Life Sciences Commons^™

The Future Of The Big Sagebrush Ecosystem: Plant Community Response To Grazing, Wildfire, And Invasive Annual Grass In A Changing Climate, Margaret Eleanor England

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Climate change is increasingly affecting the plant communities across the world. In the Western United States, these changes are affecting plant communities and their risk of invasive species, as well as the frequency and severity of wildfire. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems of the Western United States are facing threats of increasingly frequent wildfire and invasion of the annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), which may be exacerbated by global climate change. Past studies have found cheatgrass to exhibit a positive feedback loop with wildfire, and climate change is expected to facilitate expansion of the cheatgrass …

Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Primates living in seasonal forests must adapt to extreme fluctuation in resource availability. Verreaux’s sifaka ( ) live in Madagascar’s highly seasonal tropical dry forests and experience periods of extreme resource abundance and scarcity. Home- range and core-area size were measured using 95% and 50% kernel estimation, and 95% minimum convex polygons to compare seasonal shifts in space use based on resource availability. There have been no long-term space use studies on Verreaux’s sifaka; therefore, we do not know how their space use changes over time in an environment which is both highly seasonal and highly variable. Our study leverages …

The Effects Of Fire On Oak-Forest Plant Communities Along Soil Moisture Gradients: A 25-Year Study, Rebekah Frances Shupe

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In the eastern U.S., fire is a natural disturbance process in Quercus (oak) forests. Fire is thought to promote oak regeneration and plant diversity by reducing competition, preparing a suitable seedbed, and increasing light availability. However, the era of fire suppression that began in the early 20^th century is thought to have negatively impacted oak regeneration and the biodiversity of the understory layer. In this study, we examined the effects of prescribed fire on tree regeneration and the understory layer over 25 years. From a study initiated in 1994, we resampled 45 permanent vegetation plots measuring 1250 m^{2 …}

“Fence-Line” Contrast Soundscape Study Of Forested Lands In Allegany State Park And Allegheny National Forest: Is There An Impact Of Oil And Gas Development On An Eastern Forest Soundscape?, Kasey Lynne Osborne

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

“Natural resources”—an inclusive term indiscriminate of splendor or conservation status – require proper management, be it for forest, oil, water, wildlife, or even soundscapes. The soundscape, or all sounds (biophony, anthrophony, geophony) characterizing an area, is both an ecological monitoring tool and a resource itself—a component of the landscape. As energy demands surge, the oil/gas region of the Appalachian Plateau adjusts to unconventional extraction concurrent with traditional drilling operations. Energy development leaves enduring spatial footprints on the landscape, such as fragmentation from well-pad matrices. Soundscape patterns may not be as readily observed as visual cues, but their analysis can reveal …

Effects Of Excess Nitrogen Deposition On Rubus Spp. (Raspberry) Within A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Jake H. Billmyer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This thesis contributes to on-going research at Marshall University on effects of excess nitrogen (N) deposition on hardwood forests. Excess N can decrease plant biodiversity and enhance loss of nutrients (e.g., Ca⁺⁺). Preliminary results have suggested that excess N has increased cover of Rubus (blackberry) in the herbaceous layer. The purpose of this study was to quantify the response of Rubus to the N treatment, relating Rubus cover to species richness and using foliar analysis to examine effects on nutrient availability. It is expected that increased Rubus will decrease biodiversity by eliminating N-efficient species, and that added N …

Assessing Grazing Impacts On A Tropical Dry Forest System In Madagascar Through Vegetation, Satellite Image, Lemur Occupancy, And Acoustic Analysis, Lyndsay Lee Rankin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The ability to assess the quality or ecological value of a landscape is a useful tool in effective conservation and natural resource management. Ecosystem biodiversity and functionality are reduced when human activities cause habitat alteration and/or fragmentation. Compromised habitats are unlikely to support naturally occurring communities or healthy ecosystem functions. Conservation scientists have historically concentrated their efforts on large, intact habitats with little human disturbance; the conservation value of small and/or disturbed areas has been comparatively overlooked. One limitation may be a lack of tools to identify disturbed areas with conservation value. Techniques that allow researchers to assess the habitat …

Evaluating The Current Status Of Chestnut-Present Forest Systems: Integrating Gigapan As A Tool For Site Assessment, Charles Taylor Brewer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The field of environmental science can directly benefit from a society driven by advances in technology. The loss of the American chestnut (Castanea denata) has had a significant negative environmental and economic impact throughout the Appalachian region. However, using an integrated approach utilizing recent advances in science and technology, we may be able to promote the re-introduction of a very similar species within this region. Using GigaPan as a tool for site assessment and data storage, and previous methods of biological field surveying within the critical detritus layer of the forest floor, we will assess the status of forest ecosystems …

The Detection Of Forest Structures In The Monongahela National Forest Using Lidar, Dominique Norman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The mapping of structural elements of a forest is important for forestry management to provide a baseline for old and new-growth trees while providing height strata for a stand. These activities are important for the overall monitoring process which aids in the understanding of anthropogenic and natural disturbances. Height information recorded for each discrete point is key for the creation of canopy height, canopy surface, and canopy cover models. The aim of this study is to assess if LiDAR can be used to determine forest structures. Small footprint, leaf-off LiDAR data were obtained for the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia. …

Revisiting The Ecological Status Of The Cheat Mountain Salamander (Plethodon Nettingi) After 32 Years, Whitney A. Kroschel

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Cheat Mountain Salamander (Plethodon nettingi) is endemic to the high elevations of the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia and is listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a threatened species. In 1978-79 and in 2011 the vertical distribution of P. nettingi was measured at four sites to determine their range of occupancy in relation to elevation. During both time periods, a transect was established at each site that ran from high to low elevation. Along each transect, quadrats were placed at regular, 12.2 m elevation intervals. Quadrats were searched twice for presence/absence (i.e., occupancy) and abundance of …

Suitability Of Low Cost Commercial Off-The-Shelf Aerial Platforms And Consumer Grade Digital Cameras For Small Format Aerial Photography, Anthony Allen Turley

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many research projects require the use of aerial images. Wetlands evaluation, crop monitoring, wildfire management, environmental change detection, and forest inventory are but a few of the applications of aerial imagery. Low altitude Small Format Aerial Photography (SFAP) is a bridge between satellite and man-carrying aircraft image acquisition and ground-based photography. The author’s project evaluates digital images acquired using low cost commercial digital cameras and standard model airplanes to determine their suitability for remote sensing applications. Images from two different sites were obtained. Several photo missions were flown over each site, acquiring images in the visible and near infrared electromagnetic …

Effect Of Snake Populations On Salamanders As A Result Of Forest Fragmentation, Casey Renee Bradshaw

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Forest fragmentation is one of the main causes for the loss of native biodiversity. One consequence is increased proportion of edge habitat that introduces new “edge” species, and makes habitat for interior forest-living species less-suitable. This study was conducted at three sites in Tucker County, West Virginia and included one downhill ski slope, one cross country ski slope, and one gravel road. The main objectives of this study were to determine relative abundance of snake communities, how far species move from edge habitat into the forest and to determine whether snakes are a predatory threat to salamanders, specifically the federally …

Satellite Image Processing For Biodiversity Conservation And Environmental Modeling In Kyrgyz Republic National Park, Galina N. Fet

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There is a need for extensive surveys of living organisms at a global scale; digital data exchange and storage is an essential part of such studies. Biodiversity inventory of fungi, which play an essential role in the health of the mountainous conifer forests of a developing country – Kyrgyz Republic, was linked to the vegetation classification produced from the high-resolution satellite imagery. Terra ASTER and SRTM90 imagery was used as a base map for the ecosystem modeling of the species and habitat distribution and for the three-dimensional representation, especially valuable for the mountainous landscapes of the Ala Archa National Park. …

Effects Of Excessive Nitrogen Deposition On Foliar Nutrient Dynamics, Nutrient Concentrations, And Nutrient Ratios In A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest, Sarah Beth Burdette

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Many forested systems of the eastern US are becoming significantly nitrogen (N) saturated due to chronic N deposition from the atmosphere. Nitrogen saturation has the potential to alter important internal plant processes, such as nutrient cycling. While extensive research has been conducted on the responses of soil to N saturation, considerably less research has focused on the response of plant nutrient dynamics, nutrient concentrations, and nutrient ratios to excess N. Research was conducted on two watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia: WS3 (fertilized with ammonium sulfate annually since 1989) and WS7 (untreated control). Presenescent and senesced leaves …

A Gis Approach For The Abandoned Mine Inventory With Haul Roads Of The Monongahela National Forest To Provide A Comparative Analysis Of Usfs/Usace Collection Procedures And Image Basemap Selection For Cartographic Representation, John R. Ferguson Ii

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Monongahela National Forest spans 10 counties in eastern central West Virginia. It has been an area of high mining and timbering activities throughout much of the early to mid twentieth century. As a result, the United States Forest Service (USFS) has focused reclamation and remediation efforts on the abandoned mine land areas. Much of the area has been subjected to mining after effects such as acid mine drainage, structural remains, gob/spoil piles, garbage piles, mine portals, and highwalls. In 1998 the USFS contracted with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to locate these mining remains and provide a …

Vertical, Longitudinal And Seasonal Variation In The Benthic Fauna At The Fernow Experimential Forest, Parsons, West Virginia, Robert William Hood

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Multi-level basket samplers were placed within the shallow hyporheic zone (0 - 30 cm) of first through fourth-order streams in the Elklick Run drainage at the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia. Samplers were colonized by macroinvertebrates over three month intervals and collected during three different seasons. Seasonal, longitudinal, and vertical variation in the macroinvertebrate assemblage were examined to better understand the structure and function of the interstitial macroinvertebrate assemblage and important underlying factors. Surber samples were collected for comparison between surface and hyporheic macroinvertebrate assemblages. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, water chemistry, and interstitial water movement were measured at sampler locations. …

Four-Year And Seasonal Patterns Of Herbaceous Layer Development In Hardwood Stands Of The Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, Wv, Anne Wallace Hockenberry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study described patterns of herbaceous layer characteristics in watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest (FEF) in Parsons, WV. The purpose of this study was to examine four-year and seasonal patterns of change in herb layer species composition, cover, and richness within three stands of mixed hardwood forest. Sampling was conducted within seven circular plots (0.04 ha) in each of three watersheds of the FEF: WS3 (24-yr-old stand, previously clear-cut, receiving experimental nitrogen additions), WS7 (24-yr-old stand, previously clear-cut and treated with herbicide), and WS4 (>85-yr-old stand, untreated, control). All vascular plants~ lm in height were identified to species …

Vascular Flora Of Three Watersheds In The Fernow Experimental Forest And Factors Influencing Species Composition Of The Herbaceous Layer, Staci Dudash Smith Aulick

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Herbaceous layer communities respond to a number of environmental variables in forests: thus, study of the herb layer is essential for a more complete understanding of the forest ecosystem. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the flora of the watersheds. (2) describe the species richness and diversity of watersheds 3, 4 , and 7 of the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia, and (3) examine stand and soil variables and their influence on the herbaceous communities or the forest. Watersheds were selected on the basis of stand age/history (WS3 "20yr, clearcut; WS7 "20 yr. clearcut and herbicide: …

The Effects Of Wildfire On The Herbaceous Layer Of A Southwestern West Virginia Mixed Hardwood Forest, Michael K. Nowlin

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The effects of fire on the mixed hardwood forests in West Virginia have long been of interest both biologically and economically. This study examined the effects of a Fall, 1991 wildfire in Wayne County, West Virginia on soil fertility and herbaceous layer response.

Fire intensity was determined by comparison of 1) remaining organic material, 2) understory survival and 3) height of charcoal on the stems of trees following the fire. Study plots were established in areas representing fires of high, moderate and low intensities with a control established in an adjacent unburned area of similar aspect and elevation.

Composite soil …

Factors Influencing Herbaceous Layer Vegetation Of A Central Appalachian Hardwood Forest Ecosystem, Nicole Leigh Turrill

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The herb layer (vascular plants ≤1 m in height) of montane forests responds to a variety of environmental gradient conditions. This study compared herb layer characteristics, soil fertility, and plant-soil nutrient interactions of two young (~20 yr) and two mature (~>70 yr) watersheds of the Fernow Experimental Forest, Parsons, West Virginia. Fifteen 0.04-ha circular plots were established in each of four watersheds [WS4 control, >80 yr; WS13 select cut, >65 yr; WS3 clearcut, ~20 yr; WS7 clearcut/herbicide, ~20 yr] to sample the extremes of watershed elevation and aspect. Cover (%) was measured for all vascular species (≤1 m in …

An Ecological Study Of The Cumberland Plateau Salamander, Plethodon Kentucki Mittleman, In West Virginia, Jeffrey E. Bailey

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A study was conducted to determine various aspects of the ecology of Plethodon kentucki in West Virginia. Results of studies on range and distribution revealed that P. kentucki is limited to southwestern counties in West Virginia. A population of P. kentucki at Beech Fork State Park was extremely seasonal with regard to activity. Seasonal activity was not significantly correlated with air temperature, soil temperature, air relative humidity, or soil pH. Seasonal activity was significantly correlated with soil moisture. Critical Thermal Maxima and dehydration values were not significantly different between f· kentucki and its congener, P. glutinosus, thus each is equally …

A Post-Impoundment Investigation Of The Beech Fork Drainage Basin, Twelvepole Creek, Wayne And Cabell Counties, West Virginia, Donald Borda

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Fish populations were collected at six stations by means of electrofishing to determine the composition after impoundment. A total of 748 fishes weighing about 9 pounds (4 kg) were collected. Seven families representing 31 species were collected and categorized as game, forage and rough fishes. Game fishes made up 9.1 percent of the total number and 22.3 percent of the total weight; forage fishes 83.0 percent by number and 29.7 percent by weight. The average standing crop was 15 pounds per acre.

Benthic invertebrates were collected at six stations by means of a bottom dredge. A total of 1535 specimens …

The Potential Of A Pulp And Paper Industry In The State Of West Virginia, James W. Clay

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

West Virginia is traditionally a wood-producing state. Approximately 64 per cent of its land area is classified as commercial forest, and it has ranked as one of the nation’s top four producers of hardwood lumber for the past century.

A long-term failure of the state has been its inability to attract secondary wood industries into the area. The major portion of lumber produced in the state has been sent to outside concerns for further manufacturing and processing. In the past decade only about 18 per cent of the lumber produced in West Virginia was used for manufacture within the state. …