Phytolith morphometrics: The use of image analysis for morphologic and systematic study of various grass phytoliths (Bouteloua, Panicum, Zea, and Triticum)

his dissertation presents three morphometric studies of grass phytoliths. The first study evaluates the effects of varying environmental conditions on 18 different phytolith morphometries relative to shape and size. Results indicate that environmental conditions affect phytolith morphometries for the silica-cell phytoliths produced by the two grass species considered in this study, however, the effects are not consistent, and may not be significant (p...