David E. Giannasi
Associate Professor and Director, University of Georgia Herbarium, Ph.D., Botany, University of Iowa, 1972; giannasi@plantbio.uga.edu
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David E. GiannasiAssociate Professor and Director, University of Georgia Herbarium, Ph.D., Botany, University of Iowa, 1972; giannasi@plantbio.uga.edu
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My program is centered on general plant taxonomy and floristics with emphases on biosystematic approaches to taxonomic studies. The latter includes the use of secondary metabolites, comparative DNA sequencing and other techniques (e.g., cytotaxonomy, palynology, phenetic and cladistic analyses, protein electrophoresis and SEM studies) to solve taxonomic problems. Students may obtain an MS in floristics or an MS or Ph.D. in revisionary or monographic work, using many of these techniques. An MS degree is available in Plant Biology in with emphasis in medicinal plant chemistry, with allied training in ethnobotany, horticulture and natural product chemistry.
Research - Academic Programs - Courses Offered - Contract Surveys - Selected Publications -Current research in my laboratory includes projects of personal interest, cooperative projects with University of Georgia faculty, other systematists and projects with graduate students under my direction. Some of these are as follows:
1. Flavonoids in Crotalaria species.
2. Flavonoids in the Chrysobalanaceae.
3. Molecular Systematics of Callisia using trnL-F spacer region; Ph.D., by Stephanie Bergamo.
4. Melianthiaceae: resolution of interspecific differences between taxa in unresolved molecular polytomies in Zygadenus and Veratrum using flavonoid distributions; with Dr. Wendy Zomlefer.
5. Marcgraviaceae: resolution of interspecific and intergeneric differences in unresolved molecular polytomies using flavonoid distributions; with Misa Ward
6. Floristic survey of the Lower Etowah River Drainage, M.S. by Lisa Kruse.
7. Terpene variation in populations of the medicinal plant, lemon verbena in Argentina; M.S by Rebekah Chapman. Co-advisor with Dr. James Affolter, Horticulture.
8. Allelopathic effects of natural inhibitors in elaisomes of Sanguinaria canadensis; U/G Honors Program, with Dr. James Affolter, Horticulture.
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M.S. Degree: a Bachelors degree from an accredited college
Ph.D. Degree: I do not accept students for a Ph.D. without their first having obtained an M.S. degree, either from the University of Georgia or another institution. Prior experience with an M.S. degree ensures a higher probability of success with a Ph.D. program.
Regardless of the degree desired, a GRE score of 1250 is recommended for successful entrance to the Plant Biology program and possible support with teaching assistantships. It is recommended that prospective students with lower GRE scores take the commercial study course and retake the GRE if necessary to raise their GRE scores to the 1250 level.
Students in my program are required to be teaching assistants for at least one year in our general biology/botany and plant taxonomy courses. This provides basic experience in teaching in preparation for an academic career and/or proper skills for presentation of scientific materials in the private or public arena. Additional courses in techniques of teaching are also available through Plant Biology.
An M.S. degree in floristic studies involves a comprehensive plant survey of a natural phytogeographic area in Georgia. This type of master's degree, which can also be a terminal professional degree, emphasizes extensive field work and supportive training in aquatic plants, wetlands ecology, soils, threatened and endangered species surveys, wetlands mitigation and cross training in ornithology, herpetology, mammology and entomology in the College of Ecology, Department of Entomology and College of Forestry Sciences. The student is prepared for jobs with municipal, state or federal agencies which need a resident plant biologist. Addition of training courses in museum management also enables the student to function within museum and botanical garden collections. Students with this strong type of taxonomic training are equally equipped to continue on for a Ph.D. in taxonomy if that is desired. All floristic students must take part in one or more field trips per year in our contract plant surveys for additional experience. Normal completion time for the MS in floristics is about three years.
The Herbarium at Georgia is currently working on an updated Vascular Plant Distribution Atlas of Georgia which will provide distribution maps for all vouchered plant species that occur in Georgia. Students may, and are encouraged, to learn the basic ArcView mapping system as it applies to their own projects as well as the preparation of a Plant Atlas. The Herbarium is also starting work on a Guide to the Flora of Georgia as a progression from the Plant Atlas. Students who are interested in this type of work are encouraged to participate in this program as well if they so desire.
Students may obtain an M.S. or a Ph.D degree in revisionary studies of the plant group of their choice. The student is assisted in finding a taxonomic group in need of revision or of extended biosystematic study. Once the pertinent taxonomic questions have been framed for the group, several preliminary analyses using a variety of techniques are carried out to determine which approaches will prove most fruitful. The student then begins intensive field work to collect the species involved and begin their taxonomic work.
Emphasis in this type of revisionary work (MS or PhD) is on plant assemblages native to or concentrated in the southeastern United States. Students initially examine two potential plant groups of interest, subsequently choosing the most promising project at the end of their first year. Students then pursue the requisite intensive field work and employ several biosystematic and molecular techniques to elucidate the taxonomic problem they have outlined. Small grants are available on a competitive basis from the Plant Biology Department at the University of Georgia. In addition, Ph.D. students are also encouraged to apply to NSF for Pre-Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants to help support their work. Other state and local funds are available especially if the project involves threatened and endangered plant species. Support for degree work can also be obtained as research credit money from participation in the contract surveys.
MS degrees resulting from revisionary work allows the student to continue in further graduate work in towards a Ph.D., or with training in collections management, qualify for positions as a Collections Manager in botanical or natural history museums. Completion of a Ph.D. in revisionary studies prepares the student for careers in academia, botanical gardens, natural history museums or other fields or research related areas including the federal government. Normal completion time for the M.S. degree is three years, and four to five years for the Ph.D.
My current program includes an undergraduate course in Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants (may also be taken as a graduate level, special studies course). An MS program based on this research area involves field work on local medicinal plants and is coupled with a course in the Biology of Secondary Plant Products with basic lab experience in working with secondary plant chemical analyses. Associated courses in Horticulture and especially Anthropology (ethnobotany, medicinal plants, ethnoarcheology) provides a basic background for students who will pursue further work in natural plant chemistry or are preparing for studies in Naturopathy or Homeopathy at other recognized specialist institutions--- links---. Occasional opportunities arise for students to work on analysis of potential medicinal plants from South America as part of the ethnobotanical program in Anthropology and the field program of The State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
As a member of The State Museum of Natural History of Georgia, the Herbarium participates in the Biological Illustration Program co-administered by the Natural History Museum and the Department of Art at the University of Georgia. This includes work on illustration techniques for animals and plants, both in black and white and color. Contact Professor Gene Wright, Art Department, UGA, for further information.
A specialized course in Botanical Illustration is offered in the Plant Biology Department by Dr.Wendy Zomlefer, Curator of the Herbarium.
The Herbarium at Georgia is currently working on an updated Vascular Plant Distribution Atlas of Georgia which will provide distribution maps for all vouchered plant species that occur in Georgia. Students may, and are encouraged, to learn the basic ArcView mapping system as it applies to their own projects as well as the preparation of a Plant Atlas. The Herbarium is also starting work on a Guide to the Flora of Georgia as a progression from the Plant Atlas. Students who are interested in this type of work are encouraged to participate in this program as well if they so desire.
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PBIO/HORT/ANTH 3440: Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants; D. Giannasi, J. Affolter (Horticulture)
PBIO 4250/6250: Biology of Secondary Plant Products; D. Giannasi
PBIO 4650/6650: Plant Taxonomy; D. Giannasi, W. Zomlefer
PBIO 6350: Plant Molecular Systematics; R. Kuzoff
PBIO 6710: Principles of Plant Systematics; D. Giannasi
PBIO 8600: Aquatic Plants; D. Giannasi
PBIO 8800: Seminar in Plant Systematics and Evolution; D. Giannasi (Examples of previous topics, e.g. hallucinogenic plants, economic plants, botanical herbals, molecular systematics, cytotaxonomy, palynology, pteridology).
GRSC 7770: Graduate Teaching Internship (required of all Grad Teaching Assistants); Dr. Darley
Elective Courses
PBIO 4200/6200: Introductory Mycology; Dr. D. Porter, Dr. C. Mims
PBIO 4230/6230: Plant Anatomy; Dr. Zheng-Hua Ye
PBIO 4240/6240: Plant Geography; Drs. Parker; Dr. E. Box
PBIO 4260/6260: Natural History Collections Management; Dr. Betsy Reitz
PBIO 4261: Natural History Museum Internship; Museum/Herbarium Staff
PBIO 4640/6640: Botanical Illustration; Dr. Wendy B. Zomlefer
PBIO 4850/6850: Vegetation Analysis; Dr. Chris Peterson
PBIO 6500: Gene Technology; Dr. Michael Scanlon
PBIO 6550: Bioinformatics; Dr. Russell Malmberg
PBIO 6720: Plant Variation and Evolution; Dr. James Hamrick
PBIO 6830: Plant Physiology; Multiple
PBIO 7360: Teaching Internship in Biological Sciences; Dr. Darley
PBIO 8040: Herbarium-Directed Study; Dr. Zomlefer
PBIO 8140: Algal Ecology; Dr. Darley
PBIO 8410: Community Ecology; Dr. Chris Peterson
PBIO 8150: Wetlands Ecology; Dr. Rebecca Sharitz
ANTH (PBIO) 4300/6300: Ethnobotany; Drs. Brent and J. Berlin
CRSS 4540/6540: Pedology/Soils and Hydrology
Ecology: See College of Ecology and College of Forestry for course listings in Ornithology, Herpetology, Mammology and Entomology. See Graduate Catalogue for support courses in Genetics, Microbiology, Statistics
Please see the University of Georgia Academic Catalogues for other courses or The Plant Biology Department.
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The Herbarium at the University of Georgia has carried out plant surveys, under contract,
to federal, state and private agencies (e.g. Nature Conservancy, Army Corp of Engineers, US
Fish and Wild Life, Georgia State Park System, Callaway Gardens) and currently holds a three
year National Park Service contract for botanical surveys of Fort Mantanzas/Castillo de San Marcos,
Fort Caroline/Timucuan Ecological and Historical Reserve, in Florida, and Cumberland Island
National Seashore, Georgia. Each graduate student is expected to participate in one or more trips
during these surveys to gain general field experience in plant identification, procedures for contract
survey work and the requisite reports, record keeping and basic GIS.
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Chang, C.-S. and D. E. Giannasi. 1990. Foliar flavonoids of Acer, section Palmata, series Palmata. Syst. Bot. 16: 225-241.
Golenberg, E. M., D. E. Giannasi, M. T. Clegg, C. J. Smiley, M. Durbin, D. Henderson and G. Zurawski, 1990. Chloroplast DNA sequence from a Miocene Magnolia species. Nature: 344: 656-658.
Rettig, J. H. and D. E. Giannasi. 1990. Foliar flavonoids of the Carex nigromarginata complex (Section Acrocystis, Cyperaceae) Bioch. Syst. Ecol. 18: 395-397.
Giannasi, D. E., G. Zurawski and M. T. Clegg. 1992. Evolutionary relationships of the Caryophyllidae based on comparative rbcL sequences. Systematic Botany 17: 1-15
Giannasi, D. E. 1992. Feasibility of obtaining comparative gene sequence data from preserved and fossil material. Pp. 75-98. In: Conservation of Plant Genes, R. K. Adams and B. Adams, eds. Academic Press, New York.
Johnson, K. S. F. A. Eischen and D. E. Giannasi. 1994. Chemical composition of North American bee propolis and biological activity towards larvae of greater wax moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Jour. Chem Ecol. 20: 1783-1791.
Gunter, L. E., G. Kochert and D. E. Giannasi. 1994. Phylogenetic relationships of the Juglandaceae. Pl. Syst. Evol. 192: 11-29.
Moore, M. O. and D. Giannasi. 1994. Foliar flavonoids of eastern North American Vitis (Vitaceae) north of Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 193: 21-36.
Salatino, A., M. L. Salatino and D. E. Giannasi. 2000. Flavonoids and the taxonomy of Cercis. Bioch. Syst. Ecol. 28: 545-550.
Salatino, A., M. L. Salatino, R. Mello-Silva, M.-A. Van Sluys, R. Price and D. E. Giannasi. 2001. Phylogenetic inference in Velloziaceae using chloroplast trnL-F sequences. Syst. Bot. 26: 92-103.
Piluk, J., P. G. Hartel, B. L. Haines and D. E. Giannasi. 2001. Association of carbon disulfide with plants in the family Fabaceae. J. Chem. Ecology. 14: 1-10.
Trapnell, D. W., J. L. Hamrick and D. E. Giannasi. In press. Genetic variation and species boundaries in Calapogon (Orchidaceae). Syst. Bot.
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