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Articles 1 - 30 of 195
Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Hfpo-Da Aquatic Toxicity And Bioaccumulation, Bailey Dawn Rappold
Hfpo-Da Aquatic Toxicity And Bioaccumulation, Bailey Dawn Rappold
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected globally in environmental media and biota. Legacy compounds PFOA and PFOS have been observed to be toxic and bioaccumulative in low doses and have been removed from production and industrial processes. Replacement PFAS chemicals are less understood and present a gap in current knowledge in their toxicological effects. This research utilized extended chronic toxicity studies to assess the impacts of HFPO-DA, a short chain replacement PFAS, on the standard aquatic toxicology organism Pimephales promelas. Organisms were exposed for 29 to 30 days at environmentally relevant concentrations of the toxicant, 7.8125 ng/L …
A Stable Isotope Comparison Of The Biogenic Carbonate Of Mammalian Tooth Enamel From The Modern Ohio River Valley And Fort Ancient Buffalo Sites, Sara Elizabeth Slack
A Stable Isotope Comparison Of The Biogenic Carbonate Of Mammalian Tooth Enamel From The Modern Ohio River Valley And Fort Ancient Buffalo Sites, Sara Elizabeth Slack
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
δ18O and δ13C values change in response to anthropogenic factors (Ghosh & Brand, 2003). Little is known about the effects of anthropogenic climate and land use change on the ecology of the Ohio River Valley. The goal of this research was to quantify the effects of European colonization on the native ecology of the region. The specific questions of this research were: (1) How have mammalian tooth enamel δ18O and δ13C compositions shifted over time within the Ohio River Valley in response to anthropogenic climate change and vegetation? (2) Are there differences …
Mapping Coastal Vegetation To Evaluate Salt Marsh Decline From 2016 To 2025 In South Carolina, Usa, Zak Henry Bartholomew
Mapping Coastal Vegetation To Evaluate Salt Marsh Decline From 2016 To 2025 In South Carolina, Usa, Zak Henry Bartholomew
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Accelerating sea-level rise and storm surge events pose a substantial threat to salt marsh ecosystems, which provide critical ecosystem services. Classification and mapping of coastal vegetation through remote sensing can identify marsh dieback events and provide spatial context for patterns of marsh vulnerability. We used a multi-sensor approach that incorporated LiDAR data, multispectral imagery, and field-derived cover estimates to classify Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) dominated marsh types on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island (MCRDPI), a sea island in South Carolina, USA. In summer 2025, surveys were conducted within marsh classes to collect training and validation data. We used random …
Evaluating Sampling Strategies To Monitor Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Populations, Casey Robin Hitchens
Evaluating Sampling Strategies To Monitor Southern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger Niger) Populations, Casey Robin Hitchens
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Reliable population monitoring is essential for evaluating wildlife translocations and informing conservation management, yet traditional monitoring approaches are often labor intensive and require prolonged sampling. This study evaluated marking techniques, survey methods, and population estimation approaches for monitoring a translocated population of southern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger niger) at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, USA (MCRDPI). From January-June 2023, I conducted six live trapping and camera trapping sessions across five survey sites. I compared the performance of color-coded collars and tail shaves for individual identification and the recapture probability between live traps and camera traps. Logistic mixed-effects …
Factors Affecting Detection Of A Cryptic Ambush Predator Using Camera Traps, With Implications For Snake Monitoring, Sarah Elizabeth Ebert
Factors Affecting Detection Of A Cryptic Ambush Predator Using Camera Traps, With Implications For Snake Monitoring, Sarah Elizabeth Ebert
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Camera traps are becoming increasingly popular in wildlife research because they can be deployed for long time periods with little maintenance and are much less invasive than traditional trapping methods. However, they are primarily used to study large mammals and have not been extensively tested for snake species, many of which are cryptic and understudied. The Adapted-Hunt Drift Fence Technique (AHDriFT) arrays were designed to improve detection of herpetofauna by attaching camera traps to drift fences. In the summer of 2022, we installed 20 AHDriFT arrays at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in coastal South Carolina where we …
Reproductive Costs In Female, Island-Dwelling Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Emily R. Gray
Reproductive Costs In Female, Island-Dwelling Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Emily R. Gray
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDBs) are a declining species endemic to the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Reproduction is costly for females, which are ovoviviparous, slow to mature, reproduce infrequently, and are often emaciated after parturition. Yet, we have a limited understanding of the trade-offs associated with their reproductive biology. Thus, I had three objectives: 1) assess reproduction-associated water stress and determine how female EDBs respond to altered water budgets in situ (Chapter 1), 2) evaluate the interactive effects of body condition and rainfall on female hydration, with a special focus on musculature as a condition index (Chapter 1), …
Investigating Drivers In Phytoplankton Between Lentic And Lotic Ecosystems Within Twelvepole Creek Watershed, Devin Lee Farmer
Investigating Drivers In Phytoplankton Between Lentic And Lotic Ecosystems Within Twelvepole Creek Watershed, Devin Lee Farmer
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) threaten aquatic ecosystems, local economies, and water quality. While extensively studied in lakes (lentic systems), their impact on flowing waters (lotic systems) remains underexplored. This study examined algal drivers in both ecosystems within the same watershed, focusing on Beech Fork Lake (lentic) and Twelve Pole Creek (lotic). Key environmental factors, including pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient levels, were measured using in situ sensors and laboratory analysis. Water samples were analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus, and algal biomass for comparison to environmental conditions. Phytoplankton was preserved for identification in future research. By comparing these environments, this study …
Analysis And Authentication Of An Optical Method For Early Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms, Cody Schumacher
Analysis And Authentication Of An Optical Method For Early Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms, Cody Schumacher
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The proliferation and frequency of harmful algal blooms (HABs) attributed to eutrophication, storm events and a changing climate have been an increasing concern in both lotic and lentic freshwater ecosystems. Methods of detecting HABs have been explored through fluorescent measurement and sample analysis, but are often expensive and time-consuming. A novel smart device application is in development to detect HABs based on images captured and analyzed by machine learning algorithms trained to distinguish potential cyanobacterial blooms. The HABs App model accurately detected cyanobacteria in strong relationship with biovolume concentrations (R2 = 0.996) within the Greenup Pool of the Ohio …
Acoustic Monitoring Of Oak Toads (Anaxyrus Quercicus), A Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Ecosystem Endemic Amphibian, Alex Ward Foote
Acoustic Monitoring Of Oak Toads (Anaxyrus Quercicus), A Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Ecosystem Endemic Amphibian, Alex Ward Foote
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The Longleaf pine ecosystem is one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world with only 3% remaining. Many endemic species to the longleaf pine ecosystem are also in decline and suffer from habitat loss resulting from fire exclusion, urbanization, agriculture, and industrial silviculture. Oak Toads (Anaxyrus quercicus) are a longleaf pine ecosystem obligate; the species is experiencing declines across its range and only has protections in Virginia and North Carolina. We used data from an array of Automated Recoding Units across four years (2013, 2014, 2015, 2019) at three state-owned wildlife management areas to capture audio files …
A Metadata Analysis Of Unionid Mussels Of The Greenup Pool Of The Ohio River Using Occupancy Modeling And Species Area Curves, Tyler Mitchell Annarino
A Metadata Analysis Of Unionid Mussels Of The Greenup Pool Of The Ohio River Using Occupancy Modeling And Species Area Curves, Tyler Mitchell Annarino
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Although North America contains the largest diversity of freshwater mussels in the world, only ~24% of species in the United States and Canada have stable populations. This group provides unique hurdles for surveying, and current unionid survey protocols include neither longitudinal studies nor randomization of sites. This project conducts a metadata analysis of freshwater mussels in the Greenup Pool of the Ohio River (GPOR) to answer three questions: 1. Does a combination of longitudinal scope, randomization of sites, and historic methodology of surveying result in useful occupancy/detection models (ODMs) of unionids in large streams at the family level? 2. Does …
Assessing The Foraging Habits Of Two Species Of Long-Horned Bees (Melissodes, Apidae) Using Dna Barcodes Its2 And Trnl, Rebecca Jane Foy
Assessing The Foraging Habits Of Two Species Of Long-Horned Bees (Melissodes, Apidae) Using Dna Barcodes Its2 And Trnl, Rebecca Jane Foy
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Sunflowers (Helianthus, Asteraceae) are an important crop used for oil, dye, fodder, and edible seeds. Long-horned bees (Melissodes, Apidae) are solitary species native to the Americas that specialize in sunflower pollination; they are among the most frequent visitors to sunflowers, and have been shown to enhance yield, offering considerable economic benefits to sunflower production. This study used metabarcoding to investigate the foraging habits of two understudied Melissodes species, M. trinodis and M. agilis. Using the ITS2 and trnL barcodes, our study aimed to (1) investigate the plants visited by M. agilis and M. trinodis and (2) assess the distances Melissodes …
Effects Of In-Stream Large Woody Debris Management On Riparian Salamander Population Dynamics, Sydney Hermann
Effects Of In-Stream Large Woody Debris Management On Riparian Salamander Population Dynamics, Sydney Hermann
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The addition of large woody debris (LWD) into streams is an increasingly common habitat restoration method used to support brook trout populations and other sensitive freshwater species. Wood jams create localized reductions of water velocity, increase organic matter retention, intensify overbank flows, and promote habitat heterogeneity. These changes enhance interaction between the floodplain and the stream which can influence forest habitat variables such as leaf litter, soil pH, moisture, and invertebrate abundance. Salamander demographics reflect the stability of these forest habitat variables, and population declines can be indicative of environmental disturbance, stress, or change. Evaluating how this trout-targeted management effects …
The Long-Term Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Floral Abundance And Bumble Bee Abundance In Mixed-Oak Forests Of Southeastern Ohio, Moses Shafer
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Pollinators are declining due to climate change and habitat loss driven by agriculture and urbanization. In fire-adapted ecosystems, fire promotes the biodiversity of plants by creating space, reducing competition, and increasing light and nutrient availability. However, little is known regarding the effects of fire on floral abundance of plants used by Bombus. The overall goal of this project was to assess the long-term effects of fire on floral abundance and Bombus abundance. Our specific questions were: (1) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance?, (2) How does fire frequency influence floral abundance of species specifically utilized by bumble bees?, …
Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny
Microhabitat Selection Of Adult Female Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus) In The Carolinas, Matthew Gacheny
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Reptiles rely on environmental conditions to regulate body temperature using behavioral strategies to meet basic life history needs. Viviparous squamates use thermoregulatory behaviors to meet energetic requirements for vitellogenesis and gestation, which carry considerable energetic costs and must balance with maintenance and survival. Embryonic development is often optimized in a narrower temperature range than the mother’s preferred temperature, creating an intergenerational conflict that should be addressed with maternal microhabitat selection. Field-based studies are needed to understand the link between the thermal biology of reptiles, their reproduction, and implications for population viability. With a use-availability logistic regression framework, I examined thermal …
Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody
Factors Associated With Acoustic Bat Presence During Spring Emergence In The Appalachian Mountains Of Western Virginia, Emily Kirk Pody
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Studies of threats that bats face during hibernation have increased in response to white-nose syndrome (WNS), a fungal disease that has ravaged North American bat populations. However, impacts of WNS on bat ecology during spring emergence, when bats are potentially recovering from infection and allocating resources for reproduction, is relatively understudied. As more bat species become listed at the federal and state level, the need to understand the factors associated with spring emergence is critical for improving conservation guidelines and habitat management practices. Acoustic monitoring is an efficient method for monitoring bat presence for prolonged periods of time, giving biologists …
Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake
Factors That Influence Small Mammal Long Bone Morphology: An Analysis Of The Femora, Tibiae, And Humeri Of The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis), Tyler Everette Blake
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The goal of this study is to examine the effect of urbanization and latitude on bone morphology, specifically limb length and bone density among gray squirrels endemic to the eastern United States. This study’s hypotheses are as follows: gray squirrels occupying lower latitudes will have larger body sizes and longer limbs relative to body size than those at higher latitudes following Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules. Further, squirrels in urban habitats will have greater bone density than those in rural habitats. Results show moderate correlation between body mass and respective proxies and latitude following Bergmann’s rule. Weak correlations were found between …
The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time, Robert Edward Adelstein
The Comparison Of Different Wetland Fish Assemblages Over Time, Robert Edward Adelstein
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Wetlands provide essential ecosystem services. Historically, we have drained and filled 73% of wetlands for agricultural use throughout the United States from the 1780s to the 1980s (Dahl, 1990). A nationwide focus on restoring wetlands has since occurred. Literature on restored/mitigated wetlands is rife with examples that do and do not support the same ecosystem services as natural wetlands (Langston, 1997; Meil, 2014). Restoration of wetlands occurred at the Green Bottom Wildlife Management Area (GBWMA) over several decades. Various sections of the wetland were classified by age, water depth, and vegetation. One hypothesis was that differences in fish assemblage would …
Mark-Recapture Methods In Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Monitoring, Carissa J. Adams
Mark-Recapture Methods In Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus Adamanteus) Monitoring, Carissa J. Adams
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus; EDB) are an imperiled species native to the Southeastern United States longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem. Several markrecapture methods have been used range-wide in hopes of increasing knowledge on their population numbers. I explored the efficacy of two mark-recapture methods (scale cauterization and dorsal head photography) using the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC EDB population in this multi-part study. The first method I evaluated was ventral scale branding, which has been widely implemented without knowledge of brand permanence. I classified misidentification errors at capture status (new versus recapture) and …
Occupancy Of The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris Ocularis), An Overlooked Longleaf Endemic, In A Managed Landscape, Anna M. Humphrey
Occupancy Of The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris Ocularis), An Overlooked Longleaf Endemic, In A Managed Landscape, Anna M. Humphrey
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Amphibians are declining globally, with many declines associated with habitat loss. The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem historically covered most of the southeastern United States and supports a host of endemic amphibians. This ecosystem has declined by over 97% in the last two hundred years and many associated species have declined with it. The Little Grass Frog (Pseudacris ocularis) is a longleaf pine endemic anuran that has been understudied and under-surveyed; almost no information is known on the ecology of this species and no population studies have been conducted. My goals were to create an acoustic …
Assessing The Unionid Assemblage Of The Robert C. Byrd Pool, Ohio River, Ethan Hunter Bellamy
Assessing The Unionid Assemblage Of The Robert C. Byrd Pool, Ohio River, Ethan Hunter Bellamy
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Unionid mussels are the most imperiled taxa in the United States and are vastly understudied. The entire Robert C. Byrd (RCB) pool of the Ohio River is the study area. I selected sites from the 2019 and 2013 ORSANCO RCB pool assessments that utilize random site selection across the pool. I used SCUBA to survey and collect data on unionid diversity, reproduction, and habitat. I collected 1,083 individuals over 19 species in RCB pool. I compared results from RCB pool survey to two similar surveys conducted in Greenup Pool. Both richness and abundance in the Upper Section of Greenup Pool …
Characterizing The Vegetation And Effects Of Climate Change On Parris Island, A Sea Island Ecosystem, Cody Hart Goodson
Characterizing The Vegetation And Effects Of Climate Change On Parris Island, A Sea Island Ecosystem, Cody Hart Goodson
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Coastal habitats provide many ecosystem services, protecting coastlines from storm surges and erosion, diminishing the effects of eutrophication, sequestering large amounts of carbon, and acting as vital wildlife habitat. Sea-level rise and increased storm surge intensity associated with climate change are increasingly disrupting coastal habitats. These disturbances can shift environmental gradients that drive the zonation of coastal vegetation types, driving habitat conversion. Monitoring coastal habitat conversion can improve our understanding of the dynamic effects of climate change on these landscapes. Therefore, our objectives for chapter 1 were to identify and describe the distributions of vegetation types present on Marine Corps …
An Analysis Of The Preferences, Morphometrics, And Survey Efficacy Of The Freshwater Mussel Community In The Greenup Pool, Ohio River, Jacob Miller
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
The Greenup Pool is one of the most unique pools of the Ohio River in terms of habitat richness and anthropogenic impact both historical and current. The Greenup Pool spans 61.8 miles reaching from Greenup Dam in Greenup, KY to Robert C. Byrd Dam in Apple Grove, WV. We surveyed 17 sites to assess mussel communities within the Greenup Pool using the 2017 West Virginia Mussel Survey Protocol. At these sites, six 100-meter transects were surveyed for surface and subsurface mussels. Each transect was divided into 10-meter intervals. These surveys resulted in 4,041 live individuals from 21 species, including eight …
Using Occupancy Modeling For Protocol Development And Habitat Assessment Of Necturus Maculosus In A Large Nagivational River, Alyssa Rachelle Jones
Using Occupancy Modeling For Protocol Development And Habitat Assessment Of Necturus Maculosus In A Large Nagivational River, Alyssa Rachelle Jones
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Determining the survey effort required to reliably detect population change can be challenging for cryptic, elusive species. The secretive nature of amphibians makes it difficult to monitor population status and gather information about their natural history, including habitat use, which is essential for amphibian monitoring programs. The goals of this study were to examine if detection probabilities were affected by bait (i.e., light and food), breeding activity, and environmental covariates in a population of fully aquatic salamanders, Necturus maculosus. I evaluated the effectiveness of three bait treatments (light bait, food bait, combined light and food bait) and an unbaited …
Ephemeroptera Culturing Methods: An Analysis On Rearing And Toxcity Testing On Sensitive Early Life Stages Of Native Mayfly Taxa, Geneve Rainette Edwards
Ephemeroptera Culturing Methods: An Analysis On Rearing And Toxcity Testing On Sensitive Early Life Stages Of Native Mayfly Taxa, Geneve Rainette Edwards
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Standard toxicity testing organisms are utilized for regulatory purposes and often ecological risk assessments. Ephemeroptera taxa have been reported to be more sensitive to aquatic contaminants than the standard toxicity testing organisms currently used in determining effects on aquatic ecosystems. Establishing methods for culturing native Ephemeroptera taxa will provide a more sensitive test organism to determine the toxicity of contaminants and will be more representative of the responses of native taxa. Additionally, it will provide a test organism at the most sensitive life stages. The objective of this research is to develop methods for culturing and testing of native Ephemeroptera …
Translocation Of Timber Rattlesnakes At Two West Virginia State Forests, Elizabeth Morgan Johnson
Translocation Of Timber Rattlesnakes At Two West Virginia State Forests, Elizabeth Morgan Johnson
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
In wildlife management, translocation is defined as the purposeful movement of an individual(s) from one place to another with a wildlife management goal. Translocation has become a common tool for mitigating negative human-wildlife interactions. We conducted a translocation study on timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) in response to numerous human-rattlesnake encounters with the goal of developing a translocation protocol that would allow natural resources personnel to mitigate negative encounters between the public and rattlesnakes and reduce impacts to local timber rattlesnake populations. In this study, we scaled translocation distance to site-specific home range characteristics to assess whether translocation outcomes …
Ephemeroptera Culturing Methods: Development Of Culturing And Rearing Methodology And High Sulfate Simulated Mine Effluent Toxicity Test Using Field Collected Water, Daniel Edward Brady
Ephemeroptera Culturing Methods: Development Of Culturing And Rearing Methodology And High Sulfate Simulated Mine Effluent Toxicity Test Using Field Collected Water, Daniel Edward Brady
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Ephemeroptera taxa are not frequently used in toxicity testing; however, some mayfly taxa may be more sensitive to aquatic pollutants than standard test organisms used to determine anthropogenic effects on aquatic ecosystems. Additionally, some standard test organisms are not native to the Appalachian region and may not be truly reflective of the effects on native organisms. With mayflies not being the typical test organism, there is not a great deal of literature on culturing methods for this organism. For a standard acute toxicity test, there must be 80% survival within the control organisms for the test to be considered viable. …
Mortality Risk Associated With Urban Land Use For Adult Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Adamanteus), Mya Wiles
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Snakes have been a traditionally under-represented organism in urban ecology, but they face similar, if not greater challenges in the face of growing urban sprawl. Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes (Crotalus adamanteus, EDBs) are under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act due to population declines resulting from historical human persecution and habitat loss. This study used radio-telemetry data from a long-term monitoring project of adult EDBs on a developed sea island in South Carolina, USA. I reclassified a National Land Cover Dataset to reflect relative mortality risk for snakes attempting to move through the landscape. High-risk cover types …
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Seasonal Variation In Home-Range And Core-Area Size In Verreaux's Sifaka, Brynn Harshbarger
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Primates living in seasonal forests must adapt to extreme fluctuation in resource availability. Verreaux’s sifaka ( ) live in Madagascar’s highly seasonal tropical dry forests and experience periods of extreme resource abundance and scarcity. Home- range and core-area size were measured using 95% and 50% kernel estimation, and 95% minimum convex polygons to compare seasonal shifts in space use based on resource availability. There have been no long-term space use studies on Verreaux’s sifaka; therefore, we do not know how their space use changes over time in an environment which is both highly seasonal and highly variable. Our study leverages …
Assessing The Toxicity Of A Reconstituted Water Simulating Streams Influenced By Mountaintop Mining In Central Appalachia, Benjamin David Browning
Assessing The Toxicity Of A Reconstituted Water Simulating Streams Influenced By Mountaintop Mining In Central Appalachia, Benjamin David Browning
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Freshwater ecosystems in Central Appalachia experience increased concentrations of manganese (Mn) and total dissolved solids from the runoff of surface mines and valley fills. Biological communities have been impacted by these surface mining operations and it has been suggested that the increase in total dissolved solids may contribute to these negative effects, but standard laboratory toxicity tests have not found increased concentrations of total dissolved solids to have such negative effects as seen in the field. The elevated total dissolved solids in mining influenced streams may only be toxic in conjunction with another toxicant that is presence in these systems …
The Effects Of Fire On Oak-Forest Plant Communities Along Soil Moisture Gradients: A 25-Year Study, Rebekah Frances Shupe
The Effects Of Fire On Oak-Forest Plant Communities Along Soil Moisture Gradients: A 25-Year Study, Rebekah Frances Shupe
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
In the eastern U.S., fire is a natural disturbance process in Quercus (oak) forests. Fire is thought to promote oak regeneration and plant diversity by reducing competition, preparing a suitable seedbed, and increasing light availability. However, the era of fire suppression that began in the early 20th century is thought to have negatively impacted oak regeneration and the biodiversity of the understory layer. In this study, we examined the effects of prescribed fire on tree regeneration and the understory layer over 25 years. From a study initiated in 1994, we resampled 45 permanent vegetation plots measuring 1250 m2 …