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- Acid deposition (1)
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Articles 1 - 13 of 13
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Long-Term Effects Of Wildfire Severity On Oak-Pine Communities And Their Microclimates, Scott Glenn Culbert
The Long-Term Effects Of Wildfire Severity On Oak-Pine Communities And Their Microclimates, Scott Glenn Culbert
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
In the eastern U.S., fire-dependent tree species have historically dominated upland forest communities, but are now experiencing widespread regeneration challenges as a result of 20th century fire suppression policies, and are being replaced by mesophytic species. Wildfires that contain areas of high burn severity may provide an important means of mitigating these challenges and facilitating fire-dependent species regeneration and recruitment into larger size classes. One mechanism by which high-severity fire can accomplish this is by modifying understory microclimate characteristics to be more conducive to these species’ growth. A wildfire within the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, USA, provided the …
Assessing The Climate Water Balance Model’S Ability To Predict Soil Moisture Variability And Species Distribution Of A Forested Watershed In The Northern Cumberland Plateau, Katherine J. Love
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Spatial patterns of moisture and tree species have been studied using environmental gradients, often represented by terrain attributes in GIS. With climate change, GIS terrain variables, which are static as long as the elevation remains unchanged, will not reflect alterations in temperature, water cycle, and atmospheric conditions. In this thesis, the commonly used terrain variables and climate water balance variables were evaluated and compared for their ability to explain soil moisture and tree species distributions in a forested watershed in the Northern Cumberland Plateau. The results suggest that GIS terrain variables generally perform better than climate water balance variables, however, …
Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Invasive Exotic Plant Species In Response To Timber Harvesting In A Mixed Mesophytic Forest Of Eastern Kentucky, Benjamin Christopher Rasp
Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Invasive Exotic Plant Species In Response To Timber Harvesting In A Mixed Mesophytic Forest Of Eastern Kentucky, Benjamin Christopher Rasp
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Invasive exotic species (IES) responses to silvicultural treatments eight years after timber harvesting were examined and compared to one-year post-harvest IES survey in University of Kentucky’s Robinson Forest. The temporal effects of harvesting were further compared between harvested and non-harvested watersheds. Analyses were performed to identify IES spatial distribution and determine the relationships between IES presence and disturbance effects, biological, and environmental characteristics. IES prevalence was higher in the harvested watersheds and was influenced by canopy cover, shrub cover and disturbance proximity. Ailanthus altissima and Microstegium vimineum presence in the study area has decreased over time. Comparing to the 1-yr …
A Gis Model For Apiary Site Selection Based On Proximity To Nectar Sources Utilized In Varietal Honey Production On Former Mine Sites In Appalachia, Douglass W. Potter
A Gis Model For Apiary Site Selection Based On Proximity To Nectar Sources Utilized In Varietal Honey Production On Former Mine Sites In Appalachia, Douglass W. Potter
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Beekeepers in Appalachia market varietal honeys derived from particular species of deciduous trees; however, finding places in a mountainous landscape to locate new beeyards is difficult. Site selection is hindered by the high up-front costs of negotiating access to remote areas with limited knowledge of the available forage. Remotely sensed data and species distribution modeling (SDM) of trees important to beekeepers could aid in locating apiary sites at the landscape scale. The objectives of this study are i) using publicly available forest inventory data, to model the spatial distribution of three native tree species that are important to honey producers …
Diet Composition Explains Reductions In Stream Salamander Occupancy And Abundance Along A Conductivity Gradient, Jacob Matthew Hutton
Diet Composition Explains Reductions In Stream Salamander Occupancy And Abundance Along A Conductivity Gradient, Jacob Matthew Hutton
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Changes in land use such as mountaintop removal mining with valley fills (MTR/VF) affect chemical, physical, and hydrological properties of headwater streams. Although numerous stream taxa have experienced significant declines from MTR/VF, stream salamanders appear to be particularly sensitive. Yet, the specific mechanism(s) responsible for the population declines has eluded researchers. We sampled salamander assemblages across a continuous specific conductivity (SC) gradient in southeastern Kentucky and estimated occupancy rates and abundance estimates along this gradient. We also examined the diet of larval and adult salamanders to determine if autochthony (A/T prey), total prey volume, and body condition is influenced by …
Efficacy Of Herbivore Exclusion On Planted Tree Seedling Vitality On A Reclaimed Surface Mine In Eastern Kentucky, Zachary J. Hackworth
Efficacy Of Herbivore Exclusion On Planted Tree Seedling Vitality On A Reclaimed Surface Mine In Eastern Kentucky, Zachary J. Hackworth
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Conventional Appalachian surface-mine reclamation techniques repress natural forest regeneration, and tree plantings are often necessary for reforestation. Reclaimed Appalachian surface mines harbor a suite of mammal herbivores that forage on recently planted seedlings. Anecdotal reports across Appalachia have implicated herbivory in the hindrance and failure of reforestation efforts, yet empirical evaluation of herbivory impacts on planted seedling vitality in this region remains relatively uninitiated. First growing-season survival, height growth, and mammal herbivory damage of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.), and white oak (Quercus alba L.) are presented in response to varying intensities …
Roosting Behavior, Habitat Use, And Relative Abundance Of The Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis Septentrionalis) Following Arrival Of White-Nose Syndrome To Mammoth Cave National Park, Marissa M. Thalken
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
White-Nose Syndrome (WNS; Pseudogymnoascus destructans) is responsible for the regional population collapse of many cave-hibernating bat species, including the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis), in eastern United States and Canada. I evaluated roosting behavior, habitat selection, and landscape-scale distribution of roosts of the northern long-eared bat during spring emergence and the early maternity season in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, USA, from 2015 to 2016. Logistic regression analysis comparing habitat features of roosts with random plots indicated selection of roosts reflected the costs of energetic demands by sex and reproductive status. Relative abundance of local bat species …
Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of A Southeastern Kentucky Deer Population, Caleb Anderson Haymes
Survival And Cause-Specific Mortality Of A Southeastern Kentucky Deer Population, Caleb Anderson Haymes
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
White-tailed deer are one of the most sought after game species in Kentucky. While much of the Commonwealth boasts high deer populations, those in southeast Kentucky are viewed as relatively low compared to other regions, even after a decade of restrictive doe harvest and multiple years of population supplementation via translocation. We studied survival and cause specific mortality of a local population of deer near the Redbird District of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Clay and Leslie County, Kentucky from January 2014 - January 2017. We estimated female annual survival at 0.89 (CI: 0.88-0.87), with an overall 3-year survival …
Effects Of Mountaintop Removal Mining On Population Dynamics Of Stream Salamanders, Sara B. Freytag
Effects Of Mountaintop Removal Mining On Population Dynamics Of Stream Salamanders, Sara B. Freytag
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Mountaintop removal mining (MTR) is a notorious stressor of stream ecosystems in the Central Appalachians. Valley fills (VF) lead to reduced occupancy, abundance, and species richness of stream salamanders. Multiple factors may be responsible for these reductions, but specifically habitat fragmentation and degradation may reduce colonization rates and increase local extinction rates. From 2013-2015, repeated counts of salamanders were conducted in stream reaches impacted by MTR/VF and compared to counts in reference reaches to answer the question: do stream salamander population dynamics differ between stream reaches impacted by MTR/VF and reference stream reaches? I also investigated dynamics of stream habitat …
Efficacy Of Dormant Season Herbicide Application On Control Of Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica) For Habitat Restoration In Kentucky, Jason L. Weese
Efficacy Of Dormant Season Herbicide Application On Control Of Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera Japonica) For Habitat Restoration In Kentucky, Jason L. Weese
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Kentucky’s disappearing native grassland communities provide habitat for native flora and fauna. A study was conducted to compare the efficacy of herbicides in control of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) applied at times when most native species are dormant. Six herbicide mixtures (glyphosate, glyphosate + imazapyr, glyphosate + imazapic, imazapyr, triclopyr + difluphenzopyr, and metsulfuron + difluphenzopyr) were applied in three seasons to assess the effect of application timing of each mixture on honeysuckle control. Herbicides were applied with a CO2 pressurized sprayer at three sites in a randomized complete block design. Pretreatment sampling indicated that …
Influence Of Spoil Type On Afforestation Success And Hydrochemical Function On A Surface Coal Mine In Eastern Kentucky, Kenton L. Sena
Influence Of Spoil Type On Afforestation Success And Hydrochemical Function On A Surface Coal Mine In Eastern Kentucky, Kenton L. Sena
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Surface coal mining in Appalachia has contributed to a suite of ecological impacts, both terrestrial and aquatic. Conventional reclamation in Appalachia leads to the development of hay/pasture systems dominated by nonnative grasses and legumes, with soils that are chemically and physically unfavorable to native tree growth. Several studies have shown that more weathered minespoils provide a better growth medium than unweathered spoils in Appalachia. Spoil segregation plots were constructed on Bent Mountain in Pike County, KY, to compare the suitability of three mine spoil types (BROWN weathered sandstone, GRAY unweathered sandstone, and MIXED sandstones and shales). In 2013 (after nine …
Monitoring The Influence Of Acid Deposition On Soil And Implications To Forest Health In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Tyler M. Sanderson
Monitoring The Influence Of Acid Deposition On Soil And Implications To Forest Health In The Daniel Boone National Forest, Tyler M. Sanderson
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Combustion of fossil fuels has contributed to many environmental problems including acid deposition. The Clean Air Act (CAA) was created to reduce ecological problems by cutting emissions of sulfur and nitrogen. Reduced emissions and rainfall concentrations of acidic ions have been observed since the enactment of the CAA, but soils continue to receive some acid inputs. Soils sensitive to acid deposition have been found to have low pH, a loss of base cations and a shift in the mineral phase controlling the activity of Al3+ and/or SO42-. If inputs continue, soil may be depleted of base …
Effects Of Streamside Management Zone Timber Harvest On Salamander Communities In Robinson Forest, Thomas Maigret
Effects Of Streamside Management Zone Timber Harvest On Salamander Communities In Robinson Forest, Thomas Maigret
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
Salamanders are critical components of forest ecosystems, in terms of total biomass, as well as for their value as indicators of ecosystem stress. Considering the worldwide decline in amphibian populations, the known effects of timber harvest on salamander populations, and the importance of the forest products industry in Kentucky and elsewhere, the impacts of silvicultural operations on salamander communities cannot be overlooked. The objective was to investigate the effects of three different silvicultural treatments, each involving different streamside management zone (SMZ) characteristics, on salamander communities in ephemeral streams. Data were collected by regular checks of pitfall traps, coverboards, and transect …