Life Sciences Commons^™

Reu Site: Explore It! Building The Next Generation Of Sustainable Forest Bioproduct Researchers, David J. Neivandt, Darrell W. Donahue

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

This three-year REU Site program builds on the substantial research strengths at the University of Maine. The focus on sustainable forest bioproducts is highly topical and of great global importance in the area of sustainable energy alternatives.

Ten US undergraduate participants will conduct research advancing their knowledge of the field in general and one of the thematic elements in detail, specifically:

1) sustainability and life cycle analysis,
2) feedstock extraction/modification,
3) process control and sensing,
4) nanomaterial production and utilization, and
5) new product development. In addition the program includes an international component whereby, six Chilean students on a mutual …

Most Soil Trophic Guilds Increase Plant Growth: A Meta-Analytical Review, Andrew Kulmatiski, Andrew Anderson-Smith, Karen H. Beard, Stephen Doucette-Riise, Michael Mazzacavallo, Nicole E. Nolan, Ricardo A. Ramirez, John R. Stevens

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

Trophic cascades are important drivers of plant and animal abundances in aquatic and aboveground systems, but in soils trophic cascades have been thought to be of limited importance due to omnivory and other factors. Here we use a meta-analysis of 215 studies with 1526 experiments that measured plant growth responses to additions or removals of soil organisms to test how different soil trophic levels affect plant growth. Consistent with the trophic cascade hypothesis, we found that herbivores and plant pathogens (henceforth pests) decreased plant growth and that predators of pests increased plant growth. The magnitude of this trophic cascade was …

Stand Density And Age Affect Tree-Level Structural And Functional Characteristics Of Young, Postfire Lodgepole Pine In Yellowstone National Park, Paige E. Copenhaver-Parry, Daniel B. Tinker

Faculty Publications - Department of Biological & Molecular Science

More frequent fire activity associated with climate warming is expected to increase the extent of young forest stands in fire-prone landscapes, yet growth rates and biomass allocation patterns in young forests that regenerated naturally following stand-replacing fire have not been well studied. We assessed the structural and functional characteristics of young, postfire lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) trees across the Yellowstone subalpine plateaus to understand the influence of postfire stand density and age on tree-level aboveground biomass (AB), component biomass (bole, branch, foliage), partitioning to components, tree-level aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) and leaf area (LA). Sixty …

Woody Biomass Conversion To Jp 8 Fuels: Monthly Funds And Expenditure Report, Hemant P. Pendse

University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports

Two faculty and two staff members are active on this project. GL entries corrections for corrected Capital equipment expenses (re. May report) and corrected indirect cost charges are put in. Correct Total Capital Equipment charges are $82,950 and correct total indirect cost charges are $335,093.47.

Application Of An Imputation Method For Geospatial Inventory Of Forest Structural Attributes Across Multiple Spatial Scales In The Lake States, U.S.A., Ram K. Deo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Credible spatial information characterizing the structure and site quality of forests is critical to sustainable forest management and planning, especially given the increasing demands and threats to forest products and services. Forest managers and planners are required to evaluate forest conditions over a broad range of scales, contingent on operational or reporting requirements. Traditionally, forest inventory estimates are generated via a design-based approach that involves generalizing sample plot measurements to characterize an unknown population across a larger area of interest. However, field plot measurements are costly and as a consequence spatial coverage is limited. Remote sensing technologies have shown remarkable …

Association Of Digital Photo Parameters And Ndvi With Winter Wheat Grain Yield In Variable Environments, Alexey Morgounov, Nurberdi Gummadov, Savaş Belen, Yüksel Kaya, Mesut Keser, Jamala Mursalova

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is gaining popularity as a complementary selection tool, even though it requires an instrument not readily available in the developing world. We evaluated several parameters (originating from the analysis of digital photos using BreedPix software) as potential selection criteria in 23 winter wheat yield trials grown over 4 years at 2 sites. NDVI and digital photos were taken at key development stages from stem elongation to maturity. The correlations between digital photo parameters a and u and grain yield, as well as correlations between NDVI and grain yield within individual trials, varied depending on …

Siberian Elm Responses To Different Culture Conditions Under Short Rotation Forestry In Mediterranean Areas, Ignacio Pérez, Javier Pérez, Juan Carrasco, Pilar Ciria

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This work explores the possibilities of biomass production, for energy purposes, of Siberian elm in Mediterranean areas, including marginal lands with poor soil and low water availability. To achieve this, the influence of soil type, planting density, and water availability on biomass production were analyzed after the first 3 years of the growing cycle in 2 different locations. Moreover, a method to estimate biomass production as a function of some morphological parameters of the trees, as well as the use of leaf water potential as a good indicator of trees' water status, are discussed. The analysis of parameters having an …

Growth, Biomass, Carbon Stocks, And Sequestration In An Age Series Of Populus Deltoides Plantations In Tarai Region Of Central Himalaya, Gurveen Arora, Sumit Chaturvedi, Rajesh Kaushal, Ajeet Nain, Salil Tewari, Nurnabi Meherul Alam, Om Prakash Chaturvedi

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Growth, biomass, carbon storage, and carbon sequestration potential along an age series in Populus deltoides plantations were assessed. The growth rate of diameter at breast height and height was higher in trees of 4 to 7 years and 2 to 5 years, respectively. The total aboveground biomass (AGB) increased with age and reached its maximum (180.2 Mg ha^{-1}) at 11 years of age. Mean carbon concentration in aboveground components varied from 39.7% to 51.7%. Allometric equations were developed to estimate biomass and biomass carbon in different tree components, which had adjusted R squares greater than 94%. Aboveground carbon stocks in …

Nutrient Uptake Of Peanut Genotypes With Different Levels Of Drought Tolerance Under Midseason Drought, Hoang Thai Dinh, Wanwipa Kaewpradit, Sanun Jogloy, Nimitr Vorasoot, Aran Patanothai

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The objective of this study was to investigate the responses of peanut genotypes to midseason drought, regarding in particular nutrient uptakes and their correlations with biomass production and pod yield. The experiment was conducted during the dry seasons of 2011/12 and 2012/13. Five peanut genotypes with different levels of drought tolerance and 2 water regimes (well-watered and midseason drought) were laid out in a split-plot design with 4 replications. Midseason drought was imitated by stopping irrigation at 30 days after planting (DAP) and then rewatering at 60 DAP. The data were recorded for contents of N, P, K, Ca, and …