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Botany ,

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1822 - 1999: 177 Years of Teaching Plant Biology . : : OHIO UNIVERSITY

{eport

From the Chair .

As part of the plaiming process expected of departments in a modern university, the departmentthis past year updated its Departmental Focus and Faculty Hiring Strategy. During the facultydiscussion about what was to go into the document, we looked at how the department in the pastapproached the discipline of botany, and ways we could summarize in a one-page document howthe department would make decisions about who would join the faculty in the future.

One change in defining the department was to replace the three focus areas “cellular and molecular, organismal,and ecological” botany with “intraorganismal, organismal, and interorganismal” plant biology. We also changedthe document to emphasize that, as the name of the department implies, the overall focus of the department is onhow plants interact with the environment. So here is what this brief note from the chair is about: We put in astatement that “ . . our department is unique in its dual emphasis on plants and the environment.”

In the spirit of open, collegial discussion that is traditional in our faculty meetings, and often in the hallways afterthe meetings and bridge parties during the weekend, several faculty members objected to the use of unique. Theirposition was that unique means one-of-a-kind, and that if one were to look at all plant biology departments in theworld, there certainly would be at least one other, maybe more, department(s) that would have the broad,integrated, environmental approach to plant biology that we have done so well in the past and hope to continueinto the future.

The final vote, as you can tell from the actual Departmental Focus and Faculty Hiring Strategy that follows thismessage, was to consider ourselves unique. We truly believe that how the Department of Environmental andPlant Biology approaches plant biology and the environment is one-of-a-kind.

Why even bring this “Are we really unique?” debate to the attention of our alumni and friends of the department?The answer is relatively simple and to-the-point: Our one-of-a-kind approach to the environment and plantbiology sets us apart from all other plant biology departments in the country. In addition, what is becoming everso important as departments strive for recognition within the local community and University, our approach tograduate and undergraduate education sets us apart from other departments within the College and University.When I look over the outstanding students we have had in the department over the years and how they havegone on to have successful and rewarding careers, (see Alumni News) I am convinced that our faculty membershave collectively provided to our students a unique approach to the discipline.

We continue to do today what we have done well in the past. A very rewarding experience happened to those ofus in the department who attended the graduate commencement exercises this past spring. When theoutstanding graduate students for the year were recognized and asked to stand, both (Amy Falder [MS] andDarrin Rubino [PhD]) were from the Department of Environmental and Plant Biology. We not only are one-of-a-kind when compared to other botany departments, but we are unique within Ohio University as well. Ourplamung document that follows, hopefully will help ensure that we will continue to do what we have done sowell. , .

: Cheers,

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James P. Braselton

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: Professor and Chair

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Departmental Focus and Faculty Hiring Strategy

Spring 1999

The Department of Environmental and Plant Biology focuses on plants and their environmental interactions.Plants live in and adapt to a wide variety of environments and play a critical role in shaping humanenvironments. Plants are primary sources of food, oxygen, energy, fibers, building materials, medicines, andcountless other important products in everyday use. Many plant habitats are now threatened by human activities,a serious problem that is attracting increasing societal attention and keen student interest. It is crucial tounderstand plants and how they respond to environmental stress in order to effect solutions to environmentalproblems. While there are many departments nationally that specialize in environmental science, our departmentis unique in its dual emphasis on plants and the environment. It is also one of few departments nationally thatoffer students broad training in botany, including plant structure, function, genetics, development, evolution,systematics, and ecology.

Our department focuses on plants and their environmental interactions at three organizational levels: 1)mtraorgamsmal (mcludmg cell biology, physiology, anatomy, and development), 2) orgamsmal (mcludmgmorphology, systematics, and paleobotany); and 3) interorganismal (including ecology and etbnobotany). Someareas of study, such as evolution and genetics, span these organizational levels. The department strives tomaintain a balance of faculty at these three levels to promote broad-based training in plant biology, while alsoproviding opportunities for specialized research. Maintaining such a balance is essential to provide students witha comprehensive understanding of plants and their environmental interactions, as well as with valuable technicalski1ls leading to a wide-range of careers and/or graduate school.

As faculty members retire, the department will seek replacements to insure a balanced representation at the threeorganizational levels; Faculty are expected to have a broad-based understanding of plants and their interactionwith the environment. In addition, they should be actively engaged in research and bring new and valuableresearch directions and skills that will benefit our students.

Requests for new faculty lines will be based on changing needs, as determined through the annual assessmentprocess, and discussed at faculty meetings. Such needs may include: 1) increased undergraduate and graduatestudent interests or enrollments, and 2) emerging directions of plant research that show exceptional promise foradvancing the discipline and attracting students and research funding.

Faculty, Environmental & Plant Biology. Left to right: Irwin Ungar, Ivan Smith, Art Trese, Jan Salick,Morgan Vis, John Mitchell, Brian McCarthy, Harvey Ballard, Gar Rothwell, James Cavender, AllanShowalter, Philip Cantino and James Braselton

WARDS AND OTHERHONORS

P residentiat Research ScholarOhio University PRESIDENT ROBERTGLIDDEN, at the of

The Ohio iversity Council for Research,Scholarship, and Creative Activity, hasnamed Pràfessor GAR ROTHWLL as the1999 Ohio iversity Presidenti ResearchScholar in the Life and Biomedical Sciences.As such, Gar becomes the first recipient ofthe award in the life and biomedical sciences.The designati0 as a Presideflti ResearchScholar iS for five years.

U ndergradh1te Awards :

jjjtjnguis1ied Professor‘ScholarSlljP DistthguishE Professor

Emeritus NORMAN S. COHN againselected JENNIFER M. DEAN, a junior inthe Honors Tutorial College to receive thisscholarship.

C. Paul and Beth Stocker SchOlarSlujPsStocker scholarships are awarded each springto first- and5ondyear ergraduate5.This year’s recipients are: JILL E. BROWNand CAR’ S. MILLER of the HonorsTutorial College, and LORENA S. BROWN,BEN AVERT and ERIN B. CLIFFORD of theCollege of Arts and Sciences.

Lela A. Ewars Science ScholarshjP Therecipient of this scholarship is selected by thescholarship committee of the College of Artsand Sciences and must be a full-time studenton the Athens campus in any field of thenatural sciences. ANYA M. PORTER, asenior in the Honors Tutorial College, is the1999-2000 awardee.

Charles E. Miller Scholarship: The MillerScholarship, created in memory of the lateDr. Miller, professor and longtime chairwithin the Departments is awarded to aplantbiology major. This year’s recipientswere KELLY M. pORAIj, a janior in theCollege of Arts and Sciences, and graduatestudents DALE CASAMATTA andCHRISTINA WILLIAMS. •

Thomas M. Wolfe Scholarship: Six monetaryawards (three to juniorS and three to seniors)are made each year from this scholarshipfund, established by Mrs. Edna Wolfe tohonor her husband, a 1919 graduate of Ohiouniversity. Two of the six awards go toplant biology students with strong academicrecords and who show promise in the areasof conserva0n and ecology. LORENA S.BROWN is the junior and KATHERINE M.ALERIC is the senior awardee.

O standing aduati1ig Seniors

Each year, each department within theindividual Colleges of the iversity

honors an0tstanding graduating senior.The following students have been recoizedfor 1999.

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Left to right, standing Darrin Rubiflo, Cary Miller, Katherine AleñC, Robert Verb, ChStieflne KuCZaC,Dale Casamatta, Kelly Caporale, Ben Ave, Christina Williams, Todd Egan, Jill Brown, Efln Clifford,Jennifer Dean; kneeling Lorena Brown and Lily Wang

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Environmental and Plant Biology, College ofArts and Sciences: KATHERINE M.ALERIC.

Environmental and Plant Biology, HonorsTutorial College: CHRISTIENNE N.

KUCZAC

G raditate Awards

TODD EGAN and LILY WANG PhDstudents, received the Department’s

Graduate Associate Outstanding TeachingAward for 1998-99. DARRIN RUBINO, PhDstudent, has been selected as the DonaldClippmger Graduate Fellow for 1999, one ofonly four named graduate fellowships atOhio University.

cRANTSRECEIVED AND

OTHERAWARDS

Harvey E. Ballard, Jr.:

. National Science FoundaUon, “Testingsystematic and evolutionary hypotheses in aprimitive neotropical group of violets (Violasect. Leptidium),” $74,689

. Ohio University 104 Fund, “DNA SequencingFacility,” $30,650, with M. L. Vis (co-PT)

. Ohio University Honors Tutorial CollegeResearch Associateship, “Studies on SouthAmerican violets,” $3,000

. College of Arts and Sciences FacultyDevelopment Award, “Special training onfluorescent DNA markers for use with the newOhio University DNA sequencer,” $1,222

James P. Braselton:

. Ohio Board of Regents, 051-Discover Phase 2Projects, “Project SUSTAIN at Ohio,” $80,000,with Barbara W. Grover (co-PT)

Brian C. McCarthy:

. Fluor Daniel Fernald, Fernaid EnvironmentalManagement Project, “Experimental studies offorest restoration in southern Ohio,” $130,000,with Carolyn H. Keiffer (co-PT)

Gar W. Rothwell:. Presidential Research Scholar, $4000

Jan Salick:. Society for Economic Botany International

Botanical Congress Symposium, “EcologicalEthnobotany,” $6000

. Frontier Herbs, “Population Biology ofGoldenseal,” $2000

. USAID, “Amuesha ethnobotany and effects ofPichis-Palcazu Project,” $70,000, with AnthonyStocks, Charles Stayer, Robert Simeoni (coPTs)

. Norwegian Government, “Secondary forestmanagement in Peruvian Amazon,” $3,000

. Stanford University, “Culture, Ecology andConservation in Amazonia,” $1000

. Center for International Studies, “Ecological

. Ethnohotany,” $1000

Allan M. Showalter:

. NSF Integrative Plant Biology Program,“Structure and Function of a Novel, ModularArabinogalactan-Protein from m”$300,000, (April 1, 1998-May 31, 2001) withM.J. Kieiszewski (co-PT). [continuation]

. The University of Melbourne-CollaborativeResearch Program, “Visiting Research ScholarsAward,” $8500

. The Ohio Board of Regents 1999 HayesTnvestment Fund Competition, “Plant andMicrobe Genomics and BiotechnologyFacilities,” $1,229,000, K.R. Davis (PT), R.Tahita (co-grantee), S.L. Goldman (co-grantee),and A.M. Showalter (co-grantee)

. National Science Foundation, Integrative PlantBiology Program, “REU (Research Experiencefor Undergraduates) Supplement to Structureand Function of a Novel, ModularArabinogalactan-Protein from Tomato,”,$10,000 (June 1, 1999-May 31, 2000), with M.J.Kieiszewski (co-PT)

. Honors Tutorial College ResearchApprenticeship “Biochemical structure of anovel, modular arabinogalactan-protein fromtomato”

Ivan K. Smith:

. The Ohio Board of Regents EiseithowerProfessional Development Program, “Inquiry-Based Learning Using Wisconsin Fast Plants,”$43,397, Kathi Albertson (ContinuingEducation, Zanesvffle), Project Coordinatorwith J. P. Braselton, Science Coordinator, andTvan K. Smith, Workshop Coordinator

Morgan Vis:

. Ohio University 1804 Fund, “DNA SequencingFacffity,” $30,650, with H. E. Ballard, Jr. (co-PT)

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. Ohio University Faculty Development Grant,College of Arts and Sciences DevelopmentCommittee “Attendance at a national grantswriting seminar in order to create outstandingproposals,” $393

Ohio University Program to Aid CareerExploration (PACE) Awards

Harvey Ballard, Harold Blazier, Philip Cantmo,Gar Rothwell, Irwin Ungar, Mirgan Vis

Ohio Biological Survey Awards:

. Faculty Members--Brian McCarthy, MorganVis

. Graduate Students — Dale Casamatta, DarrinRubino, Christine Small, Cynthia Riccardi,Robert Verb, Ross McCauley, Aswini Pai

Ohio University Honk Research AwardsforGraduate Students: Catherine Hamlin (MSESSalick), H. Russell Campbell (MS-Salick), AswiniPai (PhD-Salick), Jason Zaros (MS-PBIOCavender), Darrin Rubino (PhD-PBIO/BIOSMcCarthy), Erin Hines (MSES-Salick), RobertVerb (PhD-PBIO/BIOS-Vis), Sarah Bashore (MSMCB-Trese), Christina Wiffiams (PhD-PBIOMcCarthy), James Spurney (MS-Cavender)

The Ohio University Councilfor Research

. Scholarship, and Creative Activity StudentEnhancement Award: Christina Williams,“Growth and Phenotypic Plasticity ofNaturalized Populations of Paulowniatomentosa,” $6,000

Botanical Society ofAmerica:

. Travel Grant: Cynthia Riccardi

. Best Student Paper, Economic Botany:Cynthia Riccardi

Phycological Society ofAmerica:

. Grants-in-Aid: Robert Verb and DaleCasamatta, $700 each

Northeast Algal Symposium:

. Travel Awards: Robert Verb, Dale Casamatta,Rachele Kovar, and Melissa Hall

. Robert Wilce Prize for the Best StudentPresentation: Robert Verb

Sigma Xi

. Election to Membership: Dale Casamatta,Amy Falder, Genaro Hemandez-Castillo,Robert Verb

. Grant-in-Aid For Reseaith:

. Cynthia Riccardi, “Experimental studies offire effects on seed survival andgermination in mixed oak forests,” $580

. Christine Small, “The effects of post-harvestlight availabffity and soil compaction on thegrowth and survival of understory plantspecies in a central Appalachian deciduous

, forest,” $595

. Em Hines, “The ethnoecology of fire: anexperimental approach in the Ohio Valley,”$700

. Aswini Pai, “Sustainable management ofMyrobalans, economically important non-timber forest products, in India,” $700

Southern Appalachian Botanical SocietyGraduate Student Research Award:

. Christina Williams, “Genetic variation innaturalized stands of Paulownia tomentosa inthe southeastern US,” $300

Young Welwitschia plant germinated andgrown by JOHN NAJMULSKI as part ofhis undergraduate research project underthe direction of Dr. Gar Rothwell and inconsultation with Harold Blazier,Greenhouse Director. Largest foliage leaf is11.5 cm long.

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Phi Beta Theta Research Fund: Robert Verb, $500

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GIFTS TO THEDEPARTMENTIn the past year, monetary gifts to the

department have been used for improvements at theBotany Garden and Greenhouse and to supportinstruction in sumnwr workshops for teachers. Inaddition, gifts to the Department provided plaques to thejunior and senior students with the top botanical projectsat tlw District Science Fair. Contributions may he made totlw Dcpartnient in general or may be directed toward aSpeCifiC pUrpOSe, for exaniple, through one of thefolloxving accounts

4 The ProfessorArthur II. Buckle Botany Scholarship. for Wonien.

, Charles E. Miller Scholarship for undergraduate andgraduate students. .

. Lee and Irene Roach Graduate Fund for graduatestudent research in cellular and molecular biology.

, Monroe T. Vermillion Scholarship forundergraduates.

, Plant Biology Faculty Memorial Scholarship forgraduate students.

, The Field Vehicle Project to replace our aging fieldresearch van.

Robert Alexander

Lois Jeanne Bartellis

Arthur F. Beyer

James Braselton & AnnTodd

Tom Brennan

David Marc Brown

Paula S. Burleson

Nicholas Calabro

James & Andree Cavender

Robert A. Chenevey

John E. Denti

Thomas A. Doktor

Dow Agrosciences (matchfor John Hunter)

Kenneth A. Drake

Megan M. Elphingstone

Terrence K. Fox

Robert & Bonnie Frasch

Roger J. Furbee

William A. Galloway, Jr.

Gene & Robert A. Garn

Judith & Robert Gray

Barbara J. Grotta

Gary B. Hermann

Hershey Foods Corp.

John H. Hunter

Joyce & John Jones

Carolyn S. Keiffer

John Kinder

Barbara B. Kreutzer

Clehis Kurtzman

Laurence A. Larson

Mr. & Mrs. M. Maynard

Gerry McClellan

Todd S. Mecklenborg

James E. Mickle

Wayne A Mietty

Patrick B. Mikesell

Ella Miller-Thompson

John & Lillian Mitchell

Rodney D. Morton

Carol & Daniel Nelson

Larry R. Nelson

Gloria & Francis Nussbaum

Jeffrey A. Palmer

Lawrence D. Papsidero

Thaddeus R. Preisner

Richard & Joanne Ratzei

John Rice

Irene Roach

Michael D. Ross

Susan Elaine Roth

Ivan & Lynn Smith

John T. Steinback

Norman Stout

James & Donna Strobel

Andrew & MicheleSwanson

Bertalan L. Szabo

Mr. & Mrs. Steve Tan

James R. Trammell, Jr.

Arthur Trese

Mary Louise Trivett

Irwin & Ana Ungar

Rev. Arthur G. Vermillion

Thomas & Chen ZhaoVierheller

Thomas R. Warne

Wayman West

Westvaco Foundation(match for Gary Hermami)

Guy D. & R. SchweizerWhitmer

Warren & Jean Wistendahi

FACULTY AND STAFFNEWS

October 9-il, HARVEY BALLARD tookgraduate students MIN FENG, CLAUDIASEGOVIA, CHERYL MCCREARY, andundergraduates JENNIFER DEAN and

JONATHAN HUMPHREY to the MissouriBotanical Garden for the annual SystematicsSymposium; ‘Our Unknown Planet: RecentDiscoveries and the Future.’ Two highlights ofthe trip were seeing some of the mostremarkable organisms on earth in the slidepresentations, and also spending time studyingplant specimens of obscure and very rarespecies from the New World tropics, includingone new genus from a single site in Brazil. Dr.

We thank the following alumni and friends who have made contributions to the Department during the past year. We respectthe wishes of donors who wish anonymity and do not list their names. In either case, when you make a gift to PB1O, you willreceive an acknowledgenient froni the Chair, j.P. Braselton. If you do not receive a personal acknowledgement, or it yourname should but does not appear on this list, please call it to our attention so we can correct the Ornis5iOfl. We have foundti-i it O ( asionally donations inteiid d for Plant Biology in in orr tly deposit d in a ounts of Oth( r de1artnv nts

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Ballard, with undergraduate JARRODBONNICK, spent five weeks on a collectingexpedition throughout the western UnitedStates. He spent several weeks in August inEurope for laboratory training, research andcollaborative planning at the Royal BotanicGardens at Kew among other places. Upcomingcollecting locales include Costa Rica and Brazilwith MIN FENG and ROSS MCCAULEY, aswell as Mexico, Hawaii, New Zealand,

‘. Australia, New Caledonia, Peru and Bolivia.BRENDA

INGRAHAM was honored this pastyear for 35 years of service to Ohio University.Her first day of work was September 20, 1963.At first, she worked for the Botany Departmentfrom 8-2 and then worked for the MathematicsDepartment from 2-5. She was required to workevery other Saturday from 8-12. During hercareer Brenda has worked for the followingchairs or interim chairs: William Gambill,Warren Wistendahl, Norman Cohn, CharlesMiller, Irwin Ungar, Ivan Smith and JamesBraselton, while the University saw thefollowing as presidents or interim presidents:Vernon Alden, Claude Sowle, Harry Crewson,Charles Ping and Robert Glidden. WhenBrenda began with the department she ranexams and handouts on a DITTO machine thatwas replaced by a series of mimeographmachines. The first copier used special paperwith tulips on the back and had print that fadedto brown with time. It was followed by Xerox,Sharp and Canon copiers. Her first typewriterwas a Royal manual that used a rubber band tokeep the rollers tight against the paper. Brendamoved into the electric age with several electrictypewriters ending with her current IBMSelectric II. She began her wordprocessingusing Automenu 4.0 on the mainframe. Herearliest PC experiences were with PC Talk, PCTalk III, PC-File+1PCFi1e III (versions 2.0, 3.0),PC-Write, Wordstar, Wordstar (3, 3.30),Wordstar Professional, WordPerfect (5.0, 5.1,

. 5.2, 7), Papyrus, Word for Windows (Version 2,3.1, 95, 97), AOL Press, Excel and Access. Inaddition to her regular secretarial duties, Brendanow is responsible for posting syllabi andundergraduate information to the departmentalweb page in addition to various other internetrelated duties.

ARTHUR TRESE and BILL SHORES (MA1995) co-taught a one-week workshop in Juneon biointensive gardening as part of ProjectSUSTAIN at Ohio. One of the goals of ProjectSUSTAIN at Ohio is to provide an opportunityfor public school teachers, university facultyfrom the College of Arts and Sciences and theCollege of Education, and undergraduatestudents to work together to improvemathematics and science education programs atthe high school, undergraduate, and graduatelevel. The course consisted of exercises ingardening that demonstrate the interactions ofplants with the environment and the impact offood production on human health, economics,and environment. Approximately 20 teachersfrom the southeastern Ohio region participatedin the workshop and will be incorporating someof the material covered in the workshop in theirmiddle school and/ or high school biologycourses this coming year. SARAH BASHORE,MCB master’s student, working on themolecular biology of nodulation in beans, hasconvinced Rhizobium to express the GreenFluorescent Protein from a jellyfish. Her abilityto visually track the bacteria is yielding newinformation on the process of nodulation as wellas competition between different isolates

BRIAN MCCARTHY was appointed to theeditorial board of Plant Ecology (Vegetatio) thisyear and continues in his third year as a SubjectEditor for the Journal of the Torrey BotanicalSociety. He also was appointed as a Fellow ofThe Ohio Academy of Science and Director ofthe Dysart Woods Research Laboratory. Hecontinues his studies of hardwood forestecology and has expanded his interest in the lastfew years to include invasive species ecologyand forest restoration ecology. He receivedfunding with lead P1, CAROLYN KEIFFER(PhD 1997), to conduct a forest restorationproject at the Fernald EnvironmentalManagement Project (FEMP), previously aDepartment of Energy uranium enrichmentfacility outside of Cincinnati. KURTHARTMAN joined the lab this year and hasmade some of the FEMP research a major focusof his thesis work. He is investigating methodsfor control of the invasive Amur honeysuckleand how best to regenerate the forest

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understory. DARRIN RUBINO also continuesa project with Dr. McCarthy evaluating the floraof the FEMP. He and Dr. McCarthy justfinished a detailed dendrochronology (tree ring)study of the oldest white oak trees at DysartWoods. The data have been contributed to theinternational Tree Ring Data Bank. Darrincontinues his doctoral research on coarse woodydebris and the factors affecting forestproductivity and decay. CYNTHIA RICCARDIbegan her doctoral studies in the lab this pastyear. As a side project, she and Dr. McCarthyhave been working on a vegetation study andchecklist of the vascular plant species of DeepWoods Community Farm in Hocking County,Ohio. This is the site of an all taxa bioticinventory funded by the Ohio Biological Survey.The main focus of her dissertation research willbe on the relationship between fire and seedgermination. CHRISTINE SMALL and Dr.McCarthy are also completing a floristic study,which has now exceeded 600 species, of thenearby Waterloo Wildlife Research Station inAthens County. She continues her doctoralresearch into the relationship betweendisturbance and understory diversity patterns.A. CHRISTINA WILLIAMS continues herwork with the autecology of the non-native treespecies, Paulownia tornentosa. J. FORRESTMEEKINS is near the completion of herdoctoral research investigating the ecology ofAlliaria petiolata, an invasive woodland herb.CARRIE RAILING also is in the final stages ofcompleting her thesis work on the autecology ofDipI’iasiastrunz digitatum. JILL BROWN, HTCundergraduate, worked this past year as aPACE student in the lab conducting a variety ofstudies with forest soils and finishing up herresearch on the soil seed banks of DysartWoods.

GAR ROTHWELL reports that his NSF-fundedresearch on the origin and relationships ofconifers with GENE MAPES (Director, MSESProgram) was completed this year with studiesat the Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany inLucknow, India and at the Natural HistoryMuseum in Buenos Aires, Argentina. AMYFALDER (MS 1999) completed her research intodevelopment of fossil conifer seedlings and of aI 00 million year old conifer seed from Russia.

She has accepted a curatorial position withPlanting Fields Botanical Garden, Long Island.GENARO HERNANDEZ-CASTILLOcontinues his studies of primitive fossil conifers.In addition to his graduate studies, Genaro isthe technician for the Ohio University ScientificImaging Facility. Gar’s investigations of coniferphylogeny will continue to have aninternational and interdisciplinary focus withthe arrival this fall of two researchers, Dr. Sun, asenior researcher and Dr. Liu, an OhioUniversity Postdoctoral Fellow, from Beijing,China. Research efforts will include Gene andROYAL MAPES (Geological Sciences). Studiesof Cretaceous and Tertiary aquatic plantcommunities are continuing with colleaguesfrom the Denver Museum of Natural History,the University of Alberta, Charles University(Prague, the Czech Republic) and the NaturalHistory Museum, Dresden, Germany.Characterizations of the floating monocot, Pistia,and a new form of water fernare nearingcompletion and investigations of swampdwelling Taxodiaceous conifers are well underway. Undergraduate CHRIS MOREHART hascharacterized a new genus of ancient seed fernsfrom Arkansas. The lab welcomes doctoralstudents MIHAIL TOMESCU from Romaniaand MIKE DUNN who will pursue the origin ofseed plants. Full development of Gar’sinteractive learning project was achieved inmid-May when PBIO lii students were given avirtual tour through real-time internet-basedvideoconferencing and streamed video clips ofthe Botanical Garden and Greenhouse Facilitiesincluding several plants growing underenvironmentally distinct conditions. The pilotproject had been a real-time presentation fromMcMurdo Base, Antarctica.

The Peruvian Amazon was JAN SALICK’smain focus this year, including changes over thelast 15 years. Salick and master’s students,CATHY HAMLIN and RUSSELL CAMPBELL,are studying ecological ethnobotany of theAmuesha indigenous agriculture and it’schanges during a period of intense disturbanceincluding: arrival of a road, terrorists, anindigenous uprising, the military, Columbiandrug lords, and the military again, before apresent period of relative calm. With funding

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from the Norwegian Government, EIRIKSTIJFHOORN continues dissertation researchon agroforestry and ethnobotany of non-timberforest products in Pucailpa and Iquitos on thePeruvian Amazon. Other research with JanSalick on non-timber forest products (NTFPs)includes work in Ohio by ERIN HINES with theUs Forest Service on the effects of firemanagement and by CATHY HAMLIN withUnited Plant Savers and Frontier Herbs onGoldenseal. Research by undergraduate JODYSCHAUB on Black Cohosh was funded by theGriselli Award for Undergraduate Research atOhio University. ASWINI PAl is beginningpreliminary dissertation research in India onsustainable management of Myrobalans, aneconomically important NTFP there.

ALLAN SHOWALTER and his research grouphave proven the existence of a novel, modulararabinogalactan (AGP)-protein in tomato whichthey have named LeAGP-l. This glycoprotein is.found in cell walls and plasma membranes ofxylem and stylar transmitting tissue. The groupalso has shown that AGPs are involved withprogrammed cell death (PCD) in plants. PCD isan important development process in animalsresponsible for such things as the skindisappearing between human fingers and atadpoles tail being digested duringdevelopment. In plants, PCD is involved withthe hypersentive response occurring in responseto pathogen infection and in xylemdevelopment. Post-doctoral student HUA LUand undergraduate JACINDA LEE are workingon producing transgenic plants to define theprecise function of LeAGP-l, on elucidating thesignal transduction pathway connecting AGPsto PCD (Ming Chen), and on determining howLeAGP-1 is attached to the plasma membrane

(Wenxian Sun). In another set of experiments,we (Li-Wen Wang, Irwin Ungar, and AllanShowalter) have isolated and partiallycharacterized the two genes (i.e., cDNAs) whichencode the enzymes necessary forglycinebetaine production. Glycinebetaine is animportant osmoregulator in certain halophyteswhich apparently allows them to thrive in highsalt conditions. The possibility of transferringthese two genes to a non-halophyte is being

considered in order to examine the ability ofconferring salt tolerance to crop plants.

IRWIN UNGAR continues to study theinfluence of stress on the growth anddistribution of plants. The emphasis of thecurrent research is on the significance of seedbanks in population dynamics and germinationecology of halophytes. He is collaborating withDR. M.A. KHAN (PhD 1985) from theUniversity of Karachi on a National ScienceFoundation supported research project toinvestigate the physiological ecology of saltdesert species of Pakistan. They are studyingthe effects of salt stress on the germination andgrowth responses of several species from thesalt deserts in the region around Karachi,Pakistan. CHRISTY TUCKER CARTER hascompleted her MS degree on her research inreforested spoil banks, where she looked at treesurvival over a thirty year period and therelationship between seed banks andaboveground vegetation. She currently isbeginning her doctoral work in Dr. Ungar’slaboratory, and will be carrying outinvestigations on seed germination and seedbank ecology with several halophytes. She isbeginning to love the Rittman salt marsh. Aftercompleting seed bank and population studiesfor his MS research with Froelichiafloridana,which is a rare and endangered species in Ohio,ROSS MCCAULEY’has decided to work withDr. Harvey Ballard on a molecular systematicinvestigation of the genus Froelichia for hisdoctoral degree research. TODD EGAN hascompleted all of the requirements for thedoctoral degree and has published papers onsome of his doctoral research on specific ioneffects on growth and seed germination ofAtriplex triangularis. Todd is currently jobhunting and hopefully will find interestingemployment in his specialty. Dr. Ungar wouldlike to thank Honors-Tutorial studentCAROLYN REILLY for her assistance in thelaboratory this year as an undergraduate PACElaboratory research assistant. She kept theresearch moving on the effects of bracts on seedgermination in Atriplex griffltl’zii, a salt desertspecies from Pakistan.

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MORGAN VIS reports that RACHELEKOVAR (MSES 1999) is working as anenvironmental consultant in Cleveland.Morgan continues documenting algal diversityat Deep Woods with doctoral students BOBVERB and DALE CASAMATTA. MELISSAHALL started her research on the ecology andgenetics of Batrachospermum helmintiwsurn while

Dale began research on the systematics of.cyanobacteria. PACE student, EMILY MILLERcreated the Bryophyte Homepage and created a

data base of all bryophytes in the Bartley

Herbarium. Morgan will be co-convener of the

Northeast Algal Symposium in April 2000.

ECENT PUBLICATIONS

Ballard, H. E., Jr., K. J. Sysrna, and R. R. Kowal.1999. Shrinking the violets: Phylogeneticrelationships of infrageneric groups in Viola

(Violaceae) based on Internal Transcribed SpacerDNA sequences. Systematic Botany 23: 439-458.

Ballard, H. E., Jr. 1998. Violaceae. In: Martin, P. S.,D. A. Yetman, M. E. Fishbein, P. D. Jenkins, T. R.Van Devender, and R. Wilson (eds.), Gentrys RIoMayo Plants: The Tropical Deciduous Forest andEnvirons ofNorthzvest Mexico, Pg. 463, Universityof Arizona Press, Tucson. .

Egan, T. P. and l.A. Ungar. 1998. The effect ofdifferent salts of sodium and potassium on thegrowth of Atriplex prostrata (Chenopodiaceae).Journal of Plant Nutrition 21: 2193-2205.

Falder, A.B., G. W. Rothwell, G. Mapes, R. H. Mapesand L. A. Doguzhaeva.. 1998. Pityostrobusrnilleriin. sp., a pinaceous cone from the LowerCretaceous (Aptian) of southwestern Russia.Review of Palaeohotany and Palynology 103: 253-261.

Falder, A.B., R.A. Stockey and G.W. Rothwell. 1999.In situ fossil seedlings of a Metasequoia-ffketaxodiaceous conifer from Paleocene riverfloodplain deposits of central Alberta, Canada.American Journal of Botany 86: 900-902.

Gao, M., M. J. Kieliszewski, D. T. A. Lamport, andA. M. Showalter. 1999. Isolation,characterization, and immunolocalization of anovel, modular tomato arabinogalactan-proteincorresponding to the LeAGP-1 gene. The PlantJournal 18: 43-55.

Gao, M. and A. M. Showalter. I 999. Yariv reagenttreatment induces programmed cell death inArabidopsis cell cultures and implicatesarabinogalactan-protein involvement. The PlantJournall9: 1-11.

Katembe, J., l.A. Ungar, and J. P. Mitchell. 1998.Effect of salinity on germination and seedling

. . growth of two Atriplex species. Annals of Botany. . . .

82: 487-492.

Khan, M.A. and l.A. Ungar.. 1998. Gernimation ofthe salt tolerant shrub Suaeda fruticosa fromPakistan: salinity and temperature responses.Seed Science and Technology 26: 657-667.

Khan, M. A., I. A. Ungar, A. M. Showalter, and H. D.Dewaid. 1998. NaCl-induced accumulation ofglycinehetaine in four subtropical halophytesfrom Pakistan. Physiologia Plantarum 102: 487-492. -

Khan, M. A., I. A. Ungar, and A. M. Showalter.1999. Effects of salinity on growth, ion content,and osmotic relations in Halopyrurn niucronaturn(L.) Stapf. Journal of Plant Nutrition 22: 191-204.

Mapes, G. and G.W. RothwelL . 1998. Pollen conestructure of the Late Pennsylvanian (Stephanian)conifer Emporia. Journal of Paleontology 72: 571-576.

Meekins, J. F. and B. C. McCarthy. 1999.Competitive Ahffity of Alliaria petiolata (GarlicMustard, Brassicaceae), an Invasive,Noriindigenous Forest Herb. InternationalJournal of Plant Science 160: 743-752.

Robison, S.and B. C. McCarthy. 1999.Morphological responses of Carya ovata

Cluglandaceae) seedlings to experimental lightregimes. The American Midland Naturalist 141:69-84.

Rothwell, G. W. 1998. Life on Earth, Paleobotany.Geotimes 43: 44-45.

Rubino, D. L. and B. C. McCarthy. 1999. Tree ringdata, Dysart Woods, Ohio. International TreeRing Data Bank. IGBP PAGES/World DataCenter-A for Paleoclimatology Data ContributionSeries #1999-011. NOAA/NGDCPaleoclirnatology Program, Boulder, CO, USA.URL: ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/treering/updates

Salick, J. 1998. Standing united or divided?Traditional peoples and biodiversity.Conservation Biology 12: 736-737.

Salick, J., A. Biun, G. Martin, L. Apin, and R.Beaman. 1999. Whence biodiversity? A directrelationship between hiodiversity and usefulplants with the Dusun of Mt. Kinabalu, Borneo.

.- .

11 Botany

Biodiversity and Conservation 8: 797-818.

Salick, J. and E. Pfeffer. 1999. The interplay ofhybridization and clonal reproduction in theevolution of willows. Plant Ecology 141: 163-178.

Thurston, H. D., J. Salick, M. Smith, P. Trutmaiin, J.L. Pham, and R. McDowell. 1999. Traditionalmanagement of agrobiodiversity. In: Wood, D.and J. M. Lenné (eds.), Agrobiodiversihj:Characterization, Utilization and Managernen t, Pp.176-198, CAB International, Waffingford, UK.

Serhet, R. and G.W. Rothwell. 1999. Osmundacinnarnonica (Osrnundaceae) in the UpperCretaceous of western North America:Additional evidence for exceptional specieslongevity among fiicalean ferns . InternationalJournal of Plant Sciences 160: 425-433.

Ungar, I. A. 1998. Are hiotic factors sigiifficant ininfluencing the distribution of halophytes insaline habitats? Botanical Review 64: 176-199.

Verb, R. G., M. L. Vis, D. W. Ott and R. L. Wallace.1999. New records of Vaucheria species(Xanthophyceae) with associated Proales zverneckii(Rotifera). Cryptogarnie Algologie 20: 67-73.

Vis, M. L. 1999. The applicability of inter- simplesequence repeats (inter- SSR to distinguishindividuals of Batrachosperrnurn horyanurn(Batrachosperrnales,Rhodophyta). Phycologia 38:70-73.

Vis, M. L. and R. G. Sheath. 1998. A molecular andmorphologicalinvestigation of the relationship

between Batrachospcrrnurn sperrnatoinvolucrum andB . gelatin osum (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta).European Journal of Phycology 33: 231-240.

VISITORS TO THEDEPARTMENT

, James A. Duke, USDA (retired), Peggy Duke, Professional Illustrator, Dan Crawford, Ohio State University, Marie E. Petracek, North Carolina State

University, Keiko Toni, University of Michigan+ Paul B. Larsen, University of Maryland4 Milo Aukerman, University of Wisconsin, Mary Tierney, University of Vermont, Keith Davis, Ohio State University

, Zhao-Qi Yao, Nanjing Institute of Geologyand Palaeontology, Chinese Academy ofSciences

. R. E. Redmann, University of Saskatewan4 Elaine Sutherland, US Forest Service

LOCAL AND REGIONALACTIVITIES

Jaiiies A. Duke In April, Environmental andPlant Biology sponsored Dr. James Duke aspart of the Kennedy Lecture Series. Dr.

Duke, retired from a 30-year career at the USDAwhere he was instrumental in the study ofmedicinal plants, is the author of the popularThe Green Pharmacy. He has compiled adatabase of the medicinal compounds found in

common and exotic plants. In addition to hisKennedy Lecture, “The Best of the GreenPharmacy”, Dr. Duke presented a somewhatmore technical departmental colloquium onaspects of medicinal plant compounds. Bothwere inspiring and easily understood talksabout ethnobotany and medicinal plants

Career Night The Department ofEnvironmental and Plant Biology hosted a“Career Night” on Wednesday, Oct. 14th.

Undergraduates from our department and fromthe Environmental Biology, Marine Biology, andWildlife Biology majors within the Departmentof Biological Sciences were invited to attend.Fifty-two students and nine PBIO facultyattended. The evening included presentationsfrom two alumni, KEVIN LEWIS (BS, 1997) andGEORGE VAUGHN, who discussed theirexperiences in looking for their first job, andreasons for returning to graduate school. BothKevin and George also had some thoughts onthe option of becoming a self-employedentrepreneur. Faculty also presented advice onlocating employment opportunities, internships,and career development, with HARVEYBALLARD detailing how he used internshipsand experience in the work place to preparehimself for more advanced positions. Theevening closed with an informal pizza dinner,giving faculty and students an opportunity tomingle.

W jSCOflSfl Fast Plants in Teachingcontinued as part of The Environmentin the Next Millennium professional

development program for teachers of grades K-12 from public as well as parochial schools inGuernsey, Monroe, Noble, uskingum andPerry counties. The program was madepossible by a grant to ontiriuiflg Education,Kathi Alberstofl, DIrector, Ohio universityZanesville, by The Ohio Board of RegentsEisenhower ?rofe55i0 DevelOpmePrograms and was staffed by faculty fromEnvironme’t and Plant Biology. In thesummer of 1999 IVAN K. SMITH coordinated aone-week workshop on how to use WisconsinFast Plants to teach fundament botanicalprinciples. Twenty teachers from the regionstudied hands-on projects with the rapid cyclingbrassicas, as well as how to desi basicexperiments in these areas that could be of

.

interest to students. The projects also weregnto courage inquirybased learning

as well as the development of critical thinkingskills. Please visit The EnvirOfl1flet in the NextMillennium Internet site:http://www.plantbio.ohiou.edu/epb/instruct/teachbio/

W 01113 TV Pledge Drive Much thanksto CO0K TRIVETT for organizingthe volunteer evening for the WOUB

TV Pledge Drive on Friday, March 5. If you hadtuned in to WOUBTV you would have seenCookie along with LINGBO LI, CHRISTYKUCZAK, BOB VERB, JASON ZAROS andMORGAN VIS answering the telephones forthis important local drive for funds to keepPublic Television functioning in southeasteOhio.

-,441T omen in Science and Enginee11ngThis annual event at Ohio University is

. gnto make young women awareof potential careers in the sciences. Graduate

‘ students SARAH BASIIORE and 4jRI-VAUGHN JOHNSON were the coordinatorsfor the department’s display which was set upin Clippinger Laboratories by volunteers onwednesday, April 28t\ Volunteers from thedepartment remained at the display to answerany questions and courage girls to explorecareer0ssibilitie5 in the plant sciences. A

movie about plants was shown, brieftobiograph5 of women of the departmentwere posted and there were microscopes sothat girls could take a closer look at somebotanical specimens. Themes this year includedshowing how women in our department arefrom all over the world, and important uses of

. plant5 including fragranceS fibers, food, andflavorings.

STUDENTS COMPLETINGDEGREES

BA: Harold Gilbert

BS: Katherine Aleric, Will Fellers, Jarnie Sparks1Todd Bean, Brian Kierce, Jennifer Gray, MarcMondo, Roy Stephens1Jason England

BS (HTC) Christienne Kuczak

MS: Dennis Bishàp (A. T. Trese), Carrie Railing(B. C. Mccarthy), James Spurney (J. C.Cavender)

MSES: Rachele Kovar (M. L. Vis), OnesimusOtieno (1. Salick)

PhD: Todd Egan (I. A. Ungar), Minggeng Gao(A. M. Showalter), Donggium Kim (J. P.Mitchell)

ALUMNI NEWS

MICHELLE SHAFER (BS 1997) completed atwo-year internship at Planting FieldsArboretum on Long Island and has moved toToronto where she will work on a Masters inPlant Ecology at the University of Toronto.

DONALD BUCKLEY (PhD 1986) After havingthe Chr0fli of Higher Education (June 21,1996, p. 5A) complete a faculty profile onsome of his teaching, Don received the HarryJack Gray outstanding Teacher of the YearAward for 1997 at the university of Hartford.July 1, Don moved to Quinnipiac College,Hamden, to become Associate Professor andDirector of lnstructi0n chnol0g5 for theSchool of Health Sciences. This summer Don

12 BotanY

13 Botany

also became the chair of the teaching sectionof the Botanical Society of America.

CHRIS KLINE (MS 1993) is working as anaturalist at Oakhurst Gardens, originallythe home of the Ball brothers (as in canningjars), in Muncie, indiana. Chris develops andleads school tours, volunteer trainings, andadult education workshops. Chris sees KEMBADGER (PhD, 1989) now and then, sinceKern is in charge of the local chapter of theIndiana native plant society, which meets atOakhurst Gardens.

AMY STEVENS (MSES 1998) has accepted ateaching position in North Carolina.

ANDY SWANSON (BS 1988, MS 1992) hasentered a doctoral program at the Universityof Arkansas and will be conducting aresearch project on Hawaiian soils.

JONATHAN HUM1’HREYS (BS 1999) receivedan internship working with carnivorous andrare plants at Meadowview Biological

: Research Station in Virginia for the summerof1999.

M.AJMAL KHAN (PhD 1985) was recognizedby the Pakistan Federal Minister of Scienceand Technology as among the leadingscientists of Pakistan.

CHRISTY KUCZAK (BS 1999, HTC) hasentered the Masters Program in theDepartment of Soil, Crop, and AtmosphericSciences at Cornell University to work withDr. Erick Fernandes on TropicalAgroecology. She will be majoring in soilscience with a minor in internationalagriculture and international development.

JIM TRAMMELL (MS 1 964), after 32 years ofservice, has retired from the BiologyDepartment at Arapahoe CommunityCollege, Littleton, Colorado, and is nowdoing volunteer work for a number ofagencies.

VICKEY TRAMMELL (graduate work, 1962-64)is the departrnentchair of the BiologyDepartment at Arapahoe Community

College and does forensic botany forNecroSearch International as well as floristicstudies for Colorado State Parks.

SHU-XIA LI (PhD 1996) is now working in aposition dealing with molecular biologycomputer databases in a private company in

New Haven, CT. She returned to campusthis past May to visit us and attend the MCBsymposium.

MINGGENG GAO (PhD 1999) has accepted apostdoctoral research position at HarvardUniversity.

fyiBirthsSharyn Magdalene Serbet was born July 4, 1999at 8:41 am in Lawrence KS. She is named afterher maternal grandmothers. Proud parents areWENDY GRANT (MS 1997) and RUDYSERBET (MS 1991, PhD 1997)

Wesleigh Johnna Stryker was born July 12, 1999at 3:43 pm in Austin, TX. She was 6 ibs, 13 ozs(3035 grams), 19.7 inches long (50 cm), and hasblack hair and dark blue eyes. Proud parentsare Jamie and JOHN STRYKER (BS 1993, MS1995).

DeathsWe have received word that Donald Bailey

succumbed to his battle with cystic fibrosis in

October 1998. Donald was a student in BrianMcCarthy’s lab in 1994 but was unable tocomplete his studies at Ohio University becauseof failing health.

MarriagesForrest Meekins and Todd Egan were marriedon May 22, 1999.

Kurt Hartman and Susan Furrer were marriedon July 10, 1999.

14 Botany

DIRECTORY: FACULTY & STAFF

Name & Email Address Lab/Office TelephoneBallard, H. E. (ballardh) Porter 406 593.4659

Blazier, H. W. (blazier) BotResFac 204 593.4547

Braselton, J. P. (braselto) * Porter 307 593.1131

Cantmo, P. D. (cantino) Porter 411 593.1128

Cavender, J. C. (cavender) Porter 309 593.4551

Dowler, J. E. (dowlerj) Porter 317 593.1126

Ingraham, B. S. (ingraham) Porter 315A 593.1124

Mapes, C. K. (mapesg) ** Ridges, TEB 133 593.9526

McCarthy, B. C. (mccarthy) Porter 416 593.1615

Mitchell, J. P. (mitchelj) Porter 508 593.4548

Moore, E. D. (mooreel) Porter 302A/303B 593.4552

Rothwell, C. R. (rothwell) Porter 401 593.1129

Salick, J. (salick) Porter 405 593.1122

Showalter, A. M. (showalte) Porter 504 593.1135

Smith, I. K. (smithi Porter 512 593.4550

Trese, A. T. (trese) Porter 500 593.0260

Trivett, M. L. (trivett) Porter 315B 593.1125

Ungar, I. A. (ungar) Porter 419 593.1120

Vis, M. L. (vis-chia) Porter 400 593.1134

Department Office Porter 317 593.1126

Department FAX 593.1130

* Chair ** Graduate Chair *** Director, MSES Program

All Email Addresses are @ohio.edu Area Code is: 740

We Would Like to Add Your URL to the Alumni Page Now that we have a WWW pagewith links to sites of alumni, we would like to keep it as up to date as possible. Check out thesite (http://wwzv.plantbio.ohiou.edu/epb/facility/alumni.htm) and ifyou have a WWW page that youwould like to have added, please send your URL by email to us.

DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE DESIGN AND PRINTING OF THENEWSLETTER, THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES WERE OMITTED.

. Faculty and Staff News

PHIL CANTINO remains focused on the systematics of the Lamiaceae andphylogenetic nomenclature. He has been collaborating with Kevin de Queiroz,

herpetologist at the Smithsonian Institution, and other biologists to produce the

PhyloCode. The PhyloCode governs the naming of clades (complete branches on

the tree of life) and would function in parallel with the traditional system ofnomenclature. Phil also is interested in local floristics and recently prepared a list

of native vascular plant species of Athens and Meigs County forests for use byThe Rural Action Sustainable Forestry Program as well as local landowners.

Masters student MARl-VAUGHN JOHNSON is documenting the flora ofDysart Woods while masters student BETH HOBERTY and undergraduate

JENNIFER DEAN are surveying the flora of a 12-mile section of the new

Hockhocking Adena Bikeway to determine if there are any rare species that

should be protected during bikeway maintenance.

Publications

Cantino, P. D. 1999. A new species of Monochilus (Lamiaceae) from Brazil.

Novon 9: 323-324.

Cantino, P. D., S. J. Wagstaff, and R.G. Olmstead. 1999. Caryopteris (Lamiaceae)

and the conflict between phylogenetic and pragmatic considerations inbotanical nomenclature. Systematic Botany 23: 369-386.

Grants

Cantino, P. D. Ohio University Center for Public and Environmental Affairs,“Flora of the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway,’ $1,000

Alumni News

GRETCHEN WALTERS entered the graduate program at Arizona State

University in landscape ecology, with emphasis on the spread of exotic plantspecies in urban environments.