Ken
HiserBS Biology - Western Michigan University
Research interest: The genus Ixophorus (Poaceae)
My Masterís Thesis project involves
producing a detailed study of the grass genus Ixophorus, with
emphasis on aspects of its evolutionary history. Native to Mexico
and Central America, Ixophorus is an annual grass preferred by
many livestock, and has been greatly reduced in range and abundance
by overgrazing. It is now relegated to roadsides and areas of
fields inaccessible to grazers. If managed properly, Ixophorus
has the potential to be of considerable forage value to both livestock
and wildlife, making its study and conservation relevant tasks.
With support from the National Science Foundation,
the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the International Center for
Tropical Ecology at the University of Missouri St. Louis,
I traveled to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mexico during the Summer
and Fall of 2000, and was able to collect specimens representing
the native geographic range of Ixophorus. From seeds collected
on these trips, I now have plants which I will use to complete
my study of the genus.
I am currently learning several research techniques for use in
my study of Ixophorus. In the E. Desmond Lee Laboratory of Molecular
Systematics, I am working with DNA to identify other grasses to
which Ixophorus is most closely related. This will give me an
accurate estimate of where Ixophorus fits into the evolutionary
history of related grasses, thereby providing a context for other
aspects of the research. To study how the plants develop as they
grow I am using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to generate
photographs of floral parts at different developmental stages.
I am learning techniques for counting chromosomes, and am working
to determine chromosome numbers for Ixophorus.
The product of my project will be a monograph of the genus. This
will contain descriptions of the species, keys that can be used
to identify them, a history of what has been written about the
genus, and the results of the DNA, SEM, and chromosome counting
work. The monograph will serve as a valuable tool for any future
research on the genus, providing fundamental information about
Ixophorus and suggesting the kinds of investigations Ixophorus
may be particularly useful for. It will also be useful to people
involved in floristic inventories of areas where Ixophorus occurs,
and to those interested in management and conservation of native
forage plants.
Current Lab Activity:
I have completed the DNA sequencing and most of the SEM work needed
for my thesis. Now I am primarily writing the manuscript and collecting
final data to decide which species to recognize and to get chromosome
counts.