Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons^™

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Deadwood In Forests Of The Northeastern United States, Zoe Read

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the climate changes, understanding the sources and sinks of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) is increasingly important. However, several components of the carbon cycle within forests remain poorly understood. For example, knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of CO₂ emissions from coarse woody material (CWM; logs and stumps), including how emissions change over time, how they are influenced by environmental variables, and how they compare to soil and ecosystem-level CO₂ emissions.

To fill these knowledge gaps, we examined CO₂ emissions from CWM at three sites. We sampled 18 red spruce (Picea …

Form And Risk Class Distribution And Its Effect On Estimated Product Ratios In Commercial Species Commonly Found In Northeastern Forests And A Comparative Analysis Of Contrasting Field Inventory Methodologies, Ryan Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Estimating product ratios in hardwood forests is difficult due to the highly complex stem forms and diverse growth and regeneration strategies found in hardwood species. This is of particular concern for landowners with large ownerships requiring robust product potential estimates as part of both short-term tactical harvest planning and long-term growth and yield projections. Hardwood-dominated forests are generally managed for high-value sawlog and veneer products. This makes it increasingly important to identify strategies for improving hardwood management to meet economic (maximizing sawlog recovery) and ecological (maintaining healthy and diverse forests) goals.

This study seeks to achieve two primary goals. The …

If You Give A Beetle A Maple: Anoplophora Glabripennis Habitat Selection Patterns On An Island In South Carolina, Meredith Bean

All Theses

At the epicenter of the Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky) quarantine zone in South Carolina, a small island containing an actively growing subpopulation of A. glabripennis had not completely killed its 37 host trees in 2020. Before these trees were removed and destroyed according to the USDA Eradication Program protocols, I performed an observational study to examine the microhabitat selection tendencies of the invasive A. glabripennis within this satellite infestation. After cataloging >14,000 oviposition sites and >1,600 exit holes created by A. glabripennis, I found dispersal trends according to a host’s stem status (single or multi-stemmed), vertical …

Bibliography Of Mountain Biking Research: 1990-2021, Katelyn P. Kuklinski, Kimberly J. Coleman, Jessica E. Leahy, Elizabeth E. Perry, Emily Reinhardt, Luke Briccetti

Non-Thesis Student Work

Since the 1980s, mountain biking as an outdoor recreation activity has grown rapidly worldwide. Research on mountain biking is growing across many academic disciplines, from medicine to outdoor recreation and tourism research. This bibliography includes peer-reviewed research published on mountain biking within the context of natural resource management from 1990-2021.

Disfrutar Excursiones Por Nuestra Bella Colombia, Gonzalo Escobar Reyes, Elizabeth Ann Escobar Cazal, María Cristina Velásquez Ardila

Ciencias Administrativas, Económicas y Contables

Caminatas, excursiones, senderismo, son actividades recreativas que rompen rutinas de trabajo, compromisos diarios, e inundan de alegría y ánimo a quienes participan en ellas, permitiendo de paso conocer y disfrutar paisajes, tener contacto con el verde de la naturaleza, respirar aire limpio , y compartir la integración en familia, con amigos y vecinos. Por ser estas de baja exigencia física, tienen un favor que no es necesario contar con entrenamiento de súper atletas, recomendándose, eso sí, estar en buen estado de salud. Por lo que son incluidos niños y adultos mayores.

Improvement Value Of Forest Resources By Use Of Cottonseed Protein Meal As A Bio-Based Wood Adhesive For Hardwood Plywood Products, Edward David Entsminger

Theses and Dissertations

Literature shows that production of cottonseed adhesives is feasible to develop an environmentally friendly and competitive bio-based wood adhesive. Defatted cottonseed and water-washed cottonseed meals were prepared from glandless cottonseed and were used in adhesive formulations to produce three-ply yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) plywood panels as the first objective. These two cottonseed meals were compared with the properties of plywood panels made with an adhesive formulated from a commercial soybean meal, as a control. Adhesive resins were prepared from each protein meal with sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) and one of two polyamido-amine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength agents, and the plywood panels were …

Quantifying Aboveground Biomass In A Tropical Forest Using A Lidar Waveform Weighted Allometric Model, Alejandro Rojas

Theses and Dissertations

Our knowledge of the distribution and amount of terrestrial above ground biomass (AGB) has increased using lidar technology. Recent advancements in satellite lidar has enabled global mapping of forest biomass and structure. However, there are large biases in satellite lidar estimates which impacts our understanding of carbon dynamics, particularly in tropical forests.

Ni-Meister et al. (2022) developed a lidar full waveform weighted height-based allometric model which produced very good results in temperate deciduous/conifer forest in the continental US. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this biomass model in an African tropical forest using the Land Vegetation and Ice …

Flora Of Doe Mountain Recreation Area, Johnson County, Tennessee, Benjamin Mccullough

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A botanical inventory of Doe Mountain Recreation Area (DMRA) in northeastern Tennessee was conducted to help guide conservation-based management. A total of 484 species were found in DMRA, comprising 94 families, and 285 genera, 10 species listed in the state rare plant list, and 76 exotic species. Two species, Liatris virgata and Lycopodiella inundata, were new state records. Water in the Lycopodiella seep was an order of magnitude more acid than at other sites. An analysis of the wildland-urban interface showed that only 13% of the area was classified as uninhabited. The inventory-invasion index, introduced to quantify the relative …

Soil Quality Indicators And Vegetation Responses Following Ecological Restoration Thinning Of Ponderosa Pine On Three Soil Parent Material Types Under Grazing And Non-Grazing In Northern Arizona, Christopher Macdonald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was performed in a northern Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. & C., Lawson) forest. The objectives were to a) increase understanding of long-term vegetation responses to ecological restoration treatments on three soils types, with and without grazing, b) evaluate the responses soil physical, chemical, and biological properties to restoration treatments, with and without grazing, c) determine the utility of measured soil quality indicators to informing risks to sustainable soils management in southwestern ponderosa pine forests.

There were no significant differences in soil bulk density by soil type, treatment type, or grazing treatment. No significant differences …

Contribución A La Conservación De La Orquídea Rodriguezia Granadensis(Lindl.) Rchb.F. En La Hacienda Betania (Fusagasugá, Colombia), Arlette Ivonne Gil Clavijo, Jenny Paola Moreno López, Laguandio Del Cristo Banda Sánchez

Ciencias Agropecuarias

Esta cartilla presenta a la comunidad la información generada en el proyecto de investigación denominado “Aproximación a la ecología de orquídeas nativas en el ecosistema hacienda Betania con proyección a su conservación, manejo y producción”, el cual fue desarrollado por el Grupo de Investigación PROSAFIS de la Universidad de Cundinamarca. Este manuscrito es una contribución al manejo, tuvieron y valoración de las orquídeas nativas, destacando la orquídea Rodriguezia granadensis, presente en ciertos relictos agroecológicos en áreas de influencia de Fusagasugá. Los resultados obtenidos en la investigación mostraron la preferencia o alta adaptación de R. granadensis a los forofitos de cítricos …

Michigan Conifer Growers’ Perspectives On Disease Management, Emily S. Huff, Monique L. Sakalidis

The Journal of Extension

A survey of commercial nursery and Christmas tree growers was implemented online and by mail in 2018 to understand disease issues and information preferences. Overall, the majority of the respondents reported that they prefer online sources of information and many are using Extension bulletins and sources. Cultural, chemical, and weed control methods were considered extremely effective by participants and very few used biological control methods to control disease. Participants identified spruce decline, boxwood blight, and hemlock woolly adelgid as emerging disease threats, so future information to growers should focus on identification and management of these threats.

Efficacy Of Chemical And Biological Stump Treatments For The Control Of Heterobasidion Occidentale Infection Of California Abies Concolor, Adrian Luis Poloni

Master's Theses

We conducted an experimental evaluation of treatments to limit Heterobasidion occidentale infection of white fir (Abies concolor) stumps and wounds in California mixed conifer forests. We tested the efficacy of urea, borate, and a mixture of two locally collected Phlebiopsis gigantea strains in preventing pathogen colonization of fir stumps and separately, urea and borate as infection controls on experimental stem wounds. These were paired with a laboratory test on ~100 g wood blocks with and without a one-week delay between inoculation and treatment. Urea, borates, and Phlebiopsis treatments all significantly reduced the stump surface area that was colonized …

Climate Sensitive Diameter Growth Models For Major Tree Species In Mississippi, Sujan Subedi

Theses and Dissertations

Anticipated climate change and increasing wood demand require dependable diameter growth models for adaptive forest management. We used a mixed-effects modeling approach with Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data to fit diameter growth models for loblolly pine, other softwood species (slash pine, shortleaf pine, and longleaf pine), sweetgum, and other hardwood (southern red oak, red maple, and water oak) species. Climatic variables coupled with individual tree attributes and competition factors improved climate insensitive models. Growth of loblolly pine and sweetgum was positively correlated with mean temperature of the coldest month. Mean temperature of the warmest month negatively influenced diameter growth …

Diversity-Productivity Relationships In Forests Of The Southeastern United States: Leveraging National Inventory Data And Tree Functional Traits, Elizabeth Baach

Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies have evaluated the relationship between biodiversity and productivity, with general trends suggesting a positive relationship. While most studies only use species richness, this study also analyzed how productivity changes with functional diversity and Shannon’s diversity index. Functional diversity gives important context to the examination of biodiversity-productivity relationships due to the direct link between organisms’ functional traits and their role in a given ecosystem. This study used data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database collected in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi to estimate plot-level productivity and diversity. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the …

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 …

2020 Northeast Maple Business Benchmark, Mark Cannella, Christopher Lindgren

UVM Extension Faculty Publications

The 2020 production season began just as the Covid-19 pandemic was emerging across the United States. Most states quickly enacted “essential industry” provisions that enabled agricultural and forestry operations to remain active assuming their workers were healthy and willing to report to work. Lingering policy and regulatory issues faced maple producers in the coming months as the pandemic disruptions continued. While many businesses faced short term cash flow challenges the overall maple demand rebounded and exceeded expectations for growth by the end of 2020.

The 2020 Northeast Maple Business Benchmark report documents the eight year of financial record analysis for …

Historical And Future Role Of Wilmar Palm Oil In Deforestation Of Indonesian Borneo, Sam Coroniti Iii

Senior Theses

Borneo is one of the most biologically diverse locations on Earth, with thousands of endemic and rare species forming unique and intricate relationships throughout the ecosystems. Orangutans, elephants, leopards, tigers, rhinos, and many more species call this island their home, although population levels for all of the mentioned species have been in seriously decline over recent decades. The loss of primary rainforest that provides the most critical habitat for these species has occurred at the highest rate that has ever been seen on Earth, leading to extreme land conversion and greenhouse gas producing operations. The primary driver of these actions …

Disturbance Reduces Fungal White-Rot Litter Mat Cover In A Wet Subtropical Forest, D. Jean Lodge, Ashley E. Van Beusekom, Grizelle González, Mareli Sánchez-Julia, Sarah Stankavich

USDA Forest Service / UNL Faculty Publications

Fungi that bind leaf litter into mats and produce white-rot via degradation of lignin and other aromatic compounds influence forest nutrient cycling and soil fertility. Extent of white-rot litter mats formed by basidiomycete fungi in Puerto Rico decreased in response to disturbances—a simulated hurricane treatment executed by canopy trimming and debris addition in 2014, a drought in 2015, a treefall, and two hurricanes 10 days apart in September 2017. Percent fungal litter mat cover ranged from 0.4% after Hurricanes Irma and Maria to a high of 53% in forest with undisturbed canopy prior to the 2017 hurricanes, with means mostly …

Conk1 - Forest Pathology Specimen, Robert Z. Selden Jr.

CRHR: Archaeology

Pathology specimen.

Drought, Tree Mortality, And Regeneration In Northen California, Sophia Lb Lemmo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The 2012-2016 California drought was the most severe in the state’s recorded history, contributing to the death of millions of trees. While the effects of this drought on forests are relatively well studied in the central and southern Sierra Nevada, less is known about its effects on the heavily timbered and diverse forests of northern California. Through sampling 54 0.25 ha plots in northern California, this study compared tree mortality and regeneration patterns before, during, and after California’s most recent record-setting drought. This study evaluated 1) the influence of habitat and competitive covariates on mortality and regeneration trends using ridge …

Invasive Plants Watch List: 2022, Allison Zach

Nebraska Invasive Species Program

The purpose of the weed watch list is to collect data on the distribution of invasive plants found in various Nebraska counties. Counties were divided up into ‘ecoregions’ based on the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission’s Legacy Plan (map of regions below). The plants in the watch list have been identified based on their invasiveness in surrounding states and their increasing range in Nebraska. Data collected on watch list plant species distribution has been used to support the listing or delisting of noxious weeds. Plant species in the weed watch list are categorized based on early detection and rapid response …

Bat Activity On West Virginia Mined Lands Restored Via The Forestry Reclamation Approach, Briana C. Snyder

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a practical guide to reforesting surface mined lands. Bats, as a unique group of species with declining populations, could benefit from this reforestation. In order to determine if the FRA is providing suitable bat foraging habitat, I surveyed bat activity at created depressional wetlands on 1-year old and 8-year old FRA restored lands (FRA1; FRA8), as well as at naturally formed wetlands in regenerating forest on traditionally reclaimed mined land (~40 years old; REGEN) and wetlands in mature forest not previously mined (MAT). I passively recorded echolocation calls for 12 nights across sixteen sites …

Assessing Soil Disturbance From Tethered Logging On Steep Slopes In Northern California, Karolyn Marie Fagundes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The implementation of tethered harvesting allows for the expansion of mechanized logging onto steeper slopes. Recent updates to the California Forest Practice Rules have explicitly removed the slope limitation for logging equipment, provided it’s tethered. California is now witnessing the reintroduction of ground-based logging equipment on steep slopes. Previously, operating equipment on steep slopes was considered detrimental due to the potential for soil disturbance. However, tethered equipment interacts with the soil in a new way due to the use of a winch. Relatively few studies have attempted to quantify soil disturbance with this new practice. The goal of this study …

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 …

Lidar-Landsat Covariance For Predicting Canopy Fuels, Margaret D. Epstein

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Managing wildfires in the western United States is becoming increasingly complex. Visualizing and quantifying canopy structures allows fire managers to both plan for fire and track recovery. Light detecting and ranging, or LiDAR can measure forests in three dimensions, but has limited spatial and temporal coverage. LiDAR-Landsat covariance uses machine learning to fill in the spatial and temporal gaps of LiDAR coverage with supplemental Landsat imagery. However, in order to capture real forest dynamics, a model needs to be stable enough to detect long term trends, sensitive to episodic disturbance, and general enough to work on multiple landcovers. The purpose …

Advancing Forest Structure-Function Relationships: Linking Above- And Belowground Structure To Soil Respiration, Laura J. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

Variation in the soil-to-atmosphere C flux, or soil respiration (Rs), is influenced by a suite of biotic and abiotic factors, including soil temperature, soil moisture, and root biomass. However, whether canopy structure is tied to soil respiration through its simultaneous influence over these drivers is not known. We assessed relationships between measures of above- and belowground vegetation density and complexity, and evaluated whether Rs is linked to remotely sensed canopy structure through pathways mediated by established biotic and abiotic mechanisms. Our results revealed that, at stand-scale, canopy rugosity–a measure of complexity–and vegetation area index were coupled to soil respiration through …

The Role Of Edge Effects On Emerald Ash Borer Infestation And Forest Responses, Bronte Hoefer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) is a buprestid beetle native to Asia, classified as an invasive species in North America. EAB infests trees of genus Fraxinus (ash) and has spread to 35 states since its introduction in the early to mid-1990s. Notably, EAB has the potential to functionally extirpate all native ash species in North America. Our study aims to characterize the ecological impacts of EAB infestation in the Roanoke Valley of Southwest Virginia, to quantify the impact of edge effects on EAB forest invasion and mortality of ash trees, as well as investigate the role that …

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

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 …

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 …

Field Maps 2022, Grace K. Attea, Ryan W. Mcewan, John L. Vankat

Data Files

Historical field map scans (2022) for the permanent 100m x 105m research plot in Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve.