Forest Biology Commons^™

Herbaceous 2012 (May 5), Amy L. Myers, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Herbaceous vegetation data collected in 2012 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

An Investigation Of Fraxinus Americana Branch Sway Using A 3 Dimensional Motion Capture System, Anna T. Campiformio

Master's Theses

Abstract

Wind is a dominant abiotic factor that a tree experiences throughout its lifetime and can cause severe tree damage, resulting in risk of injury to humans, and economic and ecological losses. It is thought that trees develop structural properties and architectures that help withstand loading conditions by dissipating wind energy through damping mechanisms. The role of branch motion in reducing potential dangerous wind loads has been the focus of relatively few studies. Even fewer studies have examined tree sway response to natural wind loaded conditions. In this investigation, branch frequencies were calculated for three Fraxinus americana using a three-dimensional …

Cheating Cheatgrass: New Research To Combat A Wily Invasive Weed, Gail Wells

Joint Fire Science Program Digests

Cheatgrass and its cousin, red brome, are exotic annual grasses that have invaded and altered ecosystem dynamics in more than 41 million acres of desert shrublands between the Rockies and the Cascade-Sierra chain. A fungus naturally associated with these Bromus species has been found lethal to the plants’ soil-banked dormant seeds. Supported by the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP), researchers Susan Meyer, Phil Allen, and Julie Beckstead cultured this fungus, Pyrenophora semeniperda, in the laboratory and developed an experimental field application that, in some trials, killed all the dormant soil-banked Bromus seeds, leaving none to germinate the following year. The …

Herbaceous 2012 (April 21), Amy L. Myers, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Herbaceous vegetation data collected in 2012 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

Herbaceous 2012 (April 9), Amy L. Myers, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Herbaceous vegetation data collected in 2012 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

Herbaceous 2012 (March 25), Amy L. Myers, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Herbaceous vegetation data collected in 2012 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

Climate Change On The Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming: A Synthesis Of Past Climate, Climate Projections, And Ecosystem Implications, Janine Rice, Andrew Tredennick, Linda A. Joyce

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Shoshone National Forest (Shoshone) covers 2.4 million acres of mountainous topography in northwest Wyoming and is a vital ecosystem that provides clean water, wildlife habitat, timber, grazing, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic value. The Shoshone has experienced and adapted to changes in climate for many millennia, and is currently experiencing a warming trend that is expected to accelerate in the next century. Climate change directly and indirectly affects the Shoshone’s high-elevation, mountainous terrain that supports unique and sometimes rare ecological components. Several vulnerable and very responsive resources and processes on the Shoshone could interact to produce unforeseeable or undesirable ecosystem …

Wildlife-Associated Recreation Trends In The United States A Technical Document Supporting The Forest Service 2010 Rpa Assessment, Miranda H. Mockrin, Richard A. Aiken, Curtis H. Flather

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974 requires periodic assessments of the condition and trends of the Nation’s renewable natural resources. In this report, we document recent and historical trends in hunting and wildlife watching to fulfill RPA requirements. Using data from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation we present historical trends back to 1955 as well as recent changes from the past 10 to 20 years to evaluate changes in recreation since the 2000 RPA Assessment. We report on several attributes of wildlife …

Changing The Way We Address Change, Richard Straight

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Covers factors impacting private forest management in the United States, and other related issues.

Assessment Of Windbreak Condition And Indicators To Renovate, Steve Rasmussen

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

A presentation covering assessment of windbreak condition and indicators to renovate.

Terrestrial Biosphere Models Need Better Representation Of Vegetation Phenology: Results From The North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis, Andrew D. Richardson, Ryan S. Anderson, M. Altaf Arain, Alan G. Barr, G. Bohrer, Guangsheng Chen, Jing M. Chen, Philippe Ciais, Kenneth J. Davis, Ankur R. Desai, Michael C. Dietze, Danilo Dragoni, Steven R. Garrity, Christopher M. Gough, Robert Grant, David Y. Hollinger, Hank A. Margolis, Harry Mccaughey, Mirco Migliavacca, Russell K. Monson, J. William Munger, Benjamin Poulter, Brett M. Raczka, Daniel M. Ricciuto, Alok K. Sahoo, Kevin Schaefer, Hanqin Tian, Rodrigo Vargas, Hans Verbeeck, Jingfeng Xiao, Yongkang Xue

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Phenology, by controlling the seasonal activity of vegetation on the land surface, plays a fundamental role in regulating photosynthesis and other ecosystem processes, as well as competitive interactions and feedbacks to the climate system. We conducted an analysis to evaluate the representation of phenology, and the associated seasonality of ecosystem- scale CO₂ exchange, in 14 models participating in the North American Carbon Program Site Synthesis. Model predictions were evaluated using long-term measurements (emphasizing the period 2000–2006) from 10 forested sites within the AmeriFlux and Fluxnet-Canada networks. In deciduous forests, almost all models consistently predicted that the growing season started …

Effect Of Nitrogen Fertilization On Net Nitrogen Mineralization In Grassland Soil Of Northern China: Implications For Grassland Management, X. Zhang, Q. Wang, Frank S. Gilliam, W. Bai, X. Han, L. Li

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Nitrogen (N) applications can have a significant effect on soil N availability. The effect of 3 years of N fertilization on soil net N mineralization during the growing season (May–September) was studied in 2005 and 2006 in grassland of northern China. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications of five rates of N addition as urea (0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 g N m⁻² year⁻¹). Results indicated that net N mineralization rate varied seasonally and between years, ranging from −0.04 to 0.52 μg g⁻¹ d⁻¹ in 2005 and from −0.09 …

The Relationship Between Male Moth Density And Female Mating Success In Invading Populations Of Lymantria Dispar, Patrick C. Tobin, Ksenia S. Onufrieva, Kevin W. Thorpe

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The successful establishment of non-native species in new areas can be affected by many factors including the initial size of the founder population. Populations comprised of fewer individuals tend to be subject to stochastic forces and Allee effects (positive-density dependence), which can challenge the ability of small founder populations to establish in a new area. Although the conceptual relationship between initial colony size and establishment success has been previously documented, it is not trivial to estimate precisely the colony size needed to ensure colony persistence. Over the last 40 years, there have been many studies on the probability of mating …

A Detrimental Soil Disturbance Prediction Model For Ground-Based Timber Harvesting, Derrick A. Reeves, Matthew C. Reeves, Ann M. Abbott, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese, Mark D. Coleman

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Soil properties and forest productivity can be affected during ground-based harvest operations and site preparation. The degree of impact varies widely depending on topographic features and soil properties. Forest managers who understand site-specific limits to ground-based harvesting can alter harvest method or season to limit soil disturbance. To determine the potential areal extent of detrimental (potentially plant growth limiting) soil disturbance based on site characteristics and season of harvest, we developed a predictive model based on soil monitoring data collected from 167 groundbased harvest units. Data collected included dominant site parameters (e.g., slope, aspect, soil texture, and landtype), harvest season, …

A Synoptic Review Of U.S. Rangelands A Technical Document Supporting The Forest Service 2010 Rpa Assessment, Matthew Clark Reeves, John E. Mitchell

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 requires the USDA Forest Service to conduct assessments of resource conditions. This report fulfills that need and focuses on quantifying extent, productivity, and health of U.S. rangelands. Since 1982, the area of U.S. rangelands has decreased at an average rate of 350,000 acres per year owed mostly to conversion to agricultural and residential land uses. Nationally, rangeland productivity has been steady over the last decade, but the Rocky Mountain Assessment Region appears to have moderately increased productivity since 2000. The forage situation is positive and, from a national perspective, U.S. rangelands can probably …

Fish And Other Aquatic Resource Trends In The United States A Technical Document Supporting The Forest Service 2010 Rpa Assessment, Andrew J. Loftus, Curtis H. Flather

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974 requires periodic assessments of the status and trends in the Nation’s renewable natural resources including fish and other aquatic species and their habitats. Data from a number of sources are used to document trends in habitat quality, populations, resource use, and patterns of imperilment among aquatic fauna. Freshwater habitat quality varied widely across the United States. Nationwide, more than half of monitored lakes were ranked in good condition, but the percentage ranged from a high of 91 percent in the upper Midwest to a low of 1 percent in …

Nebraska’S Forest Resources, 2012, Dacia M. Meneguzzo, Chuck Barnett

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This publication provides an overview of forest resource attributes for Nebraska based on an annual inventory conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service. These estimates, along with web-posted core tables, will be updated annually. For more information please refer to page 5 of this report.

Profitable Farms And Woodlands: A Practical Guide In Agroforestry For Landowners, Farmers And Ranchers, J. O. Idassi

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This handbook is part of an interdisciplinary, interinstitutional and comprehensive effort to develop a practical guide to assist underserved and limited resource small farmers and woodland owners to adopt best management technologies in agroforestry. Funding for this effort was provided through the USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) from the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under cooperative agreement number 68-7482-7-361 with Tennessee State University, Cooperative Extension Program and the 1890/1862 Agroforestry Team.

This guide was prepared by an agroforestry team of research and extension specialists from the 1862 and 1890 Land Grant Universities in collaboration with …

Agroforestry: Accounting For Windbreak's Climate Change Contributions, Michele Schoeneberger, Jim Brandle, Xinhua Zhou, John Kort, Tom Sauer

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A General Target For Mvps: Unsupported And Unnecessary, Curtis H. Flather, Gregory D. Hayward, Steven R. Beissinger, Philip A. Stephens

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

In a recent article in TREE [1], we reviewed evidence for a consistent standardized estimate of minimum viable populations (MVPs) across taxa [2–4] and found that the universal MVP of 5000 adults advocated by Traill et al. [5] was unsupported by reanalyses of their data. We identified shortcomings in the original analyses, and found substantial uncertainty in standardized MVP estimates, both within populations of the same species and among species. We concluded that neither data nor theory supported a generally applicable MVP.

No evidence refuting the technical problems that we identified in their original analyzes was presented by Brook …

Extent Of Coterminous Us Rangelands: Quantifying Implications Of Differing Agency Perspectives, Matthew Clark Reeves, John E. Mitchell

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Rangeland extent is an important factor for evaluating critical indicators of rangeland sustainability. Rangeland areal extent was determined for the coterminous United States in a geospatial framework by evaluating spatially explicit data from the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) project describing historic and current vegetative composition, average height, and average cover through the viewpoints of the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program administered by the US Forest Service. Three types of rangelands were differentiated using the NRI definition encompassing rangelands, afforested rangelands, and transitory …

Effects Of Experimental Nitrogen Additions On Plant Diversity In Tropical Forests Of Contrasting Disturbance Regimes In Southern China, Xiankai Lu, Jiangming Mo, Frank S. Gilliam, Guirui Yu, Wei Zhang, Yunting Fang, Juan Huang

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

Responses of understory plant diversity to nitrogen (N) additions were investigated in reforested forests of contrasting disturbance regimes in southern China from 2003 to 2008: disturbed forest (withharvesting of understory vegetation and litter) and rehabilitated forest (without harvesting). Experimental additions of N were administered as the following treatments: Control, 50 kg N ha1yr1, and 100kg N ha1yr1. Nitrogen additions did not significantly affect understory plant richness, density,and cover in the disturbed forest. Similarly, no significant response was found for canopy closure in thisforest. In the rehabilitated forest, species richness and density showed no significant response to Nadditions; however, understory cover …

A Comparative Risk Assessment Framework For Wildland Fire Management: The 2010 Cohesive Strategy Science Report, David E. Calkin, Alan Ager, Matthew P. Thompson, Mark A. Finney, Danny C. Lee, Thomas M. Quigley, Charles W. Mchugh, Karin L. Riley, Julie M. Gilbertson-Day

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

The FLAME Act of 2009 requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Interior to submit to Congress a Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy. In this report, we explore the general science available for a risk-based approach to fire and fuels management and suggest analyses that may be applied at multiple scales to inform decisionmaking and tradeoff analysis. We discuss scientific strengths and limitations of wildfire risk assessment frameworks, including the benefit of broad scalability as demonstrated by four recent case studies. We further highlight the role of comparative risk assessment, which extends the analysis to …

Classifying And Mapping Diversity In A Species-Poor System: The Mangrove Meta-Community Of Laguna Chacahua National Park, Oaxaca, Mexico, Elizabeth Kay Weisgerber

Master's Theses

ABSTRACT

Classifying and Mapping Diversity in a Species-Poor System: the mangrove meta-community of Laguna Chacahua National Park, Oaxaca, Mexico

by

Elizabeth Kay Weisgerber

Both field transects and imagery grid plots were analyzed with the goal of creating a community classification map for the mangrove forest of Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua. In total, data was collected in 49 sites throughout the park, recording measures such as DBH, basal area, estimated dominance, frequency, cover and relative dominance. Field locations were marked and georeferenced with a GPS and grid plots overlaid on satellite imagery of the park were generated via a random …

A Real-Time Risk Assessment Tool Supporting Wildland Fire Decisionmaking, David E. Calkin, Matthew P. Thompson, Mark A. Finney, Kevin D. Hyde

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Development of appropriate management strategies for escaped wildland fires is complex. Fire managers need the ability to identify, in real time, the likelihood that wildfire will affect valuable developed and natural resources (e.g., private structures, public infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources). These determinations help guide where and when aggressive suppression is required to protect values and when fire may be allowed to burn to enhance ecosystem conditions. This article describes the primary components of the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS), a geospatial decision support system developed by the US Forest Service. WFDSS provides state-of-the-art wildfire risk analysis, decision …

Seedlings 2011, Sean M. Goins, Joseph Braner, Amy L. Myers, Charlie Jackson, Julia I. Chapman, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Seedling data (woody species up to 50 centimeters in height) collected in 2011 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

Wetland Features And Landscape Context Predict The Risk Of Wetland Habitat Loss, Kevin J. Gutzwiller, Curtis H. Flather

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Wetlands generally provide significant ecosystem services and function as important harbors of biodiversity. To ensure that these habitats are conserved, an efficient means of identifying wetlands at risk of conversion is needed, especially in the southern United States where the rate of wetland loss has been highest in recent decades. We used multivariate adaptive regression splines to develop a model to predict the risk of wetland habitat loss as a function of wetland features and landscape context. Fates of wetland habitats from 1992 to 1997 were obtained from the National Resources Inventory for the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Region, and …

Nebraska’S Forest Resources, 2011, Dacia Meneguzzo, Chuck Barnett

United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

This publication provides an overview of forest resource attributes for Nebraska based on an annual inventory conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service. These estimates, along with web-posted core tables, will be updated annually. For more information please refer to page 4 of this report.

Native Trees And Shrubs For Nebraska, Justin R. Evertson, Bob Henrickson

Nebraska Statewide Arboretum: Publications

Native plants withstand Nebraska’s tough climate extremes and serve as vital habitat for wildlife like birds, butterflies, and bees. NOTE: “Nearly native” signifies a species that is native within 100 miles of Nebraska’s border and/or now naturalized within the state.

141 species, from
Acer negundo -­‐ boxelder maple
to
woodbine -­‐ Parthenocissus vitacea

Effects Of Nitrogen On Temporal And Spatial Patterns Of Nitrate In Streams And Soil Solution Of A Central Hardwood Forest, Frank S. Gilliam, Mary Beth Adams

Biological Sciences Faculty Research

This study examined changes in stream and soil water NO3−and their relationship to temporal and spatial patterns of NO3−in soil solution of watersheds at the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia. Following tenfold increases in stream NO3−concentrations over a 13-year period (1969–1981) on untreated WS4, concentrations have declined through 2006. Followingfourfold increases in stream NO3−on treatment WS3 from pretreatment levels to a 1998 maximum, concentrations have declinedthrough 2006, despite additions of N. Concentrations of soil water NO3−were consistently lower for WS4 compared to WS3.Data for soil water NO3−on WS3 versus WS4 followed patterns of net mineralization and nitrification for these watersheds.Nitrogen …