Life Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Increasing Salinity And Forest Mortality On Soil Nitrogen And Phosphorus Mineralization In Tidal Freshwater Forested Wetlands, William Conner, Gregory Noe, B Graeme Lockaby, Ken Krauss

Publications

Tidal freshwater wetlands are sensitive to sea level rise and increased salinity, although little information is known about the impact of salinification on nutrient biogeochemistry in tidal freshwater forested wetlands. We quantified soil nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) mineralization using seasonal in situincubations of modified resin cores along spatial gradients of chronic salinification (from continuously freshwater tidal forest to salt impacted tidal forest to oligohaline marsh) and in hummocks and hollows of the continuously freshwater tidal forest along the blackwater Waccamaw River and alluvial Savannah River. Salinification increased rates of net N and P mineralization fluxes and turnover in tidal …

The Role Of Forest Harvesting And Subsequent Vegetative Regrowth, Viorel D. Popsedu, David A. Patrick, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr., Aram J K Calhoun

Publications

Conservation of forest-dependent amphibians is dependent on finding a balance between timber management and species’ habitat requirements. To examine the effect of short-term vegetative regrowth post-harvesting on amphibian habitat use, we studied the response of eight species (four forest specialists and four habitat generalists) to four forestry treatments (partial harvest, clearcut with coarse woody debris [CWD] removed, clearcut with CWD retained, and uncut control) over a 6-year period, using replicated experimental treatments in Maine, USA. Forest amphibians showed a strong negative response to clearcutting through the duration of the study, regardless of the presence of CWD, but only during the …

Status Of Private Cypress Wetland Forests In Georgia - Alternatives For Conservation And Restoration, William Conner, Laura Fabrizio, Bill Sapp

Publications

No abstract provided.

Fuel Conditions Associated With Native And Exotic Grasses In A Subtropical Dry Forest In Puerto Rico, Jarrod M. Thaxton, Skip J. Van Bloem, Stefanie Whitmire

Publications

Exotic grasses capable of increasing frequency and intensity of anthropogenic fire have invaded subtropical and tropical dry forests worldwide. Since many dry forest trees are susceptible to fire, this can result in decline of native species and loss of forest cover. While the contribution of exotic grasses to altered fire regimes has been well documented, the role of native grasses in contributing to fuel loads in dry forest has received little attention. We assessed differences in fuel conditions among native and exotic grasses within a subtropical dry forest preserve in Puerto Rico. We quantified fine fuel loads, fuel continuity, and …

Clearcutting Has A Long-Lasting Effect On Habitat Connectivity For A Forest Amphibian By Decreasing Permeability To Juvenile Movements, Viorel Popescu, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr.

Publications

Conservation of forest amphibians is dependent on finding the right balance between management for timber production and meeting species' habitat requirements. For many pond-breeding amphibians, successful dispersal of the juvenile stage is essential for long-term population persistence. We investigated the influence of timber-harvesting practices on the movements of juvenile wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus). We used a chronosequence of stands produced by clear-cutting to evaluate how stand age affects habitat permeability to movements. We conducted experimental releases of juveniles in 2008 (n = 350) and 2009 (n = 528) in unidirectional runways in four treatments: mature forest, recent clearcut, …

Multi-Temporal Unmixing Analysis Of Hyperion Images Over The Guanica Dry Forest, Maria C. Torres-Madronero, Miguel Velez-Reyes, Skip J. Van Bloem, Jesus D. Chinea

Publications

This paper presents a methodology to analyze time-series data from Hyperion to study seasonal vegetation dynamics on the Guánica Dry Forest in Puerto Rico. Unmixing analysis is performed over ten near-cloud-free Hyperion images collected in different months in 2008. Abundance maps and endmembers estimated from the unmixing procedure are used to analyze the seasonal changes in the forest. Results from the analysis are compared with published knowledge of the Guanica Forest phenology.

Developing Digital Vegetation For Central Hardwood Forest Types: A Case Study From Leslie County, Ky, William Conner, Bo Song, Wei-Lun Tsai, Chiao-Ying Chou, Thomas M. Williams, Brian J. Williams

Publications

Digital vegetation is the computerized representation, with either virtual images or animations, of vegetation types and conditions based on current measurements or ecological models. Digital vegetation can be useful in evaluating past, present, or future land use; changes in vegetation linked to climate change; or restoration efforts. Digital vegetation can be spatially explicit at various scales: region, subregion, landscape, landtype, forest, or stand. Advances in computer technology allow us to build digital vegetation based on integrated environmental information (i.e., soils, topography, forest types, and vegetation composition).

Oil And Gas Impacts In The Big Cypress Ecosystem: An Analysis Of Impacts Associated With Proposed Activities In The Nobles Grade Area, William Conner, Stephen E. Davis Iii, Kirsten N. Hines, John J. Cox, Dale E. Gawlik, Jerome A. Jackson, James O. Jones, Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, Jennifer H. Richards

Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparing Relative Abundance Of Amphibians In Forest Canopy Gaps Of Natural Origin Vs. Timber Harvest Origin, Carol J. Strojny, Malcolm L. Hunter Jr.

Publications

Relative abundance of amphibians in forest canopy gaps of natural origin vs. timber harvest origin.— Small–scale canopy gaps created by logging may retain adequate habitat structure to maintain amphibian abundance. We used pitfalls with drift fences to measure relative abundance of amphibians in 44 harvested gaps, 19 natural treefall gaps, and 36 closed–canopy forest plots. Metamorphs had relatively lower capture rates in large harvest gaps for Ambystoma maculatum, Lithobates catesbeianus, L. clamitans, and L. sylvaticus but we did not detect statistically significant (p < 0.1) differences among gap types for Lithobates palustris metamorphs. L. clamitans juveniles and L. sylvaticus juveniles and adults had relatively …

Water Level Observations In Mangrove Swamps During Two Hurricanes In Florida, William Conner, Thomas W. Doyle, Terry J. Doyle, Christopher Swarzenski, Andrew S. From, Richard H. Day, Ken W. Krauss

Publications

Little is known about the effectiveness of mangroves in suppressing water level heights during landfall of tropical storms and hurricanes. Recent hurricane strikes along the Gulf Coast of the United States have impacted wetland integrity in some areas and hastened the need to understand how and to what degree coastal forested wetlands confer protection by reducing the height of peak water level. In recent years, U.S. Geological Survey Gulf Coast research projects in Florida have instrumented mangrove sites with continuous water level recorders. Our ad hoc network of water level recorders documented the rise, peak, and fall of water levels …

Forecasting Effects Of Sea‐Level Rise And Windstorms On Coastal And Inland Ecosystems, Charles S. Hopkinson, Ariel E. Lugo, Merryl Alber, Alan P. Covich, Skip J. Van Bloem

Publications

We identify a continental‐scale network of sites to evaluate how two aspects of climate change – sea‐level rise and intensification of windstorms – will influence the structure, function, and capacity of coastal and inland forest ecosystems to deliver ecosystem services (eg carbon sequestration, storm protection, pollution control, habitat support, food). The network consists of coastal wetland and inland forest sites across the US and is representative of continental‐level gradients of precipitation, temperature, vegetation, frequency of occurrence of major windstorms, value of insured properties, tidal range, watershed land use, and sediment availability. The network would provide real‐time measurements of the characteristics …

A Link Between Hurricane-Induced Tree Sprouting, High Stem Density And Short Canopy In Tropical Dry Forest, Skip Van Bloem, Peter G. Murphy, Ariel E. Lugo

Publications

The physiognomy of Caribbean dry forest is shorter, denser and contains a greater proportion of multi-stemmed trees than other neotropical dry forests. Our previous research, conducted after Hurricane Georges in 1998, has shown that dry forest trees sprout near the base following hurricane disturbance, even if the trees have not incurred structural damage. However, for these hurricane-induced sprouts to contribute to the physiognomy of the forest, they must grow and survive. We followed sprout dynamics and stem mortality on 1,407 stems from 1998, after Hurricane Georges, until 2005. The number of surviving sprouts and the proportion of sprouting stems decreased …

Wind Damage And Salinity Effects Of Hurricanes Katrina And Rita On Coastal Baldcypress Forests Of Louisiana, William Conner, Thomas W. Doyle, Richard H. Day, Ken W. Krauss, Christopher M. Swarzenski

Publications

The frequency of hurricane landfall in a given coastal stretch may play a more important role in the ecology of coastal forests than previously thought because of direct and indirect impacts of fallen trees and the introduction of salt water that lingers long after the storm passes. Findings show that surge events can inundate interior freshwater forests many miles from the coast and elevate soil salinities twofold to threefold. These elevated salinities may contribute to delayed mortality of certain tree species and set the stage for eventual forest decline and dieback.

Conservation And Use Of Coastal Wetland Forests In Louisiana, William Conner, Stephen P. Faulkner, Jim L. Chambers, Richard F. Keim, John W. Day, Emile S. Gardiner, Melinda S. Hughes, Sammy L. King, Kenneth W. Mcleod, Craig A. Miller, J Andrew Nyman, Gary P. Shaffer

Publications

The natural ecosystems of coastal Louisiana reflect the underlying geomorphic processes responsible for their formation. The majority of Louisiana's wetland forests are found in the lower reaches of the Mississipp Alluvial Valley and the Deltaic Plain. The sediments, water, and energy of the Mississippi River have shaped the Deltaic Plain as natural deltas have been formed and abandoned over the last 5,000 years (Coleman et al. 1998). During the regressive or constructional phase of the delta cycle, the system is dominated by freshwater riverine inputs with the formation of corresponding freshwater marshes and swamps, which then deteriorate during the marine-dominated …

Climate Change And Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation In Agroecosystems, Richard B. Thomas, Skip Van Bloem, William H. Schlesinger

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Pulsed Physical Events For Sustainability Of Louisiana Coastal Forested Wetlands, William Conner, J W. Day Jr, G P. Shaffer

Publications

A number of freshwater diversions from the Mississippi River into Louisiana’s coastal wetlands are currently in operation or in the planning stage. These diversions have multiple objectives including maintaining a desirable salinity gradient, restoring deteriorating wetlands, and enhancing fisheries. The extensive freshwater forested wetlands surrounding the western end of Lake Pontchartrain receive little or no sediment input and are currently deteriorating due to continuous flooding. Diverting nutrient-rich water through wetlands can lead to substantial nutrient removal and to enhanced accretion. The objective of this paper is to compare the impacts on freshwater wetland ecology, accretion, and water quality of several …

Towards Sustainable Management Of Louisiana's Coastal Wetland Forests: Problems, Contraints, And A New Beginning, William Conner, J L. Chambers, R F. Keim, S P. Faulkner, J W. Day, E S. Gardiner, M S. Hughes, S L. King, K W. Mcleod, C A. Miller, J A. Nyman, G P. Shaffer

Publications

Over 345,000 ha of forested swamps occur throughout the Mississippi River Deltaic Plain. Natural and anthropogenic changes in hydrology and geomorphology at local and landscape levels have reduced the productivity in many of these coastal wetland forests areas and have caused the complete loss of forest cover in some places. A summary and interpretation of the available
science, suggestions for policy change, and a multidisciplinary (multi-responsibility) approach were needed to address these issues [in the context of private land]. In response, the Louisiana Governor's office formed a Coastal Wetland Forest Conservation and Use Science Working Group (SWG) and an associated …

Bottomland Hardwood Management Demonstrations For South Carolina's Lowcountry Forest Conservation Project, William Conner, R Franklin, T Williams, G Kessler, A Nygaard

Publications

Southern bottomland hardwood forests occur on river floodplains of the southeastern United States, and ecological processes are driven by seasonal floodwaters from the river. Conservation and management of southeastern US coastal plain ecosystems is a priority in South Carolina’s Lowcountry Forest Conservation Project. The project is a partnership of Clemson University, Ducks Unlimited, the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Lowcountry Open Land Trust, South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, The Conservation Fund, and The Nature Conservancy. A goal of this project is to create and disseminate economically and ecologically viable methods for conservation-based bottomland hardwood management on private lands, including …

Structural Response Of Caribbean Dry Forests To Hurricane Winds: A Case Study From Guanica Forest, Puerto Rico, Skip Van Bloem, Ariel E. Lugo, Peter G. Murphy

Publications

Aim

Tropical dry forests in the Caribbean have an uniquely short, shrubby structure with a high proportion of multiple-stemmed trees compared to dry forests elsewhere in the Neotropics. Previous studies have shown that this structure can arise without the loss of main stems from cutting, grazing, or other human intervention. The Caribbean has a high frequency of hurricanes, so wind may also influence forest stature. Furthermore, these forests also tend to grow on soils with low amounts of available phosphorus, which may also influence structure. The objective of this study was to assess the role of high winds in structuring …

Conservation Of Louisiana's Coastal Wetland Forests, William Conner, Jim L. Chambers, Richard F. Keim, John W. Day Jr, Stephen P. Faulkner, Emile S. Gardiner, Melinda S. Hughes, Sammy L. King, Kenneth W. Mcleod, Craig A. Miller, J Andrew Nyman, Gary P. Shaffer

Publications

No abstract provided.

Long-Term Success Of Stump Sprouts In High-Graded Baldcypress-Water Tupelo Swamps In The Mississippi Delta, William Conner, Richard F. Keim, Jim L. Chambers, Melinda S. Hughes, Luben D. Dimov, Gary P. Shaffer, Emile S. Gardiner, John W. Day

Publications

Regeneration of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.) and water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica L.) in swamps of the deltaic plain of the Mississippi River are of major importance for ecosystem sustainability and forest management in the context of regional hydrological changes. Water tupelo often forms prolific sprouts from cut stumps, and baldcypress is one of few conifers to produce stump sprouts capable of becoming full-grown trees. Previous studies have addressed early survival of baldcypress stump sprouts, but have not addressed the likelihood of sprouts becoming an important component of mature stands. We surveyed stands in southeastern Louisiana that were partially logged …

Structural Response Of Caribbean Dry Forests To Hurricane Winds: A Case Study From Guanica Forest, Puerto Rico, Skip Van Bloem, Ariel E. Lugo, Peter G. Murphy

Publications

Tropical dry forests in the Caribbean have an uniquely short, shrubby structure with a high proportion of multiple-stemmed trees compared to dry forests elsewhere in the Neotropics. Previous studies have shown that this structure can arise without the loss of main stems from cutting, grazing, or other human intervention. The Caribbean has a high frequency of hurricanes, so wind may also influence forest stature. Furthermore, these forests also tend to grow on soils with low amounts of available phosphorus, which may also influence structure. The objective of this study was to assess the role of high winds in structuring dry …

The Influence Of Hurricane Winds On Caribbean Dry Forest Structure And Nutrient Pools, Skip Van Bloem, Peter G. Murphy, Ariel E. Lugo, Rebecca Ostertag, Maria Riovera Costa, Ivelisse Ruiz Bernard, Sandra Molina Colon, Miguel Canals Mora

Publications

In 1998, we measured the effects of Hurricane Georges after it passed over long-term research sites in Puerto Rican dry forest. Our primary objectives were to quantify hurricane effects on forest structure, to compare effects in a large tract of forest versus a series of nearby forest fragments, to evaluate short-term response to hurricane disturbance in terms of mortality and sprouting, and to assess the ability of hurricanes to maintain forest structure. We sampled damage from 33 plots (1.3 ha) across a 3000-ha tract of forest as well as in 19 fragments. For stems with 2.5-cm minimum diameter, 1004 stems/ha …

Conservation, Protection And Utilization Of Louisiana's Coastal Wetland Forests, William Conner, Jim L. Chambers, John W. Day Jr, Stephen P. Faulkner, Emile S. Gardnier, Melinda S. Hughes, Richard F. Keim, Sammy L. King, Kenneth W. Mcleod, Craig A. Miller, John Andrew Nyman, Gary P. Shaffer

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Hurricane Winds On Caribbean Dry Forest Structure And Nutrient Pools, Skip Van Bloem, Ariel E. Lugo, Rebecca Ostertag, Maria Rivera Costa, Ivelisse Ruiz Bernard, Sandra Molina Colón, Miguel Canals Mora

Publications

In 1998, we measured the effects of Hurricane Georges after it passed over long‐term research sites in Puerto Rican dry forest. Our primary objectives were to quantify hurricane effects on forest structure, to compare effects in a large tract of forest versus a series of nearby forest fragments, to evaluate short‐term response to hurricane disturbance in terms of mortality and sprouting, and to assess the ability of hurricanes to maintain forest structure. We sampled damage from 33 plots (1.3 ha) across a 3000‐ha tract of forest as well as in 19 fragments. For stems with 2.5‐cm minimum diameter, 1004 stems/ha …

Recognizing And Overcoming Difficult Site Conditions For Afforestation Of Bottomland Hardwoods, William Conner, J A. Stanturf, E S. Gardiner, C J. Schweitzer, A W. Ezell

Publications

In the last decade, about 370,000 acres (150,000 ha) of economically marginal
farmland in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) have been restored to
bottomland hardwood forests (Stanturf and others 1998, King and Keeland 1999,
Schoenholtz and others 2001). Planting of this considerable acreage is due to several federal programs, such as the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), that assist landowners by financing afforestation (Figure 1). Unfortunately, these operational plantings have not performed as well as smaller plantings or research plots (Stanturf and others 2001a). For example, a recent survey of WRP plantings in westcentral Mississippi revealed that more than 90 …

Siviculture And Management Strategies Applicable To Southern Hardwoods, William Conner, Ray R. Hicks Jr, Robert C. Kellison, David Vanlear

Publications

Southern hardwood forests stretch from the Virginias to Florida and from the mid-Atlantic to Missouri. They can generally be grouped into upland forests and bottomland forests. The upland hardwood forests of the southern region are usually associated with the mountainous topography of the Appalachians and Ozarks. Bottomland hardwoods are found along the floodplains of larger rivers in the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains, including the Mississippi River floodplain. Southern hardwood forests are owned by a variety of governmental and private owners, but the vast majority of owners are nonindustrial private individuals. These owners seldom engage in intensive forest management, often …

Growth And Survival Of Baldcypress Planted In An Old Ricefield Of Coastal South Carolina, William Conner, L W. Inabinette, M Ozalp

Publications

Vast acreages of baldcypress [Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.] swampland in coastal South Carolina were cleared for rice production starting in the late 1600s. When rice cultivation ended in the late 1800s, many cultivated areas became
marshlands. Other fields failed to return to forest unless they were planted. In one such area, nine acres were planted with baldcypress in 1956 by MeadWestvaco near Walterboro, SC. Seedlings were planted on an 8- by 8-foot spacing. Beginning in November 1991, five 0.12-acre plots were established within the stand to monitor tree growth and survival and measured yearly. In addition to baldcypress, the stand …

Restoration Of Southern Ecosystems, William Conner, John A. Stanturf, Emile S. Gardiner, Kenneth Outcalt, James M. Guldin

Publications

Restoration of the myriad communities of bottomland hardwood and wetland forests and of the diverse communities of fire-dominated pine forests is the subject of intense interest in the Southern United States. Restoration practice is relatively advanced for bottomland hardwoods and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.), and less so for swamps and shortleaf pine (P. echinata Mill.). Most bottomland hardwood restoration is taking place on private land, while restoration of swamps and shortleaf pine occurs mostly on public land. Both public and private landowners are involved in the restoration of longleaf pine. Proper matching of species to site is critical to …

Regional Forest Types - Tropical Dry Forests, Skip Van Bloem, Ariel E. Lugo, Peter G. Murphy

Publications

Tropical dry forests occur in nearly every tropical country. This forest type provides critical habitat for large mammals and migratory birds, and patches of dry forest can support a high proportion of endemic plant and animal species, as well as being highly valued for agricultural and production forestry uses. Consequently, conservation and understanding of these forests need emphasis, yet conservationists and scientists still frequently overlook this ecosystem.