The phytopathogen Phytophthora ramorum (Werres, DeCock & Man in't Veld), causal agent of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) of oaks (Quercus spp.) and tanoaks (Notholithocarpus densiflorus syn. Lithocarpus densiflorus), is established in coastal forests of the western United States. Since the discovery of SOD in the Douglas-fir / tanoak forests of...
Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a necrotrophic pathogen capable of causing white mold, a severe disease in common bean. White mold is of particular concern to the Oregon snap bean processing industry, where processors allow less than
3% incidence in harvested shipments. Breeding for white mold resistance in beans...
The earth is undergoing a “biodiversity crisis” characterized by loss of populations, species, genetic diversity, and ecosystem services. Part of this crisis consists of population declines, extinctions, and increased incidence of deformities in amphibians. It is unknown whether deformities contribute to these declines. Many cases of population declines in amphibians...
Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, the fungal kingdom has remained a fertile source for the discovery of new, biologically active, natural products. Further, as natural products continue to be discovered from fungi, a deeper understanding of the critical role of specialized metabolism in fungal ecology is afforded. The...
Health care providers, including complementary and alternative medical (CAM) practitioners, exert a significant influence on parental pediatric vaccination decisions. Use of CAM therapies is increasing in Oregon. Concomitantly, there has been a decade-long increase in parental vaccine refusal in Oregon, rising from 1 to 5 percent from 2000-2009. For example,...
The enantioselective total synthesis of quinolizidine-containing natural product cermizine D and formal syntheses of senepodine G and cermizine C has been achieved. These natural products are members of the lycopodium alkaloids, which have attracted significant attention due to their exciting biological activities and the diverse structural scaffolds. Key steps in...
This dissertation describes the application and development of molecular tools that have great potential for use in studying variation in strawberry germplasm. The first study evaluated 91 microsatellite (simple sequence repeat, SSR) markers for transferability in 22 Fragaria species and their utility in fingerprinting octoploid strawberries. Out of the transferable...
Many economically important Pacific salmon fisheries along the west coast of North America are mixed-stock, recreational systems, in which managers strive to account for interactions between fish, anglers, and management policy while balancing fishery access against conservation of vulnerable stocks. Specific challenges facing fisheries managers include limited control over angling...
Coral reefs, found in tropical regions, are renowned for their rich biodiversity and their contributions to ecological, cultural, and economic aspects worldwide. The success of coral reefs hinges on the symbiotic partnership between corals and their dinoflagellate algae, from the family Symbiodiniaceae. The algae reside within the coral host’s gastrodermal...