Life Sciences Commons^™

Productivity And Resistance To Weed Invasion In Four Prairie Biomass Feedstocks With Different Diversity, Jessica E. Abernathy, Dustin R. J. Graham, Mark E. Sherrard, Daryl D. Smith

Tallgrass Prairie Publications and Reports

High-diversity mixtures of native tallgrass prairie vegetation should be effective biomass feedstocks because of their high productivity and low input requirements. These diverse mixtures should also enhance several of the ecosystem services provided by the traditional monoculture feedstocks used for bioenergy. In this study, we compared biomass production, year-to-year variation in biomass production, and resistance to weed invasion in four prairie biomass feedstocks with different diversity: one species – a switchgrass monoculture; five species – a mix of C4 grasses; 16 species – a mix of grasses, forbs, and legumes; and 32 species – a mix of grasses, forbs, legumes, …

Comparison Of Four Harvesting Systems In A Loblolly Pine Plantation, John Klepac, Dana Mitchell

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

Felling and skidding operations were monitored while clearcut harvesting a 12-acre area of a 14-year old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation. The study area contained 465 trees per acre for trees 2.0 inches Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) and larger with a Quadratic Mean Diameter (QMD) of 7.26 inches. Two feller-bunchers (tracked and rubber-tired) and two skidders (conventional and large capacity) were paired to create four different harvesting systems which were randomly assigned to 3-acre units for evaluation of production rates and costs. Each system was balanced to determine the number of machines needed to minimize the …

What You Ignore At Work May Harm You: The Effects Of Light, Design, And Nature, Shelby L. Beutel

BU Well

This paper looks into the effects of light, design, and nature on employees by incorporating environmental health and environmental design research into useful suggestions for the employee and the employer. The “fit” between a user and their work space has been elaborated on in recent years, and it has been shown that insufficient lighting can cause poor fit and consequential draining of energy and productivity. In the healthcare setting, medication errors have been linked to the amount of lighting within a hospital and to the variable amount of daylight throughout the year. While there is not a quick and easy …

Variation In Stem Mortality Rates Determines Patterns Of Above-Ground Biomass In Amazonian Forests: Implications For Dynamic Global Vegetation Models, Michelle O. Johnson, David R. Galbraith, Manuel Gloor, Hannes De Deurwaerder, Matthieu Guimberteau, Anja Rammig, Kirsten Thonicke, Hans Verbeeck, Celso Von Randow, Bradley O. Christoffersen

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding the processes that determine above-ground biomass (AGB) in Amazonian forests is important for predicting the sensitivity of these ecosystems to environmental change and for designing and evaluating dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs). AGB is determined by inputs from woody productivity [woody net primary productivity (NPP)] and the rate at which carbon is lost through tree mortality. Here, we test whether two direct metrics of tree mortality (the absolute rate of woody biomass loss and the rate of stem mortality) and/or woody NPP, control variation in AGB among 167 plots in intact forest across Amazonia. We then compare these relationships …

Plasma Carotenoid Concentrations Of Incubating American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius) Show Annual, Seasonal, And Individual Variation And Explain Reproductive Outcome, Elizabeth C. Sassani, Christeena Sevy, Erin H. Strasser, Alexandra M. Anderson, Julie A. Heath

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

In wild birds, the proximate and ultimate factors that affect circulating carotenoid concentrations remain poorly understood. We studied variation in plasma carotenoid concentrations across several scales: annual, seasonal, pair, territory and individual, and evaluated whether plasma carotenoid concentrations explained reproductive outcome of wild American kestrels (Falco sparverius). We sampled plasma carotenoid concentrations of 99 female and 80 male incubating kestrels from April to June in 2008 to 2012. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were explained by an interaction between year and sex, date, and random effects for pair and individual identity. In general, plasma carotenoid concentrations of males were significantly …

Lentic And Lotic Habitats As Templets For Fungal Communities: Traits, Adaptations, And Their Significance To Litter Decomposition Within Freshwater Ecosystems, Kevin A. Kuehn

Faculty Publications

Decomposition of plant matter is a key ecosystem process and considerable research has examined plant litter decay processes in freshwater habitats. Fungi are common inhabitants of the decomposer microbial community and representatives of all major fungal phyla have been identified within freshwater systems. Development and application of quantitative methods over the last several decades have firmly established that fungi are central players in the decomposition of plant litter in freshwaters and are important mediators of energy and nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels. Despite the critical roles that fungi play in carbon and nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems, there are …

Are We Missing Important Areas In Pelagic Marine Conservation? Redefining Conservation Hotspots In The Ocean, Dana K. Briscoe, Sara M. Maxwell, Raphael Kudela, Larry B. Crowder

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The protection of biodiversity is one of the most important goals in terrestrial and marine conservation. Marine conservation approaches have traditionally followed the example of terrestrial initiatives. However, patterns, processes, habitats, and threats differ greatly between the 2 systems - and even within the marine environment. As a result, there is still a lack of congruence as to how to best identify and prioritize conservation approaches moving from the static terrestrial and nearshore realm into a more fluid, 3-dimensional pelagic realm. To address this problem, we investigate how the conservation science literature has been used to inform and guide management …

Productivity And Adaptation Ability Of Holstein Cattle Of Different Genetic Selections, Ivan Fiodorovich Gorlov, Svetlana Evgenievna Bozhkova, Olga Pavlovna Shakhbazova, Vera Vasilievna Gubareva, Natali Ivanovna Mosolova, Elena Yurievna Zlobina, Yuriy Nicolaevich Fiodorov, Alexey Sergeevich Mokhov

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The purpose of the research was to compare economically useful traits of Holstein cows of different selections. The results show that the German and Australian selections were superior to the Danish and American cows in terms of their growth (at 36 months of age, the body weights of the German and Australian cows were 36.5 and 27.6 kg greater than the Danish cows and 24.3 and 15.4 kg greater than the American cows, respectively). Maximum milk yield was obtained from the American and German cows (25,220 and 24,861 kg). Their milk also had higher fat content. The maximum protein content …

Evaluation Of Some Cherry Varieties Grafted On Gisela 5 Rootstock, Viktor Gjamovski, Marjan Kiptijanovski, Tosho Arsov

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The results of the evaluation of yield and pomological characteristics of 9 cherry varieties (Sylvia, Kordia, Sunburst, Van, Summit, Stark Hardy Giant, Regina, Octavia, and Sum) and the local cherry variety Dolga siska, grafted on dwarfing rootstock Gisela 5, are presented in this paper. The research was conducted in an experimental orchard located in the village of Kosel in the Ohrid region. The orchard was planted in 2009 with a planting distance of 3.8 x 2 m. The training system of the trees is the central leader system. Intensive agricultural techniques are implemented in the orchard. The orchard is under …

The Influence Of Balanced And Imbalanced Resource Supply On Biodiversity–Functioning Relationship Across Ecosystems, Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, Antje Biermann, Elizabeth T. Borer, Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras, Steven A.J. Declerck, Luc De Meester, Ellen Van Donk, Lars Ganfeldt, Daniel S. Gruner, Nicole Hagenah, W. Stanley Harpole, Kevin P. Kirkman, Christopher A. Klausmeier, Michael Kleyer, Johannes M. H. Knops, Pieter Lemmens, Eric M. Lind, Elena Litchman, Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, Koen Martens, Sandra Meier, Vanessa Minden, Joslin L. Moore, Harry Olde Venterink, Eric W. Seabloom, Ulrich Sommer, Maren Striebel, Anastasia Trenkamp, Juliane Trinogga, Jotaro Urabe, Wim Vyverman, Dedmer B. Van De Waal, Claire E. Widdicombe, Helmut Hillebrand

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Numerous studies show that increasing species richness leads to higher ecosystem productivity. This effect is often attributed to more efficient portioning of multiple resources in communities with higher numbers of competing species, indicating the role of resource supply and stoichiometry for biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. Here, we merged theory on ecological stoichiometry with a framework of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning to understand how resource use transfers into primary production. We applied a structural equation model to define patterns of diversity– productivity relationships with respect to available resources. Meta-analysis was used to summarize the findings across ecosystem types ranging from aquatic ecosystems to grasslands …