Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-36). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 182-187).

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 36-43). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

M.Sc. (Botany) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Burkea africana Hook. (wild syringa) is an average sized leguminous tree, 10-12 m in height occasionally reaching over 20m. This monotypic genus is dominant and codominant in Zambia, and is present throughout Africa as far north as Ethopia and west to Nigeria, and south to South Africa especially Limpopo, North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. It inhabits dry, non–calcareous sandy soils in savanna and woodlands up to 1500 m altitude or gentle slope of 1080 m elevation. Burkea africana produces a relatively large number of seeds, which is unusual for a resprouting species. Several studies conducted on B. africana trees paid more attention to the medicinal attributes, however little or nothing is known regarding the factors and dynamics that contribute to the growth and existence of these trees, particularly because these trees grow naturally in nutrient-poor savanna soils. Although B. africana trees have been in existence for a very long period of time, propagating it through thinning and transplanting of seedlings for regeneration and/ or re-establishment of seedlings to survive until sexual maturity still remains a mystery. It is hypothesized that factors controlling establishment and development of B. africana trees are related to microbial activities in the soil, very complex and species specific but poorly understood. This study aimed to identify, if there is a symbiotic relationship between the soil and mycorhizal fungi, and rhizobium bacteria or other growth stimulating activities, in the Burkea soils, which will accelerate and assist effective growth of B. africana trees to reach reproductive stage and produce pods without dying. The chemical composition of Burkea soil and non-Burkea soils was analysed using HCl extraction method.). The results indicated the similar values (p>0.05) were observed for all micro and macro minerals as well as total nitrogen, pH and organic matter. However, total ions nitrate and ammonium concentration levels of Burkea soils were higher (p<0.05) than those found in non-Burkea soils. The use of advanced metabolomics tool using1H-NMR was used to determine and identify soil metabolites which may be responsible for successful growth and establishment of the Burkea africana trees. The findings of this study indicated that metabolomic analysis showed different metabolites in the respective soils. Growth-promoting metabolites (GPM) such as trehalose and betaine were found to be in higher concentrations in the Burkea soils. Conversely, acetate, lactate and formate, were found in higher concentrations in the non-Burkea soils. Furthermore, LC-MS was used to determine the soil components present in Burkea soil as compared to non-Burkea soil using. The results indicated that a total of 22 compounds consisted of essential amino acids such as phenylalamine, threonine, tryptophan, leucine, isoleucine and lysine; conditional essential amino acids such as arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, proline and tyrosine; non-essential amino acids such as citruline, alinine, aspartic acids, asparagine, glutamic acid and serine; nucleobased amino acids such as guanosine, adenine, adenosine, cytindine; dicarboxylic acid such as fumaric acid as well as common non-proteinogenic amino acids such as 4-hydroxyproline compounds were found in both Burkea and nonBurkea soils. The study investigated the microbial communities in the soil where Burkea africana trees grows successfully (Burkea soils) and how it varies from the soils where they do not grow (non-Burkea soils). DNA was extracted from the soil and a high throughput sequence bask local assignment search tool (BLAST) was used to analyze the microbial diversity (bacterial and fungal) and composition found in both soils, for a comprehensive understanding of the soil microflora. The results revealed that Penicillum sp is prevalent in Burkea soils and was the main discriminant between the two soils. On the contrary, non-cultured fungi, which could not be identified, dominated the non-Burkea soils. The variances in soil composition suggests that species supremacy play a role in the growth of B. africana trees. Lastly, the current study investigated and also identified what attracts caterpillars known as Cirina forda to invade and feed on B. africana trees. In addition, to determining if there is a symbiotic relationship between the plant-growth metabolites; growth-promoting fungi (Penicilium sp) and the caterpillars. The results of the study, revealed that the fungus Pleurostomophora richardsiae was predominant in the leaves of B. africana trees as well as in the caterpillars. It is proposed that Pl. richardsiae is a volatile compound which attracts caterpillars and makes B. africana trees susceptible to caterpillars’ outbreaks. The second largest percentage of fungi found in the caterpillars was Aspergillus nomius. / School of Agriculture and Life Sciences / Ph. D. (Agriculture)

A forest type dominated by Peltogyne gracilipes Ducke (Caesalpiniaceae) occurs on Maraca Island on a range of soil types. Maraca is located in Roraima State (Brazil) in the Rio Uraricoera and has an area of about 100,000 ha. This study compares the structure and floristic composition of the Peltogyne forest with the most widespread lowland forest type on Maraca and investigates some factors that could be involved in the persistent monodominance of Peltogyne. Three 0.25 ha plots were set up in each of three forest types: Peltogyne-rich forest (PRF), Peltogyne-poor forest (PPF) and forest without Peltogyne (FWP). Within each plot all trees (~ 10 cm dbh) were recorded. Seedlings and saplings were sampled in sub-plots of 2 m x 1 m (seedlings) and 4 m x 4 m (saplings). In the PPF and FWP, Sapotaceae were the most important family with the highest dominance and relative density values. Caesalpiniaceae showed high values in the PRF and PPF. Licania kunthiana, Pradosia surinamensis and Simarouba amara occurred in the forest types. Peltogyne dominated had 20% of stems and 53% of the trees ~ 10 cm dbh, and 91% of the canopy layer the canopy in total basal stems and 97% in all the the PRF and area of all of the total basal area of individuals > 50 cm dbh. In PPF, Lecythis corrugata and Tetragastris panamensis were the most abundant species, followed by Peltogyne. In the FWP the most abundant trees (~ 10 cm dbh) were L. kunthiana and P. surinamensis. In general, Peltogyne had low rates of seed predation and herbivory, but suffered locally high levels of damage to its seeds by leaf-cutter ants and was once observed to have an infestation of larvae of the moth Eulepidotis phrygionia on its young leaves. Peltogyne had no allelopathic effects on tested species and had VA mycorrhizal associations. Its occurrence remains unexplained but is most clearly correlated with soil magnesium.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:05:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 coelho_rg_dr_araiq.pdf: 3502582 bytes, checksum: ab4782e6fdfea5a314ba78bdce08a2c2 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho é uma parte de uma investigação de plantas utilizadas na medicina popular pela população que habita a Floresta Tropical Atlântica (Mata Atlântica), região do Vale do Ribeira, estado de São Paulo. Foram estudadas as folhas de duas espécies usadas para o tratamento de úlceras gástricas: Wilbrandia ebracteata (Cucurbitaceae) e Zollernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae). A terceira espécie estudada foi Caesalpinia ferrea (Caesalpiniaceae), usada contra alergia. Os extratos hidrometanólico 70% das espécies Z. ilicifolia e W. ebracteata foram avaliados farmacologicamente em diferentes modelos de indução de úlceras. Para o extrato metanólico de C. ferrea foi avaliada a secreção de mastócitos de pulmão e intestino de cobaia, visando uma comparação com drogas antialérgicas. Os extratos ativos foram fracionados por técnicas cromatográficas e as substâncias identificadas por métodos espectrométricos. Do extrato de Z. ilicifolia foram isoladas saponinas, flavonóides glicosilados e glicosídeos cianogenéticos. O perfil cromatográfico usando HPLC-DAD de Z. ilicifolia combinado ao conhecimento desta espécie permitiu distinguir entre a verdadeira e a falsa espinheiras-santas (Maytenus ilicifolia e Sorocea bomplandii). Em W. ebracteata foram identificados ácidos graxos, além de agliconas de flavonóides e C-glicosídeos. Os flavonóides C-glicosilados isolados de W. ebracteata exibiram significativa atividade antioxidante e baixa atividade citotóxica. Na espécie C. ferrea foram encontrados flavonóides C-glicosilados, triterpenos e um derivado de ácido fenólico. Como conclusão este estudo contribuiu para o conhecimento da química dessas plantas brasileiras que ocorrem na Mata Atlântica e isto pode ser usado como base para a conservação da floresta assim como fonte de compostos para estudos fitoquímicos, farmacológicos, toxicológicos e ecológicos. / This work is part of a systematic investigation of plants used in folk medicines by people that inhabit in Tropical Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), Vale do Ribeira, State of São Paulo. We have studied the leaves of two species used for treatment of gastric ulcers: Wilbrandia ebracteata (Cucurbitaceae) and Zollernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae). The third species investigated was Caesalpinia ferrea (Caesalpiniaceae), used against allergy. The 70% methanolic extracts of Z. ilicifolia and W. ebracteata and the methanolic extract of C. ferrea were submitted to pharmacological assays in different models to evaluate their activies. The active extracts were fractionated by chromatography techniques and the substances were identified by spectrometric methods. From Z. ilicifolia we have isolated saponin, glycosilated flavonoids and cyanogenic glycosides. The chromatographic HPLC-UV-DAD profile of Z. ilicifolia combined to the knowledge of the chemistry of this species allowed to distinguish between true and false “espinheiras-santas” (Maytenus ilicifolia and Sorocea bomplandii). W. abracteata afforded fatty acids as well as flavonoid aglycones and C-glycosides. The C-glycoside flavonoids showed significative antioxidant activity and low citotoxic activity. C. ferrea led to the isolation of C-glycoside flavonoids, triterpenes and phenolic acid derivative. In conclusion, this study contributed to improve the knowledge of the chemistry of Brazilian plants occurring in the Mata Atlântica and can be used as a basis for the forest conservation as well as a source of compounds for phytochemical, pharmacological, toxicological and ecological studies.

Orientador: Wagner Vilegas / Banca: João Batista Fernandes / Banca: Jayro Kenupp Bastos / Banca: Elfriede Marianne Bacchi / Banca: Maysa Furlan / Resumo: Este trabalho é uma parte de uma investigação de plantas utilizadas na medicina popular pela população que habita a Floresta Tropical Atlântica (Mata Atlântica), região do Vale do Ribeira, estado de São Paulo. Foram estudadas as folhas de duas espécies usadas para o tratamento de úlceras gástricas: Wilbrandia ebracteata (Cucurbitaceae) e Zollernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae). A terceira espécie estudada foi Caesalpinia ferrea (Caesalpiniaceae), usada contra alergia. Os extratos hidrometanólico 70% das espécies Z. ilicifolia e W. ebracteata foram avaliados farmacologicamente em diferentes modelos de indução de úlceras. Para o extrato metanólico de C. ferrea foi avaliada a secreção de mastócitos de pulmão e intestino de cobaia, visando uma comparação com drogas antialérgicas. Os extratos ativos foram fracionados por técnicas cromatográficas e as substâncias identificadas por métodos espectrométricos. Do extrato de Z. ilicifolia foram isoladas saponinas, flavonóides glicosilados e glicosídeos cianogenéticos. O perfil cromatográfico usando HPLC-DAD de Z. ilicifolia combinado ao conhecimento desta espécie permitiu distinguir entre a verdadeira e a falsa espinheiras-santas (Maytenus ilicifolia e Sorocea bomplandii). Em W. ebracteata foram identificados ácidos graxos, além de agliconas de flavonóides e C-glicosídeos. Os flavonóides C-glicosilados isolados de W. ebracteata exibiram significativa atividade antioxidante e baixa atividade citotóxica. Na espécie C. ferrea foram encontrados flavonóides C-glicosilados, triterpenos e um derivado de ácido fenólico. Como conclusão este estudo contribuiu para o conhecimento da química dessas plantas brasileiras que ocorrem na Mata Atlântica e isto pode ser usado como base para a conservação da floresta assim como fonte de compostos para estudos fitoquímicos, farmacológicos, toxicológicos e ecológicos. / Abstract: This work is part of a systematic investigation of plants used in folk medicines by people that inhabit in Tropical Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), Vale do Ribeira, State of São Paulo. We have studied the leaves of two species used for treatment of gastric ulcers: Wilbrandia ebracteata (Cucurbitaceae) and Zollernia ilicifolia (Fabaceae). The third species investigated was Caesalpinia ferrea (Caesalpiniaceae), used against allergy. The 70% methanolic extracts of Z. ilicifolia and W. ebracteata and the methanolic extract of C. ferrea were submitted to pharmacological assays in different models to evaluate their activies. The active extracts were fractionated by chromatography techniques and the substances were identified by spectrometric methods. From Z. ilicifolia we have isolated saponin, glycosilated flavonoids and cyanogenic glycosides. The chromatographic HPLC-UV-DAD profile of Z. ilicifolia combined to the knowledge of the chemistry of this species allowed to distinguish between true and false "espinheiras-santas" (Maytenus ilicifolia and Sorocea bomplandii). W. abracteata afforded fatty acids as well as flavonoid aglycones and C-glycosides. The C-glycoside flavonoids showed significative antioxidant activity and low citotoxic activity. C. ferrea led to the isolation of C-glycoside flavonoids, triterpenes and phenolic acid derivative. In conclusion, this study contributed to improve the knowledge of the chemistry of Brazilian plants occurring in the Mata Atlântica and can be used as a basis for the forest conservation as well as a source of compounds for phytochemical, pharmacological, toxicological and ecological studies. / Doutor