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Dr. William Eisinger
B.S. 1965 Hiram College Ohio TeachingBio 4 Light and Life ResearchLight Regulation of Guard Cell Function
Copper Toxicity Tropical Soils Ethnobotany and Rainforest Ecology Education Desert Ecology - Research and Education PublicationsMurphy, A., W. Eisinger, J. Shaff, L. Kochian and L. Taiz. 1999. Early copper-induced leakage of potassium from Arabidopsis seedlings is mediated by ion channels and coupled to citrate efflux.Plant Physiology 121:1375-1382. Eisinger, W, T. E. Swartz, R. Bogomolni and L. Taiz. 2000. The UV action spectrum for stomate opening in Vicia faba. Plant Physiology 122:99-105. William R. Eisinger, Roberto A. Bogomolni and Lincoln Taiz (2003) Interactions between a blue-green reversible photoreceptor and a separate UV-B receptor in stomatal guard cells. American Journal of Botany 90 (11):1560-1566. |
Dr. Lincoln Taiz (UCSC) and Dr. Leon Kochian (Cornell) and I studied the effects of copper ions on potassium ion efflux from Arabidopsis roots (Murphy et al. 1999. Plant Physiol. 121:1375-1382). We found that copper induced potassium leakage by opening potassium ion channels and not by merely damaging membranes. In addition, copper treatment induced citrate release by roots. Citrate release is tightly coupled to potassium ion release and may be a mechanism to reduce copper toxicity.
cooperation with Dr. Gregory Gouveia (University of the West Indies). Brasso Seco is a small rainforest village in the northern mountain range. Working with Santa Clara undergraduates, we measured soil pH, essential elements and organic content. We found most agricultural soils were depleted in nitrogen (measured as nitrates or ammonium) and organics despite widespread use of manures. Virgin soils were strongly acidic, but most agricultural soils were less acidic.
During our visits to Brasso Seco we interviewed residents about their knowledge of medicinal plants then recorded their information, photographed and collected sample plants. Dr. Elizabeth Bell (SCU Biology) helped identify the plants review the literature on traditional uses of these plants. We plan to focus on unique uses of medicinal plants in Brasso Seco. Many of the young people who live in Brasso Seco have little appreciation or understanding of the beautiful rainforest around their village. In response to this, we worked with village school teachers to develop rainforest education programs based on "The Magic School Bus Explores the Rainforest" (for elementary students) and "The Digital Rainforest" (older students and adults). We developed 15 lesson plans linked to the computer programs and local field guides took students on tours of the rainforest.
la Sequía Instituto de Ecologia A.C.) and teachers in the Aldama, Mexico school system. My students and I hope to study water and soil quality along with scientists from the CEISS. In addition, we plan to train local teachers to sample and test water from local streams and lakes. Dr. Garcia coordinates an ecology education program linking local school children and teachers with the research and a community education program
