Long-term effects of a tornado: Impacts on woody native vegetation and invasive Amur honeysuckle () in an urban forest.

As tornados become increasingly common with global climate change, recovery of the woody vegetation in temperate forests is imperative to maintain an intact ecosystem. In many urbanized landscapes, invasive species are also increasing and could interfere with natural recovery from environmental disturbance. We quantified the impact and 17-year recovery from a major tornado in a temperate deciduous forest.

The cost of movement: assessing energy expenditure in a long-distant ectothermic migrant under climate change.

Migration is an energetically taxing phenomenon as animals move across vast, heterogeneous landscapes where the cost of transport is impacted by permissible ambient conditions. In this study, we assessed the energetic demands of long-distance migration in a multigenerational ectothermic migrant, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). We tested the hypotheses that temperature-dependent physiological processes reduce energy reserves faster during migration than previously estimated, and that increasing climatic temperatures resulting from the climate crisis will intensify baseline daily energy expenditure.

Genetic potential for changes in breeding systems: Predicted and observed trait changes during artificial selection for male and female allocation in a gynodioecious species.

Premise: Evolution of separate sexes from hermaphroditism often proceeds through gynodioecy, but genetic constraints on this process are poorly understood. Genetic (co-)variances and between-sex genetic correlations were used to predict evolutionary responses of multiple reproductive traits in a sexually dimorphic gynodioecious species, and predictions were compared with observed responses to artificial selection.

Methods: Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae) is an endemic Hawaiian lineage with hermaphroditic, gynodioecious, subdioecious, and dioecious species.

Improving culture initiation of mature oak shoots through use of silver thiosulfate.

Premise: Of the approximately 430 species of oaks ( spp.) that have been assessed, 31% are threatened with extinction and in need of safeguarding. However, oak seeds cannot be seed banked, and thus rely on alternative strategies such as in vitro culture for ex situ conservation.

Research inequity in the plant sciences.

Do all plant biologists worldwide have equal access to novel methods, enabling them to be equally productive, publish, and receive credit for their research? Or does reduced access to cutting-edge techniques in countries with lower financial resources create an inequity for researchers located there? Such disparities and biases do exist within our discipline and must be addressed if we are to move forward as a more just society. has taken steps to address this important issue of research inequity, as outlined below. We now call upon the entire botanical community-researchers, editors and reviewers, funding agencies, and publishers-to work together toward a more equitable environment for all researchers around the world.

A laboratory-based study examining the properties of silk fabric to evaluate its potential as a protective barrier for personal protective equipment and as a functional material for face coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The worldwide shortage of single-use N95 respirators and surgical masks due to the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many health care personnel to use their existing equipment for as long as possible. In many cases, workers cover respirators with available masks in an attempt to extend their effectiveness against the virus. Due to low mask supplies, many people instead are using face coverings improvised from common fabrics.

The frontier of data discoverability: Why we need to share our data.

We are now in an era where sharing and making data widely accessible are not only expected within many disciplines, but also required by federal granting agencies and many scientific journals. In addition, there are practical reasons why authors should deposit their data into permanent data repositories: (1) it prevents data loss due to accidents, theft, or death of the researcher; (2) it enables published research to be reproduced by others; (3) publications associated with accessible data sets can have higher citation rates; (4) deposited data sets are increasingly recognized for scholarly recognition and professional advancement; and (5) stored and accessible data can be used in the future for projects that are unanticipated today. requires that data underlying its articles be publicly accessible as a condition of publication to promote the continued advancement of the field of plant biology.

Does particulate matter along roadsides interfere with plant reproduction? A comparison of effects of different road types on Cichorium intybus pollen deposition and germination.

The roadside habitat can be challenging for plants, which must maintain normal biological processes despite an influx of airborne pollutants. While the effects of many gases on plants have been quantified, the impacts of particulate pollutants have been relatively less studied. This is especially true of field experiments where particle dispersion may be influenced by meteorology and roadway use.

A Bayesian Approach to Inferring Rates of Selfing and Locus-Specific Mutation.

We present a Bayesian method for characterizing the mating system of populations reproducing through a mixture of self-fertilization and random outcrossing. Our method uses patterns of genetic variation across the genome as a basis for inference about reproduction under pure hermaphroditism, gynodioecy, and a model developed to describe the self-fertilizing killifish Kryptolebias marmoratus. We extend the standard coalescence model to accommodate these mating systems, accounting explicitly for multilocus identity disequilibrium, inbreeding depression, and variation in fertility among mating types.

An empirical review: Characteristics of plant microsatellite markers that confer higher levels of genetic variation.

During microsatellite marker development, researchers must choose from a pool of possible primer pairs to further test in their species of interest. In many cases, the goal is maximizing detectable levels of genetic variation. To guide researchers and determine which markers are associated with higher levels of genetic variation, we conducted a literature review based on 6782 genomic microsatellite markers published from 1997-2012.

Multilocus phylogenetic inference in subfamily Chlorogaloideae and related genera of Agavaceae - informing questions in taxonomy at multiple ranks.

A series of taxonomic questions at the subfamilial, generic, and intrageneric levels have remained within subfamily Chlorogaloideae s.s. (comprising Camassia, Chlorogalum, Hastingsia, and Schoenolirion) and relatives in Agavaceae.

APPS's stance on self-plagiarism: Just say no.

Should authors be able to reuse the same text in multiple papers without citing the earlier source? Known as self-plagiarism, this practice is strongly discouraged in Applications in Plant Sciences (APPS) because it violates professional standards, is potentially deceptive, and lacks originality. The most frequent form of self-plagiarism in APPS submissions is text recycling, which depending on the extent and location of copied text, has consequences ranging from authors being required to rewrite duplicated text or add citations, to automatic rejection of a manuscript without review. Ultimately, avoidance of self-plagiarism will result in original articles that improve upon, and do not simply replicate, the existing literature.

Development of 16 microsatellite markers within the Camassia (Agavaceae) species complex and amplification in related taxa.

Premise Of The Study: The North American genus Camassia is an ecologically important group whose variability and evolution are little understood, being influenced by hybridization and geographic isolation. We developed microsatellite markers to investigate patterns of gene flow, population structure, and taxonomic relationships within this group. •

Methods And Results: Using a traditional approach with biotin-labeled probes, we developed 16 microsatellite primers in three species of Camassia: C.

Why vouchers matter in botanical research.

What is a voucher and why is it important in research? As a preserved specimen of an identified taxon deposited in a permanent and accessible storage facility, the voucher serves as the supporting material for published studies of the taxon and ensures that the science is repeatable. Vouchers are crucial in authenticating the taxonomy of an organism, as a tool for identifying localities of the taxon, and for additional taxonomic, genetic, ecological, and/or environmental research.

An efficient technique for primer development and application that integrates fluorescent labeling and multiplex PCR.

Premise Of The Study: Development of genetic markers can be costly and time-consuming, especially when multiple primer pairs are fluorescently labeled. This step was streamlined by combining two techniques in the same PCR reaction: (1) custom-labeling of primers by the investigator and (2) multiplexing multiple primers together in the same reaction. •

Methods And Results: This technique was successfully used to develop microsatellite markers in several plant species.

How weeds emerge: a taxonomic and trait-based examination using United States data.

Weeds can cause great economic and ecological harm to ecosystems. Despite their importance, comparisons of the taxonomy and traits of successful weeds often focus on a few specific comparisons - for example, introduced versus native weeds. We used publicly available inventories of US plant species to make comprehensive comparisons of the factors that underlie weediness.

Measure for measure: comparing morphological and biomass traits for sex allocation in two gynodioecious species.

Premise Of The Study: Sex allocation models assume male and female traits are measured in a common currency, allocation traits show heritability, and tradeoffs between investment in the two sexual functions occur. The potential for model predictions and genetic parameters to depend on the currency used is not well understood, despite frequent use of measures not in a common currency. •

Methods: We analyzed the relationship between common currency (biomass of carpels, seeds, and stamens) measures and morphological measures (numbers of ovules, seeds, and pollen) in Schiedea salicaria (12-13% females) and S.

Changing technologies offer new opportunities in the plant sciences(1.).

The plant sciences are now facing an unprecedented time in our history in which technology is advancing at a rapid pace, creating a wide variety of novel opportunities for our field. Applications in Plant Sciences is a new source for sharing exciting and innovative applications of new technologies that have the potential to propel plant research forward into the future.

Asymmetrical gene flow in a hybrid zone of Hawaiian Schiedea (Caryophyllaceae) species with contrasting mating systems.

Asymmetrical gene flow, which has frequently been documented in naturally occurring hybrid zones, can result from various genetic and demographic factors. Understanding these factors is important for determining the ecological conditions that permitted hybridization and the evolutionary potential inherent in hybrids. Here, we characterized morphological, nuclear, and chloroplast variation in a putative hybrid zone between Schiedea menziesii and S.

Reproductive success of cultivated Pyrus calleryana (Rosaceae) and establishment ability of invasive, hybrid progeny.

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Premise Of The Study: Pyrus calleryana Decne., an ornamental tree species introduced from China, is a relatively new invasive that has only recently begun to spread across the United States after intraspecific hybridization between cultivars. The function of such hybridization in the evolution of invasiveness is still relatively understudied, especially with respect to the initial establishment and persistence of invasive genotypes.

Genetic variation and covariation in floral allocation of two species of Schiedea with contrasting levels of sexual dimorphism.

The evolution of sexual dimorphism depends in part on the additive genetic variance-covariance matrices within females, within males, and across the sexes. We investigated quantitative genetics of floral biomass allocation in females and hermaphrodites of gynodioecious Schiedea adamantis (Caryophyllaceae). The G-matrices within females (G(f)), within hermaphrodites (G(m)), and between sexes (B) were compared to those for the closely related S.

Microsatellite primers in Rhamnus cathartica (Rhamnaceae) and applicability in related taxa to assess hybridization events.

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite primers were developed in the introduced shrub Rhamnus cathartica L., to investigate potential hybridization events with related taxa as a stimulus of invasive spread. •

Methods And Results: Using a non-radioactive protocol, 15 primer sets were identified in North American and European populations of R.