Presenter(s)

Rose Combs

Comments

3:00-4:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

Ginkgo biloba (thereafter gingko), known for its decorative leaves and notorious smell, is regarded as one of the most primitive seed-bearing tree species living today (Rothwell and Holt, 1997). Ginkgo is believed to have originated nearly 100 million years ago, with its main dispersers possibly being Mesozoic marsupial-like rodents (Del Tredici, 2000; Crane, 2019). Dinosaurs have also been suggested dispersal agents, although which ones specifically are not mentioned (Del Tredici, 2000). The seeds are dispersed through endozoochory or the process of consumption, digestion, and defecation by vertebrate species such as mammals or birds. Fossil records show that past the Cretacious period, ginkgo frequency has decreased over time (Wang et al., 2023). Few wild populations of ginkgo exist today, confounding botanists and researchers as to why (Del Tredici, 2000). This experiment aims to explore how ginkgo has been impacted by the extinction of its original dispersers and the procuring of modern ones, such as birds, squirrels, raccoons, and coyotes (Del Tredici, 2000). This research examines the distinct relationship between ginkgo and Canis Latrans, the coyote, a modern day carnivore mammal, focusing on seed viability after being processed through digestion. Our hypothesis states that digestion will have a positive effect on the viability of ginkgo seeds. We predict that the seeds processed through the gut of a coyote will have a higher germination rate than whole seeds with the sarcotesta (i.e. outer flesh) manually removed.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Mariela Gantchoff, Ryan W. McEwan

Primary Advisor's Department

Biology

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Scholarship; Practical Wisdom

Ginkgo Biloba and Canis Latrans: Ancient Seed Meets Modern Predator

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