Dr. Bierner’s community involvement includes service on various committees and not-for-profit Boards in Austin, Texas, and Sarasota, Florida. Courses he has taught include Introductory Biology, Introductory Botany, Native Plants, Local Flora, Cell Biology, Evolution and Genetics, Genetics, Systematic Botany, Biochemical Systematics, and Special Topics in Systematics. He also introduced a new course at The University of Texas entitled Plants, Environment, and Human Affairs, which he taught at the main campus in Austin and also in Sevilla, Spain. Dr. Bierner is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the International Association for Plant Taxonomy, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the Botanical Society of America, the Phytochemical Society of North America, the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society, and the California Botanical Society. He has received 40 grants from federal, state, and local agencies, foundations, universities, and businesses totaling more than $2.2 million, two Favorite Professor Teaching Awards from Texas State University, and a Natural Sciences Council Faculty Service Award from The University of Texas.

Dr. Bierner’s research focuses on phylogenetic and systematic studies of flowering plants, in particular members of subtribes Gaillardiinae and Tetraneurinae of the sunflower family, Asteraceae. Dr. Bierner uses data from morphologic, cytologic and molecular studies to define the taxonomic units within these subtribes (i.e., genera, subgenera, sections, subsections, species, subspecies, varieties) and to better understand their evolutionary histories and present-day relationships. He is currently working on treatments of several genera for the Jepson Manual of Plants of California.

While he was Director of the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Dr. Bierner made various efforts at strenthening the relationship between the Arboretum and the University of Arizona, particularly in the area of research. The first research project is a major botanical treatment entitled Legumes of Arizona - An Illustrated Flora and Reference, a natural for the Arboretum and the Desert Legume Program at the University of Arizon, which is managed by the Arboretum and directed by Dr. Bierner.

The legume family, Fabaceae or Leguminosae, is one of the most economically and agriculturally important plant families in the world. It is the third largest family of flowering plants, and it is second only to the grass family, Poaceae, in importance to humans. From protein-rich food plants such as peanuts, soy beans, lentils, peas, and beans, to forage plants such as medics and clovers, to medicinal/herbal plants such as sennas and vetches, to ornamental plants such as redbuds and wisterias, to poisonous plants such as locoweeds and crazyweeds, to the many species that host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in their roots, the legume family impacts almost every aspect of human existence. And yet, there is no comprehensive reference to these plants for the United States in general or the State of Arizona in particular.

Problems associated with arid lands habitation and arid lands agriculture are increasing at an alarming rate, and solutions are needed now. Many species of Fabaceae are native to arid lands, making them ideal for the agricultural industry of the water-challenged southwestern United States. As the population of Arizona continues to increase and water issues become more and more critical, plants adapted to desert conditions will become increasingly important to the economy of Arizona. With a comprehensive reference available, it will be possible to make more informed decisions about which legume species have significant potential for arid lands use and production.

Legumes of Arizona – An Illustrated Flora and Reference will serve the needs of many groups including, but not limited to, farmers, horticulturists, landscapers, homeowners, botanists, herbalists, pharmacognosists, and a wide variety of plant researchers. As we search for new food crops, native plants for the horticulture industry, medicinally useful plants, plant oils and fibers, and even new technologies for fixing atmospheric nitrogen, this legume flora and reference will serve as an invaluable resource. It can, in fact, become a guide for informed selection of legume plants with the greatest potential for success in the desired endeavor, from agriculture to the search for new drugs.

Díaz, J.G., B. Barba, W. Herz, and M.W. Bierner. 1992. Sesquiterpene lactones and monoterpene glucopyranosides of Tetraneuris linearifolia var. arenicola. Phytochemistry 31: 3471-3477.

Bierner, M.W. 1993. Hymenoxys jamesii (Asteraceae: Heliantheae): a new species from Arizona. Madroño 40:38-46.

Bierner, M.W. 1994. Submersion of Dugaldia Cass. and Plummera A. Gray in Hymenoxys Cass. (Asteraceae: Heliantheae: Gaillardiinae). Sida 16:1-8.

Bierner, M.W. 1994. Pectolinarigenin from Dugaldia pinetorum (Standl.) Bierner. Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 22:109-110.

Ferracini, V.L., F. Gao, M.W. Bierner, and T.J. Mabry. 1994. Sesquiterpene lactones and one flavonoid from Hymenoxys scaposa (DC.) K. Parker var. linearis (Nutt.) K. Parker. Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 22:111-112.

Spring, O., B. Zitterell-Haid, M.W. Bierner, and T.J. Mabry. 1994. Chemistry of glandular trichomes in Hymenoxys and related genera. Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 22:171-195.

Ahmed, A.A., M.A. El-Ela, N.S. Hussein, T.J. Mabry, and M.W. Bierner. 1995. Sesquiterpene lactones from Hymenoxys rusbyi (Asteraceae). Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 23:333-334.

Kim, J.H., S.J. Lee, Q. Lin, M.W. Bierner, and T.J. Mabry. 1996. Sesquiterpene lactones from Hymenoxys brachyactis Wooton and Standley (Asteraceae). Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 24:795-798.

Bierner, M.W. and R.K. Jansen. 1998. Systematic implications of DNA restriction site variation in Hymenoxys and Tetraneuris (Asteraceae, Helenieae, Gaillardiinae). Lundellia 1:17-26.

Bierner, M.W. 2001. Taxonomy of Hymenoxys subgenus Picradenia and a conspectus of the subgenera of Hymenoxys (Asteraceae: Helenieae: Tetraneurinae). Lundellia 4:37-63.

Ahmed, A.A., Y.M. Ahmed, O. Spring, M.W. Bierner, and T.J. Mabry. 2002. Sesquiterpene lactones and flavonoides from Hymenoxys jamesii (Asteraceae) and their systematic significance. Biochem. Syst. and Ecol. 30:487-491.

Bierner, M.W. and B.L. Turner. 2003. Taxonomy of Tetraneuris (Asteraceae: Helenieae: Tetraneurinae). Lundellia 6:44-96.

Bierner, M.W. 2004. Taxonomy of Hymenoxys subgenus Macdougalia (Asteraceae: Helenieae: Tetraneurinae). Sida 21:657-663.

Bierner, M.W. 2005. Taxononomy of Hymenoxys subgenus Rydbergia (Asteraceae: Helenieae: Tetraneurinae). Lundellia 8:28-37.

Bierner, M.W. 2006. Amblyolepis, Helenium, and Hymenoxys (including Dugaldia, Macdougalia, Philiozera, Picradenia, Plummera, and Rydbergia). Flora of North America 21:420-421; 426-443. Oxford University Press, New York.