740 research outputs found
Alpejska przestrzeń grozy w opowiadaniu E.F. Bensona
No full textThe Alpine horror space in E.F. Benson’s story The Horror-Horn The article presents the image of the Alps in the work of the British writer Edward Frederick Benson. The author focuses in her reflections on Benson’s story The Horror-Horn, still unpublished in Poland, one of the first works which feature an icon of popular culture: the abominable snowman. In his story Benson depicts the Alps in accordance with a convention typical of horror literature, though the descriptions of mountain peaks have their roots also in the folk tradition or in mythological images. An analysis illustrating Benson’s “Alpine horror” mechanism is complemented by a fragment of The Horror-Horn translated into Polish.The Alpine horror space in E.F. Benson’s story The Horror-Horn The article presents the image of the Alps in the work of the British writer Edward Frederick Benson. The author focuses in her reflections on Benson’s story The Horror-Horn, still unpublished in Poland, one of the first works which feature an icon of popular culture: the abominable snowman. In his story Benson depicts the Alps in accordance with a convention typical of horror literature, though the descriptions of mountain peaks have their roots also in the folk tradition or in mythological images. An analysis illustrating Benson’s “Alpine horror” mechanism is complemented by a fragment of The Horror-Horn translated into Polish
Fertility and fontanels : women’s knowledge of medicinal plants for reproductive health and childcare in western Africa
No full textWomen__s knowledge of medicinal plants has largely been understudied in the field of ethnobotany. In addition to this gender bias, most ethnobotanical research has focused on the expert knowledge of traditional healers, overlooking the domestic knowledge of women. This is a particular concern for African women__s knowledge of reproductive health and childcare, since gynecological morbidity and infant mortality are among the most severe health problems in African countries. This dissertation sought to unravel the relationship between women and plants by assessing women__s medicinal plant knowledge and plant use practices for reproductive health and childcare in B_nin, West Africa and Gabon, Central Africa. Through the use of ethnobotanical questionnaires, botanical specimen collection, and herbal market surveys this study assesses (1) which types of vegetation women harvest for medicinal plants, (2) how closely women__s health perspectives, plant knowledge, and plant use practices reflect the statistical causes of maternal mortality (3) which infant illnesses mothers know how to treat with medicinal plants and for which illnesses they seek biomedical care or traditional healers, and (4) which species, volume, and value of medicinal plant products are sold on herbal markets in GabonUBL - phd migration 201
The Miliuseae revisited : phylogenetic, taxonomic, and palynological studies in a major clade of Annonaceae
No full textThis thesis presented eight studies in the field of systematic botany, with a focus on the molecular phylogenetics, taxonomy, and pollen morphology of the tribe Miliuseae (formerly known as the miliusoid clade) of the pantropical flowering plant family Annonaceae. The general aims were: (1) to investigate intertribal relationships of the tribe Miliuseae, (2) to clarify generic delimitations by investigating the intergeneric relationships within the tribe Miliuseae, and (3) to understand patterns of character evolution within the tribe Miliuseae. To achieve these aims, a molecular phylogeny of a subclade of the subfamily Malmeoideae consisting of the tribes Maasieae, Malmeeae, Fenerivieae, Dendroking- stonieae (sampled for the first time), Monocarpieae, and Miliuseae was reconstructed using a much expanded taxon and chloroplast DNA marker sampling in comparison to previous studies. In addition, detailed taxonomic and/or palynological studies of the monogeneric tribes Dendrokingstonieae and Monocarpieae, and several genera in Miliuseae have been presented. The evolution of selected macromorphological and palynological characters was investigated using ancestral character-state reconstructions. Generic delimitations within Miliuseae, in light of the results of the molecular phylogenetic studies, were discussed, and two new genera, Hubera and Winitia, have been characterized based on macromorphology and pollen morphology.The Royal Thai GovernmentUBL - phd migration 201
Peeking into the future : fungi in the greening Arctic
No full textIn the last decades, average land surface temperatures in the Arctic have increased at rates up to six times higher than the global average increase. Similarly, precipitation in the Arctic also increased, especially during the cold season when most precipitation falls as snow. In this thesis, the long-term effects of summer increased temperatures and increased winter snow depth in arctic soil fungal community composition in dry heath and moist tussock tundra were addressed using long-term ecological experiments at Toolik Lake, Alaska. Soil fungal composition was assessed through soil DNA extraction and massive parallel sequencing of rDNA ITS2. The fungal community composition responded strongly to summer warming in the moist tundra, but not in the dry tundra. Although total fungal richness was not significantly affected by warming, there were clear correlations among richness of various ecological and taxonomic groups and long-term warming. Regarding the effects of increased winter snow depth, the ectomycorrhizal fungal community composition of the dry tundra had a stronger response than the moist tundra community. The observed changes will likely affect ecosystem functions, such as C storage and N turnover, and have the potential to feedback to climate changes.Naturalis Biodiversity CenterUBL - phd migration 201
The rise and fall of Sauropus (Phyllanthaceae) : a molecular phylogenetic analysis of Sauropus and allies
No full textMolecular phylogenetic studies focused on the genus Phyllanthus L. (Phyllanthaceae) showed that Sauropus Blume (including Synostemon F.Muell.) and its related genera Breynia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. and Glochidion J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. should be united with Phyllanthus to create a monophyletic genus. The relationships within Sauropus and its relationship with Breynia were studied to test/corroborate such a broad definition of Phyllanthus. The molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Sauropus in the broad sense is composed of two distinct groups, the former Australian Synostemon and the Southeast Asian Sauropus in the strict sense with the monophyletic Breynia embedded in the latter. As the phylogeny of the species rich Phyllanthus is still far from completed and the results here strongly support the distinction of monophyletic groups such as Glochidion, former Synostemon, and Sauropus/Breynia. These genera are recognisable, while union with Phyllanthus (suggested by Hoffmann and co-authors in 2006) will turn the latter into an unrecognisable monolithic giant of a genus. It is a much better strategy to use the complete phylogeny of Phyllanthus to render it into smaller, monophyletic genera that can be characterized. The present study shows Synostemon has to be recognised again on generic level. Breynia, the older name, is nested within Sauropus, leading us to transfer the latter to Breynia. Within this broadened Breynia, two subgenera and two sections are distinguished, subgenus Sauropus and subgenus Breynia with section Cryptogynium and section Breynia under the latter.Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization), ThailandUBL - phd migration 201
Phylogeny and biogeography of Spathelioideae (Rutaceae)
No full textThis thesis presents a detailed molecular phylogenetic and biogeographic study of the Spathelioideae clade, a group of seven small Sapindalean genera with remarkable morphological diversity. The systematic placement of these genera has always been in dispute and the results of this thesis show that Spathelioideae are a monophyletic sister clade to the Rutaceae family. Except for the South American and Caribbean genus Spathelia, all Spathelioideae genera are monophyletic. The South American species have been transferred to a resurrected genus Sohnreyia accordingly. Molecular dating analyses suggest an origin of Spathelioideae in the Late Cretaceous. Assuming a palaeotropic origin of Rutaceae, the stem lineage of Spathelioideae might have originated in Central western and central Africa. The divergence of a Neotropical and a Palaeotropical lineage of Spathelioideae might be explained by long-distance dispersal during the Late Cretaceous or Palaeocene. Within the Neotropical clade, one dispersal event to the Caribbean occurred possibly via a landbridge or a series of islands. Sea level changes in the Pleistocene have isolated and connected landmasses in the Caribbean and might have been triggers for speciation of the genus Spathelia. Within the Palaeotropic clade, dispersal events from Africa to the Mediterranean & Canary Islands, Madagascar, and South-East Asia occurred.UBL - phd migration 201
Phylogenetic, taxonomic and biogeographical studies in the Pithophoraceae (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta)
No full textThe Aegagropila-clade is a unique lineage of algae within the large order Cladophorales and consists of poorly known taxa that mainly occur in brackish and freshwater environments. The clade is sister to the species-rich, primarily marine Cladophora- and Siphonocladus-lineages. Most of its members occur in narrow niches such as on the carapaces of freshwater turtles (some members of Basicladia), on freshwater snails and bivalves (monotypic Arnoldiella and several Basicladia species), on and endophytically in saltmarsh plants and mangrove pneumatophores (some members of Wittrockiella), or on marine intertidal snails (Cladophora conchopheria). Aegagropila linnaei is the best known representative of the lineage and has gained considerable scientific, cultural and economic fame due to the peculiar lake balls formed under specific conditions. The confused taxonomy of the Aegagropila-clade was clarified using methods of molecular phylogenetic inference, resulting in the re-instatement of the Pithophoraceae, descriptions of two new genera and several nomenclatural changes. Phylogenetic analyses led to an understanding of the evolution of the heterotrichous habit as an adaptation to changeable environmental conditions. In selected taxa, topics such as phylogeography and dispersal abilities, historical biogeography and glacial refugia, and ecology and declining populations were studied in detail.Alberta-Mennega-Stichting, Leids Universitair Fonds, Phycological Society of America, Schure-Beijerinck-Popping Fonds, SYNTHESYS programUBL - phd migration 201
Phylogeny and species delimitation within the moss genus Dicranum Hedw.
No full textDicranum is a large genus essentially found in the Holarctic. More than 90 species are currently accepted and about 30 species are recorded for Europe. Dicranum species grow in a broad range of habitats, forming dense, tomentose tufts or cushions, and are easily recognized in the field by their typical _ Dicranum-look _. However, the taxonomy of this genus is controversial. Many species are difficult to distinguish due to their morphological plasticity. Intergrading forms are often found, leading to frequent confusions and unclear taxonomy. In this thesis, species delimitations of temperate and arctic Dicranum lineages were investigated using molecular phylogenetic reconstructions and barcoding methods. Four potential barcode markers (rps4-trnT, trnL-F, psbA-trnH, nrITS) and two additional chloroplast markers (rps19-rpl2 and rpoB) were sequenced for 90% of the species known in Europe. Molecular data were analysed with maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences for phylogenetic investigations. Furthermore, Bayesian approaches were used for testing automated species delimitation methods (generalised mixed Yule coalescent (GMYC) and Poisson tree processes (PTP)). Morphological characters were re-addressed in the light of the molecular phylogenetic inferences. Finally, gametophytic characters were re-examined and scored for statistical analyses in order to evaluate their relevance for distinguishing closely related speciesUBL - phd migration 201
Book Review: Khlynina T.P., Krinko E.F. History, Politics and Nation Building in the North Caucasus: Monograph. – Rostov-on-Don, Izd-vo YuNTs RAN, 2014. – 434 p.
No full textThe author of the review reveals the research approach of the monograph’s authors – T.P. Khlynina and E.F. Krinko to the analysis of the interconnection of historical memory, politics and nation building in the North Caucasus. The author also reveals the argumentation of authors’ evaluations of Soviet nation building in the region, interactions of state power with ethnopolitical movements, methods of historical memory institutionalization in the North Caucasus
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