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Articles 1 - 30 of 67
Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
Automated Tree Mortality Detection Using Ubiquitously Available Public Data, Michael T. Huggins
Automated Tree Mortality Detection Using Ubiquitously Available Public Data, Michael T. Huggins
Master's Theses
Understanding the dynamic interplay between fire severity, topography, and tree mortality, is crucial for predicting future forest dynamics and enhancing resilience against climate change-induced wildfire regimes. This thesis develops a multi-sensor approach for automated estimation of tree mortality, then applies it to examine trends in tree mortality over a six-year period across a fire affected study site in the Trinity River basin in Northern California. The Random Forest model uses publicly available USGS 3D Elevation Program Lidar (3DEP) and NAIP imagery as inputs and is likely to be easily adaptable to other landscapes. The model had a Receiver Operating Characteristic …
The Long-Term Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Floral Abundance And Bumble Bee Abundance In Mixed-Oak Forests Of Southeastern Ohio, Moses Shafer
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Pollinators are declining due to climate change and habitat loss driven by agriculture and urbanization. In fire-adapted ecosystems, fire promotes the biodiversity of plants by creating space, reducing competition, and increasing light and nutrient availability. However, little is known regarding the effects of fire on floral abundance of plants used by Bombus. The overall goal of this project was to assess the long-term effects of fire on floral abundance and Bombus abundance. Our specific questions were: (1) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance?, (2) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance of species specifically utilized by bumble bees?, …
Environmental Biology Masters Capstone, Antonio Gonzalez-Pita
Environmental Biology Masters Capstone, Antonio Gonzalez-Pita
Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)
Human wildlife interactions (HWI) pose a complex challenge for wildlife managers. Human encroachment into wildlife habitat and the growing number of outdoor recreationists are increasing the frequency of contact and conflict, especially in regions such as the Front Range of Colorado. Geographic information systems (GIS), which use a combination of remote sensing and environmental survey data, allow for predictive spatial analyses of where human wildlife interactions are likely to occur. I used publicly reported observations of moose to create spatial predictive maps in a species distribution model framework. Slope and elevation were shown to be the strongest predictors of HWI, …
Patterns And Drivers Of Wiregrass Gap Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris Mill.) Woodland Succession As Part Of Restoration Efforts, Armin Weise
All Theses
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) communities are widespread throughout the Southeastern United States with a dominant understory vegetation of wiregrass (Aristida spp.) in most of its range. A small area in central South Carolina that is naturally free of wiregrass is called the “Wiregrass Gap”. Here, the understory vegetation is dominated by bluestems grasses (Andropogon spp. and Schizachyrium spp.) which drive the disturbance regime of frequent low-intensity fire. The successful establishment of these grasses is key for longleaf pine woodland restoration efforts in this region, but few resources detail the ecological drivers at play that enable successful restoration in these longleaf …
Do Species Matter? Examining The Niche Of White Ash (Fraxinus Americana L.) And Estimating Potential Subcanopy Effects Of Its Loss In North-Temperate Forests, Elizabeth Anne Studer
Do Species Matter? Examining The Niche Of White Ash (Fraxinus Americana L.) And Estimating Potential Subcanopy Effects Of Its Loss In North-Temperate Forests, Elizabeth Anne Studer
Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations
To understand the downstream consequences of the extinction of a species, we must understand its role in an ecosystem. With the impending extirpation of ash (Fraxinus spp.) due to the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), understanding the role of ash trees is critical to predicting whether its loss will precipitate further species declines and/or ecosystem functions. We evaluated whether subcanopy microbial, invertebrate, and floral communities under four tree species (white ash, American beech, yellow birch, sugar maple) and on two soil hydropedological types (Bh podzol and Typical podzol) varied in species richness, composition, and functional traits in a factorial …
Competition And Herbivory Influence The Survival, Growth, And Physiology Of Native Tree Seedlings In The Kentucky Inner Bluegrass Savanna-Woodland, James D. Shaffer
Competition And Herbivory Influence The Survival, Growth, And Physiology Of Native Tree Seedlings In The Kentucky Inner Bluegrass Savanna-Woodland, James D. Shaffer
Theses and Dissertations--Biology
Terrestrial plant communities are shaped by competition for resources, herbivory, and abiotic processes. Savanna systems represent a dynamic coexistence of contrasting life forms (grasses and trees) shaped by competition and disturbance. The Kentucky Inner Bluegrass Savanna-Woodland (KIBSW) is described as an open woodland of shade intolerant species; however, climatic, and edaphic conditions can support closed-canopy forest. After European pioneer settlement (c1750-1800), over 99% of “savanna-woodlands” have been lost. KIBSW remnants are experiencing a recruitment failure, leading to a dominance shift in tree communities. I researched how tree-grass competition and mammalian herbivory influence KIBSW regeneration and maintenance. The KIBSW does not …
Assessing The Recovery Of Forest Understory Vegetation After Clearcut Logging Across A 445-Year Chronosequence, Molly Smith Metok
Assessing The Recovery Of Forest Understory Vegetation After Clearcut Logging Across A 445-Year Chronosequence, Molly Smith Metok
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The conversion of natural forested lands to managed forests has reduced the amount of older, structurally diverse forests worldwide. In conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest (USA) – where the understory plant communities comprise only 1% of forest biomass but represent 90% of the plant species richness – the long-term impacts of timber harvesting are not fully understood. I used a chronosequence of forests in southwestern Oregon that ranged from 25 to 445 years of age to compare changes in plant communities in logged (i.e., managed) stands with that of stands in late succession and old growth conditions. The chronosequence …
Quantifying The Carbon Stored And Sequestered By The Trees On Pomona College’S Campus, Paola A. Giron-Carson
Quantifying The Carbon Stored And Sequestered By The Trees On Pomona College’S Campus, Paola A. Giron-Carson
Scripps Senior Theses
We are experiencing a climate crisis that must be confronted with strategic mitigation. Pomona College contributes to the climate crisis through its emissions for which there is a baseline record. However there is no baseline record of the climate mitigation currently performed by the trees on Pomona’s campus through carbon storage. This study seeks to determine a current baseline quantity of carbon stored and sequestrated by Pomona’s trees as well as possible courses of climate mitigation for Pomona College to take. Initial information gathering was conducted through interviews with several stakeholders. This study was conducted using data collected prior to …
Flora Of Doe Mountain Recreation Area, Johnson County, Tennessee, Benjamin Mccullough
Flora Of Doe Mountain Recreation Area, Johnson County, Tennessee, Benjamin Mccullough
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
A botanical inventory of Doe Mountain Recreation Area (DMRA) in northeastern Tennessee was conducted to help guide conservation-based management. A total of 484 species were found in DMRA, comprising 94 families, and 285 genera, 10 species listed in the state rare plant list, and 76 exotic species. Two species, Liatris virgata and Lycopodiella inundata, were new state records. Water in the Lycopodiella seep was an order of magnitude more acid than at other sites. An analysis of the wildland-urban interface showed that only 13% of the area was classified as uninhabited. The inventory-invasion index, introduced to quantify the relative …
Evaluating Current And Future Potential Distribution Of Epiphytic Orchids In The Congo Basin With Ecological Niche Models, Michael L. Ngoh
Evaluating Current And Future Potential Distribution Of Epiphytic Orchids In The Congo Basin With Ecological Niche Models, Michael L. Ngoh
Masters Theses
The Congo Basin Forest harbors a rich diversity of epiphytic communities, with the Orchidaceae alone making up more than 50% of all epiphytes in the region. Despite the huge diversity of epiphytes, many species, including epiphytic orchids, are at risk to a diverse array of threats. Climate change for instance poses severe threats to epiphytic orchids due to elevated temperatures, prolonged periods of droughts, as well as reduced rainfall across the Congo Basin Forest. In this study, we used ecological niche modeling and GIS techniques to identify spatial patterns of species richness, potential future climate refugia, and novel climatic suitability …
The Future Of The Big Sagebrush Ecosystem: Plant Community Response To Grazing, Wildfire, And Invasive Annual Grass In A Changing Climate, Margaret Eleanor England
The Future Of The Big Sagebrush Ecosystem: Plant Community Response To Grazing, Wildfire, And Invasive Annual Grass In A Changing Climate, Margaret Eleanor England
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Climate change is increasingly affecting the plant communities across the world. In the Western United States, these changes are affecting plant communities and their risk of invasive species, as well as the frequency and severity of wildfire. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems of the Western United States are facing threats of increasingly frequent wildfire and invasion of the annual grass cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.), which may be exacerbated by global climate change. Past studies have found cheatgrass to exhibit a positive feedback loop with wildfire, and climate change is expected to facilitate expansion of the cheatgrass …
Potential Effects Of Amynthas Agrestis Invasion On Woody Understory Flora In The Cvnp, Christian Mammana
Potential Effects Of Amynthas Agrestis Invasion On Woody Understory Flora In The Cvnp, Christian Mammana
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Ohio forests are threatened by the invasive ecosystem engineer A. agrestis. A. agrestis invasion typically co-occurs with the ecosystem engineer, Odocoileus virginianus, where their impacts may synergize. To determine the direct effects of A. agrestis invasion, fenced plots across the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that excluded deer were utilized. The species richness, Shannon diversity and evenness of woody understory flora was measured in each plot. Mustard extraction was used to determine earthworm abundance. Correlations between abundance and measured variables were used to highlight potential invasion effects. Abundance and species richness was found to have a significant, positive correlation (p = …
The Impacts Of Maple Syrup Production On The Herbaceous Layer In Appalachian Hardwood Forests, Logan Scott Ferguson
The Impacts Of Maple Syrup Production On The Herbaceous Layer In Appalachian Hardwood Forests, Logan Scott Ferguson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Vegetation data were collected from eight maple syrup farms (sugarbushes) and eight undeveloped maple-dominated sites to examine potential differences in understory plant communities due to disturbance effects. Understory plants were identified to the species level and percent cover of aboveground leaf-area for each species was estimated within 600 total quadrats. Overstory data and environmental data were collected to help determine if they had any effect on herbaceous-layer plant communities. Species richness, Shannon diversity, and Pielou’s evenness were calculated, with the analysis showing no significant differences between the site types. The absolute cover of plant functional groups was also compared between …
Analysis Of Symptom Expressions And Transmission Rates Caused By The Plant Pathogen Phytophthora Ramorum On Native Chaparral Plants From The Genus Arctostaphylos, Bharati Gaonker
Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Biological Sciences Master's Theses
Phytophthora ramorum is the causal agent of Sudden Oak death (SOD), ramorum dieback and ramorum leaf blight which affect both forest environments and nurseries. This oomycete pathogen has had a huge economic impact on the nursery and lumber industry. Forests in California have experienced substantial mortality of oaks affecting the forest dynamics and diversity. Our research investigates four native species and two ornamental cultivars of plants, which belong to the genus Arctostaphylos (manzanita) and are considered to be new hosts for P. ramorum in the chaparral ecosystem of California. Symptom expression and transmission rates were analyzed on Arctostaphylos glauca, …
Three Centuries Of Vegetation Change In The William & Mary College Woods Reconstructed Using Phytoliths, Timothy Terlizzi
Three Centuries Of Vegetation Change In The William & Mary College Woods Reconstructed Using Phytoliths, Timothy Terlizzi
Undergraduate Honors Theses
The College Woods, west of William & Mary’s campus, consists of ~900 acres of protected southern mixed hardwood forest. The woods surround Lake Matoaka, a former millpond established in ~1700. Despite the rich history of the area, little is known about how the dominant vegetative landcover has shifted over the last 300 years. This study set out to quantify the modern vegetation within the College Woods via the phytolith assemblages within the soil and identify shifts in the assemblages since the creation of Lake Matoaka and whether these changes are distinct from the vegetation that existed in the area before …
A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, Preston T. Perkins, J Hays Dubberly, Michael J. Thomas
A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, Preston T. Perkins, J Hays Dubberly, Michael J. Thomas
Honors Theses
The purpose of this baseline documentation is to conduct a report on our subject property and discuss the findings. A conservation easement is established by upholding a certain standard of a property’s current condition which makes a baseline documentation necessary for an easement to be enacted. Baseline documentation reports are used as a resource to monitor and enforce the legal agreements of the conservation easement. The subject property is currently owned by the Delta Wind Birds organization. In our scenario, this documentation report will serve to aid in the conversion of our subject property into a conservation easement in which …
Floodplain Forest Regeneration Dynamics In The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Whitney Anne Kroschel
Floodplain Forest Regeneration Dynamics In The Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley, Whitney Anne Kroschel
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Floodplain forest species diversity is driven, in part, by variation in disturbance regime. Flood patterns create heterogeneity in microsite quality from small differences in elevation across a floodplain which, in turn, influence flood timing and duration. Differences in species’ regeneration niches in relation to hydrologic patterns can account for long-term coexistence of various species. In the past century floodplain forests have exhibited a wide range of changes in stand development and species composition as a result of altered hydrology in rivers and floodplains. I evaluated the role of regeneration in floodplain forest systems of the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley …
Modeling Species Distribution And Habitat Suitability Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius) In Virginia, Jacob D. J. Peters
Modeling Species Distribution And Habitat Suitability Of American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius) In Virginia, Jacob D. J. Peters
Masters Theses, 2020-current
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a well-known and sought-after medicinal plant native to North America that is facing increased threat of extinction due to overharvesting, herbivory, and habitat loss. Species distribution and habitat suitability models may be valuable to landowners interested in sustainable harvest or to institutions interested in the conservation and restoration of the species. With unequal sampling efforts across a region of interest, it is likely that some locations with appropriate habitat may be misrepresented in model predictions. This study refined a state-derived species distribution model for ginseng through increased sampling effort across the Cumberland Plateau …
A Floristic Survey Of Andalusia: A Historic Preservation Site In Baldwin County, Georgia, William Pharr
A Floristic Survey Of Andalusia: A Historic Preservation Site In Baldwin County, Georgia, William Pharr
Biology Theses
A survey of the vascular plants of Andalusia, a historic preservation site located along Highway 441 north of Milledgeville in Baldwin County, Georgia, was conducted between August 2018 and February 2020. The site was the late home of esteemed author, Flannery O’Connor, and resides along the Georgia fall line, making it a historically significant area that could yield a unique plant community convergence, as well as rare endemic species. This floristic inventory provides baseline data on the species and plant communities of Andalusia for use in future studies regarding the flora of this area. A total of 191 vascular species …
A Comparative Ecological Study Of Limestone And Dolomite Glades In The Ozark Mountains Of Northwest Arkansas, Brittney Booth
A Comparative Ecological Study Of Limestone And Dolomite Glades In The Ozark Mountains Of Northwest Arkansas, Brittney Booth
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Glades are one of the many habitats that exist in the Arkansas Ozarks and contribute to the overall biodiversity of the state of Arkansas. For this study, five dolomite glades and five limestone glades in the Ozarks of northwest Arkansas were studied from March to October in the years 2017 and 2018 to determine the similarities or differences that might be present. One hundred and fifteen vascular plant taxa were documented in the dolomite glades and one hundred and three vascular plant taxa were documented in the limestone glades. Forty-six vascular plant taxa were unique to the dolomite glades and …
Interspecific Gene Flow Potentiates Adaptive Evolution In A Hybrid Zone Formed Between Pinus Strobiformis And Pinus Flexilis, Mitra Menon
Theses and Dissertations
Species range margins are often characterised by high degrees of habitat fragmentation resulting in low genetic diversity and higher gene flow from populations at the core of the species range. Interspecific gene flow from a closely related species with abutting range margins can increase standing genetic diversity and generate novel allelic combinations thereby alleviating limits to adaptive evolution in range margin populations. Hybridization driven interspecific gene flow has played a key role in the demographic history of several conifer due to their life history characteristics such as weak crossability barriers and long generation times. Nevertheless, demonstrating whether introgression is adaptive …
Managing Forest Disturbances: Effects On Mule Deer And Plant Communities In Montana's Northern Forests, Teagan Ann Hayes
Managing Forest Disturbances: Effects On Mule Deer And Plant Communities In Montana's Northern Forests, Teagan Ann Hayes
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are frequently the focus of population and habitat management in the western United States. Land and wildlife managers use disturbance to reset forests to earlier successional stages and improve the quality and quantity of forage available to mule deer. However, the effects of management practices on nutrition and selection vary widely, so the implementation of management practices raises ecological as well as management-related concerns. This work investigated how disturbance from wildfire, prescribed fire, and timber harvest influences the spatial and temporal distribution of nutritional resources in mule deer summer range, and therefore, how the …
The Role Of Fire And A Fire-Free Interval In The Restoration Of Upland Oak Communities On The Cumberland Plateau, Kentucky, Jordan Winkenbach
The Role Of Fire And A Fire-Free Interval In The Restoration Of Upland Oak Communities On The Cumberland Plateau, Kentucky, Jordan Winkenbach
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
The decline of upland oak (Quercus spp.) communities in our eastern forests has been attributed to the loss of periodic disturbance after decades of fire suppression. As land managers have begun to reintroduce fire, effects on oak regeneration and species composition have varied widely, making it apparent that our understanding of how fire can aid in oak forest management needs refinement. Restoring upland oak communities requires decreasing stand density and opening of the canopy to release shade-intolerant oaks in the understory. This necessitates an extended fire-free interval to allow these oaks to be recruited into larger size classes and …
Effects Of Water Table Depth And Edaphic Characteristics On Plant Diversity In A Southern Mississippi Pitcher Plant Bog, Patrick Kirby
Effects Of Water Table Depth And Edaphic Characteristics On Plant Diversity In A Southern Mississippi Pitcher Plant Bog, Patrick Kirby
Master's Theses
This study examined the effects that water table depth and soil characteristics have on plant species richness and species composition within pitcher plant bogs across seasons. Eight piezometers were installed at random distances to monitor long-term water table depth and pressure fluctuations along a ~710-meter line transect traversing upland and bog habitats. Vegetation sampling quadrats (n=128) were set up near each piezometer. Cover data and water table depths were collected in spring and late summer. Soil samples collected from each treatment group were used to obtain soil texture and nutrient data. The summer collection period yielded a total gdiversity of …
Warming Up: Climate Change Related Shifts Of Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities In High Latitude Ecosystems, Megan Rae Devan
Warming Up: Climate Change Related Shifts Of Mycorrhizal Fungal Communities In High Latitude Ecosystems, Megan Rae Devan
Biology ETDs
This dissertation examines how climate change affects mycorrhizal fungal communities in boreal and arctic ecosystems. In chapter one, I revealed that increases in fire severity and related increases in deciduous tree dominance result in greater Ascomycota relative abundance (RA) and subsequent declines in Basidiomycota RA. In chapter two I analyzed the effects of post-fire mycorrhizal fungal communites on host growth. There were trends at the fungal genus level that were largely reflected at the guild level across all hosts; however, there were some fungal genera that had the opposite effect on different host species. In chapter three, I found host …
Fire And Road Disturbance Impacts On Forest Plant Species And Seed Rain In Table Mountain Fire Arai, Kittitas County, Washington, Jonathan A. Betz
Fire And Road Disturbance Impacts On Forest Plant Species And Seed Rain In Table Mountain Fire Arai, Kittitas County, Washington, Jonathan A. Betz
All Master's Theses
Forest communities are in a constant state of change. Disturbance events can alter the physical landscape and create conditions favorable to some species while negatively impacting others. Fire has been a natural, reoccurring source of disturbance in Pacific Northwest forests. Over the past centuries the fire paradigm has changed in favor of fire suppression. Forest roads permit access provide greater access but further fracture forest community’s continuity. The 2012 Table Mountain Fire and road influence have altered the plant community’s seed rain and vegetation. This study measured dispersed seeds and understory vegetation cover as functions of roads and fire intensity. …
Application Of Short Tandem Target Mimic (Sttm) Technique For Functional Analysis Of Micro-Rna396 In Transgenic Poplar Trees, Surattana Boonsai
Application Of Short Tandem Target Mimic (Sttm) Technique For Functional Analysis Of Micro-Rna396 In Transgenic Poplar Trees, Surattana Boonsai
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Short Tandem Target Mimic (STTM) is a commonly technique used for functional studies of a number of genes in several plant model systems. However, very little is known about application of STTM technique in tree species. In this study, STTM was applied to knock down microRNA396 (miR396) in transgenic poplar trees for the first time. STTM396 expression resulted in dramatic decrease in miR396 expression levels leading to taller plants with larger leaves and larger leaf cell size. Additionally, an expression analysis of growth regulating factor genes (GRFs) that are members of miR396 target gene family showed up-regulation of GRF07 gene …
Island Invasion: The Silent Crisis In Hawaii, Sophia Janssen
Island Invasion: The Silent Crisis In Hawaii, Sophia Janssen
Pomona Senior Theses
Keeping out invasive species may, upon first review, seem like a trivial environmental cry from ecologists and deep environmentalists; a belated wish to return to an undeveloped world where nature was pristine. However invasive species create problems that impact all of us and can have far more severe consequences than changing a stunning landscape. These problems are heightened in islands like Hawaii, where the fragile ecosystems have developed over centuries of evolution and adaptation. The introduction of a disease-carrying mosquito can put the people of Hawaii at risk to many vector-born illnesses and create an epidemic, taking human life. The …
Climatic Range Filling Of North American Trees, Benjamin Seliger
Climatic Range Filling Of North American Trees, Benjamin Seliger
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Understanding the degree to which species distributions are controlled by climate is crucial for forecasting biodiversity responses to climate change. Climatic equilibrium, when species are found in all places which are climatically suitable, is a fundamental assumption of species distribution models, but there is evidence in support of climate disequilibria in species ranges. Long-lived, sessile organisms such as trees may be especially vulnerable to being outpaced by climate change, and thus prone to disequilibrium. In this dissertation, I tested the degree to which North American trees are in equilibrium with their potential climatic ranges using the ‘range filling’ metric, which …
Quantifying The Environmental Performance Of A Stream Habitat Improvement Project, Cody Morse
Quantifying The Environmental Performance Of A Stream Habitat Improvement Project, Cody Morse
Master's Theses
River restoration projects are being installed worldwide to rehabilitate degraded river habitat. Many of these projects focus on stream habitat improvement (SHI), and an estimated 60%of the 37,000 projects listed in the National River Restoration Science Synthesis Program focus on SHI for salmon and trout species. These projects frequently lack a sufficient monitoring program or account for the environmental costs associated with SHI. The present study used life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques and topographic effectiveness monitoring to quantify environmental costs on the basis of geomorphic change. This methodology was a novel approach to assessing the cost-benefit relationship of SHI. To …