Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
11 results
Search Results
Item Using genetic and genomic techniques to uncover cryptic diversity for improving aquatic invasive plant management(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Chorak, Gregory Michael Thomas; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Ryan Thum; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.Genetic diversity can be important at many levels of invasive species management. And, for different questions, it matters at which level we measure diversity to understand its relevance. Some invaders may look similar to other species, so identifying the species to be managed may be difficult without genetic tools. Once the species has been identified, understanding the diversity in that species may be important to identify management units, invasive traits, and the possibility of spread. Finally, understanding how the alleles an individual possesses determine the traits expressed can give managers the tools to control for unwanted traits of an invasive species. In this body of work, I uncover diversity at the species/taxon level, the genotype/clone level, and finally at the gene level in invasive aquatic weed species. At the taxon level, I found that one invasion of aquatic weeds in the northeastern US was actually two or more separate invasions and taxa. At the genotype level, I found that the same genotype responds the same to a common herbicide management regardless of where it is found, and that different genotypes have varying responses to a common herbicide treatment. And, at the gene level, I found that different genotypes with different growth rates have different gene expression in the control and transcriptional response to a common herbicide treatment. At each of these levels, managers have questions and concerns about management decisions. Understanding that there were two unique taxa in what was considered one invasion informed managers that there may be variance in management relevant traits between the two. In the genotype level study, we learned that determining which clones are present in a lake slated for herbicide management may inform which herbicides to use. And, at the gene level, we are starting to understand the molecular process of management relevant phenotypes so that one day managers can screen for molecular markers that will reveal herbicide response of individuals slated for management.Item Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of West Indian lycidae (Insecta, Coleoptera, Elateroidea)(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2021) Ferreira, Vinicius de Souza; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael A. Ivie; This is a manuscript style paper that includes co-authored chapters.The Thonalmini and Leptolycini are two tribes of Net-winged beetles (Insecta, Coleoptera, Lycidae) endemic to the West Indies. Both tribes are characterized by their confusing taxonomic history and poorly known biology and evolutionary patterns, and the study of both groups is the topic of this dissertation. One of the chapters of this dissertation provides a taxonomic revision of the genus Thonalmus Bourgeois, 1883, the sole member of the tribe Thonalmini. In this study, I provide an updated taxonomic revision of the group, illustration of diagnostic characters, an identification key, distribution maps, updates in the nomenclature of the group and description of seven new species. I also provide the first species level phylogenetic hypotheses for Thonalmus (morphology, molecular based and total evidence), biogeographical dispersal patterns hypotheses, a time-calibrated phylogeny and character state reconstruction for the species of the genus. The other chapter of this dissertation investigates the different life- stages of the Leptolycini of the Puerto Rican bank. The morphology of the Leptolycini males conforms with other groups suspected to be paedomorphic, whilst the females are unknown and suspected to be completely larviform. In this chapter, I provided for the first time DNA barcoding life stages associations based on partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) of adult males and their immature forms from Puerto Rico, altogether with collections- based associations of adult males, immatures and one extreme paedomorphic female from the Virgin Islands. In order to carry out these life-stage associations, I prepared an in-depth review of the Leptolycini fauna of the Puerto Rican bank (Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands), which is also presented in this chapter. This study provided the morphological diagnoses of the semaphoronts that were found in the region and several taxonomic and nomenclatural changes are proposed, including the descriptions of one new genus and seven new species and an updated key for all species and genera of the region.Item Studies on West Indian Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera)(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2019) Spiessberger, Erich Lara; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael A. Ivie; Michael A. Ivie was a co-author of the article, 'Revision of the West Indian Cyrtosoma perty (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Cnodalonini), with descriptions of three new species' in the journal 'The coleopterists bulletin' which is contained within this thesis.; Michael A. Ivie was a co-author of the article, 'A new genus and thirteen new species of Anopidiina (Tenebrionidae: Diaperinae: Gnathidiini) from the West Indies' submitted to the journal 'The coleopterists bulletin' which is contained within this thesis.The West Indian Cyrtosoma are revised. Three species are described: Cyrtosoma dominicae Spiessberger and Ivie, new species from Dominica, Cyrtosoma luciae Spiessberger and Ivie, new species from Saint Lucia and Cyrtosoma vincenti Spiessberger and Ivie, new species from Saint Vincent. A key to the West Indian species is provided. Authorship of Cyrtosoma lherminierii (Guerin-Meneville) is clarified. Platydema picea Laporte and Brulle, 1831, is placed in Hesiodus Champion as Hesiodus piceus (Laporte and Brulle) new combination, a senior synonym of Hesiodus caraibus Fleutiaux and Salle new synonymy. A new genus of Anopidiina and thirteen new species are described from the West Indies. Prototyrtaeus Spiessberger and Ivie, new genus (type species Prototyrtaeus darlingtoni Spiessberger and Ivie, new species) is described from the Greater Antilles islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, with 13 new species: Prototyrtaeus duartei Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus neiba Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus obrieni Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus pecki Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus gracilicornis Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus howdeni Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus sandersoni Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus beckeri Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus darlingtoni new species; Prototyrtaeus maestrensis Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus felis Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus turquinensis Spiessberger and Ivie, new species; Prototyrtaeus aureocornis Spiessberger and Ivie, new species. Wolcott's enigmatic single record of Byrrhidae for the West Indies hitherto is resolved as a misidentification of P. obrieni.Item Systematic analysis of Russula in the North American Rocky Mountain alpine zone(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2020) Noffsinger, Chance Ray; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cathy L. CrippsRussula Pers. (Russulales) is an important ectomycorrhizal fungal genus in alpine and Arctic regions where it occurs in association with Salix, Betula, Dryas, and Polygonum. Despite Russula’s importance and abundance in Arctic and alpine systems there has been no in-depth systematic analysis of the genus in these habitats. This is also true for alpine areas of the Rocky Mountains where only four species of Russula have been casually reported above treeline. The genus Russula is large, diverse, and intraspecific morphological variation makes taxonomic classification difficult, which means verification using molecular techniques is necessary. This research compared Rocky Mountain alpine Russula collections to Arctic and alpine collections from Europe using an in-depth morphological study and a systematic molecular analysis of the nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region (ITS barcode) and the second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2). Over 130 Russula collections were sequenced including type material. This research confirmed eight species with intercontinental distributions in Arctic and alpine habitats, including R. nana, R. laccata, R. subrubens, R. cf. pascua, R. heterochroa, R. saliceticola, R. purpureofusca, and R. laevis. Two species are reported from subalpine habitats at treeline; R. montana with conifers and R. altaica with Betula. The Russula present in the Rocky Mountain alpine represent a subset of those known from other Arctic-alpine habitats and data show that multiple Russula species independently colonized alpine habitats. This is the first formal report of R. altaica, R. saliceticola, and R. subrubens in the Rocky Mountains and of R. heterochroa and R. purpureofusca in North America. Previous work matched sequences extracted from ectomycorrhiza in Canada to R. laevis, but this is the first work to collect this species and report it in North America. A key for the identification of alpine Russula in North America is provided. A history of Arctic and alpine mycology in North America is included and provides background material for the study. This work contributes to our knowledge of biodiversity in Arctic and alpine systems and will promote future ecological and taxonomic research on alpine Russula because little is known about these species or how to identify them.Item A revision of the genus Diastolinus mulsant and rey (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of the West Indies(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2016) Hart, Charles Jay; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael A. Ivie; Michael A. Ivie was a co-author of the article, 'A revision of the genus Diastolinus mulsant and rey (Coleoptera: tenebrionidae) of the West Indies' submitted to the journal 'The coleopterists bulletin' which is contained within this thesis.The West Indian genus Diastolinus Mulsant and Rey, 1859 is revised and its species redescribed (type species: Diastolinus clathratus (F.)). The genus now includes 18 species divided among three species-groups, eight of which are described as new species herein: Diastolinus chalumeaui Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus leewardensis Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus shieli Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus azuaensis Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus desecheo Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus doyeni Hart and Ivie, new species; Diastolinus vaderi Hart and Ivie, new species; and Diastolinus hoppae Hart and Ivie, new species. The following nomenclatural changes are proposed: Diastolinus hummelincki Marcuzzi, 1962 (= Diastolinus clavatus Mulsant and Rey, 1859, new synonymy), Diastolinus mulsanti Marcuzzi and D'Aguilar, 1971 (= Diastolinus clavatus Mulsant and Rey, 1859, new synonymy), and Diastolinus estebani Garrido, 2004a (= Diastolinus coarctatus (Mulsant and Rey, 1859), new synonymy). A lectotype and paralectotypes are designated for Diastolinus hummelincki Marcuzzi, Ctesicles insularis Champion and Ctesicles maritimus Champion. The keys, descriptions, and distribution maps demonstrate that all 18 species are readily distinguished by both morphological and biogeographical attributes even though they are mostly ecologically confined to seasonally dry woodlands and forests.Item Systematics of Lactarius in the Rocky Mountain alpine zone(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2015) Barge, Edward Gilman; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cathy L. CrippsLactarius is an important component of the ectomycorrhizal community in cold-dominated arctic and disjunct alpine habitats where it associates primarily with the woody shrubs Betula, Dryas, and Salix. Little is known of the alpine fungi in the central and southern (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado) Rocky Mountain alpine zone (elevation 3,000-3,900 m) of North America. The goal of this study was to examine the genus Lactarius and here at least six species from subgenera Russlularia and Piperites are confirmed above treeline through molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS and rpb2 DNA in conjunction with detailed morphological examination. All (except two putative new species) appear to have broad intercontinental distributions in North America and Eurasia according to molecular comparison with type material, and collections from Europe, Greenland, Scandinavia, Svalbard, and Alaska. Rocky Mountain alpine collections of L. lanceolatus and the type from Alaska form a well-supported clade paraphyletic with respect to well-supported clades consisting of L. aurantiacus and several North American subalpine taxa. Rocky Mountain alpine collections of L. nanus, L. glyciosmus, L. repraesentaneus, and L. salicis-reticulatae all form well-supported clades with material from European type localities and other arctic-alpine material; although some clades contain nested (L. hysginoides within L. nanus) and possibly cryptic species (L. aff. salicis-reticulatae from Colorado). The well-known arctic-alpine L. pseudouvidus/L. brunneoviolaceus group of violet-staining species appears to be a complex possibly containing additional species. North American material originally described as part of this group, is well-separated phylogenetically and represents a putative new species (L. pallidomarginatus Barge & C.L. Cripps ad int.) so far confined to the Southern Rockies with shrub Salix. The monophyly of the violet-staining section Uvidi is supported. Lactarius lanceolatus, L. nanus, and L. salicis-reticulatae appear largely restricted to arctic-alpine habitats across their broad range, where they associate with dwarf and shrub Salix. Lactarius glyciosmus and L. repraesentaneus are not restricted to arctic-alpine areas and occur with Betula and krummholz Picea (possibly also Salix), respectively in the Rocky Mountains; the latter is also known with Betula in broader parts of its range. Species distributions are hypothesized to be tied to host ranges, glaciation, and long distance dispersal.Item Phylogenetic systematics of Strophostyles (Fabaceae)(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2003) Riley-Hulting, Erin ThaisItem Biosystematic studies of species of Delphinium occurring in Montana(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1967) Sawyer, Paul ThompsonItem Minesoil resources in the Northern Great Plains: characterization, evaluation and potential(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 1979) Schafer, W. M.Item Systematics of Rocky Mountain alpine Laccaria (basidiomycota, agaricales, tricholomataceae) and ecology of Beartooth Plateau alpine macromycetes(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2003) Osmundson, Todd William