Maren Blohm

Associate Professor

Email: mblohm@loyola.edu
Phone: 410-617-2169
Fax: 410-617-5682

Office

Donnelly Science 230
Department of Biology
Loyola University Maryland
4501 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21210-2699

Biography

I have lived the majority of my life in the deserts of the western United States. Perhaps living in these unique environments unconsciously fueled my interest in how plants respond to stressful growing conditions. I am particularly interested in plant responses to water stress. Drought and salinity are the major abiotic stresses that result in decreases in crop yield, especially in water limited areas of the world. As potable water becomes less available for agriculture and landscapes we will have to rely on alternative irrigation sources, such as brackish water and grey water. My research covers plant responses (particularly ornamentals) to alternative water sources. My lab is also working on Arabidopsis lyrata, which is a small plant found in many areas in the eastern United States. My work with A. lyrata involves comparing stress response of plants from populations that are found in many extreme environments and trying to determine what adaptations they have developed to the wide variety of abiotic stresses they encounter. In addition, I am interested in the standardization and purity of herbal supplements. As part of this research I have tested supplements that are available over the counter in addition to creating mixed supplements with herbs to determine the detection limits of secondary compound tests.

Publications

• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., B.M. Roche, and T. Sweeney. 2019. The effect of bulb weight on salinity tolerance of three common Narcissus cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae 248, 62-69.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., B.M. Roche, E.E. Dahl. 2017. Serpentine populations of Arabidopsis lyrata ssp. lyrata show evidence for local adaptation in response to nickel exposure at germination and during juvenile growth. Environmental and Experimental Botany 138, 1-9.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., D. Sawch, N. Elia, and D. Pinciotti. 2014. Salinity tolerance of three commonly planted Narcissus cultivars. HortScience 49: 1158-1164.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., B.M. Roche, M. Campbell. 2013. Evidence for cross-tolerance to nutrient deficiency in three disjunct populations of Arabidopsis lyrata ssp. lyrata in response to substrate calcium to magnesium ratio. PLOS One 8: e63117.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., D. Chen, and M. Hassett. 2013. Narcissus cultivar differences in response to saline irrigation when application began either pre- or post-emergence. HortScience 48: 322-329.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., M. Malinowski, and D. Keefer. 2012. Leaf water status, osmotic adjustment and carbon assimilation in colored calla lilies in response to saline irrigation. Scientia Horticulturae 144: 65-73.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., and L. Morningstar.  2011. Calla lily growth and development under saline irrigation.  HortScience 46: 222-227.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E. and E. Koutavas. 2011.  The effect of stratification and after-ripening time on seed germination in three populations of Arabidopsis lyrata ssp. lyrata (Brassicaceae).  Castanea 76: 199-209.
• D.T. Ray, Veatch-Blohm, M.E., V.H. Teetor, and B. Walsh.  2007.  Upper and lower estimates of heritability in guayule based on mode of reproduction.  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 132: 213-218.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., D.T. Ray, and A. Gehrels.  2007.  Night temperature, rubber production, and carbon exchange in guayule.  Ind. Crops Prod.  25: 34-43.
• Veatch-Blohm, M.E., D.T. Ray, and W.B. McCloskey.  2006.  Water-stress induced changes in resin and rubber concentration and distribution in greenhouse grown guayule.  Agron. J. 98: 766-773.
• Veatch, M.E., S.E. Smith, and G. Vandemark.  2004.   Shoot biomass production among accessions of Medicago truncatula exposed to NaCl.  Crop Science 44: 1008-1013

Areas of Specialization

• Plant Physiology
• Plant Stress