Research- Dr. Allan NelsonBotany, Conservation, and Environmental Biology

BotanyTeach Plant Taxonomy and examine distribution native, exotic, rare, or otherwise unusual plants such as skullcap

Botany –Dispersal of skullcap, a common native plant in region

Conservation Biology- Rare Texas plant species habitat

Comanche Peak Prairie Clover –rare Texas endemic

Comanche Peak prairie clover flowers

Endemic to Wise, Parker, and Somervell counties

Walnut Limestone Glade habitat

Describing habitat for Comanche Peak prairie clover has assisted Texas Parks and Wildlife in conserving this rare Texas endemic

Describing habitat for a state-threatened species-Texas kangaroo rat

-state threatened species due to its rareness and small geographic range -IUCN (1986) lists habitat loss and degradation resulting from agricultural and infrastructure development as major threats -being reviewed by USFWS for possible listing due to habitat loss

Dipodomys elator burrow

Live traps and quadrats used to describe habitat

New populations we discovered and our description of habitat have assisted U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlifein determining the conservation needs of this rare Texas mammal

Environmental Biology- Describing River Bottomland Communities

River Bottomland Forests are some of the most- biologically diverse,- productive,- widely distributed,- and modified by flood control projects and exotic plants.Therefore, interest in managing, preserving, and restoring this ecosystem is high. However quantitative data is limited.

Grass dominated community of the Bosque River bottomland

Sugarberry the woody dominant of the Bosque River Bottomland(56% IV)

Japanese honeysuckle the dominant exotic of the Bosque River Bottomland (7.5% samples)

Extensive herbaceous layer is important for wildlife feeding and reproduction in bottomlands.

Well developed herbaceous layer protects bottomlands during flooding and slows soil erosion.

Knowing the species that occur in bottomlands can assist in river bottomland restoration across the state and eradication of exotics

The following publications have involved students from my laboratory at Tarleton:

Rosiere, R. E., A. D. Nelson, and L.P. Cowley. 2013. Composition and structure of a mixed-hardwood bottomland forest in the West Cross Timbers of North-central Texas. The Southwestern Naturalist. 58: 81-90.

Brister, J. S. and A. D. Nelson. 2012. Vegetative ecology of natural and constructed wetlands along the Leon River in Comanche County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. In Press.

Nelson, A. D. and S. Burgess. 2011. Notes on the flora of Somervell County Texas with additions and significant range extensions. Texas Journal of Science. In Press.

Publications (cont.)

Nelson, A. D., H. Rathburn, and C. Rosson. 2011. Range extensions and county records for angiosperms from Palo Pinto County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. In Press.

Harsley, S. and A. D. Nelson. 2010. County records and major range extensions for West Cross Timbers’ angiosperms from Hunewell Ranch in Erath County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. 62: 111-126.

Stasey W. C., J. R. Goetze, P. D. Sudman, and A. D. Nelson. 2010. Occurrence of the Texas kangaroo rat in two different habitats in Wichita County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. 62: 3-14.

Publications (cont.)

Nelson, A. D., J. R. Goetze, E. Watson, and Mark Nelson. 2009. Changes in vegetation patterns and its effect on Texas kangaroo rats (Dipodomys elator). Texas Journal of Science. 61: 119-130.

Goetze, J. R., A. D. Nelson, & W. C. Stasey. 2008. Notes on behavior of the Texas kangaroo rat (Dipodomys elator). Texas Journal of Science 60: 309-316.

Goetze, J., W. C. Stasey, A. D. Nelson, and P. D. Sudman. 2007. Habitat attributes and population size of Texas kangaroo rats on an intensely grazed pasture in Wichita County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. 59: 11-22.

Publications (cont.)

Nelson, A. D., M. Samuel, J. Tucker, C. Jackson, and A. Stahlecker-Roberson. 2006. Assessment of genetic diversity and sectional boundaries in tetraploid peanuts (Arachis). Peanut Science. 33: 64-67.

McPhail S., and A. D. Nelson. 2005. Range extensions and county records for angiosperms from the southwestern Cross Timbers in Eastland County, Texas. Texas Journal of Science. 57: 211-222.

Questions