Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
5-2013
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Istvan Karsai
Committee Members
Tim McDowell, Christopher Liu
Abstract
Leaf morphology of Quercus (oak) species is highly variable and complicated confounded with phenotypic plasticity and fluctuating asymmetry (FA). However, the study of variation is mostly limited to leaf morphology. This study was extended to plasticity and FA variations in Q. alba (white oak), Q. palustris (pin oak), and Q. velutina (black oak). It was hypothesized that light exposure, individual trees, leaf position, and other leaf traits will influence variation in these species. Leaves were sampled from trees of these species and their morphological traits were measured. Absolute asymmetry of leaf width and area were determined and plasticity of each species was calculated. The data were analyzed using nested ANOVA with General Linear Model. Leaf morphology, plasticity and FA varied across the species and light exposure was the main source of variation. Individual trees and several leaf covariate traits also influenced leaf morphological and FA variations in all species.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Kusi, Joseph, "Variations in Phenotypic Plasticity and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Leaf Morphology of Three Quercus (Oak) Species in Response to Environmental Factors" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1160. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1160
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.