Biography:

Dr. Abbas Al-Jamali was born in Baghdad, during the Hashemite monarchy. He attended government elementary then American Jesuit high schools. He has a B.Sc. in Crop Production and Protection and an M.Sc. in Subtropical Horticulture from the AUB. He was awarded a Ph.D. from the Dept. of Horticulture, Purdue University where Darwin and evolution basic ideas were presented and discussed in both lectures & texts. After his Ph.D. Dr. Al-Jamali was the first person to teach Plant Biology in Arabic in Algeria. He also taught Cytology, Taxonomy of Vascular Plants, Biochemistry and Plant Physiolgy. He taught Advanced Plant Physiology, trilingually, to students in the M.Sc. program which he helped establish at the Ecole Normale Superiure, Kouba, Algiers. Some of these students went on to obtain Ph.D.s from the U.K. Since 1994 Dr. Al-Jamali has been teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses in the Dept. of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science & Technology

Abstract:

Darwin and the Phytocolonialist Cardoon

Darwin was very conscious of the devastating effect on native populations, human, animal and plant of more competitive invading species such as the successful phytocolonialist, cardoon (Cynara cardunculus). Cardoon is a plant of Mediterranean origin the tender midribs of whose leaves are the pride of the cuisine of its region of origin. One of Darwins predictions which has proved true concerns cardoon. During his Beagle voyage he was able to observe enormous areas in Argentina covered by this plant. In Chile Darwin noted that the effect of introducing cardoon was the disappearance of the original variety of native plant species. Darwin predicted that cardoon would spread to other regions with a favorable habitat. Indeed it is now considered a noxious weed in California. From the Jordan University of Science & Technology, pictures of the giant (over 2 meters) flowering stalks that are produced when the plant finds long days & enough water will be presented. Slides will be used to illustrate the eco-physiological basis that makes cardoon a formidable phyto-foe: self mulching, a storage crown, and hypersensitive reaction.The relevance of Darwins observations on plant competition, especially for those who hope to maintain a balance in nature (dangers & immorality of humans causing imbalance),will be discussed