Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2019, Environmental Studies (Voinovich)

Domesticated Chenopodium taxa are distinguished from their wild relatives on the basis of seed morphology including thin seed coats, truncate seed margins, and light-colored appearance. Wild chenopods produce polymorphic seeds with a range of seed coat thicknesses, colors, and margin shapes. Rather than assuming a homogeneous and smooth morphological transition gradient during domestication, the effects of seed polymorphism must be considered. To compare polymorphism of wild seeds to domesticated seeds, wild chenopod seeds were collected and separated into morphological types by color. From each plant, ratios of seed morphs were counted, morphological measurements were taken, and germination was tested under a range of stratification and germination conditions. The same measurements and tests were conducted on the seeds of domesticated chenopods. Those seeds with lighter colors and thinner seed coats, called red morphs, are morphologically similar to seeds of domesticated chenopods. Red morphs, like domesticated chenopods, also have lower dormancy and lower over-wintering viability than do black morphs. Differences in polymorphic heterogeneity among wild chenopods implies a model of domestication. Under conditions of high disturbance and spring planting, chenopods producing higher proportions of red morph seeds may have a selective advantage. The role of heterogeneity in the domestication of chenopodium can inform modern crop improvement programs. Additionally, the yield of experimental plots of wild chenopods compares favorably with quinoa and modern agricultural crops. Re-domestication of the lost Chenopodium domesticate has the potential to create a new high value agricultural crop for eastern North America.

Committee: Sabrina Curran Dr. (Committee Chair); Sarah Wyatt Dr. (Committee Member); Harvey Ballard Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Ancient Civilizations; Cultural Anthropology; Evolution and Development; Experiments; Plant Biology; Plant Sciences

Bachelor of Arts, Ohio University, 2016, Anthropology

The Monday Creek Workshop site is a small Archaic Period domestic site located in the Hocking river valley, southeastern Ohio. Archaeobotanical remains from the site were analyzed and are described here. These data provide evidence of subsistence strategies largely centered on arboreal nut processing but supplemented by weedy cultigens. These data elucidate the domestic economy of mid-Ohio valley communities during this poorly understood temporal period.

Committee: Paul Patton PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Archaeology