Regeneration Of Imperiled Hardwoods In The Eastern United States,
2017
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Regeneration Of Imperiled Hardwoods In The Eastern United States, Joshua J. Granger
Doctoral Dissertations
Our ability to successfully promote forest stand health and facilitate species under the threat of extinction will hinge on our ability to identify species regeneration requirements in an ever-changing environment. In the first chapter of this dissertation, I address what is known about the nature of threatened and imperiled hardwoods in the eastern United States, and in doing so, I identify several large knowledge gaps in current potentials and methodologies for regenerating them. In my second chapter, I use recent data from the United States Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program (FIA) to quantify ash regeneration counts across FIA …
Three Essays In Forest Resource Management: Landowners’ Considerations In Ecosystem Services, Forest Certification, And Timber Supply,
2017
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Three Essays In Forest Resource Management: Landowners’ Considerations In Ecosystem Services, Forest Certification, And Timber Supply, Nana Tian
Doctoral Dissertations
Forest ecosystems provide a wide range of timber and non-timber ecosystem services that play a vital role in supporting human health, well-being, and economy. Sustaining forest ecosystem will depend on landowners’ interest and willingness to responsibly manage forests, and provide timber and non-timber services for public benefit. Despite a substantial research in understanding how forest resources are managed by landowners, several literature gaps still exist regarding how landowners’ behavior/activities associated with sustaining the supply of ecosystem services and timber, and participating in best management practices such as forest certification. By applying methods grounded in economic and human dimension theory, this …
Motivation And Support For Regulatory Changes: A Typology Of Tennessee Wild Turkey Hunters,
2017
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Motivation And Support For Regulatory Changes: A Typology Of Tennessee Wild Turkey Hunters, Cristina Elisa Maldonado
Masters Theses
Hunters form a diverse group with multiple motivations for seeking outdoor recreation experiences. A deeper understanding of hunters’ motivations may benefit wildlife managers in state agencies to cater services and regulations to meet the needs of this diverse group. To determine the motivations of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) hunters in Tennessee, and their attitudes and preferences concerning turkey hunting and management, a self-administered questionnaire was developed and mailed to a sample of licensed Turkey hunters in Tennessee. A multivariate K-means cluster analysis was then applied to identify hunter typologies based on several motivation factors that were derived from …
Using Forest Inventory And Analysis Data To Support Resinous Stump Harvesting In The Coastal Southeast,
2017
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Using Forest Inventory And Analysis Data To Support Resinous Stump Harvesting In The Coastal Southeast, Christopher Ryan King
Masters Theses
The objective of the research was to investigate the feasibility and potential opportunities for using broad-scale forest inventory data for identifying high-probability sites containing longleaf and slash pine stumps. The purpose was to assist in locating resinous stumps for today’s remaining naval stores industry. USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory & Analysis (FIA) Phase 2 plots where longleaf and slash pine were present were observed. Plots were also limited to those which had been re-measured at least once. Variables observed include basal area, diameter, recent cutting, and past cutting. FIA’s Timber Products Output data regarding mill sourcing were assessed as well. …
Seeing Community Through The Trees: Characterizing Resident Response To Urban-Tree Planting Initiatives,
2017
Clark University
Seeing Community Through The Trees: Characterizing Resident Response To Urban-Tree Planting Initiatives, Eli Goldman
International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE)
Urban tree planting initiatives have become common across cities in the United States. In order to advocate for sustainable urban forests, managers of urban planting initiatives must adopt a strong community framework, which includes community values in reforestation efforts. Clark University researchers conducted interviews and surveys with residents in six central Massachusetts cities and towns to assess why residents value urban trees and to characterize public response to reforestation efforts. Results indicate residents had positive experiences with tree planting programs, are most likely to value urban trees for aesthetic reasons, and commonly associate change in neighborhood character with Asian Longhorned …
Ash Tree Identification Based On The Integration Of Hyperspectral Imagery And High-Density Lidar Data,
2017
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Ash Tree Identification Based On The Integration Of Hyperspectral Imagery And High-Density Lidar Data, Haijian Liu
Theses and Dissertations
Monitoring and management of ash trees has become particularly important in recent years due to the heightened risk of attack from the invasive pest, the emerald ash borer (EAB). However, distinguishing ash from other deciduous trees can be challenging. Both hyperspectral imagery and Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data are two valuable data sources that are often used for tree species classification. Hyperspectral imagery measures detailed spectral reflectance related to the biochemical properties of vegetation, while LiDAR data measures the three-dimensional structure of tree crowns related to morphological characteristics. Thus, the accuracy of vegetation classification may be improved by combining …
Flight Activity, Oviposition Pit Distribution, And Emergence Densities Of Monochamus Titillator And M. Carolinensis In The Ozark-St. Francis National Forest In Arkansas,
2017
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
Flight Activity, Oviposition Pit Distribution, And Emergence Densities Of Monochamus Titillator And M. Carolinensis In The Ozark-St. Francis National Forest In Arkansas, Jake Bodart
Graduate Theses and Dissertations
Monochamus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are a genus of longhorn beetles commonly known as pine sawyers. They have a worldwide distribution coincident with pines (Pinaceae) and are vectors of the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus). In the United States, there are eight known Monochamus species and they have a sympatric distribution with at least one other Monochamus species throughout their range. Monochamus are known to attack stressed, dead, and dying conifers especially pines. In the Ozark- St. Francis National Forest in Arkansas, there are two species of pine sawyers and they share this sympatric distribution observed throughout the United States, M. titillator (southern …
Environmental Data: Canopy Data (Leaf Area Index),
2017
University of Dayton
Environmental Data: Canopy Data (Leaf Area Index), Julia I. Chapman, Amy L. Myers, Mitchell J. Kukla, Ryan W. Mcewan
Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots
Leaf area index measurements obtained using a CI-110 Canopy Imager (CID BioScience in 2012 and 2017. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.
Range-Wide Prevalence And Impacts Of Pseudocercosporella Inconspicua On Lilium Grayi And An Assessment Of L. Superbum And L. Michauxii As Reservoirs,
2017
East Tennessee State University
Range-Wide Prevalence And Impacts Of Pseudocercosporella Inconspicua On Lilium Grayi And An Assessment Of L. Superbum And L. Michauxii As Reservoirs, Cindy L. Barrett
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Lilium grayi (Gray’s Lily), a southern Appalachian endemic species, is threatened by a Lilium-specific fungal pathogen, Pseudocercosporella inconspicua. The disease is characterized by tan lesions that can cause early senescence, while also lowering seed production and viability. This project tested for P. inconspicua conidia and accessed health at nine locations. The disease was present and ubiquitous across the range of L. grayi. Through identification of P. inconspicua conidia in the field, L. superbum (Turk’s Cap Lily) was identified as an additional host, while L. michauxii (Michaux’s Lily) was disease-free. However, infection was inducible in both species. With …
A Global Study Of Gpp Focusing On Light-Use Efficiency In A Random Forest Regression Model,
2017
CUNY Queens College
A Global Study Of Gpp Focusing On Light-Use Efficiency In A Random Forest Regression Model, Suhua Wei, Chuixiang Yi, Wei Fang, George Hendrey
Publications and Research
Light-use efficiency (LUE) is at the core of mechanistic modeling of global gross primary production (GPP). However, most LUE estimates in global models are satellite based and coarsely measured with emphasis on environmental variables. Others are from eddy covariance towers with much greater spatial and temporal data quality and emphasis on mechanistic processes, but in a limited number of sites. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive global study of tower-based LUE from 237 FLUXNET towers, and scaled up LUEs from in situ tower level to global biome level. We integrated the tower-based LUE estimates with key environmental and biological …
Ash Decline: An Opportunity For Young Forest Wildlife,
2017
University of Maine
Ash Decline: An Opportunity For Young Forest Wildlife, Bianca Beland
Honors College
The overall decline of ash tree health presents an opportunity for landowners to salvage dying trees, thus contributing to state and federal efforts to create young forest habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species, in addition to benefitting from the financial and recreational opportunities that come following salvage operations. This case study examines the results of a decision made by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC, Hartford, CT) to conduct a timber salvage operation on its public water supply watershed land to remove dying white ash (Fraxinus americana) trees and at the same time meet the goals of the …
The Influence Of Aspen Chemistry And The Nutritional Context On Aspen Herbivory,
2017
Utah State University
The Influence Of Aspen Chemistry And The Nutritional Context On Aspen Herbivory, Kristen Y. Heroy
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Consumption of aspen by herbivores is one major force causing aspen decline in North America. In this Dissertation, I aimed to determine why herbivores prefer browsing on certain aspen stands over others, and why they prefer consuming aspen that contains chemical defenses over understory forages like grasses, forbs, and shrubs. I explored the influence of nutrients and chemical defenses within aspen on aspen intake and preference by lambs in pen experiments. I also explored drivers of aspen preference on the landscape by looking at relationships between aspen herbivory, indicators of aspen health, amount of nutrients available in the understory, and …
Effect Of Foliage And Root Carbon Quantity, Quality, And Fluxes On Soil Organic Carbon Stabilization In Montane Aspen And Conifer Stands In Utah,
2017
Utah State University
Effect Of Foliage And Root Carbon Quantity, Quality, And Fluxes On Soil Organic Carbon Stabilization In Montane Aspen And Conifer Stands In Utah, Antra Boča
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Soil organic carbon (SOC) positively affects many soil properties (e.g., fertility and water holding capacity), and the amount of carbon (C) in soil exceeds the amount in the atmosphere by about three times. Forest soils store as much C as is found in trees. Tree species differ in their effect on SOC pools. Quaking aspen forests in the Western US often store more stable SOC in the mineral soil than nearby conifers. During the last decades a decline in aspen cover, often followed by conifer encroachment, has been documented. A shift from aspen to conifer overstories may negatively affect the …
Impact Of Climate Variability On The Frequency And Severity Of Ecological Disturbances In Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Sky Island Ecosystems,
2017
Utah State University
Impact Of Climate Variability On The Frequency And Severity Of Ecological Disturbances In Great Basin Bristlecone Pine Sky Island Ecosystems, Curtis A. Gray
All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023
Many high elevation conifer species, including high elevation five needle pines, are declining throughout western North America. Warming temperatures, mountain pine beetle, white pine blister rust and alteration of naturally occurring fire regimes represent an interactive set of circumstances leading to greater risk. The loss of these treeline pines can detrimentally impact biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services including wildlife habitat, watershed and soil protection, aesthetics and recreation. Great Basin bristlecone pine ecosystems are naturally highly fragmented because of their elevational requirements. However, they may become even more fragmented due to combined impacts of warming temperature, insects and diseases listed above. …
Variation In Density Dependent Seedling Survival Across Forests Of Different Successional Age And Hunting Protection Status,
2017
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Variation In Density Dependent Seedling Survival Across Forests Of Different Successional Age And Hunting Protection Status, Nohemi Huanca-Nunez
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Over 50% of the original extent of tropical forests has been cleared. Restoration of secondary forests is important for maintaining the ecosystem services that mature tropical forests provide. Density dependence (DD) is thought to be a major mechanism for shaping forest community structure and may cause reduced spatial aggregation among individuals of the same species, allowing for maintenance of diversity. While much research has focused on DD in mature tropical forests, few studies have examined how DD may influence community structure in secondary forests, many of which are also exposed to hunting. There are several important agents of negative and …
Influence Of Prescribed Burning On Upland Soil Properties In Mark Twain National Forest, Southeast Missouri Ozarks,
2017
Missouri State University
Influence Of Prescribed Burning On Upland Soil Properties In Mark Twain National Forest, Southeast Missouri Ozarks, Megan Lynn Hente
MSU Graduate Theses
In the Mark Twain National forest there is a collaborative effort to restore parts of the forest to its original shortleaf pine-oak woodland areas by using a combination of silviculture and prescribed fire. The purpose of this project is to assess the effects of prescribed burning on upland forest and soil physical properties that influence erosion processes across a gradient of burned sites of different ages and unburned sites. A combination of geospatial, field, laboratory, statistical (one-way ANOVA) and modeling (USLE) methods were used to assess the effects of prescribed burns on forest and soil characteristics in Big Barren Creek …
Herbivory Impacts On Growth And Survival Of Seedlings In Bottomland Hardwood Forest Restoration Sites In The Post Oak Savannah And Blackland Prairie Ecoregions Of Texas, Usa,
2017
Stephen F Austin State University
Herbivory Impacts On Growth And Survival Of Seedlings In Bottomland Hardwood Forest Restoration Sites In The Post Oak Savannah And Blackland Prairie Ecoregions Of Texas, Usa, Ryan J. Jacques
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Interest in bottomland hardwood forests (BLHW) ecology and restoration has increased over the past 40 years. These communities aid in water quality improvement, streambank stabilization, and urban expansion mitigation. They also provide important habitat for many species of wildlife. Since the majority of remaining BLHW are degraded due to land fragmentation, restoration attempts are becoming commonplace within the Western Gulf Coastal Plain. However, restoration success has been mixed, with managers observing survival rates of <15% for desirable species due to various factors. Over two growing seasons, I investigated multiple factors that have potential to limit BLHW restoration success in East Texas. Specifically, I tested the impacts of herbivory by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (Sus scrofa) on Nuttall oak (Quercus texana Buckley), Shumard oak (Q. shumardii Buckley), bur oak ( …
Evaluation Of Modis Land Surface Temperature Data To Estimate Near-Surface Air Temperature In Northeast China,
2017
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Evaluation Of Modis Land Surface Temperature Data To Estimate Near-Surface Air Temperature In Northeast China, Yuan Z. Yang, Wen H. Cai, Jian Yang
Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications
Air temperature (Tair) near the ground surface is a fundamental descriptor of terrestrial environment conditions and one of the most widely used climatic variables in global change studies. The main objective of this study was to explore the possibility of retrieving high-resolution Tair from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) products, covering complex terrain in Northeast China. The All Subsets Regression (ASR) method was adopted to select the predictors and build optimal multiple linear regression models for estimating maximum (Tmax), minimum (Tmin), and mean (Tmean) air temperatures. …
Accuracy Assessment On Drone Measured Heights At Different Height Levels,
2017
Stephen F. Austin State University
Accuracy Assessment On Drone Measured Heights At Different Height Levels, David L. Kulhavy, I-Kuai Hung, Daniel Unger, Yanli Zhang
Symposium on Arts and Research
The advancement in unmanned aerial system (UAS) technology has made it possible to attain an aerial unit, commonly known as a drone, at an affordable price with increasing precision and accuracy in positioning and photographing. While aerial photography is the most common use of a drone, many of the models available in the market are also capable of measuring height, the height of the drone above ground, or the altitude above the mean sea level. On board a drone, a barometer is used to control the flight height by detecting the atmospheric pressure change; while a GPS receiver is mainly …
Building Height Using The Uas Dji Phantom 3 And Drone2map Software,
2017
Stephen F Austin State University
Building Height Using The Uas Dji Phantom 3 And Drone2map Software, Chandler Fong, Kai Busch-Peterson
Undergraduate Research Conference
At Stephen F. Austin State University, the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture has invested in the most current drone technology in order to keep up with the new trends in Geographic Information System (GIS). Students and faculty can fly the drone and get up to date images of the area. When it comes to analyzing data and creating maps, all measurements must be extremely accurate in order for the map to be reliable. With this in mind, the objective of this project is to determine if the height measurements from DJI Phantom 3 drone are as accurate as …
