remote Sensing Of California Invasive Plants, Kenneth Rangel

Master's Projects and Capstones

Invasive plants cause significant impacts to ecosystems, the economy, and human health. California has experienced significant plant invasions and is well suited to future invasion because of its Mediterranean climate and human disturbance. Eradication or control of invasive plant species requires a detailed understanding of their spatial distribution, which typically involves on the ground surveys that can be expensive or inconsistent. Remote sensing offers a potential alternative or supplement to in-person invasive plant mapping. This study performed a comparative analysis of 41 remote sensing studies that mapped the distribution of California invasive plants. I found that while high spectral resolution …

Comparing Long‑Term Patterns Of Spread Of Native And Invasive Plants In A Successional Forest, Matthew H. Yamamoto, Chad C. Jones

Botany Faculty Publications

A fundamental question in invasive plant ecology is whether invasive and native plants have different ecological roles. Differences in functional traits have been explored, but we lack a comparison of the factors affecting the spread of co-occurring natives and invasives. Some have proposed that to succeed, invasives would colonize a wider variety of sites, would disperse farther, or would be better at colonizing sites with more available light and soil nutrients than natives. We examined patterns of spread over 70 years in a regenerating forest in Connecticut, USA, where both native and invasive species acted as colonizers. We compared seven …

Adopting Yield-Improving Practices To Meet Maize Demand In Sub-Saharan Africa Without Cropland Expansion, Fernando Aramburu-Merlos, Fatima A. M. Tenorio, Nester Mashingaidze, Alex Sananka, Stephen Aston, Jonathan J. Ojeda, Patricio Grassini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Maize demand in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase 2.3 times during the next 30 years driven by demographic and dietary changes. Over the past two decades, the area croppedwithmaize has expanded by 17million hectares in the region, with limited yield increase. Following this trend could potentially result in further maize cropland expansion and the need for imports to satisfy domestic demand. Here, we use data collected from 14,773 smallholder fields in the region to identify agronomic practices that can improve farm yield gains. We find that agronomic practices related to cultivar selection, and nutrient, pest, and crop management can …

The Sect. Tricheroides In The Genus Knautia (Caprifoliaceae) Is More Complex Then Known: An Unusual New Species From Türkiye, Candan Aykurt, Mertcan Gülben, Sinem Günaydin, Duygu Sari, Ramazan Süleyman Göktürk, Emirhan Berberoğlu, Serkan Gülsoy

Turkish Journal of Botany

During a biodiversity survey in the Western Taurus Mountains (Antalya, Türkiye), a new species of the genus Knautia (Dipsacoideae, Caprifoliaceae), K. sivridaghense, was discovered. The new species, which is characterized by its dwarf caespitose perennial habit, is found in rocky places under mixed forests at elevations of 1400–1450 m. Knautia sivridaghense is distinguished from its morphologically similar species, K. goecmenii, especially by its dwarf caespitose perennial habit, unbranched stems, length of involucral bracts, and other floral characteristics. Our phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear ITS and chloroplast petN(ycf6)-psbM regions confirm its placement within Sect. Tricheroides, contributing to the understanding of …

Eco-Assessment Of Phytoplankton Composition In Relation To Environmental Conditions Of Saltwater And Freshwater Lakes In The Konya Closed Basin (Türkiye), Abuzer Çelekli, Ömer Lekesiz, Tolga Çetin

Turkish Journal of Botany

Great importance is given to maintaining lentic ecosystems, threatened by human-induced consequences worldwide. The present study hypothesized to assess differences in species-environment relationships and ecological status of 15 lakes (saline water systems, high-altitude freshwater lakes, and other freshwater lakes) in the Konya Closed River Basin using phytoplankton indices throughout wet and dry periods. Results of canonical correspondence analysis separated saline and freshwater (high-altitude) habitats, which were characterized by different phytoplankton species. Total phosphorus (TP), electrical conductivity (EC), nickel-Ni, and altitude were the most influential environmental factors affecting phytoplankton dispersal in these ecosystems. Saline lakes were under pressure of high EC, …

Cephalaria Gokturkii (Caprifoliaceae), A New Species From Southwestern Anatolia, Türkiye, Gürkan Semi̇z, Meryem Bozkurt, Batıkan Günal, Tuna Uysal

Turkish Journal of Botany

A new Cephalaria (Caprifoliaceae) species, Cephalaria gokturkii, is described and illustrated from Girdev Mountain (Muğla Province) for the Flora of Türkiye. Throughout this manuscript, the new species and its relatives were compared in terms of morphological, palynological and molecular features. The obtained findings indicated that the new species is similar to C. elmaliensis but is characterized by having larger capitula and receptacular bracts in flower (vs. 1‒2 cm capitula and less than 3 mm in flower) and hairy trigonous-narrowly ovate involucral bracts (vs. glabrous and broadly ovate involucral bracts) and smaller involucels (vs. involucels longer than 10 mm in fruit). …

Two New Species Of Inocybe (Inocybaceae: Agaricomycetes) From Turkey Based On Morphological Characteristics And Phylogenetic Evidence, Oğuzhan Kaygusuz, Ditte Bandini, Henning Knudsen, Meike Piepenbring

Turkish Journal of Botany

During a survey of agarics in the Mediterranean region of southwestern Turkey, some noteworthy mushrooms were collected. Among the specimens, two represent new species of Inocybe which are proposed and illustrated in this study as Inocybe pseudogeophylla and I. succinea. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on a nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) and partial 28S rDNA (LSU) dataset reveal that these species belong to the Inocybe geophylla group. The sequences of the new species form two independent lineages and differ from the known species of Inocybe by a unique combination of morphological characteristics. Detailed macro- and micromorphological features, colour photographs, habitat and …

Evaluating The Yield Of Surviving Plants From Early-Season Hail Damage In Corn: A Field Survey, I. P. Lisboa, Christopher A. Proctor, R W. Elmore, A. J. Mcmechan, N. D. Mueller, J. Wilson, G. Zobeck, Aaron Nygren, A. Bastidas, Osler Ortez

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Economic losses due to hailstorms acrossUS corn fields occur every year.Hailstorms result in leaf defoliation, decreasing photosynthetic area and impairing carbon assimilation and crop yield for all corn (Zea mays L.) development stages. However, more attention is often given to stand reductions rather than damage to stems or leaf defoliation. During the 2014 growing season, a natural hail event affected many areas of eastern Nebraska. Twelve affected corn fields were surveyed and included in this study. An injury score scale (1–5) was developed based on various injury and severity levels before the V6 (6-leaf corn growth stage) (six-collared leaves). …

Natural Variation In Lonely Guy-Like 1 Regulates Rice Grain Weight Under Warmer Night Conditions, Jaspreet Sandhu, Larissa Irvin, Anil Kumar Chandaran, Shohei Oguro, Puneet Paul, Balpreet Dhatt, Waseem Hussain, Shannon S. Cunningham, Cherryl O. Quinones, Argelia Lorence, Maria Arlene Adviento-Borbe, Paul E. Staswick, Gota Morota, Harkamal Walia

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Global nighttime temperatures are rising at twice the rate of daytime temperatures and pose a challenge for rice (Oryza sativa) production. High nighttime temperature (HNT) stress affects rice yield by reducing grain weight, size, and fertility. Although the genes associated with these yield parameters have been identified and characterized under normal temperatures, the genetic basis of grain weight regulation under HNT stress remains less explored. We examined the natural variation for rice single grain weight (SGW) under HNT stress imposed during grain development. A genome-wide association analysis identified several loci associated with grain weight under HNT stress. A …

With Love, ; An Interdisciplinary And Intersectional Look At Why Creativity Is Essential, Theo Starr Gardner

Whittier Scholars Program

My Whittier Scholars Program self-designed major, Teaching Creativity, is a mixture of Art, Literature, and Education classes. My research and praxis classes have been focused on the ‘how?’s and 'why?’s of creativity, so it felt only right that my project should be a constructivist, generative project. The project I have been working on throughout my time at Whittier, and that has just fully come to fruition on April 11th, 2024, was a solo art gallery/open mic event entitled ‘With Love,’. With Love, was conceptually inspired by the research I’ve conducted on creativity and creative arts education over the past few …

Impact Of Salmonella Enterica On Plant Physiology And Immunity, Sara Qader

Poster Presentations

Salmonella can colonize plant tissue effectively. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying Salmonella’s interactions with plants is essential for developing effective strategies to reduce its impact on human health and agriculture. Effector proteins, known for their role in modulating host-pathogen interactions, have been implicated in the virulence and pathogenicity of Salmonella. However, their specific functions and contributions to Salmonella’s interactions with plants remain largely unknown. Here, we aim to investigate the functions of Salmonella effector proteins during the colonization of plants.

Relationships, Species Boundaries, And Speciation Of Piper Section Enckea, Cara Jean Hastings

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Species are fundamental biological units but defining what constitutes a species has been debated by biologists, philosophers, and other scholars. Our concept of what constitutes a species has evolved over time, reflecting progress and advances in technology and types of data available as well as increased understanding of the complexity of the speciation process. To understand how extant species evolved, it is useful to evaluate their relationships using molecular data in a phylogenetic framework. By pairing phylogenetic data with other types of data including morphological and fossil data as well as topographical and climatic history, we can gain understanding of …

Cross-Pollination: Building A Co-Taught Course To Examine Art And Sex Through The Lens Of Botany, Christopher T. Martine, Diamanda A. Zizis, Anna K. Kell

Faculty Journal Articles

Driven by overlapping interests in plants, art, and diversity in sex expression, Anna Kell (Department of Art and Art History) and Chris Martine (Department of Biology) developed a course that integrates the perspectives of a visual artist and a botanist. Art & Sex Through the Lens of Botany seeks to impart the importance of making connections across disciplines and the value of visual literacy across academic lines. The course introduces foundational concepts in each field and encourages students to integrate and explore these different systems of knowledge and their intersections. In addition to developing fluencies related to both general botany …

On-Farm Nitrogen And Irrigation Management Strategies To Protect Groundwater Quality In The Bazile Groundwater Management Area, Arshdeep Singh

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Increasing groundwater nitrate (NO₃-N) contamination has raised significant environmental and health concerns in the irrigated sandy soils of Nebraska. Four studies were conducted to evaluate the impact the impact of 1) static (NE Yield Goal) vs. dynamic nitrogen (N) recommendations tools (Maize-N, Canopy Reflectance Sensing, Granular, and Adapt-N), 2) three N (optimum, suboptimum, and low) and irrigation rates (farmer’s full irrigation (FIT), 80% FIT, and 60% FIT), 3) conventional N sources vs. enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), and 4) multiple N splits (2, 3, 4, and 5-N splits) on agronomic (maize yield), environmental (NO3-N leaching), and economic returns (return …

Establishment Of Wildflower Islands To Enhance Roadside Health, Ecological Value, And Aesthetics, Jackson Ebbers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Roadsides provide an abundant opportunity to increase connectivity of fragmented landscapes with diminishing floral resources for pollinating insects. The ecological value of these sites is often overlooked as quality habitat for pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies, which have been experiencing severe declines due to loss of habitat and loss of milkweeds that provide food for their larvae. Land managers across the nation are realizing the potential of roadsides to provide high quality floral resources for the benefit of insects and other wildlife. Current wildflower seed mixes used by state transportation departments are often low diversity and may only be implemented following …

Public Horticulture: Process And Design Of The Lincoln Botanical Garden, Brad Kindler

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Beginning in 2012, the local non-profit, The Lincoln Botanical Garden, began organizing the conceptual design and creation of a glass conservatory within a botanical garden in Lincoln, Nebraska. These proposed urban enhancements seek to fill a gap in garden amenities in the city by providing year-round access to public horticulture programming and education.

This project, Public Horticulture: Process and Design of the Lincoln Botanical Garden, documents these efforts and makes design recommendations for a themed Glacial Erratic Garden that could be constructed within the botanical garden.

Advisors: Ellen Paparozzi and Sam Wortman