Phylogenetic Investigation of Selected Habranthus Species, Native Southeastern U.S. Zephyranthes Species and Selected Mexican Zephyranthes Species
The relationship between rain-lilies classified in Habranthus and Zephyranthes has been problematic. We conducted an ISSR fingerprinting study to gain insights into the generic relationships among the rain-lilies. The gels were scored and the data used to build a matrix which was analyzed in PAUP* 4.0b2. The tree that was generated from the matrix in MacClade 4.0 revealed that Habranthus taxa form a monophyletic clade. Additionally, the Habranthus clade was sister to a clade comprising the native southeastern species of Zephyranthes and to a clade comprising selected Mexican taxa. At this time we are not recognizing these Mexican taxa as a genus distinct from Zephyranthes but recommend additional investigations to clarify the taxonomic level of relatedness. The three clades that we produced have also been noted in an independent ISSR study by A. Spurrier and in DNA sequencing studies by A. Meerow.
Biology Dept, High Point University, High Point, NC
P107 • Holly Bell, Sarah Marie Noble
A Bryofloristic Investigation of the Limestone Hills Region of South Alabama and Mississippi
Bryophytes collected from the Limestone Hills region of south Alabama and south Mississippi were surveyed. Locations along the Alabama and Mississippi East Gulf Coastal Plain were sampled for bryophytes over the course of forty-eight months. The most intensively sampled environmental gradient was shaded, damp, limestone. Geographical affinities were noted.
Dept of Natural Sciences, University of Mobile, Mobile, AL
The vascular flora of Bullock County, Alabama, was surveyed from 2011 to 2013. Bullock County is located in the southeastern portion of the state, and has an area of 162,278 hectares. The major natural areas of the county are the Alabama-Mississippi Blackland Prairie and the Chunnenuggee Hills divisions of the East Gulf Coastal Plain. To increase the diversity of taxa collected, an attempt was made to sample all habitats within the county. Prior to this study, only 525 taxa representing 301 genera and 107 families were documented from the county. A total of 1155 taxa representing 547 genera and 161 families were collected or reported from Bullock County. Sixty-six species represented by herbarium specimens from Bullock County were not re-collected during this study. The Inventory List of Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plants, Animals and Natural Communities of Alabama as compiled by the Alabama Natural Heritage Program contains 19 of the species collected. Approximately 21 percent of the flora (237 species), are considered non-indigenous. Families with the largest number of taxa were Asteraceae (159), Poaceae (147), Fabaceae (83), Cyperaceae (78), Rosaceae (38), and Lamiaceae (35).
Dept of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Troy University, Troy, AL
P109 • Alexander D. DeGenova, Andrew G. Gardner, Rachel S. Jabaily
Dispersal Modes and Areas of Origin of Invasive Species in an Old Growth Urban Forest
Overton Park is a 342-acre hardwood forest located within an urban-residential area of Memphis, Tennessee. Forests found in close proximity to urban areas are often strongly impacted by ecological disturbances, including invasive species introduction. An ongoing inventory of vascular plants for the Rhodes College herbarium (SWMT) found eighty-three plant species to be non-native, including eight known invasive species present in the park. The abundance of animal vectors (e.g. dogs, birds, and humans) increases the likelihood of plant dispersal throughout the park, resulting in the introduction and spread of non-native and potentially invasive species. Consequently, I hypothesized that the majority of invasive plant species in Overton have fruits and seeds that are dispersed by animals. Additionally, the popularity of ornamental Asian species for horticulture in the southeastern United States led me to hypothesize that the majority of invasive plant species in the park are Asian in origin. Ninety-one species were collected and categorized by geographic area of origin and fruit dispersal mode. I found that 60 percent of collected species were native, 40 percent were non-native, and nine percent of all species were invasive. Sixty-four percent of invasive species had seeds dispersed by animals, and 64 percent of the invasives were native to Asia, supporting the hypotheses. The collection and documentation of invasive species found in parks like Overton is important, because conservation strategies are often specifically tailored to deal with the invasive plants present in the target area.
Dept of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN
P110 • Wendy B. Zomlefer1, Linda G. Chafin2, J. Richard Carter3, David E. Giannasi1, Cristin Walters1
Coefficient of Conservatism Rankings for the Flora of Georgia: Wetland Indicator Species
Wetland habitats currently cover about one-fifth of Georgia and have been reduced in acreage by as much as twenty-five percent over the past two centuries due to anthropogenic activities. Accurate identification and careful study of these areas are crucial for their preservation and for compliance with federal and state environmental regulations. Several vegetation-based biological assessment methodologies have been developed to define wetlands and to assess their quality. One major wetland delineation system, mandated by federal law, incorporates the National Wetland Plant List (NWPL), a classification system ranking plant species in five indicator categories according to fidelity and preference for wetlands or uplands. These rankings were recently updated via a comprehensive and collaborative nationwide effort involving four government agencies and teams of wetland specialists. Another expert-based indicator system, Coefficients of Conservatism, is the foundation of the Floristic Quality Index, a metric widely used in the United States for assessing ecological condition of wetlands (as well as other plant communities). The Coefficients are based on breadth of habitat preference(s) and tolerance to disturbance, with exotic and ruderal species receiving the lowest scores, and ecologically conservative species, the highest scores. A team of four botanists, proficient with the flora of Georgia, convened to assign Coefficient of Conservatism rankings to the 2,262 NWPL species for the state. The resulting Web-accessible database, which includes information such as regional wetland rankings and conservation status, is described here.
1 Dept of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 2 State Botanical Garden of Georgia, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; 3 Dept of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA
P111 • Laary Cushman1, Patrick McMillan1, Kathy Mathews2
