Use Of Altmetrics To Analyze Scholarworks In Natural Resource Management, David L. Kulhavy, R Philip Reynolds, Daniel R. Unger, Matthew W. Mcbroom, I-Kuai Hung, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

Digital preservation of library materials has increased the need for methods to access the documents and contents maintained in digital archives. The use of altmetrics to quantify the impact of scholarly works, including PlumX, is increasing readership by listing articles in reference services. The outreach from the digital repository ScholarWorks at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) highlights the impact within the natural resources community from Digital Commons, Forest Sciences Commons; and from the Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy Commons. The use of PlumX altmetrics was examined to evaluate usage, impact, and digital audience downloads for the Arthur Temple College …

Reconstruction Of Piñon–Juniper Woodlands In The Sky Islands Of The Davis Mountains, Texas, Usa, Mohammad Bataineh, Brian P. Oswald, Hans M. Williams, Dan Unger, I-Kuai Hung

Faculty Publications

Piñon (Pinus spp. L.)–juniper (Juniperus spp. L.) woodlands’ historical stand structures were recreated to provide reference conditions and document long‐term changes in the Sky Islands of the Davis Mountains, Texas. Restoration of these isolated woodlands requires insights into the range of variability in current and historical stand structures, as well as an understanding of the spatiotemporal establishment and recruitment patterns of tree species. With drastic changes in forests and woodlands of the Southwestern United States widely reported, the main objective of this study was to reconstruct woodland tree temporal and spatial establishment patterns. A stratified random sampling approach was used …

Initial Establishment Success Of Five Forages In An East Texas Loblolly Pine (Pinus Taeda) Silvopasture, Michael Richard, Ken Farrish, Brian P. Oswald, Hans M. Williams, Michael Maurer

Faculty Publications

The establishment at the end of 1 year of five forages was evaluated in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) silvopasture system. The five forages were: ‘Pensacola” bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Fluegge), “Texas Tough” bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.), “Alamo” switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), “San Marcos” Eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.), and a native mix containing 45% “Texas” little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium Michx Nash), 15% sand lovegrass (Eragrostis trichodes Nutt. L. Alph. Wood), 15% “Blackwell” switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), 10% “Lometa” indiangrass (Sorgastrum nutans L. Nash), 10% “Haskell” sideoats grama (Bouteloua …

Preliminary Flammability Assessment Of Sea Buckthorn From The Netherlands Compared To Known Flammable Shrubs Of The Southern And Western Us, Michael Tiller, Brian P. Oswald, Mathijs Schuijn

Faculty Presentations

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a common coastal species in The Netherlands that potentially burns with extreme energy levels. In this region of Europe that is experiencing increases in wildfire events, the need to gain a greater understanding of energy released when this species burns will improve fire behavior predictions. The objective of this study was to conduct an initial investigation into the foliage flammability of sea buckthorn to a common southern United States native shrub known for its flammability, yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), and two common dominant shrub species in California chaparral, chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum …

Initial Investigation Of Seasonal Flammability Of Three Invasive East Texas Forest Understory Fuels Using Thermogravimetric Analysis, Mike Tiller, Brian P. Oswald, Alyx Frantzen, Warren Conway, Ikuai Hung

Faculty Publications

East Texas forest understory fuels have become increasingly infested with invasive species which have contributed to greater hazardous fuel loads when combined with decades of fire exclusion and passive management. This study focused on estimating seasonal changes in flammability parameters of invasive yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) using thermogravimetric analysis. Foliage and stem samples were collected in the dormant (February) and growing (August) seasons. Differential thermogravimetric (DTG) and proximate analyses were used to estimate species specific flammability parameters related to relative spontaneous ignition temperature (RSIT), gas-phase maximum …

Initial Investigation Of Seasonal Flammability Of Three Invasive East Texas Forest Understory Fuels Using Thermogravimetric Analysis, Michael Tiller, Brian P. Oswald, Alyx Frantzen, Warren Conway, I-Kuai Hung

Faculty Presentations

East Texas forest understory fuels have become increasingly infested with invasive species which have contributed to greater hazardous fuel loads when combined with decades of fire exclusion and passive management. This study focused on estimating seasonal changes in flammability parameters of invasive yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) using thermogravimetric analysis. Foliage and stem samples were collected in the dormant (February) and growing (August) seasons. Differential thermogravimetric (DTG) and proximate analyses were used to estimate species specific flammability parameters related to relative spontaneous ignition temperature (RSIT), gas-phase maximum …

An Integrated Method For Coding Trees, Measuring Tree Diameter, And Estimating Tree Positions, Linhao Sun, Luming Fang, Yuhi Weng, Siqing Zheng

Faculty Publications

Accurately measuring tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and estimating tree positions in a sample plot are important in tree mensuration. The main aims of this paper include (1) developing a new, integrated device that can identify trees using the quick response (QR) code technique to record tree identifications, measure DBH, and estimate tree positions concurrently; (2) designing an innovative algorithm to measure DBH using only two angle sensors, which is simple and can reduce the impact of eccentric stems on DBH measures; and (3) designing an algorithm to estimate the position of the tree by combining ultra-wide band (UWB) …

Activity Level-Predation Risk Tradeoff In A Tadpole Guild: Implications For Community Organization Along The Hydroperiod Gradient, Nicholas C. Schiwitz, Christopher M. Schalk, Daniel Saenz

Faculty Publications

Increasing activity levels permit greater food intake for use towards growth and reproduction, consequently increasing predation risk via increased detection. Larval anurans are models to examine activity level-predation risk tradeoffs, as they occupy a variety of lentic habitats that impose constraints on the distribution and abundance of species. Ephemeral ponds have a low abundance and diversity of predators and as a result tadpole species tend to have high foraging rates for rapid development. Permanent ponds generally possess a greater diversity and abundance of predators and tadpoles inhabiting these locations tend to have low activity rates or chemical defenses to minimize …

Modeling Early Responses Of Loblolly Pine Growth To Thinning In The Western Gulf Coastal Plain Region, Yuhi Weng, J. Grogan, Dean W. Coble

Faculty Publications

Growth response to thinning has long been a research topic of interest in forest science. This study presents the first 3–4 years of response of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) growth to thinning at different intensities. Data were collected from the East Texas Pine Research Project’s region-wide loblolly pine thinning study, which covers a wide variety of stand conditions. Four treatments, light, moderate, and heavy thinning, respectively having 370, 555, and 740 residual trees per hectare after thinning, and an unthinned control, were included. Individual tree diameter at breast height (dbh) and total height were recorded annually for the …

Integration Of Citygreen Landscape Ecological Analysis Into A Capstone Environmental Science Course, David L. Kulhavy, Daniel R. Unger, Reid Viegut, I-Kuai Hung, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

CITYgreen Geographic Information Systems software was used to develop a campus wide cover type map for Stephen F. Austin State University in an environmental science landscape ecology course. The finding indicated an equal division of forest cover type compared to impervious surface of buildings and paved surface. Once the classification was completed, students chose an area for reforestation identified in CITYgreen, while raising funds for the purchase of trees for the project. Before completing the project, students reviewed tenets of landscape ecology, civic ecology education, and benefits of urban forestry. At the completion of the project, students reviewed service-learning aspects …

Comparing Canopy Metric Estimations Using Three Conifer Species In The Netherlands, Alan Duncan Hibler, Brian P. Oswald, Nienke Brouwer, Ester Willemsen, Hans M. Williams

Faculty Publications

A growing concern associated with fire in The Netherlands is estimating the spread of wildfire, however often the data needed to estimate canopy fires are lacking. The primary parameter required is canopy bulk density (CBD), which requires estimations of canopy gap fraction and leaf area index (LAI). The accuracy of three indirect methods of estimating CBD (a densiometer, hemispherical canopy photographs (HCP), and a LI-COR LAI 2200c plant canopy analyzer) was compared for three common tree species in the Netherlands [Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco)]. No …

The Effect Of Sodium Chloride On Hybrid Taxodium Selections, Anna Koonce, Edward Bush, David Creech

Faculty Publications

Saltwater intrusion is a major cause of coastal erosion. New hybrid bald cypress species have been shown to exhibit salinity tolerance compared to native bald cypress species. Planting these hybrids, or Nanjing Bot Garden genotype (NBG), trees where their roots can stabilize soil and preserve land may reduce coastal erosion in areas subjected to saltwater intrusion. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether or not selected bald cypress NBG genotype tree species survive better than native bald cypress trees in areas inundated with saline water. Leaves were harvested, dried and analyzed for their elemental concentration. NBG genotype trees …