Liverworts are speciose, morphologically diverse, and members of an ancient lineage that is now recognized as the sister group to all other land plants. Spermatozoid ultrastructural characters have provided insight on interrelationships among plant groups as well as the puzzling placement of some taxa in molecular-based phylogenies. With completion of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny of liverworts based on nuclear, plastid, and mitochondrial sequences, changes in morphology of spermatozoids may be readily tracked across lineages. The research presented herein was conducted to fill in critical data on spermatogenesis in major clades of liverworts and to evaluate the evolutionary changes in these complex cells throughout the phylum. Ultrastructural studies of the locomotory apparatus in mid-stage spermatids and mature spermatozoids were conducted on Aneura pinguis, Scapania nemorea, Calypogeia mulleriana, Bazzania trilobata, and Porella platyphylla. The locomotory apparatus of the taxa examined exhibits the typical liverwort architecture, with a multilayered structure and two staggered flagella that are attached to the spline by dimorphic basal bodies. The locomotory apparatus of Aneura is unique among liverworts in that the two basal bodies are inserted at nearly the same location near the anterior of the MLS. The spermatozoid of all taxa are streamlined and coiled, and contain a long cylindrical nucleus, two mitochondria and a starch-filled plastid. Spermatozoids of Scapania, Porella and Bazzania coil 1.75 revolutions, while Aneura spermatozoids coil nearly 4 revolutions. The plastid terminates the spermatozoid in all but Aneura, where the plastid and nucleus overlap to the terminus. A data matrix was compiled from published data and the present studies, and a list of 21 characters scored for 11 of the most completely studied taxa. Representative taxa were selected from all major clades within the liverwort phylogeny, as well as one moss, one hornwort, and two tracheophytes as outgroups. Mesquite was used to perform an ancestral state reconstruction using maximum likelihood with Mk1and AsymmMk parameter models. Haplomitriopsida taxa (Haplomitrium and Treubia) shared several characters including more than one plastid, more than two mitochondria, wide spline width, and left lateral curve of the lamellar strip; however, no character states were calculated to have a significant proportional likelihood value at the ancestral node. Marchantiopsida taxa (Blasia, Marchantia, Sphaerocarpos) shared several characters including a three microtubules-wide spline aperture, a notch in the lamellar strip, and a right and left taper in shape to the lamellar strip, all of which were supported with significant proportional likelihood values at the ancestral node. Jungermanniopsida taxa (Pellia, Pallavicinia, Aneura, Porella, Bazzania, Scapania) possessed a right to left taper of the lamellar strip and a spline that attached tangentially to the nucleus and were supported by significant proportional likelihood values at the ancestral node. BayesTraits was used to give estimated values of characters for the liverwort ancestor using both the directional and random walk models. Values included a spline width of 48 microtubules, a lamellar strip length of 0.933 µm, and lamellar strip width of 1.427 µm. In addition to possessing features that have not been documented, Aneura spermatozoids share features with distantly related Haplomitriopsida including the absences of a Fibrillenscheide and the lack of a narrow spline shank.

No description available.

A dissertation submitted to the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Environmental Sciences. Johannesburg, March 2016. / Mapping Prosopis glandulosa (mesquite) invasion in the arid environment of South Africa using remote sensing techniques Mureriwa, Nyasha Abstract Decades after the first introduction of the Prosopis spp. (mesquite) to South Africa in the late 1800s for its benefits, the invasive nature of the species became apparent as its spread in regions of South Africa resulting in devastating effects to biodiversity, ecosystems and the socio-economic wellbeing of affected regions. Various control and management practices that include biological, physical, chemical and integrated methods have been tested with minimal success as compared to the rapid spread of the species. From previous studies, it has been noted that one of the reasons for the low success rates in mesquite control and management is a lack of sufficient information on the species invasion dynamic in relation to its very similar co-existing species. In order to bridge this gap in knowledge, vegetation species mapping techniques that use remote sensing methods need to be tested for the monitoring, detection and mapping of the species spread. Unlike traditional field survey methods, remote sensing techniques are better at monitoring vegetation as they can cover very large areas and are time-effective and cost-effective. Thus, the aim of this research was to examine the possibility of mapping and spectrally discriminating Prosopis glandulosa from its native co-existing species in semi-arid parts of South Africa using remote sensing methods. The specific objectives of the study were to investigate the spectral separability between Prosopis glandulosa and its co-existing species using field spectral data as well as to upscale the results to different satellites resolutions. Two machine learning algorithms (Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machines (SVM)) were also tested in the mapping processes. The first chapter of the study evaluated the spectral discrimination of Prosopis glandulosa from three other species (Acacia karoo, Acacia mellifera and Ziziphus mucronata) in the study area using in-situ spectroscopy in conjunction with the newly developed guided regularized random forest (GRRF) algorithm in identifying key wavelengths for multiclass classification. The GRRF algorithm was used as a method of reducing the problem of high dimensionality associated with hyperspectral data. Results showed that there was an increase in the accuracy of discrimination between the four species when the full set of 1825 wavelengths was used in classification (79.19%) as compared to the classification used by the 11 key wavelengths identified by GRRF (88.59%). Results obtained from the second chapter showed that it is possible to spatially discriminate mesquite from its co-existing acacia species and other general land-cover types at a 2 m resolution with overall accuracies of 86.59% for RF classification and 85.98% for SVM classification. The last part of the study tested the use of the more cost effective SPOT-6 imagery and the RF and SVM algorithms in mapping Prosopis glandulosa invasion and its co-existing indigenous species. The 6 m resolution analysis obtained accuracies of 78.46% for RF and 77.62% for SVM. Overall it was concluded that spatial and spectral discrimination of Prosopis glandulosa from its native co-existing species in semi-arid South Africa was possible with high accuracies through the use of (i) two high resolution, new generation sensors namely, WorldView-2 and SPOT-6; (ii) two robust classification algorithms specifically, RF and SVM and (iii) the newly developed GRRF algorithm for variable selection and reducing the high dimensionality problem associated with hyperspectral data. Some recommendations for future studies include the replication of this study on a larger scale in different invaded areas across the country as well as testing the robustness of the RF and SVM classifiers by making use of other machine learning algorithms and classification methods in species discrimination. Keywords: Prosopis glandulosa, field spectroscopy, cost effectiveness, Guided Regularised Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, Worldview-2, Spot-6

North American grasslands and grassland birds have declined drastically due to habitat degradation by fire suppression (i.e., woody encroachment), fragmentation, and conversion to croplands. A better understanding is needed of the relationships among disturbance regimes (e.g., fire), resultant vegetation changes, and grassland bird communities to effectively manage remaining grasslands and grassland birds. I assessed the relationship between post-fire succession, and mean relative abundance and nesting ecology of breeding grassland birds (i.e., nest-site selection and nest success) in mesquite-dominated rangeland of the Texas Rolling Plains, where prescribed fire is used as a tool to manage shrub encroachment. Brush cover, grass cover, and visual obstruction generally increased with post-fire succession, and bare ground decreased with post-fire succession. Species richness, grasshopper sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum), Cassin’s sparrows (Aimophila cassinii), and dickcissels (Spiza americana) responded positively to post-fire succession, and lark sparrows (Chondestes grammacus) responded negatively to post-fire succession.; abundance of these avian groups was low on the control sites. During 2004–2005, 90 grassland bird nests were monitored. I found conflicting results for vegetation parameters important to nest site selection and probability of nest success. For all species except lark sparrows, nest-site location was positively associated with visual obstruction and with grass or forb cover. However, the probability of nest success increased with lower visual obstruction, bare ground cover, or grass cover. Grassland bird abundance, nest-site location, and nest success had differing associations with vegetation variables. These results suggest that to effectively manage remaining grasslands for sustainable breeding grassland bird populations, managers should engage in practices that keep habitat in multiple vegetative successional stages.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 247-251).

This report examines the life and works of Elena Zamora O'Shea, reading them as a form of resistance to the dominant narrative of Anglo conquest in south Texas. / text

I studied the insect seed predator community on mesquite plants (Prosopis spp.) to investigate patterns of community composition in space and time, attempting to better understand the factors that led to the coexistence of many seed predator species on a single plant. This dissertation begins by testing the controversial species limits of Prosopis section Algarobía because hosts may act as environmental filters to insect seed predators. I found evidence for at least eight North American Prosopis species (section Algarobía). Second, I describe and add to the known natural history of 113 arthropod species among 315,174 individuals I collected from seedpod samples across the United States and Mexico. These samples included 187 trees from eight North American Prosopis species from section Algarobía and three from section Strombocarpa. Third, I examined reproductive timing in Prosopis and show that neighboring trees of the same species reproduce synchronously, whereas closely related species stagger reproduction. I found that photoperiod is the main cue that initiates flowering, but that multiple cues are involved. Thus, synchronous reproduction may act as an equalizing process that facilitates coexistence of seed predators in this system. Fourth, I tested for evidence of spatial and temporal niche partitioning among Prosopis seed predators. I found that the rank abundance of seed predators varies little over space and time, suggesting that this community exists in a homogeneous competitive environment. I also found that although a few species restrict the use of seeds to particular host plants or developmental stages of the pods, there is little evidence of niche partitioning. Finally, I looked for evidence of competition between seed predators and examined a number of factors that may allow for coexistence of these species. I found no evidence of interspecific competition or facilitation, suggesting that species somehow either avoid competition or that present patterns are the product of past competitive interactions. Natural enemies occur too sporadically to allow for apparent competition and I found no relationship between their occurrence or abundance and those of the seed predator species I studied. I found a positive correlation between rank abundance ability and fecundity, inconsistent with expectations of life-history or competitive-colonization trade-offs. Therefore, the only stabilizing process consistent with patterns found in this system is the niche regeneration hypothesis. I found that one seed predator species lays eggs most often away from both interspecific and intraspecific competitors, a pattern consistent with active avoidance as a second equalizing process within this system.

No description available.

No description available.

Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic mycotoxin. Aflatoxin contamination of susceptible crops is the product of communities of Aspergillus section Flavi and average aflatoxin-producing potential of these communities influence aflatoxin contamination risk. In 2004 and 2005, Sugarcane producing counties in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (RGV) had unique aflatoxin-producing communities containing Aspergillus parasiticus. Sugarcane fields or those rotated for less than two years had Aspergillus section Flavi communities dominated by A. parasiticus. A. parasiticus was rarely detected in long-term rotation fields and not detected in counties without sugarcane crops. Aflatoxin-producing fungi infecting RGV sugarcane stems ranged from 52 - 95% A. parasiticus in hand-collected samples and billets for commercial planting, respectively. Identical A. parasiticus fungi found in Japan caused aflatoxin contamination of raw sugar there. Population genetics and phylogenetics were used to characterize a global sampling of 112 A. parasiticus and identify geographic distributions and crop associations within the species. One population shows clear association with sugarcane and is distributed to Asia, Africa and North America, implicating human involvement in its distribution. A. parasiticus populations from maize and peanut have broad geographic distribution but crop specific lineages and/or populations were not detected. One A. parasiticus population isolated from maize has a distribution limited to Mexico. A phylogeny generated from a partial nitrate reductase gene resolves a lineage that correlates with the sugarcane population and suggests crop association and geographic distribution may drive divergence within A. parasiticus. Crop associations shape fungal communities and must be considered for aflatoxin management. Native food enthusiasts in Arizona conduct public millings of wild- and landscape-collected mesquite pods (Prosopis spp.) to produce mesquite flour, which is often consumed in the same localities where it is produced without conventional food safety inspection. Aflatoxin was found in imported, domestic, and non-commercial mesquite flour batches, with 10% above the FDA action level for human food (>20 ppb), and 95% could not be exported to Europe (>2 ppb). Aflatoxin content in Tucson was largely explained (63%) by harvest date with those harvested later yielding more aflatoxin. Lateral flow aflatoxin assay of mesquite flour proved viable for lab and public testing.