Matching Items (3)
Filtering by
- Creators: School of Life Sciences
- Creators: Alford, Eddie J
- Status: Published
Description
This study was designed to produce a comprehensive flora of Usery Mountain Regional Park and Pass Mountain of the Tonto National Forest. A total of 168 vascular plant species representing 46 families and 127 genera were collected or documented at this study area. Sixteen species were not native to the flora of Arizona and represent 9.5% of the flora. Nevertheless, the study area does not appear to be significantly damaged or degraded in spite of its historical and current land use. The location and types of invasive species recorded in this study will assist with implementing preventative measures to prevent further spreading of certain species. The complete list of all vascular species recorded in this study will provide a valuable tool for land management decisions and future restoration projects that may occur at this area or similar sites and invasive species control. The distribution of the saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) population on Pass Mountain was documented through the measurement of saguaros by random sampling. ArcGIS was used to generate 50 random points for sampling the saguaro population. Analysis to determine saguaro habitat preferences based on the parameters of aspect, slope and elevation was conducted through ArcGIS. The saguaro population of Pass Mountain significantly favored the southern aspects with the highest concentration occurring in the southwest aspects at an average density of 42.66 saguaros per hectare. The large numbers of saguaros recorded in the younger size classes suggests a growing populations.
ContributorsMarshall, Laura Lee (Author) / Steele, Kelly P (Thesis advisor) / Miller, William H. (Committee member) / Alford, Eddie J (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Urbanization has global impacts on ecosystems and transforms landscapes into man-made constructs. As urbanization continues to encroach on landscapes it is important to understand its effects on biodiversity and the long term health of our planet. In terms of species numbers, urban floras can actually be more diverse than their native surroundings and I am specifically interested in the species that have been introduced into these settings, their provenance, and the historical circumstances of how they were established. I collected plants in the alleys of Tempe, Arizona over a 5 month period to get a baseline understanding of the local diversity; then collected data from herbarium records using SEINet http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/ to trace the origin of the introduced species and the first record of their appearance. I also used on-line information from the City of Tempe to investigate the relationship of land use change, development, and population growth to the introductions of some non-native plants. Finally, I used SIENet records to investigate the relationship of collection intensity throughout the decades to the introductions of some non-native plants. A total of 130 specimen were collected representing 83 different species from 32 different families. Most of the introduced species were from climates similar to Arizona. New occurrence records were spread out over the decades that Tempe has been around, and I was only able to weakly link them to the historical and collection intensity data. Knowing the biodiversity of an area can give clues into the ecosystem services that biodiversity provides, as well as management implications. Additionally, knowing the history of what is out there may give insights into what the biodiversity of the future may look like.
ContributorsHauck, Chad Steven (Author) / Franz, Nico (Thesis director) / Makings, Elizabeth (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This project is a revised taxonomic treatment of the tobacco genus, Nicotiana, for the Arizona Flora. The treatment required morphological descriptions of all six species found in Arizona based on measurements and observations from mounted herbarium specimen as well as field collections. Loans from regional herbaria including: Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, Rancho Santa Anna Herbarium, and the Desert Botanical Garden were examined and annotated according to standard herbaria protocols. A dichotomous key was then created based on morphological descriptions for use in identifying species both in the field and from herbarium mounts. Distribution maps were generated using online databases of herbarium vouchers, mapping soft wares, and field excursions. During the course of my field work, I was able to locate all six species and four of them were collected, vouchered, and deposited in the ASU Vascular Plant Herbarium. One species, Nicotiana quadrivalvis was not relocated based on historical records. This treatment will contribute to ongoing revisions of the Arizona Flora via a publication in the regional taxonomic journal Canotia.
ContributorsSolves, Jean-Phillippe Yvan (Author) / Pigg, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Makings, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Doan, Shannon (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12