Evidence for human-caused founder effect in populations of Solanum jamesii at archaeological sites: II. Genetic sequencing establishes ancient transport across the Southwest USA.

Premise: The domestication of wild plant species can begin with gathering and transport of propagules by Indigenous peoples. The effect on genomic composition, especially in clonal, self-incompatible perennials would be instantaneous and drastic with respect to new, anthropogenic populations subsequently established. Reductions in genetic diversity and mating capability would be symptomatic and the presence of unique alleles and genetic sequences would reveal the origins and ancestry of populations associated with archaeological sites.

Evidence for human-caused founder effect in populations of Solanum jamesii found at archaeological sites: I. Breeding experiments and the geography of sexual reproduction.

Premise: Plant domestication can be detected when transport, use, and manipulation of propagules impact reproductive functionality, especially in species with self-incompatible breeding systems.

Methods: Evidence for human-caused founder effect in the Four Corners potato (Solanum jamesii Torr.) was examined by conducting 526 controlled matings between archaeological and non-archaeological populations from field-collected tubers grown in a greenhouse.

Plant species richness at archaeological sites suggests ecological legacy of Indigenous subsistence on the Colorado Plateau.

Humans have both intentional and unintentional impacts on their environment, yet identifying the enduring ecological legacies of past small-scale societies remains difficult, and as such, evidence is sparse. The present study found evidence of an ecological legacy that persists today within an semiarid ecosystem of western North America. Specifically, the richness of ethnographically important plant species is strongly associated with archaeological complexity and ecological diversity at Puebloan sites in a region known as Bears Ears on the Colorado Plateau.

Microhabitats associated with solar energy development alter demography of two desert annuals.

Political and economic initiatives intended to increase energy production while reducing carbon emissions are driving demand for solar energy. Consequently, desert regions are now targeted for development of large-scale photovoltaic solar energy facilities. Where vegetation communities are left intact or restored within facilities, ground-mounted infrastructure may have negative impacts on desert-adapted plants because it creates novel rainfall runoff and shade conditions.

Simulated Photovoltaic Solar Panels Alter the Seed Bank Survival of Two Desert Annual Plant Species.

Seed bank survival underpins plant population persistence but studies on seed bank trait-environment interactions are few. Changes in environmental conditions relevant to seed banks occur in desert ecosystems owing to solar energy development. We developed a conceptual model of seed bank survival to complement methodologies using in-situ seed bank packets.

A prototype RFID tag for detecting bumblebee visitations within fragmented landscapes.

Detecting the arbitrary movements of fast-moving insects under field conditions is notoriously difficult because existing technologies are limited by issues of size, weight, range and cost. Here, we establish proof-of-concept for a prototype long-range, passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging system for detecting bumblebees and similar sized insects. The prototype tags, weighing 81 mg (49% of mean bee body weight), were flown by bumblebees in a glasshouse and detected at a distance of 1.

Distasteful Nectar Deters Floral Robbery.

Toxic nectar is an ecological paradox [1, 2]. Plants divert substantial resources to produce nectar that attracts pollinators [3], but toxins in this reward could disrupt the mutualism and reduce plant fitness [4]. Alternatively, such compounds could protect nectar from robbers [2], provided that they do not significantly alter pollinator visitation to the detriment of plant fitness [1, 5-8].

Starch granule evidence for the earliest potato use in North America.

The prehistory of wild potato use, leading to its domestication and diversification, has been well-documented in, and confined to, South America. At least 20 tuber-bearing, wild species of are known from North and Central America, yet their importance in ancient diets has never been assessed from the archaeological record. Here, we report the earliest evidence of wild potato use in North America at 10,900-10,100 calendar years (cal) B.

The role of botanic gardens in the science and practice of ecological restoration.

Many of the skills and resources associated with botanic gardens and arboreta, including plant taxonomy, horticulture, and seed bank management, are fundamental to ecological restoration efforts, yet few of the world's botanic gardens are involved in the science or practice of restoration. Thus, we examined the potential role of botanic gardens in these emerging fields. We believe a reorientation of certain existing institutional strengths, such as plant-based research and knowledge transfer, would enable many more botanic gardens worldwide to provide effective science-based support to restoration efforts.

Wetland ecological and compliance assessments in the San Francisco Bay Region, California, USA.

The San Francisco Bay Region of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (SFB CRWQCB) and the San Francisco District of the US Army Corps of Engineers (US ACOE) are looking for an expeditious means to determine whether regulated wetland projects produce ecologically valuable systems and remain in compliance with their permits (i.e. fulfill their legal requirements) until project completion.

Nutrient and productivity relations of the dune grasses Ammophila arenaria and Elymus mollis : II. Growth and patterns of dry matter and nitrogen allocation as influenced by nitrogen supply.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of nitrogen availability on growth and the patterns of dry matter and nitrogen allocation of the dune grasses Ammophila arenaria and Elymus mollis. Plants were grown from rhizome segments under near-ambient coastal conditions and received either high or low supplies of nitrogen. Sequential harvests, and the separation of plant material into live blade, dead blade, tiller, rhizome, and root fractions were made during the exponential phase of growth.

Nutrient and productivity relations of the dune grasses Ammophila arenaria and Elymus mollis : I. Blade photosynthesis and nitrogen use efficiency in the laboratory and field.

A comparative study of blade photosynthesis and nitrogen use efficiency was made on the dune grasses Ammophila arenaria and Elymus mollis. In the laboratory, an open system gas analysis apparatus was used to examine the gas exchange characteristics of blades as influenced by nitrogen supply. Plants were grown under near-ambient coastal conditions in a greenhouse near Bodega Bay, California, and given either high or low supplies of nitrogen in an otherwise complete nutrient solution.

Patterns of water potential and photosynthesis of desert sand dune plants, Eureka Valley, California.

This study examined the mode of photosynthesis (C or C), daily and seasonal patterns of xylem water potential, seasonal patterns of field photosynthesis, and the laboratory gas exchange characterisitcs of plants which grow on or in the vicinity of Eureka Dunes, Inyo County, California. The perennial duneendemic Swallenia alexandrae was found to possess the C pathway while all other taxa surveyed were C. Plants which grew on the dunes exhibited: 1) significantly less negative xylem water potentials, 2) dampened seasonal changes in predawn water potentials, and 3) smaller seasonal amplitudes of water potential than plants of the adjoining flats.