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Alexander Krings

Professor

Gardner Hall 2109

Bio

Work in my lab seeks to contribute to conservation and sustainable natural resource management through fundamental and applied research.  Our work spans several disciplines, including historical ecology, dendrochronology, floristics/taxonomy, and silviculture.  Some of this work is rather recent and so has not made it into the literature yet.  In collaboration with colleagues, we are also active in studies of pollination biology and population genetics of rare species.  As an extension contribution, we develop applied resources that facilitate plant identification at local and regional scales.

In addition to research and extension, I currently serve as an editor for Castanea and Novon, as well as the taxon editor for the Apocynaceae for the Flora of North America.  I served on the NCDA & CS Plant Conservation Program Scientific Committee for about a decade and in a governor-appointed role on the Plant Conservation Program Board for two four-year terms.

In addition to my teaching responsibilities for PB 220 (Local Flora), PB 464/564 (Rare Plants of North Carolina), and HS/PB 704 (Plant Nomenclature), I serve as the Coordinator for the Certificate in Field Botany, developed in collaboration with the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.  The certificate is open to both undergraduate and Non-degree Studies students (NDS).  Students interested in the certificate should submit a completed declaration form.  Please contact me, if you have any questions.

I welcome students interested in pursuing graduate degrees particularly in plant ecology/conservation or floristics. Our program has a rich history of contributing to the knowledge of the flora of the Southeast through ecological studies and floristic inventories undertaken as M.S. theses. Students interested in pursuing careers with environmental consultancies, non-governmental organizations like The Nature Conservancy, state agencies, or natural heritage programs have been well placed with such experience.

Selected Publications (authors ordered strictly from greatest contribution to least, unless explicitly noted otherwise):

Books and book-length monographs:

Faucette, A.L., A. Krings, and D.L. Lindbo. 2020. Guide to the vascular flora of Buxton Woods (Dare County, North Carolina, U.S.A.) Botanical Miscellany Series 54. Botanical Institute of Texas Press, Ft. Worth [more info]

Stanley, J.S., A. Krings, J.M. Stucky, and R.R. Braham. 2019. Guide to the vascular flora of Picture Creek Diabase Barrens (Granville County, North Carolina, U.S.A.). Botanical Miscellany Series 51. Botanical Institute of Texas Press, Ft. Worth [Sold out/Out-of-print]

Clark, R.K., A. Krings, J.M. Stucky, and H.J. Kleiss. 2016. Guide to the vascular flora of Kitty Hawk Woods (Dare County, North Carolina, U.S.A.).  Botanical Miscellany Series 45. Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press, Ft. Worth. [more info]

Howell, N., A. Krings, and R.R. Braham. 2016. Guide to the littoral zone vascular flora of Carolina bay lakes (U.S.A.). Biodiversity Data Journal 4: 1-308. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.4.e7964 [View article]

Hines, K.M., A. Krings, and J.M. Stucky. 2015. Guide to the vascular flora of Howell Woods (Johnston County, North Carolina, U.S.A.).  Botanical Miscellany Series 43. Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press, Ft. Worth. [more info]

Thornhill, R., A. Krings, D. Lindbo, and J. Stucky. 2014. Guide to the vascular flora of the savannas and flatwoods of Shaken Creek Preserve and vicinity (Pender & Onslow counties, North Carolina, U.S.A.). Biodiversity Data Journal 2: 1-422. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.2.e1099. [View article]

Krings, A. 2010. Manual of the vascular flora of Nags Head Woods, Outer Banks, North Carolina. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 103. New York Botanical Garden Press, New York. [more info]

Krings, A. and R.R. Braham. 2005. Guide to tendrillate climbers of Costa Rican mountains. Blackwell Publishing, Ames. [read a review] [more info]

Chapters:

Brislin, H. and A. Krings. 2023. Poranopsis (Convolvulaceae). In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Fishbein, M., D. Lemke, and A. Krings. 2023. Apocynaceae. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Krings, A. 2023. Bouchetia (Solanaceae). In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Krings, A. 2023. Gelsemiaceae. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Krings, A. 2023. Gonolobus (Apocynaceae). In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Reed, C. and A. Krings. 2023. Cryptostegia (Apocynaceae). In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 14. Oxford University Press, New York.

Krings, A., W.A. Wall, and A. Wines. 2023. Parkinsonia (Fabaceae). In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.), Flora of North America. Vol. 11. Oxford University Press, New York

CD-ROMs:

Kirchoff, B., S. Baskauf, A. Krings, B. Purcell, and J. Cox. 2008. Woody plants of the southeastern U.S.: A field course on CD. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. [ISBN 978-1-930723-62-7] [more info]

Web and mobile apps:

Krings, A. and G. Wilson. 2019–present. Wanted alive: Raven’s seedbox (Ludwigia ravenii). North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Krings, A., M. Hamilton, and D. Wylie. 2018–present. Polyclave: Dichanthelium of Picture Creek Diabase Barrens. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Hardin, J.W., C.F. Brownie, and A. Krings. 2018–present. Plants poisonous to livestock and pets in North Carolina, 2.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Trees of North Carolina Working Group. 2014-present. Trees of North Carolina. Version 1.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Krings, A., S. Goyette, D. Suiter, and M. Samuels. 2012–present. Rare plants of North Carolina: Federally listed species and their congeners. Version 1.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Samuels, M. and A. Krings. 2012–present. Pitcher perfect! Identifying pitcher plants in North Carolina.Version 1.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Stucky, J. and A. Krings. 2012-present. Winter twig keys to common, native, fully deciduous, trees and phanerophyte shrubs of the North Carolina eastern Piedmont.Version 1.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Container Nursery Weed Research Group. 2012. Weeds of container nurseries in the United States. Version 2.0. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Saville, A.C., A. Krings, T. Kahn, M.D. Trice, A.J. Redford. 2011. Citrus ID, Edition 2. USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST, Fort Collins and North Carolina State University. [Android app (released 2013); iOs app(released 2014)]

Online resources:

Krings, A. 2018–present. Extension Gardener – Botany exercises. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Agarwal, P., B.K. Kirchoff, and A. Krings. 2015. ImageSort Creator. North Carolina State University and Metis Learning.

Krings, A., P. Agarwal, and B.K. Kirchoff. 2014–present. Image Sort Visual Learning. North Carolina State University and Metis Learning.

Publications in peer-reviewed journals (selected):

Piedmont grasslands

Szakacs, A.D., T.R. Wentworth, and A. Krings. 2024. In search of the “Piedmont prairies”: Multivariate analyses of heliophilic plant communities in the heart of the Piedmont of eastern North America. Castanea 89 (1): 12–34.

Krings, A., A.D. Szakacs, and E.G. Hyland. 2022. Remnants of the “Grande Savane”? Insights from soil organic matter at two sites in the Deep River Triassic Basin of North Carolina. Castanea 87 (2): 244–267. [View article]

Szakacs, A.D., A. Krings, and T.R. Wentworth. 2022. Shade-tolerance classification of the upland herbaceous flora of the Carolina and Virginia Piedmont. American Midland Naturalist 187: 113–147.

Krings, A. and H. Cabell. 2022. Distinguishing saplings of pines of Piedmont upland grassland systems. Castanea 87 (2): 211–223.

Krings, A., C. Jordan, K. Culatta, A. Szakacs, and G. Wilson. 2020. Annual signature in the taproots of Echinacea laevigata and E. pallida (Asteraceae, Heliantheae). Castanea 85: 199–204.

Krings, A. 2020. Distinguishing seedlings of pines of Piedmont upland grassland systems. Castanea 85: 33–41.

Rare species

Conlin, M.R., A. Krings, W. Petry, J. Forrester, and J. Crawford. 2024. Range-wide quantitative habitat characterization of critically imperiled Ludwigia ravenii (Onagraceae). Castanea 89 (1): 63–95.

Culatta, K., A. Krings, L. Matallana, and R. Whetten. 2022. Clarifying taxonomic boundaries in Nuphar sagittifolia (Nymphaeaceae): Insights from morphology and population genetics. Castanea 87 (1): 81–104.  Received Richard and Minnie Windler Award for best paper in Systematics in Castanea in 2022.

Lindelof, K. and A. Krings. 2021. Capsule-seed allometric relationships Ludwigia ravenii (Onagraceae), a critically imperiled, wetland-obligate. Castanea 86: 278–282.

Haynes, J.E., W.D. Phillips, A. Krings, N.P. Lynch, and T.G. Ranney. 2020. Revision of Fothergilla (Hamamelidaceae), including resurrection of F. parvifolia and a new species, F. milleri. PhytoKeys 144: 57–80. [View article; corrigendum]

Unks, R.R., T.H. Shear, A. Krings, and R.R. Braham. 2014. Environmental controls of reproduction and early growth of Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae). Castanea 79: 266–277.

Floristics (see also books/monographs above)

Krings, A., S. Banks, and T. Glasgow. 2023. Chevreulia acuminata (Gnaphalieae, Asteraceae): New to North Carolina. Castanea 88(2): 211–213.

Krings, A., A. Franck, R. Hammer, B. Jestrow, R. Renfro, and J. Lange. 2019.  Gonolobus taylorianus (Apocynaceae, Asclepiadoideae, Gonolobinae) in Florida. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 13: 315–317.

Smith, S. and A. Krings. 2018. Euphorbia heterophylla (Euphorbiaceae) in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, U.S.A. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 12: 369–372.

Krings, A., S. Newton, and N.P. Liles. 2017. Hydrocotyle bowlesioides (Araliaceae): New to the flora of North Carolina. Castanea 82: 47.

Thornhill, R.W. and A. Krings. 2012. Discovery of Hydrocotyle bowlesioides (Araliaceae) in Louisiana. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 6: 283–285. [View article]

Krings, A. 2011. Pistacia chinensis (Anacardiaceae) naturalized in North Carolina, U.S.A. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 5: 867–869. [View article]

Post, A.R., J.C. Neal, A. Krings, B.R. Sosinkski, and Q.-Y. Xiang.  2009.  New Zealand bittercress (Cardamine corymbosa; Brassicaceae): New to the United States.  Weed Technology 23: 604–607.

Krings, A. and R.J. Richardson. 2006. Cayratia japonica (Vitaceae) new to North Carolina and an updated key to the genera of Vitaceae in the Carolinas. Sida 22: 813–815. [View article]

Krings, A., F. Areces Berazaín, and J.C. Lazcano Lara. 2005. New and rediscovered milkweeds from Cuba: Calotropis gigantea and Gonolobus stephanotrichus (Apocynaceae – Asclepiadoideae). Willdenowia 35: 315–318.

Krings, A., A.S. Weakley, J.C. Neal, and E.C. Swab. 2005. Ranunculus ficaria (Ranunculaceae) new to North Carolina and an updated key to Carolina congeners. Sida 21: 2429–2437. [View article]

Krings, A., M.G. Burton, and A.C. York. 2002. Commelina benghalensis (Commelinaceae) new to North Carolina and an updated key to Carolina congeners. Sida 20 (1): 419–422.

Krings, A., R. Westbrooks, and J. Lloyd. 2002. Cirsium nuttallii (Asteraceae: Cynareae): New to North Carolina and an illustrated key to southeastern congeners. Sida 20 (2): 845–848.

Krings, A. and J.C. Neal. 2001. A Scutellaria (Lamiaceae) new to North Carolina and a key to the small-flowered Carolina congeners. Sida 19 (3): 735–739.

Biogeography

Krings, A. 2000. A phytogeographical characterization of the vine flora of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. J. Biogeography 27 (6): 1311–1319.

Area(s) of Expertise

Plant Taxonomy and Conservation Biology