Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effects Of Prescribed Fire On The Herbaceous Layer In The Southern Appalachian Mountains., Michael Lee Zimmerman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prescribed fire in the southern Appalachians is a frequently used and controversial forest management practice. Research is limited on the effects of prescribed fire in the mesic southern Appalachians, where many of Tennessee's rare and regionally endemic plant species occur. This study examined the effects of prescribed fire on the herbaceous layer. Field work was conducted on six previously burned sites within the Cherokee National Forest in northeast Tennessee. Complimentary non-burned sites were selected based on similarity of physical characteristics and forest structure. The numbers of herbaceous species and individuals and the total numbers of species and individuals were determined …

Oxalate Production And Cation Translocation During Wood Biodegredation By Fungi, Jonathan S. Schilling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wood biodegradation is primarily caused by Basidiomycetous white or brown rot fungi. White rot fungi are unique in degrading lignin, while brown rot fungi circumvent lignin to degrade holocellulose via iron-dependent oxidative chemistry. Both groups of fungi produce oxalate during wood metabolism, and oxalic acid secretion may promote wood decay by reducing pH, mobilizing iron, detoxifying copper, and immobilizing calcium. The function of oxalate during wood decay remains unclear, however, primarily due to difficulties in extracting bound oxalate and to inconsistencies among analytical techniques. This work aims to improve oxalate quantification during wood biodegradation and to better characterize fungal oxalate …

Ecological Relationships Among Partial Harvesting, Vegetation, Snowshoe Hares, And Canada Lynx In Maine, Laura Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the ecological factors affecting habitat use by the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and its primary prey, the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), could help formulate conservation strategies for this carnivore, which is federally listed as threatened and occurs in only four regions of the U.S.A. I measured vegetation characteristics and snowshoe hare densities in 15 regenerating conifer clearcuts and 21 partially harvested stands in northern Maine during the leaf-off seasons, 2005 and 2006; and the leaf-on season, 2005. Regenerating clearcut stands had been harvested between 1974 and 1985 and were subsequently treated with an aerial application …

Dynamics Of Forest Structure Under Different Silvicultural Regimes In The Acadian Forest, Michael R. Saunders

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research plots in many long-term studies of forest ecosystems often cannot be used for spatial modeling because of their small scale and nested inventory design. This has been unfortunate as these plots represent some of the best records of structural development as affected by forest management. I developed methodologies to reconstruct both tree height growth and spatial pattern in these types of plots from historical inventory records and stem-mapped data, and then retrospectively investigated 3-dimensional structural development as affected by five silvicultural and harvesting treatments (unmanaged natural area, commercial clearcut, fixed-diameter limit, 5-year selection, and 3-stage shelterwood— with and without …

State Of Maine Forester Licensure Program And Policy Review, Stephen F. Holt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the continued importance of the forest resources to the State of Maine that led to the initial forester registration law in 1975, forester regulation has been the subject of only one program audit and policy review. That occurred 20 years ago, in 1986.

It is important to understand the need for a periodic forester regulatory program review even if there are no currently apparent or expected public interest or resource protection related issues.

There have been many significant changes since the last forester regulatory program and policy review that have impacted forest policy, management, and the related forestry based …

Relationship Between Balsam Woolly Adelgid Damage, Radial Growth, Climate And Stand Characteristics In Eastern Maine, Allison M. Kanoti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) (Adelges piceae) is an insect pest of fir (Abies spp.) that was introduced to Maine in the early 1900’s. Within 50 years, it was found across the southern half of the state. BWA continued to kill balsam fir (Abies balsamea) in coastal sections of Maine but damage inland has been sporadic and scattered. Within the last decade increases in BWA damage severity and related fir mortality were reported in interior eastern Maine. This study investigated if the onset of BWA-related growth decline was a recent event; if climate trends coincided with growth reduction in BWA infested …

Forest Disturbance History And Stand Dynamics Of The Coweeta Basin, Western North Carolina, Sarah Marie Butler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the patterns of past disturbance allows further insight into the composition, structure, and function of today’s forests. Disturbance history may also influence how forests will react to future stresses and disturbances. The disturbance histories of the mixed-oak forests at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory (a 2,185 ha long-term research site with some history of harvesting) and the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness (a 6,805 ha old-growth forest with no known harvesting) located in southwestern North Carolina were studied using dendroecology. Dendroecology uses increment cores to determine tree ages and patterns of radial growth. In addition to evaluating the history of these two …

The Effect Of Mandatory Continuing Education On Practice Quality And Competency Of Professional Land Surveyors, Anthony Richard Vannozzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) has always been a "hot button" topic in the professions and land surveying is no exception. Though most other professions (i.e. medicine, education, accountancy, dentistry, nursing, etc.) have included scientifically based research as part of their debate on whether to make continuing education mandatory, no empirical studies in land surveying were found. Though the land surveying literature is replete with anecdotal discussions on the topic, (commentaries, editorials, policy statements, magazine articles, etc.), and tremendous energy is being expended within the land surveying profession in debating and making decisions regarding the MCE issue, the lack of hard …

A Physiological Examination Of The Age-Related Decline In Photosynthesis In Picea Rubens, Stephanie L. Adams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous conifer species undergo predictable age-related changes in productivity, photosynthesis and foliar morphology and anatomy. While these phenomena have been demonstrated for many species, the physiological mechanisms controlling them are not well understood. In order to better understand this issue, we examined four possible controls of the age-related decline in photosynthesis in red spruce: stomatal limitation, a decline in investment into photosynthetic capacity, nutrient limitations and a demand-side decline in sink: source relations. We investigated these age-related trends in physiology for juvenile, mid-age and old (mean age ~13, ~54 and ~128 years old) red spruce trees in a multi-cohort stand …

Regeneration Strategies Of Japanese Barberry (Berberis Thunbergii Dc.) In Coastal Forests Of Maine, Jennifer D'Appollonio

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii DC.) has become invasive in forests of the northeast since its U.S. introduction as an ornamental shrub in 1875. This non-native invasive species can occupy a wide range of environmental conditions, has a longer growing season than most native species, multiple methods of reproduction, and forms thickets under which few other plants can persist. Effective control strategies and management of invaded forest stands would be improved by knowledge of how Japanese barberry regenerates in the forest, whether it forms a seed bank, and to what extent it impacts other plant species. This study focused on the …

Wind Damage In Maine Forests: Trends And Vulnerability Assessment, Thomas Perry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The likelihood of windthrow or windsnap occurring in a forest stand includes numerous factors; however, past research suggests that these factors can be grouped into four broad categories: regional climate, topographic exposure, soil properties and stand characteristics (Mitchell, 1995). Of the three categories, stand characteristics are most commonly and easily modified through forest management. Vulnerability to wind damage in Maine may increase in the future because of three trends influencing stand conditions. One, Maine forests contain a considerable amount of balsam fir and red spruce, tree species that are considered particularly susceptible to wind damage. Two, extensive areas regenerated after …