Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Forest Management (35)
- Forest Biology (29)
- Other Forestry and Forest Sciences (22)
- Physical Sciences and Mathematics (18)
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (17)
-
- Environmental Sciences (13)
- Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology (11)
- Earth Sciences (7)
- Plant Sciences (7)
- Biodiversity (6)
- Biology (5)
- Engineering (5)
- Natural Resources and Conservation (5)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (5)
- Entomology (4)
- Botany (3)
- Computer Sciences (3)
- Environmental Microbiology and Microbial Ecology (3)
- Environmental Monitoring (3)
- Hydrology (3)
- International and Area Studies (3)
- Microbiology (3)
- Other Environmental Sciences (3)
- Plant Biology (3)
- Wood Science and Pulp, Paper Technology (3)
- Agriculture (2)
- Chemical Engineering (2)
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (2)
- Institution
-
- Stephen F. Austin State University (5)
- University of Montana (5)
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville (5)
- Cal Poly Humboldt (4)
- Michigan Technological University (4)
-
- The University of Maine (4)
- Purdue University (3)
- University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (3)
- University of Massachusetts Amherst (3)
- Clark University (2)
- Portland State University (2)
- State University of New York College at Buffalo - Buffalo State College (2)
- The University of Southern Mississippi (2)
- University of Kentucky (2)
- University of Vermont (2)
- Arkansas Tech University (1)
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (1)
- City University of New York (CUNY) (1)
- Colby College (1)
- James Madison University (1)
- Louisiana State University (1)
- South Dakota State University (1)
- The University of Akron (1)
- The University of San Francisco (1)
- University of Denver (1)
- University of Louisville (1)
- University of New Orleans (1)
- Utah State University (1)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (1)
- Western University (1)
- Keyword
-
- Biological sciences (5)
- Wildfire (5)
- Forest management (4)
- Remote sensing (4)
- Climate Change (3)
-
- Eucalyptus (3)
- Forest (3)
- Invasive species (3)
- Restoration (3)
- Sierra Nevada (3)
- Allelopathy (2)
- Appalachia (2)
- Climate change (2)
- Ecology (2)
- Fire (2)
- Forest ecology (2)
- Forestry (2)
- Hemlock (2)
- Imidacloprid (2)
- Kentucky (2)
- Old-growth characteristics (2)
- Wildland fire (2)
- Abies (1)
- Aboveground biomass/carbon (1)
- Acadian (1)
- Acadian forest (1)
- Acer grandidentatum (1)
- Acetyl groups (1)
- Acid peat soils (1)
- Adelgid (1)
- Publication
-
- Electronic Theses and Dissertations (11)
- Masters Theses (6)
- Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects (4)
- Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports (4)
- Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers (4)
-
- Graduate Theses and Dissertations (3)
- Master's Theses (3)
- Biology Theses (2)
- Dissertations and Theses (2)
- Doctoral Dissertations (2)
- Graduate College Dissertations and Theses (2)
- International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE) (2)
- Open Access Theses (2)
- Theses and Dissertations (2)
- All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023 (1)
- Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository (1)
- Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones (1)
- Honors Theses (1)
- LSU Doctoral Dissertations (1)
- Master's Projects and Capstones (1)
- Masters Theses, 2010-2019 (1)
- Open Access Dissertations (1)
- Theses and Dissertations from 2016 (1)
- Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering (1)
- Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources (1)
- Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts (1)
- University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations (1)
- Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects (1)
Articles 1 - 30 of 63
Full-Text Articles in Forest Sciences
The Influence Of The Invasive Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera) Leaf Litter On Aquatic Chemistry And Microbial Community Composition, Raymond D. Montez
The Influence Of The Invasive Chinese Tallow (Triadica Sebifera) Leaf Litter On Aquatic Chemistry And Microbial Community Composition, Raymond D. Montez
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Global climate change and anthropogenic activity have facilitated the movement and invasive potential of nonnative plants in native environments. These invasions can have negative effects on ecosystem diversity and function. The nonnative and invasive plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera), has already invaded much of the south eastern US where it is outcompeting native tree species and changing ecosystem diversity in a variety of habitats. Leaf litter from the Chinese tallow has been shown cause changes in dissolved oxygen and pH in the aquatic environment. Turbidity is also affected when Chinese tallow litter is present in water. A series of …
Effects Of Non-Consumptive Recreation And Environmental Factors On Arkansas State Park Biodiversity, Bennett P. Grooms
Effects Of Non-Consumptive Recreation And Environmental Factors On Arkansas State Park Biodiversity, Bennett P. Grooms
Theses and Dissertations from 2016
State parks serve a dual conservation role by offering protected habitat to many species while also promoting recreational use of natural resources. Non-consumptive recreation activities, however, have long-term negative effects on the behavior, physiology, and reproductive success of state park biotic communities. The purpose of my research was to investigate the possible synergistic effects of non-consumptive trail use, environmental factors, and trail design factors on avian, mesocarnivore, and woody vegetation communities in Arkansas state parks. During 18 May – 7 August 2015, I conducted avian point counts, trail user counts, set camera traps, and sampled vegetation at 227 points on …
Improving And Elucidating Factors Regulating Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra L.) Clonal Propagation, Micah E. Stevens
Improving And Elucidating Factors Regulating Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra L.) Clonal Propagation, Micah E. Stevens
Open Access Dissertations
Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is a fine hardwood tree species native to the central hardwood region of the United States. High-quality black walnut timber is highly desirable. Traded in both regional and global markets, it has been used for veneer, and the manufacture of high-end products such as cabinets, furniture, and gunstocks. As a result of its high economic value, black walnut has been commercially cultivated for many years, and breeding programs have generated superior timber genotypes with improved marketable traits. Once elite genotypes were developed, it was quickly recognized that black walnut was recalcitrant to clonal propagation …
Determining Public Perceptions Toward Wildland Fire In The Veluwe Region Of The Netherlands, Amy Brennan
Determining Public Perceptions Toward Wildland Fire In The Veluwe Region Of The Netherlands, Amy Brennan
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The Netherlands has been facing a growing threat of wildfires due to warmer
and drier weather patterns. The purpose of this study was to identify public
perceptions toward wildland fire in the forested Veluwe region of the country. The
Dutch have little experience with wildland fires or fire as a management tool. In a
collaborative effort between Stephen F. Austin State University and the Instituut
Fysieke Veiligheid, the Dutch public safety agency, a survey was distributed to
residents and visitors to the Veluwe to reveal and quantify public opinions and
perceptions regarding wildland fire and public expectations of government
agencies …
Old-Growth Characteristics Of Northern White-Cedar Stands, Nathan Wesely
Old-Growth Characteristics Of Northern White-Cedar Stands, Nathan Wesely
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis; hereafter white-cedar) communities have received relatively little research attention, and managers lack the tools used in the management of other commercial tree species. This includes the recognition of old-growth characteristics and the differentiation between old-growth and partially harvested stands, particularly in the context of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC-US) certification. Specifically, there is very little information about characteristics that define old-growth white-cedar stands despite the species’ abundance and wide distribution. Regional indices for late-successional or old-growth stands (Whitman and Hagan, 2007) do not include white-cedar. Forests dominated by white-cedar represent a type that currently lacks …
Plant Community Responses To The Removal Of Lonicera Maackii From An Urban Woodland Park., Elihu H. Levine
Plant Community Responses To The Removal Of Lonicera Maackii From An Urban Woodland Park., Elihu H. Levine
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Impacts of Lonicera maackii on native forest communities have been widely researched, but long-term responses of plant communities to the removal of this exotic shrub have not been extensively evaluated. The Louisville Olmsted Parks Conservancy removes exotic shrubs and vines to restore ecological processes and native species in the woodlands of Cherokee Park. Paired-plots were established in 2008 to gather baseline herb, vine, tree, and shrub community data. Honeysuckle was removed from one plot of each pair in 2009 and community data were gathered again in 2013. Native herb cover and richness, vine cover, and tree sapling abundance increased where …
Modeling And Forecasting The Influence Of Current And Future Climate On Eastern North American Spruce-Fir (Picea-Abies) Forests, Caitlin Andrews
Modeling And Forecasting The Influence Of Current And Future Climate On Eastern North American Spruce-Fir (Picea-Abies) Forests, Caitlin Andrews
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The spruce-fir (Picea-Abies) forest type of the Acadian Region is at risk of disappearing from the United States and parts of Canada due to climate change and associated impacts. Managing for the ecosystem services provided by this forest type requires accurate forecasting of forest metrics across this broad international region in the face of the expected redistribution of tree species. This analysis linked species specific data with climate and topographic variables using the nonparametric random forest algorithm, to generate models that accurately predicted changes in species distribution due to climate change. A comprehensive dataset, consisting of 10,493,619 observations …
Crop Tree Enhancement Of Green Ash (Fraxinus Pennsylvanica) In A West Tennessee Hardwood Bottom, John Luke Bowers
Crop Tree Enhancement Of Green Ash (Fraxinus Pennsylvanica) In A West Tennessee Hardwood Bottom, John Luke Bowers
Masters Theses
Crop tree enhancement is a forest management technique undertaken to maintain, enhance, and improve the species composition, growth rate, and stem quality of stands so that management objectives may be better and more quickly accomplished. In 1996, a crop tree enhancement study involving green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) in a 16-year-old, naturally regenerated, mixed-species, pole-sized, bottomland hardwood stand was initiated at Ames Plantation in West TN. Treatments included a crown-touching release, a crown-touching release plus one-time fertilizer application, and a control, applied in a randomized block design with five 25-crop tree repetitions of the three treatments. Initial crop tree …
Lignin Maximization: Analyzing The Impact Of Different Feedstocks And Feedstock Ratios Using Organosolv Fractionation, Marc Banholzer
Lignin Maximization: Analyzing The Impact Of Different Feedstocks And Feedstock Ratios Using Organosolv Fractionation, Marc Banholzer
Masters Theses
Over-exploitation of fossil fuels coupled with increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions are prompting a transition from conventional petrochemical feedstocks to sustainable and renewable sourced carbon. The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for integrated biorefining is of current high interest, as separation into its component parts affords process streams of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, each of which can serve as a starting point for the production of biobased chemicals and fuels. Given the large number of potential sources of lignocellulosic feedstocks, the biorefinery will need to adapt to the supplies available over a normal growing season. Of particular …
Improving Conservation Efforts Through A Better Understanding Of Forest Elephant Ecology, The Impacts Of Threats On Elephants And Freshwater Fisheries In Northern Congo, Roger Patrick Boundja
Improving Conservation Efforts Through A Better Understanding Of Forest Elephant Ecology, The Impacts Of Threats On Elephants And Freshwater Fisheries In Northern Congo, Roger Patrick Boundja
Doctoral Dissertations
IMPROVING CONSERVATION EFFORTS THROUGH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF FOREST ELEPHANT ECOLOGY, THE IMPACTS OF THREATS ON ELEPHANTS AND FRESHWATER FISHERIES IN NORTHERN SEPTEMBER 2016 ROGER PATRICK BOUNDJA, B.Sc. FORESTRY, MARIEN NGOUABI UNIVERSITY, BRAZZAVILLE MSc. UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN PhD. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST Directed by: Professor Curtice R. Griffin Catch data, including fish numbers, length-weight were collected during a multi-mesh Gillnet fisheries-independent survey in 2007-2008, and fisheries-dependent mixed gear surveys in 2009-2010 and 2015 across 400km stretch of the Sangha River located in the Sangha Tri-National. Overall, very high species richness (Chao 2 mean=250, SD=16.15) and diversity index (Simpson Inverse …
Systems Thinking In The Forest Service: A Framework To Guide Practical Application For Social-Ecological Management In The Enterprise Program, Megan Kathleen Kmon
Systems Thinking In The Forest Service: A Framework To Guide Practical Application For Social-Ecological Management In The Enterprise Program, Megan Kathleen Kmon
Dissertations and Theses
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Enterprise Program (EP), which provides fee-for-service consulting services to the USFS, is interested in integrating systems thinking into its service offerings. Despite there being several excellent sources on the range and diversity of systems thinking, no single framework exists that thoroughly yet concisely outlines what systems thinking is along with its deep history, theoretical tenets, and soft and hard approaches. This thesis is an attempt to create such a framework, aimed specifically at practical application in a land management agency, through literature synthesis injected with original analysis. The usefulness of the framework is then tested …
Development Of Eco-Friendly Composite Foam Boards For Thermal Insulation And Packaging Purposes Using Cellulose Nanofibrils (Cnf), Nadir Yildirim
Development Of Eco-Friendly Composite Foam Boards For Thermal Insulation And Packaging Purposes Using Cellulose Nanofibrils (Cnf), Nadir Yildirim
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Reducing energy consumption is a high priority in the United States and throughout the world. Energy used to heat and cool occupied constructed facilities is of particular concern, and one of the most effective strategies is insulating the building envelope. Historically, builders used whatever material was available to fill the void between interior and exterior walls, including wool fibers, paper, and even corn cobs. Today, homes are built using foam insulation that harden when applied, blown-in loose insulation, fiberglass mats or rigid foam boards usually composed of polystyrene. Rigid foam boards are used in a variety of applications despite the …
Breeding Season Avian Community Composition And Prey Availability In Eucalyptus And Slash Pine Plantations Of Southwestern Louisiana, Elizabeth J. Messick
Breeding Season Avian Community Composition And Prey Availability In Eucalyptus And Slash Pine Plantations Of Southwestern Louisiana, Elizabeth J. Messick
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The increased demand for wood products related to industries such as bioenergy and paper has resulted in a need for a consistent supply of raw materials. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.) plantations have the potential to boost wood production for pulpwood and biomass feedstocks. Species characteristics such as rapid, indeterminate growth, coppice regrowth, resistance to disease and insects, and tolerance of a range of environmental conditions make these species successful short-rotation woody crops (SRWCs). Camden white gum (Eucalyptus benthamii), a more cold tolerant species, has made management of eucalyptus plantations viable in southern portions of the United States such …
Do Novel Weapons That Degrade Mycorrhizal Mutualisms Explain Invasive Species Success?, Philip L. Pinzone Mr.
Do Novel Weapons That Degrade Mycorrhizal Mutualisms Explain Invasive Species Success?, Philip L. Pinzone Mr.
Biology Theses
Invasive plants often dominate novel habitats where they did not co-evolve with local species. Several hypotheses suggest mechanisms that explain increased exotic plant success, including 'novel weapons' and 'degraded mutualisms'. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and European buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) are widespread plant invaders in North America that can dominate ecosystems. The goal of this study is to test whether these impacts are more consistent with novel weapons or degraded mutualism hypotheses. I examine tree seedling recruitment, (germination and initial survival) growth, (biomass) and mycorrhizal invasion (AMF content) as a function of F. japonica and R. cathartica …
Forest Islands In A Sea Of Urban Habitat, Michael J. Olejniczak
Forest Islands In A Sea Of Urban Habitat, Michael J. Olejniczak
Biology Theses
Urban forests are poorly defined as ecological communities. Substantive links between anthropogenic landscape features and forest ecology are lacking. ‘Urbaness’ is commonly defined by human population density or land use classifications, but their use is inconsistent throughout the literature, and rarely is linked with ecological processes. Furthermore, it is unknown whether urban forests are functioning parts of a patchy urban woodland system or isolated islands amidst an ocean of unsuitable habitat. I first used digital satellite imagery and publicly available U.S. National Park data to link urban land use with forest processes. I then linked those land use classifications with …
An Assessment Of The Competitive Ability Of Oak Species In The Central Hardwood Region Using Both Pre-Harvest Treatment Data And Stem Analysis Techniques, Robert William Edward Quackenbush
An Assessment Of The Competitive Ability Of Oak Species In The Central Hardwood Region Using Both Pre-Harvest Treatment Data And Stem Analysis Techniques, Robert William Edward Quackenbush
Open Access Theses
The density of advance regeneration of oak species has been in decline across the Central Hardwood Region (CHR) for the past 50 years. This phenomenon has been accredited to many different factors, ranging from predation and browse by wildlife, to human induced changes in the environment which include massive clearcutting, land use change from forest to agriculture, and suppression of fires which played an intricate role in the development of oak systems across the CHR. The objectives of this research project were to compare densities of oak advance regeneration across two different environmental gradients within the CHR, in particular the …
Forage Availability And Nutritional Carrying Capacity For Cervids Following Prescribed Fire And Herbicide Applications In Young Mixed-Hardwood Forest Stands In The Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, Jordan Scott Nanney
Masters Theses
I evaluated the influence of timber harvest combined with prescribed fire and/or herbicide in young mixed-hardwood forest on forage availability and nutritional carrying capacity (NCC) for elk (Cervus elaphus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (WMA), July-August, 2013-15. I combined land cover data, forest management data, field management data, and forage availability data to model summer elk forage availability across the WMA.
I compared forage availability, NCC (animal days/ha) using 12 and 14% crude protein (CP) nutritional constraints, and vegetation composition among 6 young forest treatments, reclaimed surface mines (MINE), and closed-canopy mature forest …
The Cytotoxic And Antimicrobial Properties Of Pine Essential Oils: A Characterization And Comparison, Richard Sakul
The Cytotoxic And Antimicrobial Properties Of Pine Essential Oils: A Characterization And Comparison, Richard Sakul
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
In the forestry industry, the pine tree species are important because of their durable timber and fast growth. In Arkansas, trees such as the loblolly pine compose almost a third of the timberland, seven million acres. In addition to the lignocellulosic biomass, pine bark and needles potentially have industrial importance as a waste stream from which high value (e.g., pharmaceutical, cosmetics) chemicals could be extracted, which could potentially increase the profit margin of forestry operations. In this research, the possibility that pine needles harvested from industry processed pine tree residues could be used as an antibacterial or cytotoxic chemical agent …
Long-Term Overstory Vegetation Responses To Prescribed Fire Management For Longleaf Pine At Big Thicket National Preserve, Deanna M. Boensch
Long-Term Overstory Vegetation Responses To Prescribed Fire Management For Longleaf Pine At Big Thicket National Preserve, Deanna M. Boensch
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
At the western edge of the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) range, federal land managers have burned the forests of Big Thicket National Preserve to bring back the structure and diversity of the longleaf pine forest. In the early 1990’s, a four year study was conducted by Rice University, and the National Park Service continued monitoring the study’s fire ecology research plots. After two decades of data collection, ordination was applied to species abundance data to examine changes in vegetation communities from a variety of prescribed fire treatments and controls. The vegetation data was separated by size class to include overstory, …
Effects Of Fire On Soil Co₂ Efflux In A Mature Longleaf Pine Forest, Knox Lemee Flowers
Effects Of Fire On Soil Co₂ Efflux In A Mature Longleaf Pine Forest, Knox Lemee Flowers
Master's Theses
This study was conducted from 2012-2013 in a 96 year old longleaf pine at the Lake Thoreau Environmental Center located Lamar County, MS. Measurements of soil CO₂ efflux (i.e., soil respiration or SR) rates (µmol m-2 sec-1) were taken across 8 field plots (4 burned, 4 unburned) before and after a prescribed fire on that occurred in May, 2012. These measurements were taken over diurnal cycles using a LICOR LI-8100A automated soil gas flux system with long term chambers. SR rates and soil temperature measurements were collected during 3 sampling periods in 2012 and 1 sampling period …
Production Of Acetic Acid In Kraft Pulp Mill Biorefinery Using Bi-Polar Membrane Electrodialysis, Ravikant Amogisidha Patil
Production Of Acetic Acid In Kraft Pulp Mill Biorefinery Using Bi-Polar Membrane Electrodialysis, Ravikant Amogisidha Patil
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The objective of this dissertation was to develop a process for the production of acetic acid in kraft mills. Acetyl groups in hardwood can be hydrolyzed using alkali at 50 °C. The product from this process contains about 15 g/L of sodium acetate and was determined to be suitable for the production of acetic acid.
Experiments performed using aqueous sodium acetate to evaluate the ability of electrodialysis (ED) to separate and concentrate sodium acetate showed that sodium acetate can be concentrated up to 275 g/L starting with an initial concentration of 17 g/L. The transport of water with sodium and …
Eucalyptus In Kenya; Impacts On Environment And Society, Brandy M. Garrett Kluthe
Eucalyptus In Kenya; Impacts On Environment And Society, Brandy M. Garrett Kluthe
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Eucalyptus trees were introduced to Kenya a little over a century ago. European colonization along with the development of a railway system increased the demand for a fast growing wood source. The expansion of the tree across the fertile lands in Kenya raises concerns about the environmental impact on ecosystems where it has been introduced. These concerns include degraded soils, loss of water resources, co-introduction of ectomycorrhizal species, and allelopathy. Economic benefits to local landowners were also explored as well as the potential for large Eucalyptus woodlots to maximize the sequestration of CO₂ from the atmosphere. This was examined through …
Testing The Temporal Stability Of The Climate Response Of Tree Species At Norris Dam State Park, Tennessee, U.S.A., Allison Elizabeth Ingram
Testing The Temporal Stability Of The Climate Response Of Tree Species At Norris Dam State Park, Tennessee, U.S.A., Allison Elizabeth Ingram
Masters Theses
Temporal stability of the climate-tree growth relationship means that over time, tree species were responding to a specific climate variable and continue to respond to that variable into the present. The stability of this response is important to test prior to attempting to reconstruct past climate. In this study, I sampled oaks (white oak = Quercus alba L. and chestnut oak = Quercus montana Willd.) and pines (Virginia pine = Pinus virginiana Mill. and shortleaf pine = Pinus echinata Mill.) growing in Norris Dam State Park in eastern Tennessee and tested the temporal stability of these species and their potential …
Do Forest Commons Contribute To International Environmental Initiatives? A Socio-Ecological Analysis Of Nepalese Forest Commons In View Of Redd+, Harisharan Luintel
Do Forest Commons Contribute To International Environmental Initiatives? A Socio-Ecological Analysis Of Nepalese Forest Commons In View Of Redd+, Harisharan Luintel
Dissertations and Theses
Forests in developing countries have the potential to contribute to global efforts to mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity and support the livelihoods of rural, local people. Approximately one-fourth of such forests are under the control of local communities, which primarily manage forests for subsistence and to meet their livelihood needs. The trend of bottom-up community control is increasing through the adoption of decentralization reforms over the last 40 years. In contrast, the United Nations has introduced the top-down program, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) for the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon and the sustainable management of …
Understory Plant Community Structure In Forests Invaded By Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Jason Aylward
Understory Plant Community Structure In Forests Invaded By Garlic Mustard (Alliaria Petiolata), Jason Aylward
Masters Theses
ABSTRACT
UNDERSTORY PLANT COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN FORESTS INVADED BY GARLIC MUSTARD (ALLIARIA PETIOLATA)
MAY 2016
JASON ALLEN AYLWARD, B.S., PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE
M.S. UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
Directed by: Professor Kristina Stinson
Plant invasions represent a significant threat to the structure and function of natural ecosystems. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) has been identified as a threat to native communities mostly through small-scale studies and focused experiments. In this in situ observational study I examined the effects of garlic mustard invasion on species composition across multiple sites by comparing plant diversity and composition in invaded and adjacent …
Modeling Historical And Future Range Of Variability Scenarios In The Yuba River Watershed, Tahoe National Forest, California, Maritza Mallek
Modeling Historical And Future Range Of Variability Scenarios In The Yuba River Watershed, Tahoe National Forest, California, Maritza Mallek
Masters Theses
In California's northern Sierra Nevada mountains, the fire-dependent processes of forest ecosystems have been interrupted and altered by human land use and fire suppression. U.S. Forest Service policy directs land managers to plan for a future that includes multiple use and the restoration of resilient ecosystems. Planning decisions are to be informed by an analysis of the range of variability of ecological processes at multiple scales. Current climate trends in the northern Sierra are of increasing temperatures, increased precipitation, and earlier snowmelt, as well as changes to the frequency and duration of drought. These climate changes have and continue to …
Dynamics Of Resprouting And Forest Regeneration Following Anthropogenic Land Use In The Central Amazon Basin, Scott Lawrence Kosiba
Dynamics Of Resprouting And Forest Regeneration Following Anthropogenic Land Use In The Central Amazon Basin, Scott Lawrence Kosiba
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Tree mortality is increasing with the effects of climate change and drought across the Amazon Basin while intense fires are becoming more prevalent. Tropical moist forest trees generally lack adaptations that protect against mortality during an intense fire, so anthropogenic burning typically kills high percentages of trees. Following disturbances where prescribed burning is used to limit woody encroachment and to fertilize the soil, abandoned land in central Amazonia becomes dominated by the pioneer tree genus, Vismia. Although the mechanisms by which Vismia comes to dominate previously-burned areas are not known, previous studies on anthropogenic land use and forest succession …
Evaluating The Myth Of Allelopathy In California Blue Gum Plantations, Kristen Marie Nelson
Evaluating The Myth Of Allelopathy In California Blue Gum Plantations, Kristen Marie Nelson
Master's Theses
It is widely accepted that allelopathy is not only significant, but more or less singular, in the inhibition of understory vegetation in California Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum) plantations. However, there is no published documentation of allelopathy by blue gums against California native species. Here, we present evidence that germination and early seedling growth of five California native species are not inhibited by chemical extracts of blue gum foliage, either at naturally-occurring or artificially concentrated levels. In the greenhouse, seeds were germinated in field-collected soil from mature blue gum plantations and the adjacent native, coastal scrub communities. In petri plates, seeds …
The Mexican Water Forest: Benefits Of Using Remote Sensing Techniques To Assess Changes In Land Use And Land Cover, Maria F. Lopez Ornelas
The Mexican Water Forest: Benefits Of Using Remote Sensing Techniques To Assess Changes In Land Use And Land Cover, Maria F. Lopez Ornelas
Master's Projects and Capstones
In the past 30 years, anthropogenic activities like urbanization, agriculture, road fragmentation and deforestation have resulted in changes in the land use and land cover (LULC) in the Mexican Water Forest. Due to the important ecosystem services, and the natural resources this forest provides, in Mexico, it has become increasingly necessary to use new technologies and tools to support the planning, implementation and integration of forest management and conservation plans, as well as ecological and socioeconomic analysis of this ecosystem. Remote Sensing techniques and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been a true technological and methodological revolution in the acquisition, management …
Exploring Data Mining Techniques For Tree Species Classification Using Co-Registered Lidar And Hyperspectral Data, Julia K. Marrs
Exploring Data Mining Techniques For Tree Species Classification Using Co-Registered Lidar And Hyperspectral Data, Julia K. Marrs
Theses and Dissertations
NASA Goddard’s LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal imager provides co-registered remote sensing data on experimental forests. Data mining methods were used to achieve a final tree species classification accuracy of 68% using a combined LiDAR and hyperspectral dataset, and show promise for addressing deforestation and carbon sequestration on a species-specific level.