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B College ofArts & Sciences ,___j_\ jjimentofEnvivnmental :f 0 H I 0 rr ‘h &PlantBiology : I UNIVEKSITY uUz Athens, Ohio 45701-2979 I 1822 - 2002: 180 years of Teaching Plant Biology OHIO UNIVERSITY I Report From the Chair Eastern deciduous forest ecology was selected through a strategic planning process (see 2001 newsletter) to be one of the department’s focus areas. I am pleased to welcome a new faculty mem ber who will enhance our strength in this area. Glenn Matlack is an experienced researcher and teacher who left a tenured position at University of Southern Mississippi in order to join our depart- ment. One reason he was attracted to Ohio University was the opportunity to be part of a forest ecology research group. Population biology and conservation ecology are the primary niches that Glenn will fill in this group, complementing the specialties of Kim Brown (forest ecosystem ecology and ecophysiology), Brian McCarthy (forest community ecology and invasive species biology), and Jim Dyer of the Department of Geography (biogeography and landscape ecology). Glenn will teach courses on plant population biology and tropical ecology. In addition, he has developed a new course on forest ecology, conservation, and policy, designed to fit into Ohio University’s new General Education Program and attract students in both’the social and natural sciences. In the past year, the department has completed the largest revision of its curriculum in at least 20 years. Highlights include: . Development of three new intermediate-level courses (Diversity of Life, Plant Ecology, Plant Physiology) that, along with the existing Plant Genetics course, will be required of all of our majors. These intermediate courses will combine some subjects currently covered in PBIO 110 and 111 with other material on plant ecology, physiology, and genetics that is not currently required. . Transfer of some of the material currently taught in PBIO 110 and .111 to the new intermediate courses, making the introductory sequence more manageable for students. (The large amount of material packed into PBIO 111 has been a frequent complaint.) . Development of new courses for graduate students and advanced undergraduates on Plant Population Biology, Plant Community Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, and Experimental Anatomy of Plant Development. . Development of a new course on Writing in the Plant Sciences. . Development of the new course on Forest Ecology, Conservation, and Policy, described above. These changes, the culmination of several years of thought and discussion involving all of the faculty, will benefit students in several ways: The two introductory classes will be more manageable. . The four required mid-level courses will ensure that all of our undergraduate majors emerge with a broad understanding of plant biology. The new upper level courses will offer specialized training in ecology and plant development. The writing course will provide an opportunity for students to hone their communication skills in contexts that they are likely to encounter in their future careers. These new courses represent a great deal of work on the part of many people. It will be exciting to see them implemented in the coming year. With best wishes, In This Issue: Philip D. Cantino Departmental News 5 Professor and Chair Alumni News 12 Spotlight on Alums 14 : Botany 2002 is a publication of the Department of : Environmental & Plant Biology, Dr. M.L. Trivett, Editor

2002 PBIO Newsletter

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Page 1: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

B College ofArts & Sciences

,___j_\ jjimentofEnvivnmental

:f 0H I0 rr‘h &PlantBiology: I

UNIVEKSITY uUz Athens, Ohio 45701-2979

I 1822 - 2002: 180 years of Teaching Plant Biology OHIO UNIVERSITY IReport From the Chair

Eastern deciduous forest ecology was selected through a strategic planning process (see 2001newsletter) to be one of the department’s focus areas. I am pleased to welcome a new faculty member who will enhance our strength in this area. Glenn Matlack is an experienced researcher andteacher who left a tenured position at University of Southern Mississippi in order to join our depart-ment. One reason he was attracted to Ohio University was the opportunity to be part of a forestecology research group. Population biology and conservation ecology are the primary niches thatGlenn will fill in this group, complementing the specialties of Kim Brown (forest ecosystem ecologyand ecophysiology), Brian McCarthy (forest community ecology and invasive species biology), andJim Dyer of the Department of Geography (biogeography and landscape ecology). Glenn will teachcourses on plant population biology and tropical ecology. In addition, he has developed a newcourse on forest ecology, conservation, and policy, designed to fit into Ohio University’s new GeneralEducation Program and attract students in both’the social and natural sciences.

In the past year, the department has completed the largest revision of its curriculum in atleast 20 years. Highlights include:. Development of three new intermediate-level courses (Diversity of Life, Plant Ecology, Plant

Physiology) that, along with the existing Plant Genetics course, will be required of all of ourmajors. These intermediate courses will combine some subjects currently covered in PBIO 110and 111 with other material on plant ecology, physiology, and genetics that is not currentlyrequired.

. Transfer of some of the material currently taught in PBIO 110 and .111 to the new intermediatecourses, making the introductory sequence more manageable for students. (The large amount ofmaterial packed into PBIO 111 has been a frequent complaint.)

. Development of new courses for graduate students and advanced undergraduates on PlantPopulation Biology, Plant Community Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, and Experimental Anatomyof Plant Development.

. Development of a new course on Writing in the Plant Sciences.

. Development of the new course on Forest Ecology, Conservation, and Policy, described above.

These changes, the culmination of several years of thought and discussion involving all of thefaculty, will benefit students in several ways: The two introductory classes will be more manageable.

. The four required mid-level courses will ensure that all of our undergraduate majors emerge with abroad understanding of plant biology. The new upper level courses will offer specialized training inecology and plant development. The writing course will provide an opportunity for students to honetheir communication skills in contexts that they are likely to encounter in their future careers. Thesenew courses represent a great deal of work on the part of many people. It will be exciting to seethem implemented in the coming year.

With best wishes, In This Issue:Philip D. Cantino Departmental News 5Professor and Chair • Alumni News 12

Spotlight on Alums 14: . Botany 2002 is a publication of the Department of

: Environmental & Plant Biology, Dr. M.L. Trivett, Editor

Page 2: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

2

NewHire in theDepartment

Glenn Matlack joined the department inSeptember as the new population biologist!forest ecologist. His research concentrationsare in spatial ecology and forest history, andhe has modeled forest herb populations infragmented agricultural landscapes. He willteach courses in Plant Population Biology,Americans and Their Forests (historical effectsin forest ecosystems), Tropical Ecology, and aTropical Ecology Field course as part of theGlobal Studies Program. One of his earlyfield courses will involve data collection inThailand and tropical Queensland, Australia.

LENN MATLACK

AWARDS AND OTHERHONORS

ndergraduate Scholarships &Awards

C. Paul and Beth Stocker Scholarships:Each spring Stocker scholarships areawarded to several undergraduates.This year’s recipients are AMY HOVART,

MARK THORNTON, and KRYSTYN ROBINSON

of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Thomas M. Wolfe Scholarship: Six monetary awards are made each year fromthe fund established by Mrs. EdnaWolfe to honor the memory of her latehusband, a 1919 graduate of OhioUniversity. Two of the awards aredesignated for plant biology studentswith strong academic records whoshow promise in the areas of conservation and ecology. CARY MILLER and

CAROLYN REILLY, Honors Tutorial College, share the senior Wolfe award andSCOTT WEAVER, College of Arts andSciences, is the junior awardee.

Lela A. Ewers Science Scholarship: TheCollege of Arts and Sciences Scholar-ship Committee each year selects a full-time student on the Athens campusmajoring in a natural science.ZACHARIAH GIBBONS-BALLEW is the 2000-2001 recipient.

Charles E. Miller Scholarship: The MillerScholarship was created in memory of Dr.Charles Miller, professor and longtimeChair of the Department, and is giveneach year to an undergraduate plantbiology major. This year’s recipient isSTEVEN KARAFIT, College of Arts andSciences.

ProfessorArthur H. Blickle ScholarshipforWomen: The Blickle scholarship wascreated in support of the education ofundergraduate women in botany. Thisyear’s recipient is CATHERINE SCHMITZER.

U-ndergraduate Research Posters

For the second year, an undergraduateresearch poster contest was held as partof the annual awards ceremony. Fiveposters, some with interactive computerdisplays, were presented. JESSICA STER

LING was the winner with her poster on“Photoreceptors and their role in theproduction of secondary growth”.

0utstanding Graduating Senior

Environmental & Plant Biology, Honors TutorialCollege:

CAROLYN REILLY

Botanical Society ofAmerica YoungBotanists Awards

CARY MILLER

CAROLYN REILLY

Page 3: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

3

AWARDS AND OTHERHONORS, cont.

Environmental & Plant Biology BotanyClub Appreciation Award

CAROLYN REILLY

AMY MCCLINTIC

raduate Awards

CollegeofArts & Sciences Outstanding TA

Award

MIKE DUNN

Foreign Language and Area StudiesFellowship

JENNIFER DEMURIA

Phi Delta Theta Excellence in AppliedResearch

MATTHEW ALBRECHT

Philanthropic Education OrganizationAward

CHRISTY CARTER, $8,000

Ohio University OutstandingDoctoralStudent

Geological Society ofAmerica,Outstanding Student Research Award

MIHAI TOMESCU

Facuity Awards

BotanicalSociety ofAmerica, Michael

Cichan Award

GAR ROTHWELL

Ieanette Graselli Brown TeachingAward

HARVEY BALLARD

Back: Zach Gibbons-Ballew, Cary Miller, Steve Karafit, Mike Dunn, Matthew AlbrechtMiddle: Mihai Tomescu, Jessica Sterling, Scott Weaver, Amy Hovart

Front: Amy McClintic, Carolyn Reilly, Krystyn Robinson, Catherine Schmitzer

0hio University Clippinger Fellowship

MIHAI TOMESCU

U-SINDO Scholarshipfor research in Java

JENNIFER DEMURIA

MIHAI TOMESCU

r

Page 4: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

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FacultyAwards, cont.

University Professor

ART TRESE

Arts & Sciences Dean’s OutstandingTeacher award

HARVEY BALLARD

GRANTS RECEIVED

Undergraduate Grants

Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund

•:• CAROLYN REILLY

•:• DEBORAH THORNTON

Jeanette Graselli Brown UndergraduateResearch Award

•:• MATTHEW SHIPP

raduate Grants

Ohio University Houk Research Awardsfor Graduate Students

•:• NANDA FILKIN, $400.•:• SARAH HAMSHER, $600.•:• AUDREY LARRIMER, $500•:• MIHAI TOMESCU, $750.

Charles Reirner Tuition Grant

•:• NANDA FILKIN, $300.

B Karling Graduate Student ResearchAward

•:• MIKE DUNN

•:• AUREA CORTES-PALOMEC

Phycological Society Hoshaw TravelAwards

•:• DALE CASAMATTA

•:• NANDA FILKIN

•:• SARAH HAMSHER

Society ofWetland Scientists

•:• ASWINI PAl

Kentcy Nature Preserves Commission

•:• RYAN MCEWAN, $2,000.

The Ohio University Councilfor Research,Scholarship and Creative Activity

tudent Enhancement Awards

•:• MIKE DUNN, “ The Mid-CarboniferousFloral Break: A Crucial and EnigmaticEpisode in the Evolution of TerrestrialVegetation”, $5,706.

•:• CHRISTY CARTER, “Genetic Diversity of

Salt-Marsh Plants”, $5, 242.

Best Presentation on Past Funded Research

•:• DARRIN RUBINO, $500.

Geological Society ofAmerica GraduateStudent Research Grant

•:• MIKE DUNN, $890.•:• MIHAI TOMESCU, $1,100.

paleontological Society Research Grant

•:• MIKE DUNN, $500.

•:• MIHAI TOMESCU, $500.

igm Xi Grant-in-Aid ofResearch

•:• MIHAI TOMESCU, $300.

•:• AUREA CORTES-PALOMEC, $300.

phycological Society Croasdale Tuition

Fellowship

•:• SARAH HAMSHER, $1,000.

Ford Foundation

•:• MATTHEW ALBRECHT, $2,000.

Fourth International Myxomycete Congress

•:• DAWN BLACK, $500.

Page 5: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

Association ofSoutheastern Biologists

•:• AswiNI PAl, $195.

Facuity & Staff Grants

HARVEY BALLARD:

•:• National Science Foundation, “FromFlowers to Floras: Integrating FloralDevelopmental Studies, PhylogeneticInferences and Taxonomic Treatmentsin the Violet Family (Violaceae)”,$101,992, with Dr. Shirley Tucker.

•:• National Science Foundation, “TestingSystematic and Evolutionary Hypotheses in a Primitive Neotropical Groupof Violets (Viola Sect. Leptidium)”,Research Opportunity Award supple-ment, $18,575.

•:• National Science Foundation, “TestingSystematic and Evolutionary Hypotheses in a Primitive Neotropical Groupof Violets (Viola Sect. Leptidium)”,Research Experiences for Undergraduates supplement, $10,065.

HAROLD BLAZIER:

+ PACE funding of undergraduateresearch, $1,600.

KIM BROWN:

+ AAAS-NSF WISC Grant to facilitateresearch collaboration abroad, $4,000.

•:• USFS Cooperative Agreement Grant,$15,000.

•:• Ohio University Post-doctoral Fellow-ship Grant, $25,000.

•:• OURC Research Challenge, $6,000.

+ PACE funding of undergraduateresearch, $1,600.

PHIL CANTINO:

+ PACE funding of undergraduateresearch, $1,600.

BRIAN C. MCCARTHY:

•:• USDA, Sustainable Research andEducation, $100,000.

GAR ROTHWELL:

+ PACE funding of undergraduate research, $1,600.

ALLAN SHOWALTER:

5

•:• The Ohio Board of Regents 2000 IncentiveFund Competition, “A Transgenic Green-house for Plant Cell Wall Biotechnologyat Ohio University” , $175,000 , MarciaKieliszewski (P.1.) and A.M. Showalter(co-P.I.).

+ PACE funding of undergraduate research, $1,600.

MORGAN VI5:

+ PACE funding of undergraduate research, $1,600.

SARAH WYATT:

•:• National Aeronautics and Space Administration “Molecular cloning and characterization ofthe GPS genes ofArabidopsis , $461,430.

•:• United States Department of Agriculture,“Characterization of the gps mutants ofArabidopsis”, $80,000.

•:• American Society for Gravitational andSpace Biology, “Characterization ofAuxin Transport in the gps mutants ofArabidopsis”, $10,110.

+ PACE funding of undergraduate research, $1,600.

i::EPARTMENTAL NEWS

The reader is referred to the Departmental web pagefor numerous links to a variety ofweb sites reflect-ing the research interests ofmembers ofthe Depart-ment as well asa variety ofextra-University responsibilities.

HARVEY BALLARD traveled to Costa Rica toset up and teach Molecular Ap

proaches to Tropical Ecology for the Organization for Tropical Studies at La Selva Biological Station. He also participated in theAssembly of Delegates meeting for the OTS atUniversidad de Costa Rica. He was joined in

Page 6: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

6the lab this year by Dr. Duane Kolterman.They conducted research at the SmithsonianInstitution and the New York Botanical Garden. Harvey and MORGAN Vis taught anotherGlobal Studies course in French Guiana thisyear. Doctoral student Ross MCCAULEY par-ticipated in the 015 Tropical Plant Systematics course this summer in Costa Rica. Instructors reported he contributed a great deal tothe course as a ‘senior’ graduate student.

KIM BROWN is establishing an active laboratory whose research focuses on tree

physiological function and structural plastic-ity while integrating these features into thestudy of the ecosystem function of forests.Recent projects are investigating leaf morphology and architectural display of leaf areain eastern forests, conducted at 3 DOE FreeAir CO2 Enrichment (FACE) sites, as well asinvestigations into primary productivity andcarbon cycling of oak-hickory burned,thinned forests. The latter study is in con-junction with the USFS and is directly applicable to the issue of forests as sinks for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Kim isjoined in her efforts by two new doctoralstudents. JYH-MIN (JAMEs) CHIANG is develop-ing a simulation model for estimating carboncontent of oak-maple stands in SE Ohio,including effects of silvaculture, stand ageand composition changes. DAWN BLACK willinvestigate influences of forest thinning andburning on attributes of ectomycorrhizae inregional oak forests. Post-doctoral Fellow Dr.RITA GIULIANI will be coordinating the lab’seffort in quantifying the amount and spatialdistribution of leaf area in study sites, essential data for estimating carbon flux and storage. Data collection is aided by AnthonyPerry, research technician, MSES studentDEAH LIEURANCE, RA , and JODY HELM, PACEstudent.

PHIL CANTINO continues in his duties asChair and in his heavy involvement in the

preparation of the PhyloCode, a system ofnomenclature governing the naming of clades(see 2000 Newsletter). He was a co-organizerof the second International Workshop onPhylogenetic Nomenclature, held at YaleUniversity in July 2002. ELIZABETH MARTINcompleted her MS and then took a job withthe USGS as a botanical field technicianstudying the effect of fuel breaks on invasivespecies in California. JEss PEIRSON is nearingcompletion of his MS thesis, a systematicstudy of Collinsonia (Stoneroot), including a

molecular portion being conducted in HARVEYBALLARD’S lab. He will begin his doctoralwork at the University of Michigan beginningin August 2003. SARAH HARRELSON has begunher MS research, a floristic study of StroudsRun State Park.

GLENN MATLACK has gotten off to a quickstart since arriving in Athens this sum-

mer. Some of his research focuses on land useand landscape-scale processes in forest ecosystems. He has begun a survey of land usehistory in the Athens area emphasizing land-scape structure. He also has embarked on acollaboration with Sarah Wyatt and HarveyBallard on the invasion dynamics of exoticspecies. He is joined by PhD student PETERSCHWEIZER who began his research with Glennat University of Southern Mississippi. Peter isusing remote sensing to document the effectsof forest disturbance in suburban streamcommunities.

BRIAN MCCARTHY continues as GraduateChair although he reports he is not a big

fan of administrative endeavors. In January,he begins a stint as Editor-in-Chief for theIournal ofthe Torrey Botanical Society. He alsowas certified as a Senior Ecologist by the Ecological Society of America. His researchemphasizing factors affecting the regenerationof eastern hardwoods, the role of invasivespecies in natural systems, and restorationecology continues. This past year he hasconcentrated his efforts on a detailed study ofthe oldest and largest known stand of Amen-can chestnut remaining in the United States,located in southwestern Wisconsin, withresults to be used for chestnut restoration inthe Appalachians. The largest chestnut in thisstand is 127 cm DBH! His work with the USFScontinues, aided by research assistants MAT-THEW ALBRECHT and CYNTHIA RICCARDI. Mat-thew was recently awarded a Ford Foundation Community Forestry Fellowship for hisPh.D. research into the ecology of non-timberforest products (medicinal herbs) in south-eastern Ohio. Cynthia continues her Ph.D.work on the ecology of fire in mixed oakforests, recently investigating the ecology ofthe pre-dispersal insect seed predators andtheir effects on oak regeneration. KURTHARTMAN is expected to complete his Ph.D.research this year regarding the role of theinvasive Amur honeysuckle in the forests ofsouthwestern Ohio. Likewise, ASWINI PAl isexpected to complete her Ph.D. soon. Shecontinues studying the ecology of the clonal

Page 7: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

Sweetfiag. New to the lab this past year or soare CORRINNE MCCAMENT, AUDREY LARRIMER,RYAN MCEWAN, and ZACH RINKES. Corrie(MSES) is studying patterns of germination,survival, growth, and resource allocation inAmerican chestnut, using the fire and thin-ning treatment of the USDA-FFS project as ameans to understanding the role of standsilviculture in restoring chestnut locally.Audrey (MS) is looking at the microenvironments and vegetation in bigtooth aspenclones sited in a larger mixed oak forestmatrix. Microsites may possess alteredenvironments and support increasedbiodiversity. Ryan (PhD) plans to study forestdisturbance ecology and conduct fire historystudies using dendroecological methods.Zach Rinkes (MSES) is looking at the effects ofwild turkey scratching on hardwood seedlingregeneration. Most recently, former PBIOundergraduate KEVIN LEwis (MSES) has joinedthe lab to study invasion ecology and controlof the tree-of-heaven in the mixed oak land-scape of southeastern Ohio.

GAR ROTHWELL returned from a sabbaticalyear at the University of Alberta,

Edmonton where he was involved in studieson fossil plants from marine nodules from thePacific coast of Vancouver Island. He wasjoined, on his return, by Dr. RUTH STOCKEY(MS ‘74), University of Alberta, to continuetheir collaboration with HARVEY BALLARD onthe evolution of duck weeds within themonocot family Araceae. Gar is the currentSecretary of the International Organisation ofPalaeobotany and the perennial co-organizerof the Midcontinental Paleobotanical Colloquium. He, GENE MAPES and GENAROHERNANDEZ-CASTILLO (MS ‘00) continue theirjoint investigations of the most primitiveconifers and conifer-like plants. One of theresulting papers, coauthored with Gene, wasawarded the Botanical Society’s CichanAward for the best written contribution of2001 at the interface of plant morphology andevolution. MIHAI TOMESCU (PhD) is incorporating recent research into microbiotic crustsinto his investigations of the phylogeneticrelationships and evolution of the earliestland plants. MIKE DUNN (PhD) is investigating the evolution of complex plant communities in 330 million year old tropical wetlands.

ALLAN SHOWALTER has enjoyed anotherbusy year concentrating on the structure

and function of arabinogalactan-proteins(AGPs). Such cell surface glycoproteins are

7important in plant development, have potential commercial uses as industrial gums andadhesives and have applications in humanhealth due to their ability to stimulate ourimmune system. Working with MarciaKieliszewski (Chemistry), Allan has isolatedLaAGP-1 using a novel GFP tagging approach. Allan was elected Vice-Chair of theMidwest Section of the American Society ofPlant Biologists and will serve as Chair in2003-04. He also was an organizer of theAnnual meeting of the Ohio Plant Biotechnology Consortium held in September. PhDstudent WENXIAN SUN 15 working ontransgenic tomato plants with altered LeAGP1 expression, while doctoral student MINGCHEN continues his work on plant pro-grammed cell death and the role of AGPs inthis process and the associated signal transduction pathway. LI-WEN WANG finished herPhD research that involved molecular adaptations to salt stress in Atriplex; she is currentlylooking for a post-doc position. PhD studentsBRIJE5H KARAKKAT and JIE YANG are planningto use RNAi and I-DNA insertion lines inArabidopsis to find certain cell wall proteinmutants and to elucidate their functions.HARJINDER SARDAR is a new doctoral studentand is largely involved with coursework atthis time. He will initiate his lab researchduring the upcoming break.

IRWIN UNGAR, with doctoral student CHRISTYCARTER, continues to study effects of

environmental factors in extreme environ-ments on seed germination, growth andreproduction of halophytes and how seedbanks influence plant distribution and population dynamics in inland saline environ-ments. Christy will begin a three-yearpostdoctoral position this summer at theUSDA Salinity Lab in Riverside CA. Irwin iscollaborating with former student, AJMALKHAN (PhD 85), University of Karachi, andALLAN SHOWALTER in studies on the effects ofsalinity on growth responses of salt desertand salt marsh species of south Asia. Ajmal,his graduate students, and Irwin also areinvestigating growth regulating substances,salinity and germination of salt desert andmangrove species of Pakistan. Research wasaided by the efforts of undergraduates AMYMCGOUGH, CAROLYN REILLY and LEWISZIMMERMAN this year.

MORGAN Vis was happy to receive tenureand promotion to Associate Professor.

Two new MS students, NANDA FILKIN and

Page 8: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

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SARAH HAMSHER, joined the lab. Sarah hasbeen leading the entire laboratory in collaborating on a new methodology for studyingnutrient limitation in acid mine drainagestreams. Nanda and Morgan have beenworking with Alison Sherwood of the University of Hawaii identifying the specimensbrought back from the Global Studies inPlant Biology trip. So far there have beennumerous new records for the islands. AMYMCCLINTIC (BS ‘02) worked as a PACE student in the laboratory this year and completed her research on the algae from montane cloud forest and alpine streams inBolivia, which has been submitted for publication. Over 70% of the species collectedwere new records for the Bolivian Andes.WAYNE CHIA550N (administrator!part-timebiologist), Nick Machesky (BS-Microbiology)and Morgan have submitted a paper on thegenetic diversity of Batrachospermumhelminthosum. Nick started the IntegratedBiomedical Sciences PhD program at OSUthis summer. DALE CASAMATTA completedhis doctoral research entitled “ A study ofthe phylogeography, ecology and intrapopulation genetic variation of Phormidiurnretzii (Cyanobacteria), and broader systematics of the Oscillatoriales” and will be takingan NSF funded post-doctoral position atJohn Carroll University in Cleveland. Re-search continues on the use of algae tomitigate CO admissions. These studies arein collaboration with engineers from theOhio University Coal Center and are fundedby the Department of Energy. Lastly, Morgan , Wayne and HARVEY BALLARD were inFrench Guiana this summer on a GlobalStudies in Plant Biology course that in-cluded a search for the elusiveBatrachospermum.

SARAH WYATT reports that VIJAY NADELLAhas joined her lab to finish his MS work-

ing on characterization of auxin transport ingps mutants of Arabidopsis. UndergraduateAMY HOVART is working as a PACE studentthis year. JESSICA STERLING won the under-graduate research poster award at the Departmental Awards Ceremony last spring.MATT SHIPP, recipient of the Grasselli Brownresearch award, and Jessica have giveninterviews about their research projects forPerspectives magazine. Sarah has receivedconsiderable assistance from PhD studentSARAH BA5HORE in revising the PBIO 110 labsand lab hand-outs.

ECENT PUBLICATIONS

Bryant, H.N. & P.D. Cantino. 2002. A review ofcriticisms of phylogenetic nomenclature: istaxonomic freedom the fundamental issue?Biological Reviews 77:39-55.

Carter, C.T. and l.A. Ungar. 2002. Above-ground vegetation, seed bank and soil analysisof a 31-year-old forest restoration on coal minespoil in southeastern Ohio. American MidlandNaturalist 147: 44-59.

Cavender, J.C., S.L. Stephenson, J.C. Landoltand E.M. Vadell. 2002. Dictyostelid cellularslime moulds in the forests of New Zealand.New Zealand Journal of Botany 40: 235-264.

Casamatta, D.A., Verb, R.G., Beaver, J.R. andM.L. Vis. 2002. An investigation of thecryptobiotic community from sandstone cliffsin Southeast Ohio. International Journal of PlantSciences (in press).

Egan, T.P. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. Competitionbetween Salicornia europaea and A triplexprostrata along an experimental salinity gradient. Wetlands Ecology and Management 9: 457-461.

Egan, T. P. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. The effect ofdifferent salts of sodium and potassiumon the accumulation of glycinebetaine inAtriplex prostrata. Biologia Plantarum 44: 595-597.

Dunr, M.T., G. Mapes and G.W. Rothwell.2001. On Paleozoic plants from marine strata:Hexaloba finisensia new genus and species, atrigonocarpalean ovule from the Virgilian(Gzhelian) Finis Shale of Texas. Journal ofPaleontology 76: 173-180.

Dunn, M.T., C. Spinosa and B.R. Wardlaw.2001. Invertebrate faunas and preliminarypalynology of the Carboniferous-Permianboundary stratotype, Aidaralash Creek,Kazakhstan. In: Cassinis, G. (ed.). PermianContinental Deposits of Europe and Other Areas.Regional Reports and Correlations,Monografie di Natura Bresciana, N 25: 319-326.

Hall, M.M. & Vis, M.L. 2002. Genetic variation inBatrachospermum helminthosum (Rhodophyta)among and within stream reaches using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecularmarkers. Phycological Research (in press).

Keiffer, C.H. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. The effect ofcompetition and edaphic conditions on theestablishment of halophytes on brine effected

Page 9: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

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soils. Wetlands Ecology and Management 9:469-481.

Khan, M. A. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. Seed germination of Triglochin maritima as influenced bysalinity and dormancy relieving compounds.Biologia Plantarum 44: 301-303

Khan, M.A. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. Effect ofgermination promoting compounds on therelease of primary and salt-enforced seeddormancy in the halophyte Sporobolus arabicusBoiss. Seed Science and Technology 29: 299-306.

Khan,M.A. and l.A. Ungar. 2001. Alleviation ofsalinity stress and the response to temperaturein two seed morphs of Halopyrum mucronatum(Poaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 49: 777-783.

Longbrake, A.C.W. and B.C. McCarthy. 2001.Biomass allocation and resprouting ability ofprincess tree (Paulownia tomentosa:Scrophulariaceae) across a light gradient. TheAmerican Midland Naturalist 146: 388-403.

McCauley, R. A. and H. E. Ballard, Jr. Inferringnativity and biogeographic affinities of centraland marginal populations of Froelichiafloridana (Amaranthaceae) from Inter-SimpleSequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Journal of theTorrey Botanical Society 129: 311-325.

McCauley, R. and l.A. Ungar. 2002. Populationdynamics of a restored and natural populations of Froelichia floridana in the mid-Ohioriver valley. Restoration Ecology 10: 348-361.

Meekins, J.F. and B.C. McCarthy. 2001. Effectof environmental variation on the invasivesuccess of a non-indigenous forest herb.Ecological Applications 11:1336-1348.

Meekins, J.F. and B.C. McCarthy. 2002. Effect ofdensity on the demography of an invasiveplant (Alliardia petiolata, Brassicaceae) popula

tion in a southeastern Ohio forest. The Amen-can Midland Naturalist 147: 256-278.

Segovia-Salcedo, M. C., H. E. Ballard, Jr., and A.Narvaez. 2002. Estudios fenéticos dePolylepis Ruiz and PavOn en tres areas dediversificaciOn en Ecuador. In: Fierro, A. F.and D. A. Neill (eds.). Memonias del TercerCongreso Ecuatoniano de Botánica, Quito, Ecuadon. pp. 40-66

Small, C.J. and B.C. McCarthy. 2001. Vascularflora of the Waterloo Wildlife Research Station, Athens County, Ohio. Catanea 66: 363-382.

Small C.J. and B.C. McCarthy. 2002. Seasonalherb-layer dynamics in clearcut and maturecentral Appalachian oak forests. Journal of theTorrey Botanical Society 129: 136-153.

Wyatt, S. E., Rashotte, A., Shipp, M.J., Muday,C. K. and Robertson, D. (2002) Mutations inthe GPS loci in Arabidopsis disrupt the per-ception and/or signal transduction ofgravitropic stimuli. Plant Physiology 130: 1426-1435.

Wyatt, S. E., Tsou, P.-L., and Robertson, D.(2002) Expression of the high capacity cal-cium-binding domain of calreticulin increasesbioavailable calcium stores. Transgenic Re-search 11: 1-10

Wyatt, S. E., “The ups and downs of gravity,” inBiochemical & Molecular Responses of Plantsto the Environment, ed. A.J. Wood (ResearchSignpost, India).

z. Zhao, L. Tan, A.M. Showalter, D.T.A.Lamport, and M. Kieliszewski. 2002. “TomatoLeAGP-1 arabinogalactan-protein purifiedfrom transgenic tobacco corroborates the Hypcontiguity hypothesis.” Plant Journal 31: 1-15.

VISITORS TO THE

DEPARTMENT

MARY ARTHUR - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

ANDREW BALDWIN - UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

JODI BANKS - PURDUE UNIVERSITY

NICOLE CAVENDER - THE WILDS ANIMAL RESERVE

DEAN DELLA PENNA - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

LINDA GRAHAM - UNIV. OF WISCoNSn, MADISON

GARY GREER - WEST VIRGINIA STATE COLLEGE

HENRI CR1550-MAYER - UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

BEN HOLT - UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

JEFFREY JOHANSEN - JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY

ANDREW KNOLL - BOTANICAL MUSEUM, HARVARD

DUANE KOLTERMAN - UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO

SIMCHA LEV-YADUN - HAIFA UNIVERSITY, ISRAEL

STEFAN LITTLE - UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA, CANADA

CREIGHTON LITTON - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

RICHARD NORBY - OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LAB

CHARLES OPPERMAN - N. CAROLINA STATE UNIV.

RICHARD TRIEMER - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY

ARTHUR WEISSINGER - N. CAROLINA STATE UNIV.

CHRIS WOLVERTON - OHIo STATE UNIVERSITY

Page 10: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

10

IFTS TO THEDEPARTMENT

. The Professor Arthur H. Buckle Botany Scholar-shipfor women.

. Charles E. Miller Scholarshipfor undergraduateand graduate students.

. Lee and Irene Roach Graduate Fundfor graduatestudent research in cellular and molecularbiology.

. Monroe T. Vermilion Scholarshipfor undergraduates.

. Plant Biology Faculty Memorial Scholarshipforgraduate students.

. Betty Moore Memorial Fundfor studentprofessional travel

To THOSE WHO MADE A GIFT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL & PLANT BIOLOGY IN THE PAST YEAR, WE SEND

OUR SINCEREST THANKS. GIFTS FROM ALUMNI AND FRIENDS HAVE HELPED US PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT FOR

UNDERGRADS, TRAVEL ASSISTANCE FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES AND ENRICH-

MENT COURSES, AND AN ARRAY OF OTHER NEEDS THAT ARE NOT NORMALLY MET THROUGH TUITION OR OTHER SOURCES OF

REVENUE. PRIVATE SUPPORT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT IN THESE TIMES OF BUDGETARY CUT-BACKS TO HIGHER

EDUCATION AND HAS ALLOWED US TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A QUALITY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.

CHECKS SHOULD BE MADE OUT TO THE OHIO UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION AND DESIGNATED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENTAL & PLANT BIOLOGY IN THE MEMO SECTION OF THE CHECK OR ON A SEPARATE NOTE AND SENT T0

THE OHIO UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

P.O. Box 869ATHENS OH 45701

You MAY ALSO MAKE A PLEDGE BY CREDIT CARD. PLEASE CALL 1-800-592-3863- OR

PLEDGE ON-LINE AT: www.oHIou.EDu/cAMPAIGN/PLEDGE.HTML

ANDERSON, CHERYL

BADRA, PETER JACOB

BARTELLIS, LOIS JEANNE

BODENSCHATZ, SHARON

BROWN, DAVID MARC

BURLESON, PAULA S.CALABRO, NICHOLAS C.CANTINO, PHILIP & HEATHER

CHENEVEY, ROBERT

CHIASSON, WAYNE & MORGAN VISCOHN, NORMAN & MARGARET

COKER, JENNIFER & JEFFREY

DRAKE, KENNETH

DOKTOR, THOMAS & KATHLEEN

DUVAL, RYAN

FODERARO, MARGARET ANGELA

FOX, TERRENCE & MARY

FRASCH, ROBERT G. & BONNIE

GARN, ROBERT & GENE

GILDOW, FREDERICK & VIQUI

Gipy, ROBERT

HART, ERIC SEAN

HERMANN, GARY B.JONES, JOHN

KREUTZER, BARBARA & DAVID

KURTZMAN, CLETUS

MARTIN, JR., ROBERT

MEEKINS, FORREST

MIETTY, WAYNE A.MILLER- THOMPSON, ELLA

MILLER, EMILY

MITCHELL, Jo-ni P. & LILLIAN

NELSON, DR. & MRS. LARRY

NUSSBAUM, FRANCIS & GLORIA

PAPSIDERO, LAWRENCE D.POST, BOYD W.PRICE, WILLIAM B.

RICHARDS, MILLI, THE PROCTOR &GAMBLE FUND

ROBERTSON, DAVID & MARY

RoSS, MICHAEL D.SICA, CORY

SMITH, IVAN K. & LYNN

STEINBACK, JOHN T.STERLING, EDWARD & SANDY

STOUT, NORMAN B.STROBEL, JAMES & DONNA

SZABO, BERTALAN, L.UNGAR, IRWIN & ANA

VERMILLION, ARTHUR & PAULINE

VIERHELLER, THOMAS & CHENZHAO

WARNE, THOMAS

WHITMER, RHONDA SCHWEIZER

WISTENDAHL, WARREN & JEAN

WOLF, ROBERT A.WYLIE, STEVEN & SUSAN

We respect the wishes of donors who wish anonymity and who have requested we not list their names.However, when you make a gift to PBIO, you will receive an acknowledgment from the Chair, Dr. P. D.

Cantino. If you do not receive a personal acknowledgment, or if your name should, but does not, appear onthis list, please call it to our attention so we can correct the omission. We have found that occasionally

donations intended for Plant Biology are incorrectly deposited in accounts of other departments.

Page 11: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

EuDIRECTORY: FACULTY & STAFF

Name & Email Address Lab/Office Telephone

Anderson, D. (andersd2) Porter 302A/303B 5934552

Ballard, H. E. (ballardh) Porter 406 5934659

Blazier, H. W. (blazier) . BotResFac 204 5934547

Brown, K. (brownk4) Porter 405 5931122

Cantino, P. D. (cantino) *Porter 411 593-1128

Cavender, J. C. (cavender) Porter 309 593-4551

Mather, A. (mathera) BotResFac 102 597-1628

Mattlack, G. (matlack) Porter 508 5934131

Mapes, G. K. (mapesg) Ridges, TEB 133 593-9526

McCarthy, B. C. (mccarthy) Porter 416 5934615

Mitchell, J. P. (mitchelj) Porter 508 5934548

Rothwell, G. R. (rothwell) Porter 401 593-1129

Showalter, A. M. (showalte) Porter 504 593-1135

Smith, I. K. (smithi) Porter 510 5934550

Trese, A. T. (trese) Porter 500 5930260

Trivett, M. L. (trivett) Porter 315A 5934125

Ungar, I. A. (ungar) Porter 419 593-1120

Vis, M. L. (vis-chia) Porter 400 593-1134

Wyatt, Sarah (wyatts) Porter 512 593-1133

Department Office Porter 317 593-1126

Department FAX 593-1130

* Chair Graduate Chair *** Director, Environmental Studies 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 aT/VWWpage with links to sites ofalumni, we would like to keep it as up to date as possible. Checkout the site (http://www.plantbio.ohiou. edw’epb/facility/alumni.htm) and ifyou have a T/V1”VWpage that you would like to have added, please send your URL to us by email.

Page 12: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

12

LUMNI NEWS

SHAWN BAKER (BS ‘92)joined a small biotechcompany, Illumia, Inc., in San Diego as em-ployee #15 following his PhD, UC-Davis. Hecurrently is a Scientist with the RNA Expression Profiling Group.

ANN M. BARTUSKA (MS ‘77) , see Spotlight onAlums, page 14.

WENDI CRABILL (BS ‘95) is working in urbanforestry with a contractor for the city of Cm-cinnati.

JENNIFER DEAN (BS ‘00) has begun her PhDresearch on plant-insect interactions at Penn-sylvania State University.

WENDY DoBRowoLsKI (MS ‘01) is working onthe effects of Los Angeles pollution (N deposition) on various gymnosperms for theNational Forest Service in Sequoia NationalPark and various national forests in the River-side CA area.

DON DRAKE (MS ‘87) has joined the faculty ofthe Botany Department of the University ofHawaii in Honolulu following a 5 year stintat University of Victoria, Wellington, NewZealand.

ANN GARIBALDI (BS ‘93) recently left the AlaskaNatural Heritage Program after completing abook on the Medicinal Flora of the AlaskaNatives. She is now a graduate student atUniversity of Victoria, British Columbia.

ROBERT GARN (BS ‘40) responded to JohnMitchell’s enquiry about how things were oncampus when he enrolled in 1936 by relatingthat there were no dormitories back then. Hewas a member of a cooperative boarding clubwhere he waited tables every third week. Healso paid $2.50-$2.75 per week and receivedtwo very good home cooked meals a day,Monday through Saturday and one meal onSunday. Tuition was $37.50 a semester! Healso recalls that in 1944 when he was a pilotflying combat missions out of Darwin, Australia, he thought one of the Red Cross host-esses looked familiar. Turns out they hadhad morning classes in the same building atOhio University a few years before. Robert

also is proud that two of his daughters graduated from Ohio University as well and theymet their husbands here.

HAROLD GILBERT (BA ‘99) works forEnvirotech, a Columbus environmentalconsulting firm that does ecological assess-ment and restoration and that has a nurseryspecializing in native aquatic and prairie

‘ ..

plants., .,

VIQUI GILDOW (BS ‘75) writes from State College, PA that she enjoys catching up on departmental news every year through thenewsletter.

BOB GOLDBERG (BS ‘66) , see Spotlight onAlums, page 14.

JENNIFER GRAY (BS ‘99) has recently accepted aposition at Ohio State University as the labcoordinator for their Biology 101 course. Shepreviously had positions with The NatureConservancy in Missouri and Ohio.

GARY GROVE (MS ‘79) teaches Field PlantPathology and is researching powdery mildews of grapes and stone fruits at the Wash-ington State University agriculture station atProsser. He also is growing 4 acres of premium wine grapes at home for fun and profit.

BEN HOLT (MS ‘96) has begun a postdoctoralposition at University of North Carolina.

DAVE KAJTANIAK (BS ‘99) works as a FisheriesBiologist for the California Department ofFish and Game. Over the next seven years hewill be involved in assessments of water-sheds on all major northern California rivers.

MEGAN (BEILsTEIN) KLINE (BS ‘98) is a depart-ment manager at Millcreek Gardens, Ohio, incharge of all aspects of growing perennialsand ornamental grasses as well as websitelayout.

CHRIsTY (KUCZAK) PEREIRA (BS ‘99) has almostfinished her MS in Crop and Soil Sciences atCornell studying the effects of earthworms inagroforestry systems of the Central BrazilianAmazon Basin. She recently began a positionwith USDA.

Liz MARTIN (MS ‘01) recently finished a position with the USGS as a field botany field

Page 13: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

E13technician investigating the effects of fuelbreaks on invasive species in Sequoia Na-tional Park and other parts of California. Sheis applying to doctoral programs in forestecology.

CURT LEBEN (BS ‘40) reports he had a long andinteresting career and recalls with respect thestimulus Professor Vermillion had in hisscientific development. After OU, he workedfor the Agricultural Division of the CensusBureau in Washington, DC, and earned hisPhD at The University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he went on to be an AssistantProfessor. He then started an agriculturalprogram at Eli Lilly, where he rose to HeadScientist, and eventually came to OSU atWooster as a Professor before retiring in 1988.

JIM MICKLE (PhD ‘83) was chosen as anAlumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor by the North Carolina State Alumni Association based on alumni nominations. Heremains active in the development of theMuseum of Paleobotany and Ethnobotany atthe Botanical Garden of the University ofNaples, Italy.

MARLI5 RAHMAN (MS ‘85, PhD ‘89) see Spot-light on Alums, page 14.

DARRIN RUBINO (PhD ‘02) is an AssistantProfessor of Biology at Hanover College inIndiana, enjoying teaching and receiving new-found knowledge such as: . . . the waywardside of the mountain is away from the ocean,and that . . . where you find a lot of rain, theforests are lushus!

ONESIMUS OTIEN0 (MS ‘98) is on the faculty ofOakwood College, Huntsville, AL.

CHRISTINE SMALL (PhD ‘01) is an AssistantProfessor of Biology at Connecticut College.

JOHN STRYKER (BS ‘93, MS ‘95) is a GeneticAnalysis Application Scientist for BeckmanCoulter in San Francisco and reports hiscontinuing love of plants keeps him outsideas much as possible.

CHRISTINA WILLIAMS-LONGBRAKE (PhD ‘01) is anAssistant Professor of Biology at Washingtonand Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.

GRETCHEN WALTERS (BS ‘96) has spent parts ofthe last several years working in Gabon forThe Missouri Botanical Garden and has codeveloped the following really interestingweb site: hftp:llridgwaydb.mobot.org/mobot/photoessays/introduction. asp?relation=gabon She welcomes comments or afriendly hello at: [email protected]

lviMarriagesBOB VERB (PhD ‘99) and MELISSA HALL

(MS ‘01) were married August 17, 2002in St. Clair Shores, MI.

BirthsTODD EGAN (PhD ‘99) and FORREST

MEEKINS (PhD ‘99) announce the birth ofa daughter, Genevieve.

MATTHEW ALBRECHT (doctoral student)

and Johanna Echols announce the birthof a daughter, Maya Albrecht.

DeathsWILLIAM A. CURRAN (BSAg ‘48) late ofRichmond, VA. No details at present.

ANNE WESTMAN (BS ‘81) Passed awayNovember 12, 2001 at her home inMillersport, OH. Following an MS invegetable crops she volunteered inZaire with the Mennonite Central Committee andHabitat for Humanity from1985-1989. She began doctoral researchat Cornell, finishing it at USDA-ARSPlant Genetic Resource ConservationUnit at Griffin, GA. She conducted post-doctoral work at Clemson University. Aformer student at Cornell said Anne wasthe best teacher she ever had.

Page 14: 2002 PBIO Newsletter

14POTLIGHT ON ALUMS

ANN BARTUSKA (MS ‘77)

Ann is currently President of the EcologicalSociety of America. In addition, after manyyears in the Forest Service, she now is Executive Director of the Invasive Species Initiativewith The Nature Conservancy. The InvasiveSpecies Initiative is a new effort for the Con-servancy.

MARLIS RAHMAN (MS ‘85, PHD ‘89)

Marlis has recently been appointed Rektor(President) of the University of Andalas inPadang, Indonesia. Thirteen years from PhDto university presidency -- Not bad, Marlis!

BOBGOLDBERG (BS ‘66)

Bob is among the first group of professorschosen as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute(HHMI) Million-Dollar Professor. He was oneof 20 faculty chosen from among 150 nominees. As an HHMI Professor, he will designand teach a course for students who are notscience majors that will illustrate, for example, the impact science has on social, legaland ethical issues stemming from emerginggenetic technologies and their influence onsociety.

Bob was elected to the National Academy ofSciences last year and is current Chairman ofthe ASPB Education Foundation.

ECENT GRADUATES

PHD DALE CASAMATTA (MORGAN Vis)DARRIN RuBINO (BRIAN MCCARTHY)

LI-WEN WANG (ALLAN SHOWALTER)

B S CHRIS FERENCE

KARL HUFF

AMY MCCLINTIC

CARY MILLER

CAROLYN REILLY

SARAH STEWART

JAMES STOCKWELL

SHANA BYRD

MS ELIZABETH MARTIN (PHILIP CANTINO)

GEORGE VAUGHAN (JAMES CAVENDER)

MATTHEW WEAND (BRIAN MCCARTHY)

BS, cont.MATTHEW SHIPP

BRIAN SCHWARTZ

BA JEREMY MCKINNEY

SEAN WAUGH

PBIO MINOR

LEIGH DEWINE

ELISE GEORGE

Global Studies continues to allow students to combine the experiences of hands-on fieldresearch with study abroad. Three recent courses have been Island Biology in the HawaiianArchipelago, summer of 2001, Neotropical Rainforest Ecology in Southeastern Brazil, WinterIntersession, 2002 and in French Guiana, Summer 2002. The courses involve collecting specimens and analyzing their genetic diversity, with Dr. Vis concentrating on freshwater algae,while Dr. Ballard emphasizes vascular plants, particularly members of the Violaceae. Some ofthe analyses that continue back in the laboratory following their return to Athens have resulted in student-faculty coauthored papers in press. Information regarding various aspects ofthe courses, including students’ reactions can be found at: http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/ballardWglobalstudies/ and included links.

LOBAL STUDIES