Forest Sciences Commons^™

Using Lidar To Estimate Carbon Sequestration Of Evergreen Trees At Eastern Washington University (Ewu) Campus, Cheney, Washington, Kristy A. Snyder

2022 Symposium

EWU contains a variety of deciduous and evergreen trees across its campus, providing several benefits. However, no comprehensive record exists of the total number, location, species, or ages of these trees. This knowledge can inform facilities of proper care for individual trees and can be used to estimate carbon sequestration on campus. Traditional on-the-ground methods for assessing trees require tree cores or clinometers, making trees susceptible to pests or disease and leading to inaccurate results. Remote sensing using lidar data is a noninvasive, more precise method to measure tree height and subsequently assess tree age. This poster explores using point …

Enhancing The Performance Of Dowel Type Fasteners And A Case Study Of Timber Truss Failure, Lon A. Yeary

Theses and Dissertations

This document will outline the findings of three separate and independent studies: Study 1: In or around 1972, an experimental building was constructed. One of the intents of the construction project was to demonstrate advancements in wood building construction design. It was value-engineered throughout. That is, its materials and systems were intended to function at or near design capacity. In 2019, part of the roof of the structure collapsed. This case study investigates two potential factors that led to the failure: stress concentration in excess of the 12 allowable stress for 2 × 4 web members and insufficient plywood sheathing …

Wood Properties And Utilization Of Assorted Hardwoods, Roger Dustin Snow

Theses and Dissertations

This work is made up of three parts. Part one looks to establish design values for two types of three ply access mats from the U.S. South and Midwest. The mats were subject to 3 point bending tests to determine strength and stiffness values. Values for MOE (Modulus of Elasticity) and MOR (Modulus of Rupture) are reported by region and mat design. Part two tested five species groups of hardwoods for wear resistance and hardness. These species groups include white oak, red oak, ash, sweetgum and hickory. These tests for wear were performed on a Navy-Type Wear Tester according to …

Smokejumper Obituary: Goetschius, William R. (Missoula 1961), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

The Flying Spider-Monkey Tree Fern Genome Provides Insights Into Fern Evolution And Arborescence, Xiong Huang, Wenling Wang, Ting Gong, David Wickell, Li Yaung Kuo, Xingtan Zhang, Jialong Wen, Hoon Kim, Fachuang Lu, Hansheng Zhao, Song Chen, Hui Li, Wenqi Wu, Changjiang Yu, Su Chen, Wei Fan, Shuai Chen, Xiuqi Bao, Li Li, Dan Zhang, Longyu Jiang, Xiaojing Yan, Zhenyang Liao, Gongke Zhou, Yalong Guo, John Ralph, Ronald R. Sederoff, Hairong Wei, Ping Zhu, Fay Wei Li, Ray Ming

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

To date, little is known about the evolution of fern genomes, with only two small genomes published from the heterosporous Salviniales. Here we assembled the genome of Alsophila spinulosa, known as the flying spider-monkey tree fern, onto 69 pseudochromosomes. The remarkable preservation of synteny, despite resulting from an ancient whole-genome duplication over 100 million years ago, is unprecedented in plants and probably speaks to the uniqueness of tree ferns. Our detailed investigations into stem anatomy and lignin biosynthesis shed new light on the evolution of stem formation in tree ferns. We identified a phenolic compound, alsophilin, that is abundant in …

Restoration Through Reassembly: Evaluating The Role Of Native Plants In Combatting Chinese Tallow, Olaniyi Ajala

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Non-native, invasive species disrupt ecological processes and functions, posing a serious threat to natural ecosystems. By examining the growth metrics of the non-native, invasive tree, Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera [L.] Roxb.), hereafter tallow, across different flooding and light regimes, I investigated how restructuring native communities with valuable native species will prevent the reestablishment of tallow. I studied the changes in morphological and physiological traits of tallow when growing with water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica L.), sugarberry (Celtis occidentalis L.), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall). I found that in the non-flooded and high irradiance treatments, tallow's growth …

Detection, Occupancy, Abundance, And Mercury Accumulation Of The Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys Temminckii) In Texas, David Rosenbaum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Land use practices and physical alterations of ecosystems result in habitat loss and fragmentation, while chemical alterations, such as pollutant input, reduce habitat quality and health of exposed organisms. Here, I investigated the effects of watershed- and local-scale environmental variables on the occupancy, abundance, and mercury accumulation of a threatened aquatic species (Macrochelys temminckii, i.e., alligator snapping turtle) within the southwestern periphery of its distribution. Hierarchical modeling suggested the distribution of the species is more affected by watershed-scale land-cover than local habitat, and provided a baseline estimate of average species abundance across its range in eastern Texas. Abundance …

Climatic Influences On Summer Use Of Winter Precipitation By Trees, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Scott T. Allen, Sabine Braun, Rolf T. W. Siegwolf, James W. Kirchner

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Trees in seasonal climates may use water originating from both winter and summer precipitation. However, the seasonal origins of water used by trees have not been systematically studied. We used stable isotopes of water to compare the seasonal origins of water found in three common tree species across 24 Swiss forest sites sampled in two different years. Water from winter precipitation was observed in trees at most sites, even at the peak of summer, although the relative representation of seasonal sources differed by species. However, the representation of winter precipitation in trees decreased with site mean annual precipitation in both …

Two High Hierarchical Regulators, Pumyb40 And Puwrky75, Control The Low Phosphorus Driven Adventitious Root Formation In Populus Ussuriensis, Hanzeng Wang, Solme Pak, Jia Yang, Ye Wu, Wenlong Li, He Feng, Jingli Yang, Hairong Wei, Chenghao Li

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Adventitious rooting is an essential biological process in the vegetative propagation of economically important horticultural and forest tree species. It enables utilization of the elite genotypes in breeding programmes and production. Promotion of adventitious root (AR) formation has been associated with starvation of inorganic phosphate and some factors involved in low phosphorus (LP) signalling. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying LP-mediated AR formation remains largely elusive. We established an efficient experimental system that guaranteed AR formation through short-term LP treatment in Populus ussuriensis. We then generated a time-course RNA-seq data set to recognize key regulatory genes and regulatory cascades positively regulating …

Species Diversity And Growth Rates Of Overstory Vegetation Over 25 Years In Response To Physical And Chemical Properties In Long-Term Monitoring Plots At The University Of Mississippi Field Station, Mitchell Tharp

Honors Theses

Overstory vegetation for twenty-two long-term monitoring plots (LTMPs) was sampled from 1996 to 2021 to study the changes in vegetation due to natural and human disturbance. From the fall of 2020 through the fall of 2021, the overstory of the 22 LTMPs was resampled and soil samples were collected from each plot. The circumference at breast height (CBH) and species diversity were recorded and compared to previous years’ data. The objectives of this study were to: (1) document changes in the overstory species of the LTMPs, (2) measure growth rates of surviving trees, (3) survey how elevation and slope impact …

Smokejumper Obituary: Eaton, John F. (Mccall 1968), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Smokejumper Obituary: Donner, Fred H. (Missoula 1959), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Kraft Lignin With Improved Homogeneity Recovered Directly From Black Liquor And Its Application In Flexible Polyurethane Foams, Peng Quan, Alper Kiziltas, Akash Gondaliya, Mohsen Siahkamari, Mojgan Nejad, Xinfeng Xie

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

An effective method that can produce a large amount of Kraft lignin with improved homogeneity is strongly desired for Kraft lignin's high-value applications and scientific advancements. Herein, a one-pot acid-catalyzed liquefaction method was developed to recover Kraft lignin directly from black liquor. The recovery rate and properties of the recovered lignin were affected by the reaction time, reaction temperature, moisture content (MC), pH, and acid categories. The highest lignin recovery rate of 75% was achieved when the concentrated black liquor (MC = 25%) reacted with methanol at pH = 7 and 160 °C for 10 min using acetic acid as …

Smokejumper Obituary: Hoffman, Ray (Redmond 1967), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Spatiotemporal Factors Affecting The Occupancy And Phenology Of A Declining Songbird (Bachman's Sparrow - Peucaea Aestivalis) At The Western Extent Of Its Range, Liam G. Wolff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a declining songbird that occurs throughout the southeastern United States. Bachman’s Sparrow is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Texas, but information crucial to management efforts, such as factors affecting their detectability and occupancy, is lacking. I investigated the predictors of Bachman’s Sparrow occupancy and phenology in Texas using detections from autonomous recording units coupled with site characteristics and weather data. My results indicate that Bachman’s Sparrow occupancy is associated with increasing herbaceous ground cover and decreasing basal area, distance to the nearest source population, and basal area when canopy height …

Impact Of Climate Change On Hydrochemical Processes At Two High-Elevation Forested Watersheds In The Southern Appalachians, United States, Hailong Huang, Wei Wu, Katherine Elliott, Chelcy Miniat, Charles Driscoll

Faculty Publications

Climate change increasingly affects primary productivity and biogeochemical cycles in forest ecosystems at local and global scales. To predict change in vegetation, soil, and hydrologic processes, we applied an integrated biogeochemical model Photosynthesis-EvapoTranspration and BioGeoChemistry (PnET-BGC) to two high-elevation forested watersheds in the southern Appalachians in the US under representative (or radiative) concentration pathway (RCP)4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. We investigated seasonal variability of the changes from current (1986–2015) to future climate scenarios (2071–2100) for important biogeochemical processes/states; identified change points for biogeochemical variables from 1931 to 2100 that indicate potential regime shifts; and compared the climate change impacts of a …

Oystershell Scale: An Invasive Threat To Aspen Conservation, Amanda M. Grady, Connor D. Crouch, Nicholas P. Wilhelmi, Richard W. Hofstetter, Kristen M. Waring

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen decline is an acute and chronic problem in Arizona, where high levels of overstory mortality and a lack of recruitment continue to be observed. Oystershell scale (Lepidosaphes ulmi; OSS), an invasive sapsucking insect, has recently become widespread in native aspen stands in the southwestern U.S., further contributing to aspen mortality. Damage is severe in lower elevation stands and within ungulate exclosures created to conserve aspen. Young recruiting aspen that are rare on the landscape incur high levels of OSS-caused mortality when infested (Fig. 1). OSS has only recently become a pest of concern in the Southwest and …

Effects Of Prescribed Fire Seasonality On Forest Structure And Bird Populations In The Southern Appalachians, Allison Melcher

All Theses

Decades of fire suppression have contributed to the loss of historical ecosystems and to the decline of wildlife populations throughout the Southern Appalachian region. Recognizing the importance of fire in enhancing habitat and wildlife diversity, forest managers in recent years have begun implementing fire as a management tool to recover traditional disturbance regimes. Most of these burns take place during the dormant season, but some research has indicated dormant season burns are not effective in restoring ecosystem heterogeneity, and there has been a push to expand the use of fire into the growing season. However, much is still unknown about …

Possible Surf And Turf Mutualism: The Potential Of Yeast Grown From Maine Wood As Feed For Atlantic Salmon, Gina Scott

All Theses And Dissertations

With fed aquaculture expanding, challenges are being faced with increasing demands for protein for feed. Fishmeal as a protein is at high cost and low supply, and meals from terrestrial agriculture can impact fish health; both also generate environmental challenges. One potential alternative protein is yeast, which can be grown using waste softwood. Simultaneously, Maine forestry has lost buyers of waste wood with several paper mill closures. If yeast is produced as an alternative protein for fish feed using this wood, both Maine Atlantic salmon farming, Maine’s most valuable form of aquaculture, and Maine forestry could benefit. Environmental impact and …

Multi-Trophic Biodiversity Increases With Increasing Structural Complexity Of Forest Canopy, Ayanna St. Rose

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the effects of forest canopy structural complexity on multi-trophic diversity is critical for conserving biodiversity and managing land sustainably. But multi-trophic diversity is often ignored when making decisions about land management due to lack of cost- and time-effective methods to evaluate it. Here, we explored a new method based on widely available remote sensing data to quantify canopy structural complexity and its relationships with multi-trophic biodiversity at landscape scale using 32 forested sites of the National Ecological Observatory Network. We investigated the influence of vertical and horizontal structural complexity of forest canopy on multi-trophic (primary producers, herbivores (beetles), omnivores …

Water Use And Nutrient Retention In Black And Red Mangroves In Southwest Florida, Haley Miller

All Theses

Eutrophication is a major threat to mangroves, exposing these ecosystems to an excess surge of nutrients from either natural or human-influenced events. In addition to causing water quality issues, this phenomenon could alter some ecosystem processes, including tree physiology. In order to understand how increased nutrients affect mangrove water use on a whole forest scale, we fertilized red (Rhizophora mangle L.) and black (Avicennia germinans [L.] L.) mangrove plots with inorganic forms of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Sap flow data were collected over two growing seasons and one winter dry season and used to model outer sapwood …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Resveratrol And Epigallocatechin Gallate On Woodsmoke-Induced Inflammation, Sarenna Naomi Enright

Honors Theses

Until a few years ago, most scientific investigations related to the health effects of air pollution focused on outdoor air pollutants. But in recent years, the concerns over indoor air pollution has increased. People can spend up to 90% of their time in indoor environments, especially their homes, even more so since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concentrations of some air pollutants are five times higher than what is found outdoors.

Indoor air pollution exposure remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Approximately half of the global population is exposed to abnormally high concentrations of household …

Palm Oil And Exported Deforestation, Anja Marcusiu, Alexis Osorio

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Palm oil is used in our everyday lives through: Beautify/hygiene products; Bioenergy; Food. Indonesia and Malaysia account for 85% of the world's palm oil production, making them the largest exporters. Because palm oil is a highly productive crop and is in high demand, how do companies integrate sustainability to limit deforestation and preserve biodiversity?

Fighting Food Insecurity In New York City: What Role For Street Trees?, Kristen Cooney

Environment and Sustainability Honors Papers

There is growing recognition that urban forests have the potential to combat food insecurity via their edible parts, namely fruits, berries, and nuts. I researched New York City’s street trees, by locating trees with edible parts within food insecure communities, to analyze this potential.

Smokejumper Obituary: Grenager, Lyle Quinn (Missoula 1949), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Data For Dancing, Joseph D. Birch, James A. Lutz, Justine Karst

Browse all Datasets

Fungal communities can influence the productivity, composition, and survival of trees through cycling nutrients, providing resources, and altering pathogens. Thus, shifts in fungal communities could impact forests by altering interactions between trees and their environments. Fungal community composition may be shaped by stochastic and deterministic processes such as dispersal-limitation, environmental filtering, and partner specificity between trees and fungi. For tree species with large geographic ranges, we expect fungal assembly processes to change with environmental variation across the range of the tree partner. Due to specificity between trees and symbiotic fungi, we expect deterministic to outweigh stochastic processes in root compared …

The Role Of Wolves In Regulating A Chronic Non-Communicable Disease, Osteoarthritis, In Prey Populations, Sarah Hoy, John A. Vucetich, Rolf O. Peterson

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

It is widely accepted that predators disproportionately prey on individuals that are old, weak, diseased or injured. By selectively removing individuals with diseases, predators may play an important role in regulating the overall health of prey populations. However, that idea is seldom tested empirically. Here we assess the extent that wolves (Canis lupus) select adult moose (Alces alces) in Isle Royale National Park on the basis of age-class and osteoarthritis, a chronic, non-communicable disease. We also assess how temporal variation in kill rates (on moose by wolves) were associated with the subsequent incidence of osteoarthritis in the moose population over …

Enacting Boundaries Or Building Bridges? Language And Engagement In Food-Energy-Water Systems Science, Valoree Gagnon, Chelsea Schelly, William Lytle, Andrew Kliskey, Virginia H. Dale, Anna Maria Marshall, Luis F. Rodriguez, Paula Williams, Michael Waasegiizhig Price, Elizabeth A. Redd, Margaret A. Noodin

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Scientific study of issues at the nexus of food–energy–water systems (FEWS) requires grappling with multifaceted, “wicked” problems. FEWS involve interactions occurring directly and indirectly across complex and overlapping spatial and temporal scales; they are also imbued with diverse and sometimes conflicting meanings for the human and more-than-human beings that live within them. In this paper, we consider the role of language in the dynamics of boundary work, recognizing that the language often used in stakeholder and community engagement intended to address FEWS science and decision-making constructs boundaries and limits diverse and inclusive participation. In contrast, some language systems provide opportunities …

Smokejumper Obituary: During, Kent J. (Missoula 1968), National Smokejumper Association

Smokejumper Obituaries

No abstract provided.

Landscapes Are Cornerstones Of Sustainability Programs, Don Spence

Sustainability Conference

Typical American landscapes are not sustainable in an economic or biological framework. The essence of the idea of sustainable growth and development are centered on the idea that those activities are not degrading natural resources or that they are outstrip budgets. A significant piece of any sustainable management plan is tied to how we manage our landscapes, how we use plants; specifically, how much grass there is, and how many native plants there are. Sustainable landscapes should require less chemical and financial inputs, which in the end, saves money and increases the biological value of the land and creates a …