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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
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 impact of genomic structural variation on meiotic pairing and segregation in Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima
A method of ND FISH was employed to identify structural variation in Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima and to evaluate the impact of this variation on meiotic behaviours, specifically synapsis and segregation of chromosomes. An intercalary region (pEV1) on the chromosome IV arm exhibited asymmetry in signals, allowing individual homologues to...Mian, Sahr
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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
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
DNA barcoding of Pinanga (Arecaceae) of Borneo
The successful application of DNA barcoding as a tool for species discrimination and identification depends on the adequacy of barcode reference libraries of well identified species. Next generation sequencing (NGS) methods have proven to be more promising especially for herbarium specimen containing degraded DNA than conventional barcoding. To make a...Odufuwa, Phebian
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Master's dissertation
Genome size in the UK Fabaceae flora and how this relates to their nitrogen and water tolerance
Genome size (GS) is defined as the total DNA amount in the unreplicated nucleus of an organism, often used synonymously with ‘1C value’. GS varies greatly in flowering plants. Nitrogen (N) and water are considered major limiting factors for plant growth, and their availability could correlate with plants’ GS. Nitrogen...Pollitt, Lauren
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Master's dissertation
Revisiting generic concepts in the Teloschistaceae (lichenforming Ascomycota) using molecular phylogenetics, algorithmic taxa delimitation and molecular networks
In systematics, genera delimitation is constantly changing as taxonomic units above species level are not standardised. The Teloschistaceae, a diverse family of lichenised fungi, represents an extreme example of this where the number of genera has increased tenfold in the last decade. Many of these genera are based solely on...Llewellyn, Theo
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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