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Master's dissertation
Biogeography and conservation status of the endangered species Varronia bellonis
Varronia bellonis (Boraginaceae) is a threatened (Critically Endangered) species, endemic to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico where it’s restricted to the island’s western and central-north regions. Ongoing international collaboration is researching key aspects of the species phylogenetic placement, biogeography and conservation status to inform its conservation. Desk and field-based...Maldonado Castro, Anthony
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Master's dissertation
Are orchid pollens recalcitrant?
It has been suggested that Orchidaceae species may have recalcitrant (desiccation sensitive) pollen. We explored drying responses in 23 species from the subfamily Epidendroideae by sampling the Kew living collection and drying the pollen to two conditions (70% RH, control for drying time) and 33% RH. Drying was for 3...Zhu, Yan
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Master's dissertation
Estimating Boyacá’s macrofungal diversity
Colombia is among the world’s most biodiverse countries, but despite being listed as the country with the second-highest number of flowering plants under the Convention on Biological Diversity, there is little information about the country’s fungal diversity. The area of study for this project, Boyacá, is particularly data-poor for fungi....Colson, Isobel
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Master's dissertation
Metabolomic and quality discrimination of Stemona tuberosa radix extracts using LC-MSn
Stemona tuberosa has been used as an antitussive medicine and insecticidal agent since the 6th century A.D. With the understanding of alkaloids as the active compounds, previous studies showed that profiles of alkaloids varied significantly, which raised the issue of quality control. Our study firstly demonstrated a considerable intraspecific chemical...Li, Bingyu
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Master's dissertation
Contributions towards the consistent ID of powdery mildew (Erysiphales, Ascomycota) species
Powdery mildews (Erysiphales, Ascomycota) are an order of plant pathogenic fungi that infect 10,000 different angiosperm species, including important crop species. Traditional morphological methods of identifying powdery mildews can be difficult and time consuming, as different character states can be hard to distinguish. Molecular techniques using the ITS region fail...Shaw, Brandon
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Master's dissertation
Medicinal and aromatic plants of Pakistan – well documented, effectively conserved and sustainably used
Medicinal and aromatic plants are fundamental to the lives of many people in Pakistan, and numerous species are declining in the wild. In this study, a framework to understand opportunities for conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in Pakistan was trialed using eight species as case studies. This framework...Roland, Carlin
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Master's dissertation
The relationship between antibiotic compounds in wild plant extracts and environmental growing conditions – factors affecting the antimicrobial activity of Allium Ursinum L.
In order to investigate how environmental factors affect plant antibiotic compounds, a literature review of plants with known antibiotic plant activity was carried out, and wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.) chosen as the model organism for the study. 168 individuals were collected from 7 sites across London and its suburban...Burton, George
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Master's dissertation
Does climate influence genome size diversity? A study of genome size-environment associations across the Madagascar grass flora
Repetitive DNA accumulation and whole genome duplication are common across angiosperm lineages, resulting in some of the largest ever-recorded genomes, yet the majority of angiosperm species have small genomes. This suggests selection may be acting to reduce genome size (GS), and there is growing evidence of environmental factors influencing GS...Morton, Joseph
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Master's dissertation
Novel insight into genome size and succulent trait evolution in Aloe (Asphodelaceae)
Through the evaluation of genomic, anatomical, and physiological characters against the most taxa rich phylogenetic hypothesis of the genus Aloe, this research elucidated succulent trait evolution and relationships governing the ‘succulence syndrome’ within this iconic group. Genome size estimates for 110 species produced 2.7-fold 1C variation and range of 13.49-36.42...Elliott, Kelda
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Master's dissertation
The determinants of geographic variation in within-population genetic diversity: a global meta-analysis
Research has demonstrated that differing levels of genetic diversity within a species can affect how populations respond to disturbance, interact with other species and expand into new ecological niches. The geographic variation in within-population genetic diversity is therefore an important factor in explaining species co-existence, speciation, extinction and ultimately, species...Franz, Madeline