Forest Sciences Commons^™

Assessment Of The Effect Of Land Use Change On Bioclimatic Comfort Conditions In Uşak Province, Ahmet Erkan Meti̇n, Savaş Çağlak

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Bioclimatic comfort is the state of people in which they feel comfortable, happy, and fit in the atmospheric environment they are. The bioclimatic comfort conditions of cities have changed depending on anthropogenic factors. The aim of this study is to compare the bioclimatic comfort conditions of Uşak city between 1990 and 2018. In the first stage, the bioclimatic comfort conditions of the city centre between 1990 and 2018 were determined according to the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) index obtained from the RayMan model by using hourly data of the meteorological station in the city centre; air temperature (°C), relative humidity …

Artificial Intelligence And Digital Twins In Sustainable Agriculture And Forestry: A Survey, Jing Nie, Yi Wang, Yang Li, Xuewei Chao

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Affected by global economic pressure and epidemics, sustainable agriculture has received widespread attention from farmers and agricultural engineers. Throughout history, agricultural technology has closely followed the pace of scientific and technological development and has followed the footsteps of mechanization, automation, and intelligence to progress continuously. At this stage, artificial intelligence (AI) is dominating the field of agriculture and advancing the progress of sustainable agriculture. However, the large amount of data required by AI technology and the high cost of data have ensued, while the rapid development of virtualization technology has made people gradually begin to consider the application of digital …

4e Analysis Of An Underfloor Heating System Integrated To The Geothermal Heat Pump For Greenhouse Heating, Fati̇h Ünal, Ahmet Erhan Akan, Bünyami̇n Demi̇r, Kaan Yaman

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

In this study, 4E (energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental) analysis of an underfloor heating system integrated with the geothermal heat pump of a greenhouse with a usage area of 90 m2 has been made. When the results of the 4E analysis applied to the system and its elements were examined, the energy efficiency of the heating system in the winter months has been determined to be 77.85% and the exergy efficiency 30.61%. According to the results of exergoeconomic analysis, the levelized energy cost of the system has been determined as 0.894 dollar/h, the unit exergy cost as 0.826 dollar/h, and …

Foliar Application Of Micronutrients Improves The Growth, Yield, Mineral Contents, And Nutritional Quality Of Broccoli (Brassica Oleracea L.), Hasan Sardar, Mujahid Irshad, Muhammad Akbar Anjum, Sajjad Hussain, Sajid Ali, Riaz Ahmad, Shaghef Ejaz

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Broccoli is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, free from calories and fat necessary for a healthy life. The production of broccoli is poor as compared to the developed world because of different biotic and abiotic stress. The nutritional stress is increasing with the passage of time because of low soil fertility and numerous stresses occur in the root zone of plants which reduce the uptake of minerals. Therefore, the current study was conducted on the foliar application of Zn and B to enhance broccoli production with excellent nutritional properties important for human health. Foliar application of Zn + B increased …

Screening Maize (Zea Mays L.) Genotypes For Phosphorus Deficiency At The Seedling Stage, Md. Golam Azam, Umakanta Sarker, Md. Shalim Uddin

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

A study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute's greenhouse with 48 maize genotypes through hydroponic culture. Two levels of treatment, namely, low phosphorus (LP) (2.5 × 10^-6 mol L^-1 of KH₂PO₄) and normal phosphorus (NP) (2.5 × 10^-4 mol L^-1 of KH₂PO₄), were used for this study. Morphologically, plants behave differently in low phosphorus conditions than in normal phosphorus environments. Large augmented roots were found in the plant in low phosphorus conditions. The results revealed that chlorophyll contents, shoot length, root length shoot dry weight, root dry …

Development Of A Novel Method For Trash Segmentation Of Cotton Fibre Color Measurement, Nayab Khan, Michal Vik, Farida Irshad, Assad Farooq, Muhammad Azeem Ashraf

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

The representation of cotton color is a key element in deciding the cotton grade. The color of cotton fibre is measured with instruments as well as visual assessment. But, these two methods always represent disagreement in the measurements. The main reason for disagreement is the trash particles on the cotton surface. The threshold segregation technique is used for the segmentation of trash and cotton fibres from the image of cotton sample. It is used in this research for the trash segmentation and precise color measurement. The reduction of disagreement between visual and instrument measurements is observed and the color of …

Morphological And Agronomic Characterization Of Turkish Vaccaria Hispanica (Mill.) Rauschert Populations, Esi̇n Ari, Nedi̇m Mutlu, İnanç Soylu, Hi̇lal Bedi̇r, İlker Genç, İsmai̇l Gökhan Deni̇z

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Vaccaria hispanica (Mill) Rauschert, also known as cow cockle, is an important candidate for industrial crop species that has yet to be fully domesticated. Therefore, characterization of germplasms is crucial to initiate and select for economic use. The study reports cultivation, characterization, and seed production of 66 wild V. hispanica genotypes, collected throughout Turkey that represent the available genetic pool. The study was carried out in an unheated greenhouse in Antalya, under Mediterranean climate from December to early June. The populations were evaluated for 21 morphological and 6 agronomic traits. The highest coefficient of variation (CV) for morphological traits was …

Targeted Browsing With Goats For Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus Virginiana L.) Control, Alanna M. Hartsfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As eastern redcedar (ERC) (Juniperus virginiana L.) grassland encroachment progresses, all potential control methods should be explored in the interest of Great Plains grassland health and longevity. Targeted browsing with goats has been proven as an effective control method on some juniper species; however, little is known about its ability to control ERC. These studies intend to mend knowledge gaps of how targeted browsing with goats control ERC by causing tree death without chemicals or machinery. The first study is two 3x3 Latin squares comparing protein-supplemented diets. The second study is a randomized complete block design of five 0.224 ha …

Understanding The Utilization Of Woody Biomass Through The Perspectives Of Southwest United States Forest Service Land Managers: A Qualitative Study, Mary-Ellen Reyna

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Dry ponderosa pine/mixed conifer stands in the Southwestern United States create an overabundance of woody biomass during restoration and fuel treatments. It has been the job of land managers and resource specialists to develop management goals and practices to treat stands and lower the risk of catastrophic wildfires while managing for accumulations of woody biomass. Knowing the limitations, setbacks, and successes will help researchers, the United States Forest Service, and other land managers better improve woody biomass utilization. In conjunction with three previous ForBio Southwest studies, we present results from ten phone interviews from three Arizona and New Mexico ranger …

Small Area Estimation Of Postfire Tree Density In The Western United States Using An Annualized Forest Inventory, George Chilton Gaines Iii

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Wildfire activity in the western United States is expanding and concern for the declining extent of postfire tree cover in many western forests is mounting. Accurate estimates of postfire seedling, sapling, and large tree density following wildfire are critical for postfire forest management planning and monitoring forest dynamics. National forest inventory programs, such as the US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, can provide vegetation data for direct spatiotemporal domain estimation of postfire tree density, but sample observations within domains of administrative utility are often few to none. This research investigates indirect domain estimators, which borrow sample data …

Potential Effects Of Amynthas Agrestis Invasion On Woody Understory Flora In The Cvnp, Christian Mammana

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Ohio forests are threatened by the invasive ecosystem engineer A. agrestis. A. agrestis invasion typically co-occurs with the ecosystem engineer, Odocoileus virginianus, where their impacts may synergize. To determine the direct effects of A. agrestis invasion, fenced plots across the Cuyahoga Valley National Park that excluded deer were utilized. The species richness, Shannon diversity and evenness of woody understory flora was measured in each plot. Mustard extraction was used to determine earthworm abundance. Correlations between abundance and measured variables were used to highlight potential invasion effects. Abundance and species richness was found to have a significant, positive correlation (p = …

Coupled Structure-Function Responses To Disturbance: High Structural Complexity Resistance Supports Primary Production Resistance, Kerstin M. Niedermaier

Theses and Dissertations

The capacity of forests to resist structural change and retain material legacies–the biotic and abiotic resources that persist through disturbance–is crucial to sustaining ecosystem functioning after disturbance. However, the role of forest structure as both a material legacy and feature supporting carbon (C) cycling stability following disturbance has not been widely investigated. We used a large-scale disturbance manipulation to ask whether LiDAR-derived canopy structures as material legacies drive 3-year responses of NPP to a range of disturbance severity levels. As part of the Forest Resilience Threshold Experiment (FoRTE) in northern Michigan, USA we simulated phloem-disrupting disturbances at a range of …

A Pantropical Assessment Of Deforestation Caused By Industrial Mining, Stefan Giljum, Victor Maus, Nikolas Kuschnig, Sebastian Luckeneder, Michael Tost, Laura J. Sonter, Anthony J. Bebbington

Geography

Growing demand for minerals continues to drive deforestation worldwide. Tropical forests are particularly vulnerable to the environmental impacts of mining and mineral processing. Many local- to regional-scale studies document extensive, long-lasting impacts of mining on biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, the full scope of deforestation induced by industrial mining across the tropics is yet unknown. Here, we present a biome-wide assessment to show where industrial mine expansion has caused the most deforestation from 2000 to 2019. We find that 3,264 km2 of forest was directly lost due to industrial mining, with 80% occurring in only four countries: Indonesia, Brazil, Ghana, …

Poor Acclimation To Experimental Field Drought In Subalpine Forest Tree Seedlings, Alex Goke, Patrick H. Martin

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

The ability of tree species to acclimate and tolerate projected increases in drought frequency and intensity has fundamental implications for future forest dynamics with climate change. Inquiries to date on the drought tolerance capacities of tree species, however, have focused almost exclusively on mature trees with scant in situ work on seedlings, despite the central role that regeneration dynamics play in forest responses to changing conditions. We subjected naturally established seedlings of co-dominant subalpine conifer species (Abies lasiocarpa and Picea engelmannii) in the southern Rocky Mountains to 2 years of in situ summer precipitation exclusion, simulating summer drought …

Determining The Novel Pathogen Neodothiora Populina As The Causal Agent Of The Aspen Running Canker Disease In Alaska, Loretta M. Winton, Gerard C. Adams, Roger W. Ruess

Department of Plant Pathology: Faculty Publications

Neodothiora populina Crous, G.C. Adams & Winton was determined to be a new pathogen of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) growing in Alaska, based on completion of Koch's Postulates in replicated forest and growth chamber inoculation trials. The pathogen is responsible for severe damage and widespread rapid mortality of sapling to mature aspen (≥ 80 years) in the boreal forests of interior Alaska, due to large diffuse annual (1–2 years) cankers. Isolation of the pathogen was challenging, and identification based on cultural characters was difficult. Fruiting bodies were not found on wild diseased trees, but erumpent pycnidia were found …

The Site Evaluation Of Quercus Alba Metabolites, Zachary Alexander Byrd

Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences

Quercus alba has been the prominent tree species utilized in the spirits industry for decades. Of its many qualities, the ability to impart desirable flavors on spirits combined with its natural abundance makes it the ideal choice for barrels. Creating barrels is a uniform process, but variability still exists in aged spirits even when all other parameters are controlled. In this thesis, I explore how the origin of Quercus alba influences metabolite variability.

Quercus alba is a resilient species that can grow in many climates. This is seen through Quercus alba’s vast growing range, of which barrel quality white oak …

Emissions, Shawn Urbanski, Susan O'Neill, Amara L. Holder, Sarah Green, Rick L. Graw

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This chapter assesses the current state of the science regarding the composition, intensity, and drivers of wildland fire emissions in the USA and Canada. Globally and in the USA wildland fires are a major source of gases and aerosols which have significant air quality impacts and climate interactions. Wildland fire smoke can trigger severe pollution episodes with substantial effects on public health. Fire emissions can degrade air quality at considerable distances downwind, hampering efforts by air regulators to meet air standards. Fires are a major global source of aerosols which affect the climate system by absorbing and scattering radiation and …

Evaluation Of Cross-Laminated Timber Panels Produced With Yellow-Poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera), Rafael Da Rosa Azambuja

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels are engineered wood products breaking into the building sector. Currently, the range of raw materials used in CLT is still limited to softwoods, while some hardwood species such as yellow-poplar could potentially be used to produce this wood product. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to assess the feasibility of using Appalachian Hardwoods in the production of Cross-Laminated Timber panels. Specifically, the objectives of the research were to 1) Determine the amount of yellow-poplar structural lumber that can be obtained from a representative population of low-grade, yellow-poplar lumber graded for appearance; 2) Evaluate whether …

Using Landsat-Based Phenology Metrics, Terrain Variables, And Machine Learning For Mapping And Probabilistic Prediction Of Forest Community Types In West Virginia, Faith M. Hartley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study investigates the mapping of forest community types for the entire state of West Virginia, USA using Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) Phenology Metrics analysis ready data (ARD) derived from the Landsat time series and digital terrain variables derived from a digital terrain model (DTM). Both classifications and probabilistic predictions were made using random forest (RF) machine learning (ML) and training data derived from ground plots provided by the West Virginia Natural Heritage Program (WVNHP). The primary goal of this study is to explore the use of globally consistent ARD data for operational forest type mapping over a …

Display Site Selection By Male Ruffed Grouse In The Upper Great Lakes Region, Seth Finkel

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) is widely known for its characteristic territorial drumming display. In this study, I used ruffed grouse drumming survey data from Minnesota and Michigan, in a series of mixed logistic models, to identify drivers of drumming log selection by reproductive male ruffed grouse. I collected drumming stage data utilizing a paired-random sampling structure. I used information theoretic model selection to examine three sets of a priori mixed logistic models: one for the entirety of my Minnesota dataset, one consisting of stages identified in aspen stands in Minnesota, and one for my Michigan dataset. In …

Effects Of Dissimilar Silvicultural Techniques On Small Mammal Communities In Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Breanna R. Gusick

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Small mammal populations, and predators reliant upon them as food resources, are often challenged by conflicting objectives of timber production and maintenance of quality habitat. With over 70% of the landscape forested, and nearly one-third of the land privately owned, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) is a matrix of independent management strategies. To assess the effects of various silvicultural regeneration methods on small mammal populations in the Upper Peninsula, we trapped small mammals in experimental silviculture plots, whereby treatments varied by regeneration method (amount of residual canopy cover) and site preparation (i.e., control, tip-up, and scarification), and deer exclosures. We used …

Properties And Environmental Impacts Of Sustainable Electrically Conductive Composites Of Carbonized Pulp Fibers And Recycled Polyamide 12, Chinmoyee Das

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Electrically conductive composites are polymer composites filled with electrically conductive filler. Electrically conductive composites can be implemented in the development of lightweight electrically conductive components for the automotive industry. Traditional electrically conductive composites incorporate synthetic carbon-based fillers that have good properties but are very expensive and highly energy intensive, creating the need for a sustainable and cost-effective replacement. This study explores the effectiveness of biocarbon fibers developed from Douglas fir pulp fibers as a potential electrically conductive filler in recycled polyamide (PA) 12 composites.

Biocarbon fibers were developed from pulp by carbonization of the feedstock at 1000° C in an …

Recovering And Upgrading Kraft Lignin For Application In Flexible Polyurethane Foam, Peng Quan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lignin is the second abundant natural polymer and has been highlighted as a potential substitute for fossil-based raw materials. However, the inherent molecular heterogeneity and the complex recovery processes result in the challenge of controlling the molecular properties and value-added applications of lignin in large scale. To address those issues, a novel acid-liquefaction process was developed in this study to recover Kraft lignin with improved molecular homogeneity directly from black liquor.

In the first study, the liquefaction parameters were screened based on yield and molecular weight properties of the recovered lignin. Then, the recovered lignin samples were used to replace …

Decadal Reevaluation Of Sugar Maple Dieback Etiology Across The Upper Great Lakes Region, Mattison E. Brady

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a foundational tree species in northern hardwood forests of the United States and Canada. Though previous work has documented areas of substantial stress for this species in eastern North America, increasing reports of crown dieback in the Upper Great Lake states through the early 2000’s highlighted the relative lack of understanding of regional trends and causes. A 120-plot network of maple forest health monitoring sites was established and annually visited across Upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin, and eastern Minnesota between 2009 and 2012 to catalog and understand the regional phenomenon.

Results from the project’s …

Application Of Mass Spectrometry For Characterization Of Plant-Based Phenolics And Alkaloids, Masoumeh Dorrani

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Plant-derived compounds have the potential to produce value-added compounds with a variety of applications. For example, the lignin part of the lignocellulosic biomass, produced in large quantities as waste from the paper and pulp industries, is a rich source of phenolics with potential applications in the renewable energy sector, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. On the other hand, plant alkaloids are the primary source for developing plant-derived therapeutics. Unfortunately, the recalcitrant nature of plant cell walls, low extraction yields of small secondary metabolites, and the lack of effective analytical methods for a rapid and accurate identification of plant-based compounds and plant’s …

Optimization And Analytics Of Decarbonized Forest And Biomass Supply Chains, Xufeng Zhang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

First, a data-driven holistic analysis framework was developed to aid the industrial development of forest biomass for bioenergy to promote the regional bioeconomy. Leveraging the existing but fragmented multi-source data, four components of industrial bioenergy development were integrated into the framework including spatial statistical analysis of biomass feedstock and bioenergy production, machine learning-based suitability assessment, bioenergy plant sites identification and ranking, and socio-economic impacts assessment. A case study was conducted for forest biomass to pellet fuel in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. Our results indicate that the great potential of forest biomass with high variation at the county level is primarily …

Changes In Plant Community Composition, Structure, And Function In Response To Permafrost Thaw, Katherine Standen

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Air temperature is increasing at three or more times the global average in high latitudes, causing widespread permafrost thaw across the boreal biome. Since the boreal biome stores 30-40% of global terrestrial carbon (C), of which about 30-45% is found in permafrost soils, this temperature increase could cause a large efflux of C to the atmosphere. Climate warming and permafrost thaw are also expected to alter plant community composition and productivity and, given the link between plant functional traits and ecosystem C fluxes, may alter overall ecosystem function. Across the boreal biome of western Canada, we know surprisingly little about …

Partnerships Create Success For The Devil’S Garden Wild Horses, Laura K. Snell

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Many wild horse (Equus ferus caballus) populations that inhabit designated federal land in the United States currently exceed management objectives. Overabundant wild horse populations can adversely impact the ecosystem, native wildlife, and other land uses. Unfortunately, there is not a universal solution, as each impacted area may differ ecologically, economically, socially, and politically. Wild horse management is not just a 1-time project but a long-term program where buy-in is needed from the federal and state agencies, local governments, and private partners. Local county governments and private partners can have important insights and significant influence on the development and …

Ecological Effects Of Prescribed Burning, Mechanical Cutting, And Post-Treatment Wildfire For Restoration Of Pinus Albicaulis, Enzo Paolo Martelli Moya

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The field of ecological restoration is growing rapidly, increasing the need for reliable and generalizable information on the impacts of management interventions aimed to be restorative. Prescribed burning and mechanical cutting have been proposed as primary strategies for restoration. However, there is limited information on their efficacy and effects in subalpine forest types, suggesting that monitoring to inform adaptive management is a priority need. I used data from a 15-year, replicated before-after-control-impact (BACI) study on Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine) restoration to assess the ecological effects of prescribed burning and mechanical cutting, with and without subsequent unplanned wildfire, as well as …

Invasive Earthworms In The Crown Of The Continent System And Implications For Land Management, Meghan Elizabeth Scott

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The United States contains invasive earthworms originating from Europe and Asia; the majority are European lumbricids. Direct introduction occurs primarily through human activity and, once established, earthworm populations are difficult to address. When exotic earthworms engage in bioturbation, they negatively alter subterranean food webs and nutrient cycling by disrupting soil layering systems. The most prominent form of physical alteration is the change and removal of the topmost organic layer. This disruption is associated with altered nitrogen and carbon cycling, as well as altered forest floor plant communities.

The Crown of the Continent ecosystem is located in southwestern Alberta, southeastern British …