<i>Festuca hallii</i> [(Vasey) Piper] (plains rough fescue) is a dominant native grass species in the Fescue Prairie region of North America that has undergone dramatic range reduction in the past century. This research is undertaken to address the related issues associated with the effectiveness of sampling in capturing genetic diversity, the influence of habitat fragmentation on genetic variation, the geographic variation of seed germination characteristics, and the comparative genetic variation of differential germination. It was found that the tiller samples revealed slightly larger among-population variation than the seed samples. The fescue plant was genetically diverse, as revealed by the proportion of polymorphic bands, the mean band frequency, and the within-population variation. The genetic variation was not highly differentiated with only 6.5% of the total AFLP variation residing among populations. Mantel test revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances and a spatial autocorrelation up to 60 km among populations was detected. Base temperatures (<i>T_b</i>, minimal or base temperature permitting germination) of the 15 populations fell into a narrow range within 2.2°C with an average of 1.1°C. High final germination percentage was reached at a wide temperature range from 5 to 20°C with the highest germination percentage at 10°C. Germination rate index increased with increasing temperature from 5 to 20°C. <i>T_b</i> was positively correlated with latitude and negatively with longitude and the thermal time requirement for 50% germination was negatively correlated with latitude. The AFLP variation and germination responses were significantly associated with environmental attributes related to moisture, indicating local adaptation. However, the AFLP variation and germination was not significantly associated with the estimated population size and geographic distance to the nearest neighbor, suggesting that fragmentation has not generated considerable genetic and germination impact on the fescue populations. Marked differences in estimates of mean band frequency were observed for various groups of germinating seeds under different test temperatures. Comparisons of AFLP variation among 27 groups of seeds representing population, germination timing and test temperature indicates seed genotypes respond slightly differently to environmental variation, resulting in significant but small impact of germination timing and temperature on the genetic diversity of populations. These findings are significant not only for understanding and predicting the ecological adaptation of the species, but also for formulating effective restoration strategies for remnant populations.

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Neotyphodium are fungal endosymbionts of grasses that reproduce asexually by infecting the hosts seed. This relationship has traditionally been considered mutualistic, with the fungus improving host fitness by alleviating important stresses. To determine the importance of biotic and abiotic stresses in mediating the endophyte-grass interaction, I investigated the relationship between grazing pressure by collared pikas and Neotyphodium sp. infection frequency in the grass Festuca altaica in an alpine meadow. I conducted a factorial design experiment combining endophyte infection, grazing history, fungicide and fertilizer. Leaf demography and herbivory damage were monitored every two weeks. In areas with chronic grazing history, infected plants were significantly less productive than uninfected tussocks, but there was no difference at low grazing history. There was no effect of infection on the likelihood of herbivory. Contrary to predictions of the mutualism theory, the Neotyphodium sp. / F. altaica symbiotum varied from parasitic to neutral across our gradient of interest. / Ecology

Rye grass are common considered optimum grass species for intensive agriculture in area with sufficient rainfall, because they provide a high production of quality forage. Unfortunately, they have lack of resistance to abiotic stresses. With heed to the progress climate change, when these stresses will increase, we are looking for genes from better-adapted species of Festuca. Target features are better use of nitrogen and water to attainment high production of forage, increased tolerance to drought and ability rooting compacted layers of soil. These targets lead to research on growth of roots, which are to fulfil the above written targets in award. Following the research of M. Humphreys we are focused on detailed monitoring root growth of three species xFestulolium and their parent species in the early stages of development in our research. They were tested following grasses: Festuca arundinacea (cv. KORA), Festuca pratensis (cv. PRONELA), Lolium multiflorum (cv. MORAVICE) and xFestulolium (cv. HYKOR, HOSTYN and PRIOR). The chosen the method of cultivation in cylinder with sand in outdoor conditions with fertilization in two doses, corresponding to a total 80 kg N/ha. The experiment was performed in two terms: 21. 5. when 23. 7. 2015 and 21. 9. when 11. 12. 2015. In the first term, growth was limited by high temperatures. In the second term were limiting the contrary low temperatures, especially at the end of vegetation. The evaluated parameters were: maximum depth of rooting, total dry root biomass, total root length, root surface, root volume, the ratio R/S, the dry weight of aboveground biomass, maximum height aboveground biomass, number of tillers, number developed leaves, surfaces of the leaves and root length in individual thickness categories. The length, surface and volume of roots with flat leaves, were evaluated through image analysis scans in program WinRHIZO (Regent Instruments, Canada). In most parameters it was the best Lolium multiflorum MORAVICE with xFestulolium HOSTYN. The differences between them are in most of parameters statistically insignificant (outside the maximum depth of root and flat of leaves, where MORAVICE achieved significantly higher values). Anticipated advantages relating to the growth of strong and deep roots in this experiment did not show. The supposed main reason for the termination of the experiment in the early stage of development.

Fine-leaved Festuca valesiaca possesses abiotic stress tolerances. However, their agronomic performances in the western United States and its genetic relationship to species of the Festuca ovina complex have not been investigated. Also, natural hybridization due to open pollination presents difficulties in distinguishing them for closely related taxa using morphological analysis. Given the species’ agronomic potentials, a project was designed to identify Festuca valesiaca accessions possessing high biomass production and seed yield for possible low-maintenance applications and to examine their relatedness to taxa of the Festuca ovina complex by multi-locus AFLP genotyping and chloroplast DNA sequence analysis using primer combinations designed from three intergenic spacers. Plant vigor, height and width, total biomass, and seed weight and seed number of Festuca valesiaca accessions were evaluated from 2009 to 2011 at Blue Creek, Utah in a random complete block design with six replications. The Festuca valesiaca accessions examined produced abundance of small seeds. Seed production was significantly (P = 0.001) correlated (r2 = 0.84) with the total biomass, plant height, and plant vigor rating. The Festuca valesiaca accessions examined possessed lower height than the control ‘Cascade’ but higher biomass, spring green-up, and seed production. Given their morphological attributes, Festuca valesiaca accessions PI 659923, W6 30575, and W6 30588 should be considered for low-maintenance applications and use in plant improvement. The AFLP-based neighbor-joining analysis indicated that Festuca valesiaca is a closely related subcluster of Festuca ovina and should be considered as one species. Festuca trachyphylla is a subcluster under Festuca ovina and Festuca valesiaca. Festuca idahoensis has a close relationship with Festuca roemeri but not with Festuca ovina. Low admixture was detected between the Festuca rubra and Festuca trachyphylla accessions examined, while a comparative high admixture was detected among the commercial cultivars examined. Chloroplast sequences data reconfirmed that the Festuca ovina complex genetically differed from Festuca rubra and the other reference taxa examined. Festuca valesiaca and Festuca ovina possessed the same maternal lineage based on chloroplast DNA sequence analysis. One Festuca valesiaca accession, W6 30537, was genetically similar to the Festuca rubra examined and should be putatively reclassified as Festuca rubra pending further taxonomic analysis.

The aim of this research was to contribute on the understanding of the floral diversity of grasslands in Cummo Huacullani, south Puno, in Peru. The Method of Parker 3-Step transects was used to assess the flora during 2016, and fourteen (14) transects were evaluated. Following, in 2020 four (4) Whitaker plots were established to assess the flora and the soil nutrients. Furthermore, a focus group and two interviews were developed in 2020 to understand the uses of plants, management of grasslands and climate change perceptions of Cummo Huacullani settlers. In 2016, 133 species of vascular plants were registered; weeds and palatable species were identified as well as richness, diversity, phylogeny, and condition of the grassland (Chapter 1). Photographs of 90 species were used to develop a field guide that was used during the focus group and interviews. The dominant species of the area was identified as Festuca dolichophylla and described in detail in Chapter 2. In 2020, 61 species of vascular plants were registered. These results were compared with the first inventory, to identify the change of species due to a fire presented months before the evaluation (Chapter 3). Twenty-five (25) new species were added to the previous records and 20 species were identified as possible fire-sensitive species. Additionally, the relationship of plant species with soil nutrients and diversity indicators was identified (Chapter 4). Nitrogen in the soil and pH were the main drivers of the grassland plant cover as well as phylogenetic diversity and richness. The results of the focus group and interviews revealed that the main use of plants in the area is for medicinal purposes. The main management practice in the grasslands is cattle rotation and the main climate change adaptation is early plantation based on climate and Phyto-signs observation (Chapter 5).

Organisms respond to changes in their environment using different strategies. Understanding how species deal with changes expected due to ongoing climate change is important for making accurate predictions about their effect on ecosystems. Geothermal areas provide a natural warming laboratory because the species present have been exposed to warming over generations. This study used geothermal areas in Iceland to study plant fitness and phenology in a common garden experiment. Additionally, plants were exposed to a snow manipulation treatment. In the experiment, 794 individuals of Festuca rubra were used; 375 originated from non-heated soil and, of these, 182 were exposed to ambient snowfall and 193 were exposed to snow removal treatment; 419 of the individuals originated from geothermally heated areas and, of those, 226 were exposed to ambient snowfall and 193 to snow removal treatment.  I expected both phenological and fitness differences, such that plants from geothermally heated areas; (1) develop slower, (2) have a lower chance of survival and probability to flower. However, I expected no difference in biomass between plants from geothermally heated soils and non-heated soils. For plants exposed to snow removal treatment I hypothesized the effects on fitness and phenology would depend on the winter condition. Results showed there were no overall differences between plants originating from geothermally heated soils and plants originating from non-heated soils in any of the recorded responses. Snow had an effect on biomass allocation, where plants exposed to ambient snowfall produced a larger proportion of reproductive biomass; there were also tendencies that the reproductive structures were more numerous and had a higher biomass overall. My results suggest F. rubra shows a plastic response to geothermal warming and that snow cover has a positive effect on fitness (reproductive biomass). The study is an important contribution to understanding the ways in which plants cope with changes in temperature and how they are affected by changes in snow regimes.

In previous work, mouse lines were selected for resistance (R) or for susceptibility (S) to fescue toxicosis based upon reductions in post-weaning growth rate caused by an endophyte-infected diet. The first objective of the current experiment was to determine whether long term reproduction of S mice was more severely depressed than that of R mice by the toxic diet. The second objective was to quantify glutathione-S-epoxytransferase (GST) and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl-transferase (UDPGT) activities in R and S dams form the experiment and to determine whether reproduction during continuous cohabitation and liver detoxification enzyme activities were correlated within line x diet groups. Effects of the toxic diet were detectable within the first litters produced. Reproduction was more seriously influenced by the toxic diet within the S line than within the R line when these measures were compared within four equal time phases. The effects of the toxic diet on reproduction were greatest early in the experiment; by the fourth time phase differences among line x diet groups, with the exception of litter weight, were not significant. Percentage differences in total reproduction were greater between S mice fed the non-toxic diet and S mice fed the toxic diet than those between the R mice fed the non-toxic and toxic diets. Averaged across diets, GST activities were higher in R mice, but UDPGT activities were not significant. Within R line mice, GST was correlated with three reproductive measures, but UDPGT activity was not correlated with reproduction within any line x diet group. / Master of Science

Aircraft strikes are a significant safety hazard on airports worldwide. Wildlife management at airfields is the most effective tactic to reduce airstrike risk – to modify the habitat to be undesirable to animals. Tall fescue grasses containing a fungal symbiont may serve that purpose. They produce alkaloids that convey resistance to some grass-feeding invertebrates, which might in turn reduce incidence of insectivorous birds. A commercial endophytic grass (Avanex™) consisting of ‘Jackal’ tall fescue infected with a unique endophyte (AR 601) is purported to contain especially high levels of alkaloids and to reduce bird populations if planted at airports. I evaluated it against the common KY31 tall fescue with its wild-type endophyte for invertebrate and vertebrate deterrence. Invertebrate abundance, survival, growth, and development were generally similar on Jackal E+ or KY31 E+. Spanish goats and wild birds showed no avoidance of Jackal E+, nor did Jackal E+ contain significantly higher levels of alkaloids than did KY31 E+. The Avanex™ tall fescue was not any better than KY31 in deterring herbivores but the concept is sound. However, better understanding of the relationship between grass, endophyte, alkaloid, and herbivore is needed to inform how such grasses might be used to reduce bird strike hazard.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.