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Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences

Stabilization Of Pfas-Contaminated Soil With Sewage Sludge- And Wood-Based Biochar Sorbents, Erlend Sørmo, Clara Benedikte Mader Lade, Julie Zhang, Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos, Geir Wold Åsli, Michel Hubert, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Hans Peter H. Arp, Gerard Cornelissen Jan 2024

Stabilization Of Pfas-Contaminated Soil With Sewage Sludge- And Wood-Based Biochar Sorbents, Erlend Sørmo, Clara Benedikte Mader Lade, Julie Zhang, Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos, Geir Wold Åsli, Michel Hubert, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Hans Peter H. Arp, Gerard Cornelissen

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Sustainable and effective remediation technologies for the treatment of soil contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are greatly needed. This study investigated the effects of waste-based biochars on the leaching of PFAS from a sandy soil with a low total organic carbon content (TOC) of 0.57 ± 0.04% impacted by PFAS from aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) dispersed at a former fire-fighting facility. Six different biochars (pyrolyzed at 700–900°C) were tested, made from clean wood chips (CWC), waste timber (WT), activated waste timber (aWT), two digested sewage sludges (DSS-1 and DSS-2) and de-watered raw sewage sludge (DWSS). Up-flow column …


Assessment Of Factors Influencing Migratory Landbird Use Of Forested Stopover Sites Along The Delmarva Peninsula During Autumn Migration, J. Andrew Arnold Dec 2020

Assessment Of Factors Influencing Migratory Landbird Use Of Forested Stopover Sites Along The Delmarva Peninsula During Autumn Migration, J. Andrew Arnold

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Autumn migration is a time when billions of birds move from breeding grounds in North America to wintering grounds in Central and South America, with many individuals relying on stopover habitats en route for resting and refueling purposes. These stopover sites are critical to the survival of the hundreds of species of migratory landbirds that migrate annually, and thus identifying important stopover sites is a high priority for conserving such taxa. The Delmarva Peninsula; a coastal region of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia along the mid-Atlantic flyway; consists of forested habitats with ample food and shelter that likely serves as quality …


The Effects Of Climate On Radial Growth Of Disjunct Northern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis L.) In Virginia, Joshua A. Kincaid Oct 2017

The Effects Of Climate On Radial Growth Of Disjunct Northern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis L.) In Virginia, Joshua A. Kincaid

Virginia Journal of Science

Understanding the geographic range and growth of species is essential for effective land management in a landscape affected by anthropogenic activity and climate change. Climate change is expected to alter the distribution and growth of many tree species in eastern North America, including northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.). This research examined the effects of climate on radial growth of T. occidentalis in disjunct populations south of its continuous range margin in eastern North America. A T. occidentalis tree-ring chronology was developed and examined for growth-climate interactions. Mean sensitivity of the T. occidentalis chronology was within the range of …


Forest Diversity And Disturbance: Changing Influences And The Future Of Virginia’S Forests, Christine J. Small, James L. Chamberlain Oct 2015

Forest Diversity And Disturbance: Changing Influences And The Future Of Virginia’S Forests, Christine J. Small, James L. Chamberlain

Virginia Journal of Science

The Virginia landscape supports a remarkable diversity of forests, from maritime dune woodlands, swamp forests, and pine savannas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, to post-agricultural pine-hardwood forests of the Piedmont, to mixed oak, mesophytic, northern hardwood, and high elevation spruce-fir forests across three mountain provinces in western parts of the state. Virginia’s forests also have been profoundly shaped by disturbance. Chestnut blight, hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, and other pests have caused declines or functional extirpation of foundation species. Invasive plants like multiflora rose, Oriental bittersweet, and Japanese stiltgrass threaten both disturbed and intact forests. Oaks and other fire-dependent …


Thresholds Of Change In Decomposition Rate Along A Dune/Swale Transect On A Virginia Barrier Island, Dominic J. Graziani Oct 2012

Thresholds Of Change In Decomposition Rate Along A Dune/Swale Transect On A Virginia Barrier Island, Dominic J. Graziani

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Aboveground and belowground decomposition rates were determined along a barrier island dune/swale transect located on the Virginia Coast Reserve-Long Term Ecological Research Site using litterbags and wooden dowels. The objective was to determine the influence of fine scale changes in the environment on decomposition to identify any potential thresholds affecting decomposition rate. Wax myrtle (Morella cerifera L. Small) leaves and dowels of southern yellow pine wood were used as standard substrates to evaluate environmental influences on decay. Aboveground (F=6.494, p < 0.0001) and belowground (F=5.705, p < 0.0001) decay rates (yr-1) showed significant variation among litterbag/dowel locations. Aboveground decay rates (yr-1) ranged from 0.339 (Upper Dune station) …


Ice Storm Damage To Virginia Coastal Plain Forests During The Christmas 1998 Ice Storm, Peter Elstner, Stewart Ware Apr 2001

Ice Storm Damage To Virginia Coastal Plain Forests During The Christmas 1998 Ice Storm, Peter Elstner, Stewart Ware

Virginia Journal of Science

On December 23-25, 1998, a major ice storm struck southeastern Virginia. The storm-deposited glaze ice felled trees and limbs, causing a power outage and highway blockage. Between February and April, 1999, we recorded occurrence, severity, and type of damage to trees over 2.5 cm dbh in nine mostly gently sloping plots in Matoaka Woods at the College of William and Mary. Frequency and severity of damage varied with species and with size of trees. Canopy damage occurred in 75% of large Fagus grandifolia trees, but in only 6% of small Sassafras albidum stems. As a group, small (2.5 to 15 …


Comparison Of Sapling Community Structure In Created And Natural Forested Wetlands In Southeastern Virginia, Sharon Ann Haines Apr 1996

Comparison Of Sapling Community Structure In Created And Natural Forested Wetlands In Southeastern Virginia, Sharon Ann Haines

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Forested wetlands are being destroyed at a rapid rate. Wetlands are valuable for flood control, aquifer recharge, and for their role in denitrification and storage of global carbon. When wetlands are lost, their functions and value to humans are lost as well. One response to the continued development of wetlands has been the artificial creation of new wetlands. This study compared the species density, relative density, coverage and frequency of occurrence of the woody vegetation in two southeastern Virginia created wetlands with that in two reference wetlands, also in southeastern Virginia, to determine the structural similarity of their respective communities. …


Litter Production And Nutrient Content Of Litter In The Seasonally Flooded Dismal Swamp, Marta M. Gomez Oct 1980

Litter Production And Nutrient Content Of Litter In The Seasonally Flooded Dismal Swamp, Marta M. Gomez

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Litter production was studied in four plant communities in the Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia, that differ primarily in species composition and flooding regime. Greatest leaf deposition occurred in the more flooded communities, maple-gum (Acer-Nyssa) with 536 g m-2 yr-1 and cypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Richard) with 528 g m-2 yr-1, followed by the cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) BSP) and mixed hardwood (Quercus-Acer-Nyssa-Liquidambar) communities with 506 g m-2 yr-1 and 455 g m-2 yr-1, respectively. Litter nutrient concentrations were generally higher in the cypress and maple-gum stands, indicating greater nutrient availability …


Application Of Satellite Data And Lars' Data Processing Techniques To Mapping Vegetation Of The Dismal Swamp, Jeffrey Allan Messmore Oct 1975

Application Of Satellite Data And Lars' Data Processing Techniques To Mapping Vegetation Of The Dismal Swamp, Jeffrey Allan Messmore

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study concerned the feasibility of using digital satellite imagery and automatic data processing (ADP) techniques as a means of mapping swamp forest vegetation. Multispectral scanner data acquired by the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1; renamed LANDSAT-1) was analyzed using ADP techniques developed by Purdue University's Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing (LARS). The site for this investigation was the Dismal Swamp, a 210,000 acre swamp forest located south of Suffolk, Va. on the Virginia-North Carolina border. Two basic classification strategies were employed in determining the vegetation mapping capability of ERTS-1 data. The initial classification utilized unsupervised techniques which produced …


Studies On The Causes Of Tree Distribution In A Forest Type In The Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Thomas A. Janszen Apr 1974

Studies On The Causes Of Tree Distribution In A Forest Type In The Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Thomas A. Janszen

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Vegetational composition and environmental parameters were analyzed in a forest type of the Dismal Swamp. A 0.5 ha forest stand was divided into 200 5 x 5 meter contiguous quadrats and the tree size classes were precisely mapped. Fifty soil samples were analyzed for texture, pH, and major nutrients. A topographic map was constructed with precision to 0.01 ft. Analysis of variance tests showed non-randomness to exist in soil texture and nutrient content while homogeneity tests showed non-randomness in distribution of some woody species. Factor analysis indicated no significant correlations between soil quality, topography, and woody species. Findings indicate that …