Forest Sciences Commons^™

Will Whole-Tree Harvest Of Jack Pine (Pinus Banksiana) Deplete Soil Nutrients In Low-Productivity Sand Soils?, Victoria L. Veach

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

In 2009 and 2010 a study was conducted on the Hiawatha National Forest (HNF) to determine if whole-tree harvest (WTH) of jack pine would deplete the soil nutrients in the very coarse-textured Rubicon soil. WTH is restricted on Rubicon sand in order to preserve the soil fertility, but the increasing construction of biomass-fueled power plants is expected to increase the demand for forest biomass. The specific objectives of this study were to estimate biomass and nutrient content of above- and below-ground tree components in mature jack pine (Pinus banksiana) stands growing on a coarse-textured, low-productivity soil, determine pools …

Comparing Remote Sensing And Ground-Based Methods Of Quantifying Cover Type And Carbon Storage In An Urban Forest, Christine L. Jones

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Understanding the canopy cover of an urban environment leads to better estimates of carbon storage and more informed management decisions by urban foresters. The most commonly used method for assessing urban forest cover type extent is ground surveys, which can be both timeconsuming and expensive. The analysis of aerial photos is an alternative method that is faster, cheaper, and can cover a larger number of sites, but may be less accurate. The objectives of this paper were (1) to compare three methods of cover type assessment for Los Angeles, CA: handdelineation of aerial photos in ArcMap, supervised classification of aerial …

Patch Selection By Wintering White-Tailed Deer : Consequences For Eastern Hemlock Regeneration At Local And Landscape Scales, Jill Christine Witt

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Tsuga canadensis (eastern hemlock) is a highly shade-tolerant, late-successional, and long-lived conifer species found throughout eastern North America. It is most often found in pure or nearly pure stands, because highly acidic and nutrient poor forest floor conditions are thought to favor T. canadensis regeneration while simultaneously limiting the establishment of some hardwood species with greater nutrient requirements. Once a common species, T. canadensis is currently experiencing widescale declines across its range. The hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is decimating the population across its eastern distribution. Across the Upper Great Lakes region, where the adelgid is currently being …

A Comparison Of Ground Cover And Frequency Estimation Methods For Post-Harvest Soil Monitoring, Curtis David Kvamme

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The amount and type of ground cover is an important characteristic to measure when collecting soil disturbance monitoring data after a timber harvest. Estimates of ground cover and bare soil can be used for tracking changes in invasive species, plant growth and regeneration, woody debris loadings, and the risk of surface water runoff and soil erosion. A new method of assessing ground cover and soil disturbance was recently published by the U.S. Forest Service, the Forest Soil Disturbance Monitoring Protocol (FSDMP). This protocol uses the frequency of cover types in small circular (15cm) plots to compare ground surface in pre- …

Golden-Winged Warbler Habitat Model Validation For Northern Wisconsin And Central Minnesota, Alexandra E. Wrobel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Between 1966 and 2003, the Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) experienced declines of 3.4% per year in large parts of the breeding range and has been identified by Partners in Flight as one of 28 land birds requiring expedient action to prevent its continued decline. It is currently being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. A major step in advancing our understanding of the status and habitat preferences of Golden-winged Warbler populations in the Upper Midwest was initiated by the publication of new predictive spatially explicit Golden-winged Warbler habitat models for the northern Midwest. Here, I use …

Transferability Of Simple Sequence Repeat (Ssr) Markers Developed In Litchi Chinensis To Blighia Sapida (Sapindaceae), Marius R.M. Ekué, Oliver Gailing, Reiner Finkeldey

Michigan Tech Publications

Ackee (Blighia sapida, Sapindaceae) is a multipurpose fruit tree species of high economic importance, native to the Guinean forests of West Africa, and belongs to the same family as that of lychee (Litchi chinensis). In this study, a set of 12 primer pairs for simple sequence repeats (SSRs) previously developed for lychee has been evaluated for polymorphism in 16 ackee trees from different populations. Seven primer pairs have been found to be transferable, and four have revealed polymorphisms. However, the average number of alleles per locus has dropped from 4.9 for lychee to 3.7 for ackee. Characterization of the four …

A Method For Digital Color Analysis Of Spalted Wood Using Scion Image Software, Sara Robinson, Peter Laks, Ethan J. Turnquist

Michigan Tech Publications

Color analysis of spalted wood surfaces requires a non-subjective, repeatable method for determining percent of pigmentation on the wood surface. Previously published methods used human visual perception with a square grid overlay to determine the percent of surface pigmentation. Our new method uses Scion Image©, a graphical software program used for grayscale and color analysis, to separate fungal pigments from the wood background. These human interface processes render the wood block into HSV (hue, saturation, value, within the RGB color space), allowing subtle and drastic color changes to be visualized, selected and analyzed by the software. Analysis with Scion Image© …

An Investigation Of Phenolic Glycoside And Condensed Tannin Homeostasis In Populus By Salicyl Alcohol Feeding To Cell Cultures And By Transgenic Manipulation Of The Sucrose Transporter, Ptsut4, In Planta, Raja Sekhar Payyaula

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Secondary metabolites play an important role in plant protection against biotic and abiotic stress. In Populus, phenolic glycosides (PGs) and condensed tannins (CTs) are two such groups of compounds derived from the common phenylpropanoid pathway. The basal levels and the inducibility of PGs and CTs depend on genetic as well as environmental factors, such as soil nitrogen (N) level. Carbohydrate allocation, transport and sink strength also affect PG and CT levels. A negative correlation between the levels of PGs and CTs was observed in several studies. However, the molecular mechanism underlying such relation is not known. We used a …

Effects Of Conifer Sawdust, Hardwood Sawdust, And Peat On Soil Properties And A Barefoot Conifer Seedling Development, Paul J. Koll

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Organic amendments are commonly used to improve tree nursery soil conditions for increased seedling growth. However, few studies compare organic amendments effects on soil conditions, and fewer compare subsequent effects on seedling growth. The effects of three organic amendments on soil properties and seedling growth were investigated at the USDA Forest Service J.W. Toumey Nursery in Watersmeet, MI. Pine sawdust (red pine, Pinus resinosa), hardwood sawdust (maple, Acer spp. and aspen, Populus spp.), and peat were individually incorporated into a loamy sand nursery soil in August, 2006, and soil properties were sampled periodically for the next 14 months. Jack …

Quantifying The Ecological Benefits Of Lakeshore Restoration In Northern Wisconsin, Daniel E. Haskell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Housing development has increased dramatically in the Midwest with a high concentration around lakes. This development plays an important role in the economy of Northwoods communities. However, poorly planned development has the potential to alter a lake’s ecological processes and integrity. Studies have documented the impacts of housing developments and reported dramatic, negative changes to the flora and fauna in Vilas County, Wisconsin. One component of my research included examining the previously unstudied effects of residential development on the abundance and diversity of medium to large-bodied mammals using lakeshore ecosystems. The results suggest that a higher diversity of mammals were …

Detection And Landing Behavior Of Emerald Ash Borer, Agrilus Planipennis, At Low Population Density, Melissa J. Porter

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The exotic emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), was first discovered in North America in southeastern Michigan, USA, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada in 2002. Significant ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality has been caused in areas where this insect has become well established, and new infestations continue to be discovered in several states in the United States and in Canada. This beetle is difficult to detect when it invades new areas or occurs at low density. Girdled trap tree and ground surveys have been important tools for detecting emerald ash borer populations, and more recently, purple baited prism traps …

The Influence Of Concurrent Disturbances On Plant Community Dynamics In Northern Hemlock-Hardwood Forests, Stacie A. Holmes

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Throughout the Upper Great Lakes region, alterations to historic disturbance regimes have influenced plant community dynamics in hemlock-hardwood forests. Several important mesic forest species, eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), and Canada yew (Taxus canadensis), are in decline due to exploitive logging practices used at the turn of the 20th century and the wave of intense fires that followed. Continued regeneration and recruitment failure is attributed to contemporary forest management practices and overbrowsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Therefore, I examined the influence …

Determining The Role Of Environmental Factors And Disturbance In The Distribution Of Reed Canary Grass Within Wetlands, Kathryn M. Marlor

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) is an invasive species originally from Europe that has now expanded to a large range within the United States. Reed canary grass possesses a number of traits that allow it to thrive in a wide range of environmental factors, including high rates of sedimentation, bouts of flooding, and high levels of nutrient inputs. Therefore, the goals of our study were to determine if 1) certain types of wetland were more susceptible to Reed canary grass invasion, and 2) disturbances facilitated Reed canary grass invasion.

This study was conducted within the Keweenaw Bay Indian …

Boreal Forest Fire Impacts On Lower Troposphere Carbon Monoxide And Ozone Levels At The Regional To Hemispheric Scales, Kateryna Lapina

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Tropospheric ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) pollution in the Northern Hemisphere is commonly thought to be of anthropogenic origin. While this is true in most cases, copious quantities of pollutants are emitted by fires in boreal regions, and the impact of these fires on CO has been shown to significantly exceed the impact of urban and industrial sources during large fire years. The impact of boreal fires on ozone is still poorly quantified, and large uncertainties exist in the estimates of the fire-released nitrogen oxides (NO _x ), a critical factor in ozone production. As boreal fire activity is …

Towards Greater Accuracy In Individual-Tree Mortality Regression, Clara Antón Fernández

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Background mortality is an essential component of any forest growth and yield model. Forecasts of mortality contribute largely to the variability and accuracy of model predictions at the tree, stand and forest level. In the present study, I implement and evaluate state-of-the-art techniques to increase the accuracy of individual tree mortality models, similar to those used in many of the current variants of the Forest Vegetation Simulator, using data from North Idaho and Montana. The first technique addresses methods to correct for bias induced by measurement error typically present in competition variables. The second implements survival regression and evaluates its …

Land Use/Cover Change Using Remote Sensing And Geographic Information Systems : Pic Macaya National Park, Haiti, Jessie A. Vital

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

A post classification change detection technique based on a hybrid classification approach (unsupervised and supervised) was applied to Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Landsat Enhanced Thematic Plus (ETM+), and ASTER images acquired in 1987, 2000 and 2004 respectively to map land use/cover changes in the Pic Macaya National Park in the southern region of Haiti. Each image was classified individually into six land use/cover classes: built-up, agriculture, herbaceous, open pine forest, mixed forest, and barren land using unsupervised ISODATA and maximum likelihood supervised classifiers with the aid of field collected ground truth data collected in the field. Ground truth information, collected …

Risk Assessment For Invasive Exotic Plants Using Multi-Criteria Risk Models, Lindsey Marie Shartell

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Invasive exotic plants have altered natural ecosystems across much of North America. In the Midwest, the presence of invasive plants is increasing rapidly, causing changes in ecosystem patterns and processes. Early detection has become a key component in invasive plant management and in the detection of ecosystem change. Risk assessment through predictive modeling has been a useful resource for monitoring and assisting with treatment decisions for invasive plants.

Predictive models were developed to assist with early detection of ten target invasive plants in the Great Lakes Network of the National Park Service and for garlic mustard throughout the Upper Peninsula …

System For And Method Of Performing Evaluation Techniques On A Log Or Round Timber, Xiping Wang, Robert J. Ross, James A. Mattson, John Erickson, John W. Forsman, Earl A. Geske, Michael A. Wehr

Michigan Tech Patents

A system for and method of evaluating a log. The system includes an analysis module having at least one input terminal connectable to the at least one input device. The at least one input terminal is operable to receive at least one signal representing at least one measured property of the log and at least one determined parameter of the log determined in response to an energy being applied to the log. The analysis module further includes a processor coupled to the at least one input terminal. The processor determines a predictive modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the log based …

Ecological Studies Of Wolves On Isle Royale, 2004-2005, Rolf O. Peterson, John A. Vucetich

Ecological Studies of Wolves on Isle Royale

Annual Report 2004-2005

Vegetation And Hydrologic Influences On Carbon And Nitrogen In Subsurface Water Of A Forested Riparian Wetland, Emily B. W. Calhoon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Vegetation communities affect carbon and nitrogen dynamics in the subsurface water of mineral wetlands through the quality of their litter, their uptake of nutrients, root exudation and their effects on redox potential. However, vegetation influence on subsurface nutrient dynamics is often overshadowed by the influences of hydrology, soils and geology on nutrient dynamics. The effects of vegetation communities on carbon and nitrogen dynamics are important to consider when managing land that may change vegetation type or quantity so that wetland ecosystem functions can be retained. This study was established to determine the magnitude of the influences and interaction of vegetation …

Effectiveness Of A Nondestructive Evaluation Technique For Assessing Standing Timber Quality, Crystal L. Pilon

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The research presented in this thesis was conducted to further the development of the stress wave method of nondestructively assessing the quality of wood in standing trees. The specific objective of this research was to examine, in the field, use of two stress wave nondestructive assessment techniques.

The first technique examined utilizes a laboratory-built measurement system consisting of commercially available accelerometers and a digital storage oscilloscope. The second technique uses a commercially available tool that incorporates several technologies to determine speed of stress wave propagation in standing trees.

Field measurements using both techniques were conducted on sixty red pine trees …

Photodegradation And Photostabilization Of Weathered Wood Flour Filled Polyethylene Composites, Nicole M. Stark

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) have gained popularity as building materials because of their usefulness in replacing solid wood in a variety of applications. These composites are promoted as being low-maintenance, high-durability products. However, it has been shown that WPCs exposed to weathering may experience a color change and/or loss in mechanical properties. An important requirement for building materials used in outdoor applications is the retention of their aesthetic qualities and mechanical properties during service life. Therefore, it is critical to understand the photodegradation mechanisms of WPCs exposed to UV radiation and to develop approaches to stabilize these composites (both unstabilized …

Genetic Diversity Of Annona Cherimola Mill In South Central Bolivia, Kristina J. Owens

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

No abstract provided.

Riparian Buffer Zones Of The Ybytyruzu Mountain Range, Paraguay, Wendy A. Owens

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

No abstract provided.