Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons^™

The Role Of The State, Multinational Oil Companies, International Law & The International Community: Intersection Of Human Rights & Environmental Degradation Climate Change In The 21st Century Caused By Traditional Extractive Practices, The Amazon Rainforest, Indigenous People And Universal Jurisdiction To Resolve The Accountability Issue, Marcela Cabrera Luna

Master's Theses

Local, national and international conventions that protect indigenous sovereignty and their territories, where many of the resources are extracted from by multinational corporations (MNCs) particularly oil, the number one commodity of the world and cause of climate change, continue to be jeopardized because of the lack of a clear international legal framework that can protect them and potentially hold multinationals accountable for their actions. These practices are causing not only environmental issues to the indigenous and surrounding communities, but climate change is in fact, the real human rights issue of the 21^st century and it affects everyone. By using …

Demography And Disease Of The Rare Shrub Buckleya Distichophylla (Santalaceae) In Northeastern Tennessee, William Seth Ratliff

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Piratebush (Buckleya distichophylla (Nutt.) Torr.) is a rare, hemiparasitic shrub with the only extant populations in western North Carolina, northeastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. The preferred natural hosts of piratebush, Carolina and eastern hemlocks, have seen sharp declines over the last decade due to the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid. Virginia pine, another important host of piratebush, is also susceptible to disease, specifically Cronartium appalachianum, a rust fungus for which piratebush is the secondary host. This study described and analyzed current demographic parameters of three Tennessee piratebush populations. Additionally, spatial patterns of disease and demographic characters were analyzed. These …

Timber Talk, Vol. 53, No .4, November 2015

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

In This Issue

Lumber Market News ...........................1

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Green..................................2

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Kiln Dried...........................2

Sun-dried Lumber.................................3

NFS Forest Products Program...............4

Milling Railroad Ties in Nebraska........4

A Closer Look at Edgers........................5

Nebraska Forest Industry Spotlight......7

The Trading Post....................................8

Timber Talk, Vol. 53, No. 3, September 2015

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

In This Issue

Lumber Market News ...........................1

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Green..................................2

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Kiln Dried...........................2

Open for Business..................................3

U.S. Pumps out More Pellets.................4

Should I Buy a Sawmill.........................5

Nebraska Forest Industry Spotlight......7

The Trading Post....................................8

Timber Sales...........................................8

The Photosynthetic Response Of Northern Red Oak (Quercus Rubra L.) And American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata (Marsh.) Borkh) Under Varying Light Intensity And Weed Competition, Pedro Vitor P. Pereira, Jennifer M. Lesko, Douglass F. Jacobs Dr.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Although widely distributed across Indiana and the United States Midwest, conifer plantations consist largely of non-native species that are of no value to the state’s forest products industry. This project’s goal is to develop science-based protocols and specific silvicultural prescriptions for successfully converting conifer plantations to higher value native hardwoods. Quantifying photosynthesis rate in a plant is an important tool to help us discern the best methods for implementing conifer conversion. Seedlings from two different native species, northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) and American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh), were distributed among three different silvicultural …

The Effect Of Drought On Stomatal Conductance In The Biosphere 2 Rainforest, Justin Gay, Joost Van Haren

STAR Program Research Presentations

Drought is a major climate change concern for the Earth’s rainforests; however little is currently known about how these forests and individual plants will respond to water stress. At the individual level, the ability of plants to regulate their stomatal conductance is an important preservation mechanism that helps to cool leaves, regulate water loss, and uptake carbon dioxide. At the ecosystem level, transpiration in rain forests is a major contributor to the feedback loop that returns moisture to the atmosphere for continued rains. Nearly 60% of atmospheric moisture in the Amazon rain forests has been traced back to origins of …

Understory Tree Composition, Diversity And Natural Regeneration Status Of Uluguru Forests In Morogoro- Tanzania, David S. Kacholi

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Most of the studies on tropical forests vegetation have tended to focus on trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) greater or equal to 10cm, and limited attention has been paid to understory. This study was conducted in Uluguru forests in Morogoro region, Tanzania, with an objective of describing the understory tree composition, diversity and natural regeneration of some threatened species in the seven surveyed forests. Sampling was done in the forests whereby classification of understory was done into three layers: seedling (individuals with height < 1m), small sapling (DBH ≤ 3 cm), and large sapling (3 < DBH < 10 cm) layers. Large saplings were sampled in 20m × 20m plots, while subplots of 5m ×5m and 2m ×2m were placed at the centre of each plot for sampling small saplings and seedlings, respectively. A total of 2119 seedlings, 1798 small saplings, and 2585 large saplings belonging 91, 102, and 104 species, respectively, were recorded. Fabaceae was the most speciosefamily in all the studied compartments, and had higher familial importance value (FIV). The seedling layer had higher tree density than the large and small sapling layers, but the large and small sapling layers were more diverse than the seedling layer (p < 0.05).The species richness in each forest was significantly higher in the understory than overstory layer (p < 0.034); and the pairing was strongly positively correlated (r = 096, p = 0.0003). The Sørensen coefficients of similarities between understory and overstory ranged between 0.53–0.77, and were higher within each forest than among them. All forests revealed to have good regeneration, though it is important to understand that some species unveiled poor or hampered regeneration pattern.In summary, the understory was observed to be speciose than overstory layer; it was dominated by family Fabaceae, and the natural regeneration of the forests were good, however, some species need due attention.

Carbon Storage Potential Of Windbreaks On Agricultural Lands Of The Continental United States, William Ballesteros Possu

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Agricultural production systems face major challenges under climate change scenarios in terms of expected negative impacts on productivity and persistence of the crops. Greenhouse gases from agriculture continue to rise although not as fast as from other fossil fuel-based human activities. Windbreaks perform several ecosystems functions that improve the local and regional capacity of crop systems to increase yields and offer environmental services by minimizing the negative effects of extreme weather events. Windbreaks also represent an important means of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. This is predominantly accomplished by the windbreak trees storing carbon (C) in their above and belowground woody …

Timber Talk, Vol. 53, No. 2, June 2015

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

In This Issue

Lumber Market News ...........................1

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Green..................................2

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Kiln Dried...........................2

Top Ten Family Forestry Issues.............3

Hardwood Floors with a Zip.................5

Nebraska Forest Industry Spotlight......7

The Trading Post....................................8

Timber Sales...........................................8

Fire, Fuels, And Streams: The Effects And Effectiveness Of Riparian Treatments, Josh Mcdaniel

Joint Fire Science Program Digests

Fire is an important disturbance in riparian systems—consuming vegetation; increasing light; creating snags and debris flows; altering habitat structure; and affecting stream conditions, erosion, and hydrology. For many years, land managers have worked to keep fire out of riparian systems through the use of buffers. A number of projects funded by the Joint Fire Science Program are shedding light on the dynamics of fire in riparian systems. Recent research and field practice have shown that (1) riparian treatments can be beneficial and are not as risky as previously thought; and (2) riparian treatments need the “Goldilocks” prescribed fire—not too hot …

Impact Of Using Different Stocking Rates Of Goats Under Pine Plantation On Plant Species Occurrence And Animal Productivity, Anthony S. Kumi, India Howard, Ronald C. Smith, Nar Gurung, Alphonso Elliott

Professional Agricultural Workers Journal

Abstract

The study assessed the impact of using different stocking rates of goats under pine plantation on plant species occurrence and animal productivity. It was conducted on an 11 year-old loblolly pine plantation site in Epes, Alabama from July to October 2011. Thirty-six Kiko crossbred male goat kids of 4 to 5 months of age were assigned to different stocking rates, namely, low (4 goats/acre), medium (8 goats/acre), and high (12 goats/acre) with three replications each. Forage composition, animal daily gain (ADG) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were monitored. Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) was the most dominant grass …

Fishing For A Sustainable Future: Aquaponics As A Method Of Food Production, Richard Ramsundar

Student Theses 2015-Present

This thesis compares and explains the advantages aquaponics farming has over modern industrial intensive farming. Through a comparison natural capital usage, conservation, recycling and cost, the thesis advocates for the expansion of aquaponics usage in urban settings. The thesis also explains the history of intensive farming and aquaponics in America, the science of how aquaponics operates, the economic and environmental costs of modern intensive farming versus aquaponics farming, and the social implications of aquaponics. Lastly, I propose a policy that reallocates farm subsidies by modifying the Farm Bill. Then I propose policies that support creating a new standard of farm …

Environmental Data: Soil Moisture, Julia I. Chapman, Eric B. Borth, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Volumetric soil water content measured on May 2, 2015 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

Herbaceous 2015, Julia I. Chapman, Margaret E. Maloney, Ryan W. Mcewan

Data Files: Drew Woods Permanent Plots

Herbaceous vegetation data collected in 2015 at Drew Woods State Nature Preserve in Darke County, OH. Data key is provided in a supplemental file.

White Spruce (Picea Glauca), Moose (Alces Alces) And The Origin Of A Zootic Disclimax Community On Isle Royale, Stephen C. Caird

All NMU Master's Theses

Understory herbivory combined with canopy loss alters trajectories of forest succession, and in extreme cases may produce novel landscapes dominated by the groundcover layer. I investigated the response of woody species to savannas which have emerged in Isle Royale National Park as a result of moose herbivory. I used dendrochronological methods and microsite plots to describe the spatial, temporal, and competitive responses of white spruce (Picea glauca), a non-palatable species, to the savanna environment. Most tree species had lower densities in savannas, however bird-dispersed species mountain ash (Sorbus decora) and chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) were …

The Linkages Between Photosynthesis, Productivity, Growth And Biomass In Lowland Amazonian Forests, Yadvinder Malhi, Christopher E. Doughty, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Daniel B. Metcalfe, Cécile A.J. Girardin, Toby R. Marthews, Jhon Del Aguila-Pasquel, Luiz E.O.C. Aragão, Alejandro Araujo-Murakami, Paulo Brando, Antonino C.L. Da Costa, Javier E. Silva-Espejo, Filio Farfán Amézquita, David R. Galbraith, Carlos A. Quesada, Wanderley Rocha, Norma Salinas-Revilla, Divino Silvério, Patrick Meir, Oliver L. Phillips

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding the relationship between photosynthesis, net primary productivity and growth in forest ecosystems is key to understanding how these ecosystems will respond to global anthropogenic change, yet the linkages among these components are rarely explored in detail. We provide the first comprehensive description of the productivity, respiration and carbon allocation of contrasting lowland Amazonian forests spanning gradients in seasonal water deficit and soil fertility. Using the largest data set assembled to date, ten sites in three countries all studied with a standardized methodology, we find that (i) gross primary productivity (GPP) has a simple relationship with seasonal water deficit, but …

Timber Talk, Vol. 53, No. 1, February 1, 2015

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

In This Issue

Lumber Market News ...........................1

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Green...................................2

Hardwood Lumber Price Trends—Kiln Dried...........................2

Innovation Treats Firewood for Safe Transport...................................3

Tax Tips for Landowners for the 2014 Tax Year.............................4

Nebraska Forest Industry Spotlight......6

Utilization of Small-Diameter Material...................................................7

The Trading Post.....................................8

St. Norbert College As Arboretum: Mapping The Trees On Campus, Jordan A. Mayer, Jason Mills, David Hunnicut

GIS Library

St. Norbert College as Arboretum: Mapping the Trees on Campus - Take a virtual tour of the trees on campus.

The tour is a multimedia ArcGIS Online story map and is available here.

Many of the trees on the St. Norbert Campus were planted by Fr. Anselm Keefe (1895- 1974) in the mid 20th century. It was Fr. Keefe’s vision to beautify the campus by creating gardens that were accessible to the public. This included planting a diverse variety of trees, including one of every tree species native to Wisconsin. It was Keefe’s mission to make St. Norbert College …

Effects Of Drought On Forests And Rangelands In The United States: A Comprehensive Science Synthesis, James M. Vose, James S. Clark, Charles H. Luce, Toral Patel-Weynand

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

This assessment provides input to the reauthorized National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the National Climate Assessment (NCA), and it establishes the scientific foundation needed to manage for drought resilience and adaptation. Focal areas include drought characterization; drought impacts on forest processes and disturbances such as insect outbreaks and wildfire; and consequences on forest and rangeland values. Drought can be a severe natural disaster with substantial social and economic consequences. Drought becomes most obvious when large-scale changes are observed; however, even moderate drought can have long-lasting impacts on the structure and function of forests and rangelands without these obvious …

Biological Invasion Hotspots: A Trait-Based Perspective Reveals New Sub-Continental Patterns, Basil V. Iannone Iii, Kevin M. Potter, Qinfeng Guo, Andrew M. Liebhold, Bryan C. Pijanowski, Christopher M. Oswalt, Songlin Fei

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

Invader traits (including plant growth form) may play an important, and perhaps overlooked, role in determining macroscale patterns of biological invasions and therefore warrant greater consideration in future investigations aimed at understanding these patterns. To assess this need, we used empirical data from a national-level survey of forest in the contiguous 48 states of the USA to identify geographic hotspots of forest plant invasion for three distinct invasion characteristics: invasive species richness, trait richness (defined as the number of the five following plant growth forms represented by the invasive plants present at a given location: forbs, grasses, shrubs, trees, and …

Nebraska Statewide Forest Action Plan - 2015, Scott Josiah, John Erixson

Nebraska Forest Service: Publications

The Nebraska Forest Action Plan identifies strategic goals based on national objectives collaboratively crafted by both the National Association of State Foresters and the USFS State & Private Forestry Program. The strategic goals and actions identified in this document serve as a blueprint for focusing private, state and federal resources in areas of Nebraska where they will be most effective.

Striking The Balance: Challenges And Perspectives For The Protected Areas Network In Northeastern European Russia, Svetlana V. Degteva, Vasily I. Ponomarev, Sasha W. Eisenman, Vyacheslav Dushenkov

Publications and Research

Increasing anthropogenic pressure on the largest remaining tracts of old-growth boreal forest in Europe necessitates additional conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity in northeastern European Russia. In a regional network comprising 8 % of the Nenets Autonomous District and 13.5 % of the Komi Republic, 248 areas have varying protected statuses as state nature reserves (zapovedniks), national parks, reserves/sanctuaries (zakazniks), or natural monuments. Due to increased natural resource extraction in this relatively pristine area, designation of additional protected areas is critical for the protection of key ecological sites. The history of ecological preservation in these regions is herein described, and recent …

Bamboo Harvesting For Household Income Generation In The Ethiopian Highlands: Current Conditions And Management Challenges, Bridget L. Tinsley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Bamboo is a renewable resource that has been advocated as a means to alleviate poverty and foster rural development throughout the world. Ethiopia holds 67% of continental Africa’s bamboo coverage and is gaining interest by international markets. Despite great speculation about Ethiopia’s bamboo market potential, foundational information regarding household utilization and income reliance is lacking. To understand how bamboo contributes to rural Ethiopian households, a quantitative household assessment was undertaken in this study. A questionnaire census collected data from 371 households. A quantitative assessment of household incomes and assets evaluated what factors influence bamboo harvesting.

The contribution of bamboo to …

A Model For Determining Drivers Of Phenology In Western United States Rangelands, Joseph R. St. Peter

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Plant phenology has long been used as an indicator of climate. Recent changes in plant phenology are evidence of the influence of climate change. Modeling plant phenology has become an effective tool to understand the impacts of climate change. Using machine learning techniques I developed a modeling process for accurately predicting phenology across a diverse landscape. This model uses individual site data to set site specific climate thresholds for plant phenology. This model also identifies the limiting factors to vegetation phenology for rangelands in the western United States. NDVI remotely sensed data was used to quantify land surface phenology and …