Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Jason J. Griffin / Heat and drought tolerance make shantung maple (Acer truncatum) and caddo sugar maple (A. saccharum) good candidates for midwestern landscapes. Improving cutting propagation or mound layering techniques could increase the availability of these species. The influence of time of year, cutting position, and auxin concentration, formulation, and solvent on rooting of stem cuttings of shantung maple was investigated. Semi-hardwood cuttings rooted best (55%). Generally, rooting percentage decreased as indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentration increased. Cutting position, auxin formulation, and solvent did not affect rooting. Mean root number and mean root length were unaffected by treatments. Results suggest semi-hardwood cuttings and low IBA concentrations [< 2500 ppm (0.25%)] promote rooting. Auxin concentration influenced rooting of caddo and shantung maple mound layered shoots. Rooting peaked at 15,000 ppm (1.5%) IBA for both caddo (71%) and shantung maples (34%). Mean root number for caddo, but not shantung, increased as IBA concentration increased. Differences in mean root length were not significant. Growers may now propagate caddo maple by mound layering. For shantung maple propagation, stem cuttings are recommended. Propagation substrates can strongly influence rooting success of stem cuttings. Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) chips (ERC) have been suggested as a propagation substrate component. This report investigated ERC as a perlite substitute in a 3 perlite: 1 sphagnum peat moss (v/v) rooting substrate. Stem cuttings of spreading euonymus (Euonymus kiautschovicus), forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia), English ivy (Hedera helix), lantana (Lantana camara), and coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) were rooted in substrates containing increasing concentrations of ERC hammer milled to pass a 4.8 mm (0.19 in) screen. All species rooted well (≥95%) in all substrates except forsythia which rooted poorly in all substrates (8% to 36%). ERC did not affect mean root number or mean root length in any species except spreading euonymus where mean root number peaked at 0% and 100% ERC content and mean root length decreased with increasing ERC content. Bulk density, container capacity, and total porosity increased as ERC replaced perlite. Physical properties of all substrates were suitable for cutting propagation. ERC can effectively replace perlite in rooting substrates for many ornamental species.

The objective of this project was to document the status of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, from non-reef habitats throughout Tampa Bay, Florida, and assess the ecosystem contributions of those populations relative to reef-dwelling oysters. The aspects of oyster ecology studied here include condition, prevalence and intensity of disease (Perkinsus marinus - dermo), reproductive activity (including stage, fecundity, and juvenile recruitment), adult oyster density, and the faunal community associated with the oysters. The predominant source of variation was seasonal, with lesser contributions among sites, and in most cases, little or no effect of the habitat type. Oysters populations from each habitat recruit juvenile oysters, produce mature individuals, and contribute viable gametes at the same magnitude with similar seasonality. The associated faunal communities were also largely similar between habitats at any given site. Measures of oyster density, combined with estimates of the total available habitat, suggest that natural oyster reefs may represent only a small portion of the total oyster community in Tampa Bay, while oysters associated with mangrove habitats and seawalls are probably the most abundant in the bay. Additional mapping and quantification of these habitats would help to define their bay-wide ecosystem-services value. Restoration projects, though small in size relative to other habitats, do provide alternative and additional habitat with comparable value to other oyster-bearing habitats.

Oyster reef habitats have declined from historic levels due to a variety of reasons, including overharvest, disease, and degraded water quality. The harvesting of oysters has led to a loss of reef habitat for both oysters and reef-associated fauna. When oysters spawn, the larval oysters, or spat, depend on hard substrate for settlement and growth. Oyster shell is the preferred substrate for use in restoration because it most closely matches natural reef habitat, but it is often expensive and in limited supply. This study incorporated field and laboratory experiments to assess the relative habitat value of alternative substrates (crushed concrete, porcelain, crushed limestone, and river rock, as well as oyster shell) for larval oyster recruitment as well as reef resident fishes and macro-invertebrates. Replicate trays of each substrate type were deployed in St. Charles Bay, TX for four months during spring and summer 2012 and assessed for oyster recruitment and faunal diversity and density. Concrete, river rock, limestone and porcelain had similar spat recruitment densities compared to oyster shell (1300-2300 spat). Spat shell heights were also larger on these substrates (13-16 mm), while spat on porcelain substrates were slightly smaller (10-13 mm). All substrates except bare sediment had similar fauna species densities (200-500 individuals m-2). Limestone had lower fauna diversity (H’; 0-1) than concrete and shell (1-2). Laboratory experiments compared the effectiveness of these substrates in providing prey refuge from pinfish and blue crab predators. All substrates performed similarly resulting in very low (<20 %) prey mortality rates for either predator. Results may enable future restoration plans to be implemented at a lower cost while providing similar habitat functions.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In front of the need to recover the original forest cover of the Atlantic Forest, it is necessary to adopt restoration programs of deforested areas using native species. Luehea divaricata Martius et Zuccarini, popularly known as açoita-cavalo, is a native tree specie of the Atlantic Forest biome widely used for the recovery of areas. It is a forest species that has its wood used for many different purposes, which contributed to the reduction of their natural populations, causing difficulties to find viable seeds of the species. Given this fact, the micropropagation becomes a viable alternative for the production of high quality seedlings, providing thus the formation of healthy populations for use in restoration projects of degraded areas. This way, this study aimed to optimize the rooting in vitro process and acclimatization of the species, and, for this, different concentrations of salts of the WPM nutritive medium for in vitro root formation shoots of Luehea divaricata were initially evaluated. Then, the effects of the addition indolebutyric acid (IBA) as a treatment "pulse" and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) in the nutritive medium were studied for rooting in vitro specie. The effect of the combination of vermiculite volume with the nutritive medium WPM/2 in root formation in vitro of Luehea divaricata was also analyzed in this study, as well as the implication of sucrose and different concentrations of substrates in the species acclimatization. The nutritive medium WPM/2 showed the most promising results for the development of Luehea divaricata, reaching values of 44,52% in the formation of primary roots after 45 days of in vitro culture. Treatment "pulse" with different concentrations of IBA and the use of NAA concentrations are not efficient for in vitro root formation in Luehea divaricata. The combinations of 20mL of nutritive medium + 15cm³ vermiculite, 20mL of nutritive medium + 30cm³ of vermiculite and 30mL of nutritive medium + 30cm³ of vermiculite were more promising for in vitro root formation in the species, providing averages of 39,61% in the rooting after 45 days of cultivation. Finally, for acclimatization in vitro and ex vitro substrates based on bio-stabilized pinus bark or based on turf, calcareous calcitic and composted pinus bark may be used, independently of sucrose concentrations tested during in vitro cultivation. / Diante da necessidade de recuperação da cobertura florestal original do bioma Mata Atlântica, é imprescindível a adoção de programas de restauração de áreas desmatadas utilizando espécies florestais nativas. Luehea divaricata Martius et Zuccarini, conhecida popularmente como açoita-cavalo, é uma espécie florestal nativa do bioma Mata Atlântica muito utilizada para a recuperação de áreas. Trata-se de uma espécie florestal que tem sua madeira empregada para as mais diversas finalidades, fato que contribuiu para a redução de suas populações naturais, ocasionando dificuldades para encontrar sementes viáveis da espécie. Diante desse fato, a micropropagação torna-se uma alternativa viável para a produção de mudas de alta qualidade, propiciando, assim, a formação de populações sadias para o uso em projetos de recuperação de áreas degradadas. Face ao exposto, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo otimizar os processos de enraizamento in vitro e aclimatização da espécie, e, para isso, foram avaliadas, inicialmente, diferentes concentrações dos sais do meio nutritivo WPM na rizogênese in vitro de brotações de Luehea divaricata. Em seguida, foram estudados os efeitos da adição, ao meio nutritivo, do Ácido Indolbutírico (AIB) como tratamento pulse e do Ácido Naftalenoacético (ANA) para o enraizamento in vitro da espécie. O efeito da combinação do volume de vermiculita com o meio nutritivo WPM/2 na rizogênese in vitro de Luehea divaricata também foi analisado, bem como a implicação de concentrações de sacarose e diferentes substratos na aclimatização da espécie. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o meio nutritivo WPM/2 apresentou resultados mais promissores para o desenvolvimento de Luehea divaricata, alcançando valores de 44,52% na formação de raízes primárias aos 45 dias de cultivo in vitro. O tratamento pulse com diferentes concentrações de AIB e o emprego de concentrações de ANA não são eficientes para a rizogênese in vitro de Luehea divaricata. As combinações de 20mL de meio nutritivo + 15cm³ de vermiculita, 20mL de meio nutritivo + 30cm³ de vermiculita e 30mL de meio nutritivo + 30cm³ de vermiculita são mais promissoras na rizogênese in vitro da espécie, proporcionando médias de 39,61% no enraizamento aos 45 dias de cultivo. Por fim, para a fase de aclimatização in vitro e ex vitro podem ser utilizados os substratos à base de casca de pinus bio-estabilizada e à base de turfa, calcário calcítico e casca de pinus compostada, independentemente das concentrações de sacarose testadas durante o cultivo in vitro.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Peltophorum dubium (Sprengel) Taubert is a native forest species that shows fast development with environmental and economic importance. However, studies related to the production of quality seedlings by vegetative propagation are still incipient. As a result, this study investigated methods for multiplication and in vitro root formation of Peltophorum dubium. For multiplication was evaluated the use, alone or combined, of the cytokinins 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (KIN), isopentenyladenine (2iP) and Thidiazuron (TDZ) in different concentrations and its association with the auxin alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (ANA) or activated charcoal. In the formation of roots were evaluated the auxins NAA, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at different concentrations and the exposure time of shoots to these growth regulators and their cultivation in nutrient media MS and WPM. We evaluated also alternative substrates (vermiculite, Plantmax ® or fine sand) associated with different volumes of MS nutrient medium containing agar or not, in the in vitro root formation, with the aim of providing a more porous medium to the development of root system. There wasn t emission of adventitious shoots in the absence of cytokinins in epicotyls of Peltophorum dubium. TDZ and 2iP, at 5 or 10 μM, associated with 0.015 μM NAA in MS medium promoted the highest percentage of buds. However, the shoots showed little development, intensive formation of callus at the base and leaf chlorosis, which didn t permit its use. In the absence of cytokinin was not observed leaf chlorosis. The inclusion of 1 g L-1 of activated charcoal to the nutrient medium MS provided more vigorous shoots and the use of epicotyl containing cotyledonary nodes allowed the formation of new shoots in all treatments. When BAP was used alone was not observed the emission of adventitious buds on epicotyl; these only started to occur when we used combinations of BAP with KIN or 2iP. In MS nutrient medium, the highest callus formation was observed in the presence of 10 μM IBA, after 30 days. In nutrient medium WPM, the highest callus formation occurred in the absence of IBA. Reduced percentage of root formation in Peltophorum dubium shoots were both obtained in MS medium as in WPM, regardless of the absence or presence of IBA. In MS nutrient medium, regardless of the presence or absence of auxin and independent of the concentration of this class of growth regulators, callus formation occurred at the base of the shoots of Peltophorum dubium to 30 days in vitro culture. Both the nutrient media MS and WPM possibilite the formation of roots on shoots of Peltophorum dubium with the use of "pulse" treatments of IBA at concentrations between 0 and 20 μM for six days in nutrient medium. However, the root formation was not satisfactory. There was intense callus formation at the base of the shoots at 60 days of culture, when the vermiculite was used as substrate in the process of inducing rooting. At 60 days it was possible to obtain root formation on all substrates. The combination of MS medium supplemented with 10 μM IBA, vermiculite and agar provided 36.8% of root formation in shoots, as well as improved the quality of roots of Peltophorum dubium. The use of epicotyl containing cotyledonary nodes on MS nutrient medium, supplemented with activated charcoal reduces the callus at the base of the explants and raises the emission of adventitious shoots for 75% and provides the obtaining of more vigorous shoots and leaves without chlorosis. The auxins NAA, IBA and 2,4-D in concentrations of up to 20 μM during the whole period of culture are not efficient in promoting the in vitro formation of roots on shoots of Peltophorum dubium. The use of pulse treatment with IBA for six days and the reduction the concentration of salts from the nutrient medium after this period allows the formation of roots, independent of IBA concentration and use of MS or WPM media. Most promising results are obtained using the combination of vermiculite, nutrient medium and agar, both in percentage of root formation, and the quality of root system formed. / Peltophorum dubium (Sprengel) Taubert é uma espécie florestal nativa de rápido crescimento e dotada de importância ambiental e econômica. No entanto, os estudos relacionados à produção de mudas de qualidade por meio da propagação vegetativa são, ainda, incipientes. Em virtude disso, este trabalho objetivou estudar metodologias para a multiplicação e para a formação de raízes in vitro de Peltophorum dubium. Para a multiplicação foram avaliados o emprego isolado ou combinado das citocininas 6-Benzilaminopurina (BAP), Cinetina (CIN), Isopenteniladenina (2iP) e Thidiazuron (TDZ) em diferentes concentrações, bem como sua associação com a auxina Ácido alfa-Naftaleno Acético (ANA) ou carvão ativado. Na formação de raízes foram avaliadas as auxinas ANA, Ácido 3-Indol Butírico (AIB) e Ácido 2,4-Diclorofenoxiacético (2,4-D) em diferentes concentrações, bem como o período de exposição das brotações a esses fitorreguladores e seu cultivo nos meios nutritivos MS e WPM. Foram avaliados, ainda, substratos alternativos (vermiculita, Plantmax® ou areia fina) associados a diferentes volumes de meio nutritivo MS, contendo ou não ágar, na formação in vitro de raízes, com o intuito de oferecer um meio mais poroso para o desenvolvimento do sistema radicular. Não ocorreu emissão de brotações adventícias na ausência de citocininas em epicótilos de Peltophorum dubium. TDZ e 2iP, a 5 ou 10 μM, associados a 0,015 μM de ANA, em meio MS, promoveram as maiores porcentagens de brotações adventícias. No entanto, as brotações apresentaram pequeno desenvolvimento, intensa formação de calos na base e clorose foliar, o que inviabilizou a sua utilização. Na ausência de citocininas não ocorreu clorose foliar. A inclusão de 1 g L- 1 de carvão ativado ao meio nutritivo MS proporcionou a obtenção de brotações mais vigorosas e a utilização de epicótilos contendo nós cotiledonares permitiu a formação de novas brotações em todos os tratamentos testados. Quando BAP foi utilizado isoladamente não foi observada a emissão de brotações adventícias em epicótilos; estas só passaram a ocorrer quando foram utilizadas combinações de BAP com CIN ou 2iP. Em meio nutritivo MS, a maior formação de calos foi observada na presença de 10 μM de AIB, aos 30 dias. Em meio nutritivo WPM, a maior formação de calos ocorreu na ausência de AIB. Reduzidas porcentagens de formação de raízes em brotações de Peltophorum dubium foram obtidas tanto em meio MS como em WPM, independentemente da ausência ou da presença de AIB. Em meio nutritivo MS, independente da presença ou não de auxinas e, independente da concentração utilizada, ocorreu calogênese na base das brotações de Peltophorum dubium aos 30 dias de cultivo in vitro.Tanto o meio nutritivo MS quanto o WPM possibilitaram a formação de raízes em brotações de Peltophorum dubium com a utilização de tratamentos pulse de AIB, em concentrações entre 0 e 20 μM, durante seis dias no meio nutritivo. No entanto, a formação de raízes não foi satisfatória. Ocorreu intensa formação de calos na base das brotações, aos 60 dias, quando a vermiculita foi utilizada como substrato no processo de indução ao enraizamento. Aos 60 dias foi possível obter formação de raízes em todos os substratos testados. A combinação de meio MS acrescido de 10 μM de AIB + vermiculita + ágar proporcionou 36,8% de formação de raízes nas brotações, bem como melhorou a qualidade do sistema radicular de Peltophorum dubium. A utilização de epicótilos contendo nós cotiledonares, em meio nutritivo MS, acrescido de carvão ativado, reduz a calogênese na base dos explantes e eleva a emissão de brotações adventícias para 75%, bem como proporciona a obtenção de brotações mais vigorosas e sem clorose foliar. As auxinas ANA, AIB e 2,4-D, em concentrações de até 20 μM durante todo o período de cultivo não são eficientes em promover a formação in vitro de raízes em brotações de Peltophorum dubium. O emprego de tratamento pulse com AIB por seis dias e a redução na concentração de sais do meio nutritivo após esse período permite a formação de raízes, independente da concentração de AIB e da utilização dos meios MS ou WPM. Resultados mais promissores são obtidos com a utilização da combinação de vermiculita, meio nutritivo e ágar, tanto na porcentagem de formação de raízes, como na qualidade do sistema radicular formado.