Life Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Resin And Wax Ratio On Osb Properties, Trairat Neimsuwan

Masters Theses

Oriented Strandboard (OSB) was made for construction purpose. Mat structure especially resin and wax ratio had an influence on major panel properties such as bending strength properties, stiffness properties, internal bonding, water absorption, thickness swell and so on. Thickness swell was an important property of OSB for using in construction and outdoor facilities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of resin and wax ratio on OSB properties and rapidly predict OSB properties using near infrared spectroscopy. The laboratory OSB panels were fabricated as a multiple layer (three layers) mat structure including, orientation, resin types (phenol formaldehyde …

Assessing Capacity For Collaborative Land Management In A Western Tennessee Community, Leslie Ann Horner

Masters Theses

Human and natural alterations resulting in sedimentation, flooding, and hardwood tree mortality in western Tennessee’s Hatchie River watershed represent a landscape-level natural resource problem. Flooding and tree mortality have significant negative economic impacts on the residents of the watershed’s communities. Efforts to address these ecological problems will need to be conducted at a landscape level, across various boundaries, involving multiple private landowners. In order to succeed in a cross-boundary restoration approach, the needs of the people and the ecosystem must be addressed. Collaboration in natural resource management has emerged as one tool for discovering and maintaining a balance between community …

Prescribed Burning In Tennessee: Importance And Barriers, Goals, And Information Needs Of Private, State, And Federal Managers, Brian T. Hemel

Masters Theses

Early in the 20^th century, intense and severe wildfires were frequent due to abundant fuels generated by logging and the presence of anthropogenic ignition sources in close proximity to these fuels. As timber was depleted, this period of lumbering ceased and the realization that vast tracts of cutover land had to be reforested and protected led to the inception of fire suppression organizations and techniques. The fire exclusion that occurred over much of the 20^th century due to organized fire suppression efforts has led to two sets of problems: the buildup of fuels and the decline of fire-adapted …

A Survey Of Visitors To Mt. Leconte In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Amy Lynn Mathis

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the behaviors, attitudes, perceptions and preferences of visitors to Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mt. LeConte (elevation 6,593 ft.) is a popular tourist destination year-round. In addition to the trails that access the summit, there is a backcountry shelter and a rustic lodge, built in 1926, for overnight guests. The upcoming expiration of the Concession Contract for Mt. LeConte Lodge makes it necessary to conduct an Environmental Assessment. This project serves the dual objectives of providing data needed for the Environmental Assessment (EA) and meeting the General Management Plan requirement to monitor …

Establishment Of Upland And Bottomland Hardwood Agroforestry Plantations In Tennessee And Mississippi, David Michael Casey

Masters Theses

The feasibility of alley cropping as a means of afforestation was studied across seven different study sites in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi. Seeds were collected from 11 oak (Quercus spp) species and black walnut (Jug/ans nigra L.) trees in the region and grown under nursery protocols that are designed to produce seedlings of optimal size in one year. Seedlings were lifted by genetic family after one year and initial seedling measurements were recorded. Four bottomland studies and three upland studies were then sorted into an incomplete block design with multiple species and families within each block. …

Assessment Of Bat Mortality And Activity At Buffalo Mountain Windfarm, Eastern Tennessee, Jenny K. Fiedler

Masters Theses

Wind power has grown rapidly as an alternative energy source over the last decade. Although overall environmental impacts are relatively low, impacts to bats have yet to be fully assessed. Recent studies at other windfarms suggest regional variation in mortality rates and species affected. This study took place at Tennessee Valley Authority’s Buffalo Mountain Windfarm (BMW) in eastern Tennessee, currently the only commercial windfarm in the southeastern United States. Study objectives were to establish patterns of bat mortality and activity at BMW, and determine if and how they were related.

Mortality monitoring consisted of regular carcass searches conducted since BMW …

Maximizing Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra) Seedling Growth To Sustain Oak-Dominated Ecosystems In East Tennessee, Brian Andrwe Barwatt

Masters Theses

The success of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) in the oak-hickory forest type and its growth and development into the overstory is of great concern due to the value of this species as a source of forest products and mast for wildlife. There is a general consensus that rapid oak seedling height growth occurs above certain threshold levels of light, soil moisture, and nutrients. If these specific levels and the relative importance of competition between northern red oak (NRO) seedlings and other individual plant species can be determined, then the implementation of more precise management practices that promote …

Crop Tree Management In West Tennessee: A Traditional Financial Analysis, Scott Lorenz Twillmann

Masters Theses

Crop tree management was designed to fulfill a combination of goals such as wildlife, aesthetics, and timber management. This silviculture method was designed for small woodlots with high value species and can be easily understood by non-industrial private landowners. It focuses on selecting and releasing trees that will yield multiple benefits to the landowner.

The purpose of this study was to determine if crop tree management on an upland oak site in west Tennessee was a financially attractive option for individual landowners. The primary objective of this study was to determine the profitability of crop tree management by examining different …

Strengthening Of Corrugated Boards By Chemical Impregnation, Rajesh Premnarayansingh

Masters Theses

Linerboards are used for making corrugated boards. The paperboards can be strengthened by adding strength additives at the wet-end of the paper machine and also by sizing them. Impregnation is another effective approach of strengthening the paperboards, mostly offline. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the performance of the modified Dixon coater and check the operating conditions with various chemicals used for impregnating 42 lb/1000 sq.ft grammage linerboard.

The major conclusions of the research were that the edge compression strength increases markedly validating the usage of impregnation for linerboards. Also, the stiffness of linerboard increases and the voids …