Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Institution
-
- Cal Poly Humboldt (3)
- Marshall University (2)
- Portland State University (2)
- Stephen F. Austin State University (2)
- Boise State University (1)
-
- Dominican University of California (1)
- Eastern Washington University (1)
- Georgia College (1)
- Michigan Technological University (1)
- Seattle Pacific University (1)
- Syracuse University (1)
- The University of Maine (1)
- The University of Southern Mississippi (1)
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (1)
- University of Denver (1)
- University of Kentucky (1)
- University of Louisville (1)
- University of Mississippi (1)
- University of Vermont (1)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
- William & Mary (1)
- Keyword
-
- Climate change (3)
- Fire (2)
- Forests (2)
- Regeneration (2)
- Wildfire (2)
-
- <p>Forest landscape management.</p> <p>Prescribed burning.</p> <p>Fire ecology.</p> (1)
- <p>Verreaux’s sifaka -- Research.</p> <p>Madagascar -- Climate.</p> (1)
- Acclimatization (1)
- Adaptive silviculture (1)
- Agricultural landscape (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Amphibian declines -- Pacific northwest -- Prevention (1)
- Amphibians -- Conservation (1)
- Appalachia (1)
- Arctostaphylos spp. (1)
- Assemblage (1)
- Assessment (1)
- Bats (1)
- Bayesian (1)
- Beavers -- Reintroduction -- Pacific northwest (1)
- Belzoni (1)
- Biological Sciences (1)
- Bobcat (1)
- Boreal (1)
- Bottomland hardwood (1)
- California (1)
- California Bay Laurel (1)
- Camera trapping (1)
- Camera traps (1)
- Canis latrans (1)
- Publication
-
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (5)
- Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects (3)
- Theses, Dissertations and Capstones (2)
- Biology Theses (1)
- Boise State University Theses and Dissertations (1)
-
- Dissertations (1)
- Dissertations and Theses (1)
- Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports (1)
- EWU Masters Thesis Collection (1)
- Graduate College Dissertations and Theses (1)
- Graduate Theses and Dissertations (1)
- Honors Projects (1)
- Honors Theses (1)
- Natural Sciences and Mathematics | Biological Sciences Master's Theses (1)
- Theses - ALL (1)
- Theses and Dissertations (1)
- Theses and Dissertations--Geography (1)
- Undergraduate Honors Theses (1)
- University Honors Theses (1)
Articles 1 - 26 of 26
Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
Forest Disturbance And Occupancy Patterns Of Carnivores: Results Of A Large-Scale Field Study In Maine, Usa, Bryn E. Evans
Forest Disturbance And Occupancy Patterns Of Carnivores: Results Of A Large-Scale Field Study In Maine, Usa, Bryn E. Evans
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Understanding trends in the abundance and distribution of carnivores is important at global, regional and local scales due to their ecological role, their aesthetic and economic value, and the numerous threats to their populations. Carnivores in Maine range from the American black bear (Ursus americanus), to numerous native mesocarnivore species, such as American marten (Martes americana), fisher (Pekania pennanti), coyote (Canis latrans), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), bobcat (Lynx rufus), Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and to two small weasel species (Mustela erminea and Neogale frenata). …
Natural Regeneration Dynamics And Survival Influenced By Abiotic And Biotic Factors In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Lydia J. Voth Rurup
Natural Regeneration Dynamics And Survival Influenced By Abiotic And Biotic Factors In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest, Lydia J. Voth Rurup
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Riparian ecosystems are vital to the landscape, providing critical services including water filtration and purification, flood and erosion control, carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, and aesthetic value. Bottomland hardwood forests, however, are threatened by invasive species, land loss/conversion, inconsistent or absence of harvesting disturbances, and altered hydrological patterns, leading to reduced success of desired, native species. This research assessed regeneration dynamics and one-year survival in a seasonally-flooded bottomland hardwood forest at Boggy Slough Conservation Area in East Texas to identify abiotic and biotic factors important for successful establishment of native regeneration. Areas sampled included two that were previously treated with herbicide …
Habitat Assessment Of Ozark Glades Using Selected Epigeal Predatory Arthropods, Austin Key Jones
Habitat Assessment Of Ozark Glades Using Selected Epigeal Predatory Arthropods, Austin Key Jones
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Epigeal predatory arthropods were collected with pitfall-style traps in nine sandstone glades of varying ecological stages, and management histories, in the Ozarks of Northern Arkansas over three years. These sites were categorized into three Site Types; Intact, high quality glades; Degraded, forest-encroached glades, and Restored glades which had received woody vegetation removal and burning. Collections of ground spiders (Gnaphosidae), predatory ground beetles (Carabidae), and the sole species of scorpion present in the Ozarks, Centruroides vittatus, were reported on as well as the applicability of arthropod collection methods for glade habitat assessment. Habitat characteristics were recorded for each site and analyzed …
Post-Fire Tree Mortality And Regeneration Patterns As Proxies Of Conifer Forest Resilience, Sebastian Upton Busby
Post-Fire Tree Mortality And Regeneration Patterns As Proxies Of Conifer Forest Resilience, Sebastian Upton Busby
Dissertations and Theses
Shifting wildfire patterns and climate conditions, magnified by anthropogenic climate change, are threatening the resilience of conifer forests in North America and more specifically, the western US. If native conifer species are functionally maladapted to novel fire patterns and post-fire climate conditions, large-scale shifts in conifer forest structure, composition, and extent may occur as warming intensifies. Forest resilience in the context of fire and climate can be understood and quantified by the survival of trees through fire events and success of trees to regenerate post-fire and maintain population levels. In this dissertation, I use field observations and remote sensing to …
Observations Of Post-Wildfire Landcover Trends In Boreal Alaska Using A Suite Of Remote Sensing Approaches, Eric John Deutsch
Observations Of Post-Wildfire Landcover Trends In Boreal Alaska Using A Suite Of Remote Sensing Approaches, Eric John Deutsch
Theses - ALL
Wildfires are a common occurrence in the boreal ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Studies suggest that anthropogenic climate change has fostered more frequent and higher severity fires in recent decades in these forests, which may result in substantial changes in vegetation structure and ecosystem functioning. However, large-scale studies examining the linkages between changing boreal wildfire regimes and vegetation structure have historically been limited in spatial scope due to the broad area and inaccessibility of many boreal regions, including the Alaskan interior. The development and advancement of satellite remote sensing instruments and geospatial analysis techniques provide researchers with unmatched abilities to …
Upscaling Tree Demography To Heterogenous Landscapes Using Models And Remote Sensing, Cristina Barber
Upscaling Tree Demography To Heterogenous Landscapes Using Models And Remote Sensing, Cristina Barber
Boise State University Theses and Dissertations
Tree demography is foundational to ecology and conservation, from mass tree die-offs to forest recovery. Plot-level studies of tree demography, including field measurements of tagged individuals, have been fundamental for developing ecological theory and forest management strategies. However, the limited spatial extent of field plots impedes generalizing plot-level models for spatial predictions across heterogeneous landscapes. Novel high-spatial resolution remote sensing imagery has opened the possibility for measuring tree demographic rates with continuous spatial coverage at landscape to regional extents. Remote sensing derived measurements could address pressing research questions, including disentangling causes of high variation in natural regeneration across secondary forest …
Community Structure And Dynamics Of Benthic Macroinvertebrates In A Recreated Headwater Stream System On A Valley Fill In A Retrofitted Watershed Located In The Appalachian Coalfields Of Southeastern Kentucky (U.S.A.), Steven W. Bailey
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The extraction of coal from steep-gradient surface mining sites such as in the Appalachian Coalfields of the U.S. produces excess debris that is often placed in adjacent valleys resulting in the creation of valley fills. Not only are headwater streams buried in the process, but watershed functions are either destroyed outright, or become fragmented and disconnected from adjacent ecosystems resulting in adverse effects to downstream biological communities. In this dissertation, the dynamics of stream macroinvertebrate community structure, composition, diversity, and biotic integrity are assessed at a “proof of concept” stream system recreated on a retrofitted valley fill. For comparison, two …
Beaver Reintroduction And Its Potential As An Ecological Conservation Measure For At-Risk Amphibian Species In The Pacific Northwest, Danielle Schwantes
Beaver Reintroduction And Its Potential As An Ecological Conservation Measure For At-Risk Amphibian Species In The Pacific Northwest, Danielle Schwantes
University Honors Theses
Amphibian decline is a major concern in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), with many amphibian species listed as sensitive, threatened or endangered throughout the region. Some of the predicted main causes of amphibian decline are climate change and loss of habitat. The reintroduction of beavers into ecoregions of the PNW could be an important step in the conservation of this region’s amphibians, due to the beaver’s ability to engineer and structurally manipulate forest ecosystems. Beavers are able to restore wetland quality, productivity and biodiversity, creating vital amphibian habitat. This work explored the linkage between beaver presence and wetland hydrology, geomorphology, landscape …
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, …
Salicylic Acid Response To Simulated Herbivory In Geographically Distinct T. Heterophylla And H. Discolor Populations, Amy E. Castle
Salicylic Acid Response To Simulated Herbivory In Geographically Distinct T. Heterophylla And H. Discolor Populations, Amy E. Castle
Honors Projects
It is commonly known that plants may produce salicylic acid as a chemical defense response to wounding, although the phenomenon has usually been observed with regard to insect herbivory. Stem and leaf tissue of two species, Tsuga heterophylla and Holodiscus discolor, which are often eaten by deer, were extracted in methanol and analyzed by HPLC to quantify salicylic acid concentration in experimentally wounded or control samples. No salicylic acid response was detectable in T. heterophylla, suggesting it is a less useful candidate species for future study. Some but not all H. discolorsamples had a measurable salicylic acid …
Soil Macroinvertebrates Responses To Wildfires In The Blue Ridge Mountains, Usa, Madeline Olliff
Soil Macroinvertebrates Responses To Wildfires In The Blue Ridge Mountains, Usa, Madeline Olliff
Biology Theses
Fire has been a prevalent disturbance on Earth for millions of years. Around the globe there are several regions that have become fire adapted, including the Southeastern United States. There have been few studies examining the effects of wildland fires on soil macroinvertebrates in the Blue Ridge Mountains, in spite of the importance of these animals to soil processes and their contributions to the biodiversity of these ecosystems. During the fall of 2016, the Southeastern USA experienced numerous, large wildfires. These fires offered an opportunity to study the effects of wildland fire on soil macroinvertebrates. We sampled sites from three …
Food-Web And Functional Trait Community Structure Of Predator Assemblages In Pine Forests Under Different Management Regimes, Connor Adams
Food-Web And Functional Trait Community Structure Of Predator Assemblages In Pine Forests Under Different Management Regimes, Connor Adams
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Anthropogenic activities can alter natural disturbance regimes in ecosystems, and thereby affect the structure and function of biological diversity. As many of the world’s ecosystems are degraded beyond natural recovery, well-defined restoration goals are necessary to maintain the ecological processes that provide valuable ecosystem services. Utilizing taxonomic, functional, and food-web approaches, I investigated the impacts of forest management practices in structuring predator communities in two pine forest systems of eastern Texas. The results of this study indicate that the increased frequency of forest management practices such as prescribed fires and thinning operations encourages predator diversity while increasing functional and trophic …
Modeling Hydrochemical And Vegetation Responses Of High-Elevation Forested Watersheds To Future Climate And Atmospheric Deposition Changes In The Southeastern U.S., Hailong Huang
Dissertations
Changes in climate and atmospheric acidic deposition alter biogeochemical cycles in forested ecosystems. I investigated the responses of vegetation, soil, and hydro-related processes to changes in climate and acidic deposition at five high-elevation forests in the southeastern U.S. using a biogeochemical model - PnET-BGC model. I focused on change-points and thresholds concepts that were less studied in forest ecosystems as well as seasonal variability of responses and extreme events. I applied principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the dimensionality of data. I developed a Bayesian multi-level model to derive key biogeochemical variables response to temperature and precipitation (local) and latitude …
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, James Dubberly
A Baseline Documentation Report For The Delta Wind Birds Sky Lake Nature Reserve, James Dubberly
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 …
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Primates living in seasonal forests must adapt to extreme fluctuation in resource availability. Verreaux’s sifaka ( ) live in Madagascar’s highly seasonal tropical dry forests and experience periods of extreme resource abundance and scarcity. Home- range and core-area size were measured using 95% and 50% kernel estimation, and 95% minimum convex polygons to compare seasonal shifts in space use based on resource availability. There have been no long-term space use studies on Verreaux’s sifaka; therefore, we do not know how their space use changes over time in an environment which is both highly seasonal and highly variable. Our study leverages …
The Effects Of Fire On Oak-Forest Plant Communities Along Soil Moisture Gradients: A 25-Year Study, Rebekah Frances Shupe
The Effects Of Fire On Oak-Forest Plant Communities Along Soil Moisture Gradients: A 25-Year Study, Rebekah Frances Shupe
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
In the eastern U.S., fire is a natural disturbance process in Quercus (oak) forests. Fire is thought to promote oak regeneration and plant diversity by reducing competition, preparing a suitable seedbed, and increasing light availability. However, the era of fire suppression that began in the early 20th century is thought to have negatively impacted oak regeneration and the biodiversity of the understory layer. In this study, we examined the effects of prescribed fire on tree regeneration and the understory layer over 25 years. From a study initiated in 1994, we resampled 45 permanent vegetation plots measuring 1250 m2 …
Recreation, Vegetation Management, And Disease Impact Sympatric Carnivore Activity In California's East Bay Parks, Leigh J. Douglas
Recreation, Vegetation Management, And Disease Impact Sympatric Carnivore Activity In California's East Bay Parks, Leigh J. Douglas
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
East Bay Regional Park District designated over 1000 ha of protected wildland-urban interface habitat in the hills of California’s East Bay Area for invasive tree removal to reduce fire risk and restore native habitat over a 10-year period starting in 2016. From June to November 2019, 36 camera traps were deployed using a stratified two-pronged detection approach of surveying recreation and wildlife trails to assess the impact of vegetation management on the spatiotemporal distribution of sympatric carnivore species while accounting for potential impacts of human activity and proximity to development. The sampling effort resulted in 5,191 cumulative trap nights, 2,739 …
Evaluating Immaturity Risk In Young Stands Of The Serotinous Knobcone Pine (Pinus Attenuata), Katherine Marlin
Evaluating Immaturity Risk In Young Stands Of The Serotinous Knobcone Pine (Pinus Attenuata), Katherine Marlin
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
As wildfire becomes increasingly frequent, many plant populations risk local extirpation if fire recurs too soon, a problem dubbed “immaturity risk”. We studied the regeneration of a serotinous conifer species, knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata), as a function of the time between high-severity fires (6-79 years). We evaluated age, cone production, and regeneration at two burned sites in northern California, the Ranch Fire (2018) in Mendocino National Forest, and the Carr Fire (2018) in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. We found an average of 30.5 filled seeds in closed, brown cones (42% viability of filled seeds). The bulk of the …
The Ecological Resilience Of A Tropical Montane Pine Forest To Droughts, Fire, And Hurricane Disturbance, Daniel Erland Brugger Swann
The Ecological Resilience Of A Tropical Montane Pine Forest To Droughts, Fire, And Hurricane Disturbance, Daniel Erland Brugger Swann
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Owing to the geographic isolation and unique climatic conditions which occur in tropical montane forests (TMFs), these systems are highly sensitive to changes in both climate and disturbance. Therefore, as ongoing climate change alters disturbance regimes – potentially facilitating multiple disturbance interactions much greater than that of isolated disturbances – TMFs may be shifted to alternate stable states. However, study of TMF resilience is essentially unknown given the lack of long-term studies in these systems. We address the resiliency of the tropical montane pine forests of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic using long-term climate records, remeasured vegetation data, and reconstructed …
Use Of Redwood Basal Hollows By Bats: A Focus On The Townsend's Big-Eared Bat On The North Coast Of California, Amon Jotesh Armstrong
Use Of Redwood Basal Hollows By Bats: A Focus On The Townsend's Big-Eared Bat On The North Coast Of California, Amon Jotesh Armstrong
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
Loss of roosting resources, either through disturbance or removal, negatively affects bats. For sensitive species, such as the Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), determining roost requirements is a critical component in conserving their habitat. Such cavity roosting bats on the North Coast of California may use hollows in large redwood trees. In this study, I examined the factors determining the use of basal tree hollows by different bat species at eight redwood forest sites in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties, California. Bat guano was collected from 179 basal hollow roosts from 2017 to 2018, and guano mass …
Residual Spatial Autocorrelation In Macroecological And Biogeographical Modeling: A Review, Guetchine Gaspard
Residual Spatial Autocorrelation In Macroecological And Biogeographical Modeling: A Review, Guetchine Gaspard
Theses and Dissertations--Geography
Macroecological and biogeographical modelers have predicted the distribution of species across space relying on the relationship between biotic processes and environmental variables. Such a method employs data associated, for instance, with species abundance or presence/absence, climate, geomorphology, and soils. Statistical analyses found in previous studies have highlighted the importance of accounting for the effects of spatial autocorrelation (SAC), which indicates a level of dependence between pairs of nearby observations. A consensus has existed that residual spatial autocorrelation (rSAC) can substantially impact modeling processes and inferences. However, more emphasis should be put on identifying the sources of rSAC and the degree …
Regional Impacts Of Invasive Species And Climate Change On Black Ash Wetlands, Joseph Shannon
Regional Impacts Of Invasive Species And Climate Change On Black Ash Wetlands, Joseph Shannon
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
For more than a decade intensive research on the ecohydrology of black ash wetland ecosystems has been performed to understand these systems before they are drastically altered by the invasive species, emerald ash borer (EAB). In that time there has been little research aimed at the scale and persistence of the alterations. Three distinct but related research articles will be presented to demonstrate a method for moderate resolution mapping of black ash across its entire range, understand the relative impacts of EAB and climate change on probable future wetland conditions, and develop an experimental and modeling approach to quantify and …
A Spatiotemporal Assessment Of Fish Assemblage Response To Land-Use Change And The Evaluation Of Edna Metabarcoding For Describing Diverse Fish Communities, Timothy M. Owen
Theses and Dissertations
Fish assemblages are often assessed as a biological proxy for environmental health. While humans value healthy environments for the ecosystem services and recreational opportunities they provide, it is increasingly evident that such resources can be paradoxically degraded by anthropogenic activities. In this investigation, we studied the relationship between different intensities of anthropogenic land-use change and habitat-driven fish assemblage response across multiple spatiotemporal scales. Secondarily, we explored the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding against conventional electrofishing techniques for the purpose of describing complete fish communities. This study was conducted in the Tuckahoe Creek basin near Richmond, Virginia. This James River tributary serves …
Forest Development And Regeneration Dynamics In The Context Of Global Change And Associated Adaptation Strategies, Peter Clark
Forest Development And Regeneration Dynamics In The Context Of Global Change And Associated Adaptation Strategies, Peter Clark
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Over the past century, forested ecosystems in northeastern North America have undergone significant changes characterized by the recovery from intensive land use and impacts from the introduction of invasive insects and disease. These changes, coupled with emerging threats posed by a changing climate present challenges to the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity, ecological functions, and delivery of critical forest ecosystem services. While management strategies to increase forest resilience and mitigate impacts from climate change have been broadly proposed, there are nascent empirical evaluations of their effectiveness. To address this uncertainty, this dissertation couples field manipulations with long-term measurements to examine …
Beaver Moderated Fire Resistance In The North Cascades And Potential For Climate Change Adaptation, Joseph John Weirich Iii
Beaver Moderated Fire Resistance In The North Cascades And Potential For Climate Change Adaptation, Joseph John Weirich Iii
EWU Masters Thesis Collection
Climate change and fire suppression have altered historic fire regimes, creating conditions for larger, more intense fires. Intense burns can alter watershed hydrology, increasing the potential for harmful channel incision, which impairs riparian ecosystem function by lowering the water table, disconnecting floodplains from aquatic environments. However, wetlands and functioning riparian zones can reduce burn intensity. Beaver, with their unique ability to build dams, can restore incised and degraded streams, store water, and expand wetland environments, potentially decreasing wildfire intensity, fire spread and create fire breaks across the landscape. My objective was to test the hypothesis that beaver impoundments increase landscape …