Session D: 3:30PM – 5PM
Sciences. Session D- Oral Presentations, Theatre, Union
SESSION D (3:30PM – 5PM)
Location: Theatre, A. Ray Olpin University Union
Pollinators Role in an Ongoing Speciation Event
Samantha Ingram, Utah Valley University
Faculty Mentor Michael Rotter, Utah Valley University
SESSION D 3:30-3:45PM
Theatre, Union
Science and Technology
There are many factors that contribute to speciation events. Importantly in plants, pollinators can have a large impact on breeding between different individuals. This discrimination of pollinators is driven by a variety of morphological traits in the plant, therefore possibly leading specific pollinators to having a strong plant preference. In the Western United States, rabbitbrush is a common shrub with over 20 different sub-species that co-exist and may exchange genes. Despite their interbreeding these sub-species appear as seemingly stable evolutionary units. This knowledge leads to the question: Do pollinators discriminate between sub-species of rabbitbrush? Studying these differences can be important for predicting gene flow and how speciation events may start to occur. To answer this question, we intend to complete a series of experiments comparing variables of two sub-species of rabbitbrush; viability of seeds, morphological floral measurements, identification of insect communities, observational field trials with fluorescent pigment as a proxy for gene flow, and chemical analysis. We expect that due to the floral morphological differences, pollinators will favor one sub-species of rabbitbrush over the other. Thereby, providing evidence of pollinator impact on speciation events through gene flow. This study will provide understanding of ongoing diversification events of rabbitbrush. Additionally, the knowledge found will contribute to the more general and deeper understanding of how ecological roles, between pollinator and plant, contribute to evolution.
Provitamin D3’s photochemical reaction and previtamin D3’s isomer-selective formation via phenylalanine
Tony Ochsner, Southern Utah University
Faculty Mentor Jacob Dean, Southern Utah University
SESSION D 3:50-4:05PM
Theatre, Union
Science and Technology
Vitamin D3 is an essential steroid for humans to maintain calcium levels and preserve bone density. The creation of vitamin D3 in the body is activated by light and is a well-studied reaction. The ring opening of its steroid precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol, or provitamin D3(PVD), is photo-initiated from UVB and some lower energy UVC wavelengths. Studies have shown a strong wavelength dependence on the final
product formation due to subsequent isomerization reactions. Previtamin D3 is the ring opened metastable intermediate, formed after the absorption of lower energy UVB wavelengths. It will eventually thermally rearrange to form the bioavailable vitamin D3. However, if previtamin D3 interact with a higher energy UVB or lower energy UVC photon this will trigger an isomerization and increase