Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons^™

Long-Term Study Of Prescribed Fire Effects On Stand Dynamics And Oak Regeneration Potentials In Degraded Upland Oak-Hickory Stands In Northwestern Arkansas, Mason C. Danheim, Kathryn R. Kidd Dr, Hal O. Liechty Dr, Brian P. Oswald Dr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Upland oak-hickory forests in the Ozark Mountains of northwestern Arkansas and south central Missouri were impacted by oak decline during the early 2000s. This decline event was caused by predisposing (e.g., mature, dense stand conditions), inciting (i.e., drought), and contributing (e.g., red oak borer, E. rufulus H., outbreak) factors. Immediately following onset of the decline, substantial crown dieback and tree mortality, particularly for two red oak species (northern red oak, Quercus rubra Michx. and black oak, Q. velutina Lam.), were observed. In addition, densities of advanced oak regeneration were inadequate at this time, resulting in poor regeneration potentials for …

Forests And Mental Health In South Africa: Panel Data Evidence, Dambala Gelo

Forest Collaborative Research

Slides from a presentation that examines the linkages between the green environment (urban forests, green open urban space) and mental health in South Africa. The author used representative panel data from the National Income Dynamics Survey, including the Center for Epidemiological Studies Short Depression Scale, to uncover these links.

Visitor Characteristics, Attitudes, And Management Preferences Of The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, Samuel J. Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (BMWC) encompasses 3 federal wilderness areas and spans over 1.5 million acres of iconic mountains and valleys in northwestern Montana. Here visitors can find a plethora of recreation opportunity that give access to some of the most rugged country that can be found in the lower 48 states. However, managing wilderness areas comes with the challenge of both preserving the natural resources found within their borders and enabling opportunities for recreational experiences. Wilderness social scientists always have striven to determine the type of visitors coming to wilderness, and see what sorts of experiences they pursue. …

Comparison Of The Survival And Growth Of West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine In East Texas, Jamie Hooker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

West Gulf Coastal Plain provenance loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.), shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.), and slash pines (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) were planted in East Texas to compare initial growth and survival. Containerized seedlings were planted in December 2015 on three study sites in Shelby, Houston, and Cherokee counties using a randomized complete block design. Seedlings were measured in January-February 2016 and again January-February 2017, January 2018, and January 2019. Three years after planting, survival was best (76.4%) in Houston County and was lowest in Cherokee County (26.4). Damage by Texas leafcutter ants (Atta …

Synthesizing Conservation Motivations And Barriers: What Have We Learned From Qualitative Studies Of Farmers’ Behaviors In The United States?, Pranay Ranjan, Sarah P. Church, Kristin Floress, Linda S. Prokopy

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

Since 2011, qualitative studies examining adoption of conservation practices and programs (CPPs) have burgeoned. This article presents a systematic review of all U.S.-based qualitative investigations into CPP adoption since 1996. We found three themes are discussed primarily as motivating adoption: farmer characteristics, environmental awareness, and trust in information sources. Four themes are discussed primarily as barriers to adoption: farm management, negative perceptions of a conservation practice, perceptions that adoption is a risk, and land tenure. Four themes were discussed as both motivations and barriers: economic factors, social norms, perceptions of government programs, and farm characteristics. Overall, we found farmers’ economic …

Cogongrass (Imperata Cylindrica (L.) Beauv.) In Louisiana: Cause And Consequence, Lorissa A. Radunzel-Davis

LSU Master's Theses

Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.), an invasive species from East Asia, is found worldwide and is problematic in several countries. In the United States, it grows primarily in the Southeast, reducing biodiversity by growing in dense patches and potentially causing mortality and reducing value of native and planted pinelands due to a high burning temperature. Using Lee Memorial Forest, a Louisiana State University AgCenter property in Washington Parish as a study site, this thesis explores cogongrass in Louisiana with emphasis on soil microbes and soil legacy effects on native plant species. Cogongrass populations at Lee Memorial Forest were more …

Matrix Recharge In A Shrink-Swell Floodplain Forest Soil, Savannah R. Morales

LSU Master's Theses

Despite the global distribution of fine-grained Vertisols, the hydrology of these floodplain soils is still not well understood. Vertisols shrink and swell depending on soil moisture leading to a range of soil pore sizes, from large macropore cracks to smaller micropores, and consequently a range of hydraulic conductivities. Despite the plethora of research indicating the importance of both flooding and soil moisture in floodplain ecosystems, the specific role that flooding plays in soil moisture recharge has been less widely studied and remains of interest. Blue food dye and deuterated water were used as tracers to determine the role of the …

Integration Of Random Forest Classifiers And Deep Convolutional Neural Networks For Classification And Biomolecular Modeling Of Cancer Driver Mutations, Steve Agajanian, Odeyemi Oluyemi, Gennady M. Verkhivker

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Development of machine learning solutions for prediction of functional and clinical significance of cancer driver genes and mutations are paramount in modern biomedical research and have gained a significant momentum in a recent decade. In this work, we integrate different machine learning approaches, including tree based methods, random forest and gradient boosted tree (GBT) classifiers along with deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) for prediction of cancer driver mutations in the genomic datasets. The feasibility of CNN in using raw nucleotide sequences for classification of cancer driver mutations was initially explored by employing label encoding, one hot encoding, and embedding to …

Enhancing Rural Economies Through Agroforestry, Gary Bentrup, Dean Current, Christopher Hartley, Marlen Eve, Tricia Kovacs, Kate Mcfarland, Eric Norland, David Smith, Susan Stein, Richard Straight

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

Executive Summary

Accelerating the adoption of agroforestry will require a better understanding of the economic opportunities and financial benefits to society, says a recent assessment of United States agroforestry.1 Providing this understanding is critical for agroforestry to reach its full potential, whereby it enhances rural economies and provides ecological services that people need, such as clean drinking water. To assess emerging opportunities, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) convened more than 60 people in March 2018 to learn, network, and, above all, generate ideas for raising the economic profile and viability of agroforestry in the United States.

The effort …

Forest Feedstock Supply Chains And Market Potential For Wood Pellet Facilities In The Ozark And Appalachia Regions, James Robert Criger

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The pellet wood industry in the United States has grown exponentially in recent years, due mostly to the expanding export market to Europe. At this time, the European market for pellet wood is highly subsidized as part of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) in an effort to mitigate fossil fuel consumption for power production. Although there are other popular renewable resources such as wind, water, and solar, the burning of biomass is among the most utilized sources of renewable energy today. This study examines the existing pellet wood industry in the United States, particularly within the Ozarks and Appalachia Regions, …

Forest Structure Of Long-Term Conserved Areas Utilizing Different Strategies On A Continental, Glacial Moraine Formed Island, Christopher Coggin

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

Understanding patterns of forest succession can help advise management plans within New England nature preserves. This study took place on Block Island, 13 miles off the coast of Rhode Island. The island has greater than 200+ years of farming practices. After 1960, conservation groups began reforesting the island using different strategies, such as actively planting with native and exotic tree species, mowing, and preventing further development. In 2018, woody vegetation was inventoried along transects within four reforested sites. Sites were characterized as the following: actively planted with exotic and native tree species and mowed (AP-M), actively planted with exotic and …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Student Persistence In A Bachelor Of Science In Forestry Program, Maxwell Holmes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational leaders in forestry have been challenged to increase and diversify the pipeline of ‘society ready’ foresters. To meet these challenges, leaders must shift their focus to student retention. By understanding the factors that influence student engagement and persistence, these leaders will be better positioned to support students in forestry programs, thus positively impacting retention. This qualitative case study investigated student persistence of second-year forestry students in an undergraduate forestry program. The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory and Social Capital Theory and explored the malleable psychosocial mechanisms of self-efficacy, sense of belonging, emotion, and well-being proposed by Kahu …

Outdoor Education’S Relationship To Adolescent Behavior And Academic Performance In Two East Texas Middle Schools, Trenton Stiefel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Historically, a key part of a child’s development was their exposure to and relationship with the world outdoors – nature. The current movement to promote the inclusion of environmental and outdoor education into curricular and extracurricular activities stems from the mounting evidence that experiences in the outdoors may improve a child’s behavior and mood, as well as improve their academic performance. This mixed-methods study hoped to discover whether or not, on average, children improve their academic performance and/or their individual behavior in school when provided with outdoor education learning experiences. The mindset used in outdoor education research may have to …

Using The Forestry Reclamation Approach For Reclaimed Surface Mineland In The Western Gulf: Effects On Pinus Taeda Seedling Growth And Survival, Cassie Phillips, Jeremy Stovall, Hans Williams, Kenneth Farrish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While land reclamation efforts of surface mines have considerably increased soil stability since the implementation of SMCRA (Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act), research suggests that resulting soil compaction hinders the productivity of forests post-mining. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) was developed to improve forest health in the Appalachian region through a five-step process that minimizes soil compaction and establishes a productive forest. The FRA has not yet been tested in the western Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP). The higher clay content of some GCP soils and the dearth of coarse fragments (e.g. cobbles, stones and boulders) may affect reclamation practices …

Habitat Characteristics And Selection By Ornate Box Turtles In The Sandhills Of South Dakota, Daniel W, Uresk, Alessandra Higa

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

The ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata Agassiz) is a species of greatest conservation need in South Dakota. Habitat loss through agricultural development and fragmentation is the main threat to the species throughout its range, which extends from Wisconsin and northern Indiana through the central Great Plains, and from southern South Dakota to Arizona, northern Mexico, and the Gulf Coast of Texas. The objectives of this study were to determine the ornate box turtle’s preferred vegetation characteristics (microhabitat) compared to the available habitat (macrohabitat) on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota Sandhills region, during 2010–2011. In both years, using a modified …

Extraction And Quantification Of Hydrolyzable Tannins In Acorns From Different Species Of Oak Trees (Quercus Spp.), Sarah Browning, Marshall E. Woodruff

Undergraduate Research Conference

Do white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) prefer to eat certain types of acorns based on tannin content?

Hydrolyzable tannins consist of gallate groups connected via ester linkages to a carbohydrate (D-glucose)

The Prussian Blue method was used to determine hydrolyzable tannin content

Using Multi-Indices Approach To Quantify Mangrove Changes Over The Western Arabian Gulf Along Saudi Arabia Coast, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary, Mohamed A. Qurban, Jingjing Li, K. P. Manikandan, Thomas Piechota

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Mangroves habitat present an important resource for large coastal communities benefiting from activities such as fisheries, forest products and clean water as well as protection against coastal erosion and climate related extreme events. Yet they are increasingly threatened by natural pressure and anthropogenic activities. We observed an inaccurate distribution of mangroves over the Western Arabian Gulf (WAG) which is a vital habitat and resource for the local ecosystem, according to the United Stated Geological Survey (USGS) mangrove database through spectral analysis. Change detection analysis is conducted on mangrove forests along the Saudi Arabian coast of the WAG for the years …

Hillslope Hydrology In Global Change Research And Earth System Modeling, Y. Fan, M. Clark, D. M. Lawrence, S. Swenson, L.E. Band, S. L. Brantley, P. D. Brooks, W. E. Dietrich, A. Flores, G. Grant, J.W. Kirchner, D. S. Mackay, J. J. Mcdonnell, P. C. D. Milly, P. L. Sullivan, C. Tague, H. Ajami, N. Chaney, A. Hartmann, P. Hazenberg, J. Mcnamara, J. Pelletier, J. Perket, E. Rouholahnejad‐Freund, T. Wagener, X. Zeng, E. Beighley, J. Buzan, M. Huang, B. Livneh, B. P. Mohanty, B. Nijssen, M. Safeeq, C. Shen, W. Van Verseveld, J. Volk, D. Yamazaki

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

Earth System Models (ESMs) are essential tools for understanding and predicting global change, but they cannot explicitly resolve hillslope‐scale terrain structures that fundamentally organize water, energy, and biogeochemical stores and fluxes at subgrid scales. Here we bring together hydrologists, Critical Zone scientists, and ESM developers, to explore how hillslope structures may modulate ESM grid‐level water, energy, and biogeochemical fluxes. In contrast to the one‐dimensional (1‐D), 2‐ to 3‐mdeep, and free‐draining soil hydrology in most ESM land models, we hypothesize that 3‐D, lateral ridge‐to‐valley flow through shallow and deep paths and insolation contrasts between sunny and shady slopes are the top …

Phylogenetic And Biogeographic Controls Of Plant Nighttime Stomatal Conductance, Kailiang Yu, Gregory R. Goldsmith, Yujie Wang, William R. L. Anderegg

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The widely documented phenomenon of nighttime stomatal conductance (g_sn) could lead to substantial water loss with no carbon gain, and thus it remains unclear whether nighttime stomatal conductance confers a functional advantage. Given that studies of g_sn have focused on controlled environments or small numbers of species in natural environments, a broad phylogenetic and biogeographic context could provide insights into potential adaptive benefits of g_sn.

We measured g_sn on a diverse suite of species (n = 73) across various functional groups and climates‐of‐origin in a common garden to study the phylogenetic and biogeographic/climatic controls …

Urban Aerobiological Risk Mapping Of Ornamental Trees Using A New Index Based On Lidar And Kriging: A Case Study Of Plane Trees, Raúl Pecero-Casimiro, Santiago Fernández-Rodríguez, Rafael Tormo-Molina, Alejandro Monroy-Colín, Inmaculada Silva-Palacios, Juan Pedro Cortés-Pérez, Ángela Gonzalo-Garijo, J. M. Maya-Manzano

Articles

Ornamental trees bring benefits for human health, including reducing urban pollution. However, some species, such as plane trees (Platanus sp.), produce allergenic pollen. Consequently, urban maps are a valuable tool for allergic patients and allergists, but they often fail to include variables that contribute to the “building downwash effect”, such as the width and shape of streets and the height of buildings. Other factors that directly influence pollen dispersion (slopes and other geographical features) also have not traditionally been discussed. The LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) technique enables one to consider these variables with high accuracy. This work proposes …

Agroforestry Strategic Framework, Fiscal Years 2019-2024, Susan Stein

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

America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are integrating trees with agriculture to address a variety of conservation and production goals. A unique land management approach, agroforestry provides opportunities to integrate productivity and profitability with environmental stewardship to support healthy, sustainable agriculture systems, economies, and communities.

Dumortier’S Liverwort, Dumortiera Hirsuta (Sw.) Nees (Hepaticophyta: Marchantiales: Dumortieraceae) In Arkansas, Chris T. Mcallister, Henry W. Robison, Paul G. Davison

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

2019 Annual Report, Ben Bohall, John Erixson

Nebraska Forest Service: Publications

No abstract provided.

Through The Eyes Of Locals: A Changing Climate In Bolivia, Jacob D. Rex

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Deforestation and Agricultural Land-Use Change in Bolivia as a Function of Socio-Economic Realities.

This research combines semi-structured interviews of key informants and local participants, as well as field observations, which were conducted between January and April of 2019 in the Departments of Santa Cruz & Chuquisaca.

The Economic Contribution Of West Virginia's Forest Products Industry, Charles Clinton Gabbert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The hardwood forests that cover West Virginia have historically been an important resource to the state. The turbulent economic conditions resulting from the U.S. housing market collapse of the mid-2000s and subsequent economic recession have cause immense disruptions in the country’s forest products industry (FPI). An assessment of the economic contribution of the state’s FPI and the 7 major forest product sectors which comprise it was completed using the input-output economic modeling software IMPLAN with 2017 data. The historical contribution of the state industry was then assessed and compared for the years 2006, 2010, 2015, and 2017 to examine the …

Elucidating Disease Dynamics In The Biocontrol Of Ailanthus Altissima While Confirming The Host Specificity Of The Vascular Wilt Pathogen Verticillium Nonalfalfae, Kristen L. Wickert

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Ailanthus altissima is a highly invasive exotic tree species entrenched throughout the United States. Since the discovery of a vascular wilt disease of Ailanthus in 2002, caused by the fungus Verticillium nonalfalfae, many studies are investigating its potential as a biocontrol focusing on efficacy, host specificity and disease transmission. This study addresses: the reproductive potential of Ailanthus; if V. dahliae alters Verticillium wilt progression; if hardiness zones influence the individual contributions of two Verticillium spp.; can a unique habitat affect biocontrol efficacy; and can the fungal proteome of V. nonalfalfae allow us to explain differences in host …

Fire And Road Disturbance Impacts On Forest Plant Species And Seed Rain In Table Mountain Fire Arai, Kittitas County, Washington, Jonathan A. Betz

All Master's Theses

Forest communities are in a constant state of change. Disturbance events can alter the physical landscape and create conditions favorable to some species while negatively impacting others. Fire has been a natural, reoccurring source of disturbance in Pacific Northwest forests. Over the past centuries the fire paradigm has changed in favor of fire suppression. Forest roads permit access provide greater access but further fracture forest community’s continuity. The 2012 Table Mountain Fire and road influence have altered the plant community’s seed rain and vegetation. This study measured dispersed seeds and understory vegetation cover as functions of roads and fire intensity. …

Long-Term Effectiveness Of Fuel Treatments In Oak And Chaparral Stands Of Northern California, Caroline Ann Martorano

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Fuel reduction treatments are broadly implemented to reduce the risk of extreme wildfire. Yet, research on the long-term effectiveness and ecological consequences among these treatments is lacking. In this study, I examined short- and long-term changes in fuels and understory vegetation after treatment in chaparral and oak-dominated stands of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Treatments included mastication and spring burning, spring burning only, mastication only, and hand-thinning. Treatments were applied randomly to 1 to 2 units within each of 10 blocks. Two plots were established in each treatment unit and fuel and vegetation data was collected and analyzed at the block …

Multidecadal Change In Aspen Experiencing Long-Unburned, Mixed-Severity Wildfire, And Reburn Disturbance Regimes, Cerena Brewen

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) is a valued, minor component on western landscapes. It provides a wide range of ecosystem services, and has been in decline for the last century. This decline may be explained partially by the lack of fire on the landscape as aspen benefit from fire that eliminates conifer competition and stimulates reproduction through root suckering. Managers are interested in aspen restoration but have a lack of knowledge about their spatial dynamics in response to fire. Improving our understanding of aspen stand spatial changes over time may be important for maintaining their presence on landscapes where …

Quantifying The Morphological And Physiological Effects Of Drought, Grass Invasion, And Fire On Longleaf, Loblolly, And Slash Pine, Laura Young

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Climate change is altering ecosystems on a global scale, creating novel ecological scenarios with which plant species must cope. Factors such as altered precipitation and fire regimes and non-native plant invasion may negatively affect native plant species, while interactions between these stressors could magnify their impacts. The complexity of multiple stressors and the effects they have on native pine seedlings are difficult to predict without evaluating their combinations in field experiments. In a multi-year study, I investigated the effects of drought and plant invasion on three southeastern pine species under pre and post-fire conditions. We planted longleaf (Pinus palustris …