Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Maine (3)
- Climate Change (2)
- Climate change (2)
- White pine (2)
- Acer rubrum (1)
-
- Agricultural chemicals (1)
- Agriculture (1)
- Alternative energy (1)
- Aroostook County (1)
- Auxin (1)
- Balsam fir; Net present value (NPV); Pre-commercial thinning (PCT); Red spruce; Stand-level response; Tree-level response (1)
- Basidiomycetes (1)
- Beech bark disease (1)
- Betula papyrifera (1)
- Biochar (1)
- Biogeography (1)
- Biomass (1)
- Black spruce (1)
- Blueberry (1)
- Boardwalk (1)
- Bog (1)
- Brown rot (1)
- Browse (1)
- Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project (1)
- Douglas fir (1)
- Drought (1)
- Ecology (1)
- Ecosystem (1)
- Ecosystem Services (1)
- Ecotourism (1)
- Publication Year
- Publication
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 27 of 27
Full-Text Articles in Plant Sciences
Climate Interactions Drive Tree Physiology And Growth In A Northeastern Forest Ecotone, Alexandra M. Barry
Climate Interactions Drive Tree Physiology And Growth In A Northeastern Forest Ecotone, Alexandra M. Barry
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Climate change is a threat to global forest ecosystems. In the northeastern United States, forest trees are facing rising temperatures and increasingly inconsistent moisture regimes. In addition to long-term changes in climate conditions, there is concern about the potential for more frequent and intense climate extremes, which can have severe and rapid negative effects on tree physiology and growth. Further, climate extremes may co-occur to produce a greater magnitude of effect than the sum of their parts, with a prominent example being hot droughts, which are increasing in occurrence and severity. The impact of these and other extreme climate interactions …
Long-Term Influence Of Commercial Thinning On Spruce-Fir Forests, Bishnu H. Wagle Mr.
Long-Term Influence Of Commercial Thinning On Spruce-Fir Forests, Bishnu H. Wagle Mr.
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigates long-term influences of pre-commercial thinning (PCT) and commercial thinning (CT) treatments in spruce-fir forests, a key forest type in northeastern North America. Utilizing repeated measurements from replicated experimental research sites (n=15) in Maine, both stand- and tree-level responses to contrasting CT with and without prior PCT (NoPCT) have been quantified. In addition, an in-depth economic analysis, exploring the impact of different thinning treatments, associated costs, merchantability specifications, varying timber and carbon prices, and discount rates, on net present value (NPV) has been carried out using both measured and projected data. Thinning treatments at nine PCT sites combined …
Influence Of Biochar As A Soil Amendment On Soil Water Content And Wild Blueberry Physiology, Abigayl Novak
Influence Of Biochar As A Soil Amendment On Soil Water Content And Wild Blueberry Physiology, Abigayl Novak
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Maine wild (or lowbush) blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) continue to face challenges imposed by climate change. Reduced frequency of precipitation and increased drought conditions have negatively impacted this crop since it resides in sandy soils with limited retention of water and nutrients. The wild blueberry plants growing in water- and nutrient-poor sandy soils are likely to have poor resilience to drought, resulting in a decline in berry yield during drought years. Thus, there is an urgent need to find a drought management solution for wild blueberries. Compared with other drought management practices, such as irrigation systems, mulching, and adopting drought-resistant …
Quantifying Spatial Heterogeneity Of Wild Blueberries And Crop Water Stress Monitoring Using Remote Sensing Technologies, Kallol Barai
Quantifying Spatial Heterogeneity Of Wild Blueberries And Crop Water Stress Monitoring Using Remote Sensing Technologies, Kallol Barai
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The wild blueberry is one of the major crops of Maine, with significant economic value and potential health benefits. Due to global climate change, drought impacts have been increasing significantly in recent years in the northeast region of the USA, causing significant economic losses in the agricultural sectors. It has been predicted to increase further in the future. Changing patterns of the elevated atmospheric temperatures, increased rainfall variabilities, and more frequent drought events have made the wild blueberry industry of Maine vulnerable, suggesting the adoption of novel approaches to mitigate the negative impacts of global climate changes. Also, wild blueberry …
Mp765: Creating The Orono Bog Boardwalk: A Facility For Education, Research, And Recreation, Ronald B. Davis
Mp765: Creating The Orono Bog Boardwalk: A Facility For Education, Research, And Recreation, Ronald B. Davis
Miscellaneous Publications
A memoir by Dr. Ronald Davis detailing the creation of the Orono Bog Boardwalk. The Orono Bog Boardwalk is a premier destination in the Bangor/Orono area for persons wishing to experience the beauty and fascinating plants and animals of a Maine bog. The 1-mile boardwalk loop trail begins at the forested wetland edge in the Bangor City Forest, and after 800 feet crosses the Orono town line into the portion of the Orono Bog owned by the University of Maine. Along the way the boardwalk passes through a wide range of changing vegetation and environments on its way to the …
Tree Responses To Moderate And Extreme Drought In The Northeastern United States, Ruth A. Van Kampen
Tree Responses To Moderate And Extreme Drought In The Northeastern United States, Ruth A. Van Kampen
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Climate change is expected to lead to novel drought conditions in the Northeastern United States. Therefore, experimental studies that mimic these conditions are crucial to understand the potential impact on forests. Further, recent large scale dendrochronological studies suggest that spring and summer droughts may immediately impact tree growth while fall droughts may cause delayed impacts on growth the following growing season. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the impacts of six-week-long spring, summer, and fall droughts on the physiology and intra-annual growth on 288 saplings of six tree species native to the Northeastern United States. These species (deciduous broadleaf angiosperms, …
Microsite Requirements For Successful Regeneration In Lowland Northern White-Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) Forests, Jeanette Allogio
Microsite Requirements For Successful Regeneration In Lowland Northern White-Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) Forests, Jeanette Allogio
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Declines in stands of northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L., hereafter cedar) have been observed as both shifts in species composition and reductions in cedar densities, particularly those stands in lowland sites (Curtis 1946, Boulfroy 2012). While several factors inhibiting cedar regeneration have been identified, a thorough understanding of the conditions that best promote regeneration is lacking. Our objectives for the first chapter were to characterize the site conditions associated with successful regeneration in lowland cedar stands and to describe how spatial patterns of various cedar size classes relate to site preference and to regeneration dynamics. These objectives were achieved …
Tapping The Sweet Spot: Predicting The Suitability Of A Woodlot’S Potential To Transition Into A Productive Sugarbush In Maine, Deven M. Teisl
Tapping The Sweet Spot: Predicting The Suitability Of A Woodlot’S Potential To Transition Into A Productive Sugarbush In Maine, Deven M. Teisl
Non-Thesis Student Work
Through conversations with Dr. Sara Velardi, a postdoctoral research associate who has been doing research on maple producers’ scale management decisions in Maine, most current owners and operators in the maple syrup industry have the common interest of expanding their current operations, but they are unsure of how to approach that problem. Due to these current issues, my research focused on creating a sugarbush assessment tool. This assessment tool consists of a set of guidelines which can be utilized by current or future producers and can be used to easily assess woodlots without having to hire a consulting forester to …
Climatic Range Filling Of North American Trees, Benjamin Seliger
Climatic Range Filling Of North American Trees, Benjamin Seliger
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Understanding the degree to which species distributions are controlled by climate is crucial for forecasting biodiversity responses to climate change. Climatic equilibrium, when species are found in all places which are climatically suitable, is a fundamental assumption of species distribution models, but there is evidence in support of climate disequilibria in species ranges. Long-lived, sessile organisms such as trees may be especially vulnerable to being outpaced by climate change, and thus prone to disequilibrium. In this dissertation, I tested the degree to which North American trees are in equilibrium with their potential climatic ranges using the ‘range filling’ metric, which …
Big Data For Small Parks: Examining Regional Vegetation Patterns To Assess The Current Condition And Vulnerability Of Eastern National Parks To Climate Change, Kathryn M. Miller
Big Data For Small Parks: Examining Regional Vegetation Patterns To Assess The Current Condition And Vulnerability Of Eastern National Parks To Climate Change, Kathryn M. Miller
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The United States National Park Service mission is to preserve natural and cultural resources unimpaired for future generations. Given climate change, the paradigm of restoring natural resources to their pre-European settlement condition is no longer appropriate or achievable management. Instead, we must promote resilience and plan for adaptation. This approach poses many challenges, including knowledge gaps about the current condition of park ecosystems including wetlands, and lack of information about the matrix surrounding parks, which will strongly influence park ecosystem response to climate change. My dissertation research focused on filling these knowledge gaps to provide much needed information to managers …
Place-Based Approaches To Alternative Energy: The Potential For Forest And Grass Biomass For Aroostook County, Jason Johnston, Soraya Cardenas
Place-Based Approaches To Alternative Energy: The Potential For Forest And Grass Biomass For Aroostook County, Jason Johnston, Soraya Cardenas
Maine Policy Review
Teams at the University of Maine Presque Isle and the University of Maine at Forth Kent are engaged in evaluating the potential for forest and grass biomass energy in Aroostook County, funded through Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative. The article discusses how this potential is being evaluated and the possible ways in which expanding grass and wood biomass might benefit farmers and residents of The County. It suggests that using some of Maine’s farmland for fuel might be sustainable with appropriate management and with consideration for potential environmental and socioeconomic drawbacks
Influence Of Silvicultural Treatment, Site Characteristics, And Land Use History On Native And Nonnative Forest Understory Plant Composition On The Penobscot Experimental Forest In Maine, Elizabeth Bryce
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This study investigates forest understory plant diversity and composition in managed and unmanaged stands within the context of a long-term silvicultural experiment in the Acadian Forest of Maine. I examined the effects of silvicultural intensity and past land use on understory plant species diversity and composition. Silvicultural treatments include three variants of the selection system, three variants of the shelterwood system, modified and fixed diameter-limit cutting, and an unregulated harvest. Two types of unmanaged stands were studied: a continuously forested natural area and secondary forest stands on old fields. Chapter 1 presents analysis of understory plant diversity and composition in …
Oxalate Production And Cation Translocation During Wood Biodegredation By Fungi, Jonathan S. Schilling
Oxalate Production And Cation Translocation During Wood Biodegredation By Fungi, Jonathan S. Schilling
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Wood biodegradation is primarily caused by Basidiomycetous white or brown rot fungi. White rot fungi are unique in degrading lignin, while brown rot fungi circumvent lignin to degrade holocellulose via iron-dependent oxidative chemistry. Both groups of fungi produce oxalate during wood metabolism, and oxalic acid secretion may promote wood decay by reducing pH, mobilizing iron, detoxifying copper, and immobilizing calcium. The function of oxalate during wood decay remains unclear, however, primarily due to difficulties in extracting bound oxalate and to inconsistencies among analytical techniques. This work aims to improve oxalate quantification during wood biodegradation and to better characterize fungal oxalate …
Age-Related Trends In Red Spruce Needle Anatomy And Their Relationship To Declining Productivity, Margaret H. Ward
Age-Related Trends In Red Spruce Needle Anatomy And Their Relationship To Declining Productivity, Margaret H. Ward
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Many species of trees undergo predictable age-related changes in foliar morphology and physiology. Age-related declines in photosynthetic rates, which may lead to decreases in productivity, have been described for numerous species. However, the physiological basis for these phenomena is unclear, as are linkages between agerelated trends in morphology/anatomy and physiology. Photosynthetic capacity in red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) may result from increased mesophyll resistance to CO2 uptake in older trees. Additional studies with other species imply that the foliage of older trees may have a lower ratio of photosynthetic to non-photosynthetic tissue and a larger proportion of xylem to leaf …
Collaborative Research: Developing Methods To Study Age-Related Changes In The Physiology Of Forest Trees, Michael S. Greenwood
Collaborative Research: Developing Methods To Study Age-Related Changes In The Physiology Of Forest Trees, Michael S. Greenwood
University of Maine Office of Research Administration: Grant Reports
Trees continue to increase in size and complexity over life spans that may last many centuries, and each year the growing regions of their shoots produce new foliage and reproductive structures. As they grow older and larger, forest trees appear to grow more slowly, produce thicker foliage and more reproductive structures. These changes are likely to be associated with age-related declines in the growth rates of forest stands, which occur before the mid-point of the lifespan of important timber species. Although similar patterns of age- and size-related change in the morphology and physiology of foliage have been described for numerous …
Development And Light Response Of Leaves Of Metasequoia And Close Relatives, Xiaochun Li
Development And Light Response Of Leaves Of Metasequoia And Close Relatives, Xiaochun Li
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Metasequoia glyptostroboides is a useful nearest living relative (NLR) of the Eocene fossil Metasequoia. Research on modern Metasequoia might give us some clues about its fossil counterpart. During this study the leaf anatomy of Metasequoia, Glyptostrobus, Sequoia and Taxodium was investigated with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Metasequoia exhibits several characteristics of typical sciaphilic plants, such as slightly arched outer cell walls in the adaxial epidermal cells, strongly arched outer cell walls in the abaxial epidermal cells, mesophyll composed of spongy cells, chloroplasts with well-developed grana not only in mesophyll cells but in both the adaxial and abaxial epidermis. …
The Short And Long-Term Effects Of Herbicide Application In Maine Clearcuts On Ant Communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Kerry Frances Lough
The Short And Long-Term Effects Of Herbicide Application In Maine Clearcuts On Ant Communities (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Kerry Frances Lough
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
The short and long-term effects of glyphosate application on the diversity and abundance of ants in Maine clearcuts was assessed in a two-year study. Glyphosate is applied to release coniferous trees from suppression by competition with deciduous vegetation after a forest is clearcut. Previous research indicates glyphosate has limited immediate and long-term effects on non-target fauna, though specific species can be affected. Limited research on the effects of herbicides on insects indicates some initial decrease in insect populations. Beneficial insects, such as pollinators and predators, positively influence the forest ecosystem, but little research has examined the effects of herbicide application …
Effect Of Stand Density On Behavior Of Leaf Area Prediction Models For Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus L.) In Maine, Micah D. Pace
Effect Of Stand Density On Behavior Of Leaf Area Prediction Models For Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus L.) In Maine, Micah D. Pace
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
There is little debate within the forest science community that leaf area (LA, the surface area of live foliage) or leaf area index (LAI, the total surface area of live foliage per unit of ground area) are important variables, central to enhancing the understanding of forest growth and many forest ecosystem processes. The ability to accurately measure LA1 has become a research priority and has resulted in various methods of estimation for a variety of species and regions. In this study LA estimation models for Pinus strobus L. were developed, tested, and compared across a wide range of densities for …
Ten Years Of Change In Beech Stand In North Central Maine Long Affected With Beech Bark Disease, Amanda Farrar
Ten Years Of Change In Beech Stand In North Central Maine Long Affected With Beech Bark Disease, Amanda Farrar
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
In Maine, northern hardwood stands long affected by beech bark disease often still have high numbers of beech trees. This is mostly due to sprouting, and most new stems become severely infected with the disease. Beech that are resistant to the scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind., the inciting factor for the disease complex, do exist and often occur in clumps of root sprout origin. In 1989 a long-term study of the effects of commonly used seasonal harvesting regimes on regeneration initiation and survival was established in north central Maine. Treatments included harvest season (winter or summer) and intensity (clearcut or …
Wood Anatomy Of Metasequoia - Separation From Glyptostrobus And Function/Structure Considerations, George E. Visscher
Wood Anatomy Of Metasequoia - Separation From Glyptostrobus And Function/Structure Considerations, George E. Visscher
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This thesis is part of a broader cooperative study aimed at understanding Paleo-forest dynamics -- namely those of the Eocene period in the Canadian High Arctic. Wood of the dominant tree species -- Metasequoia -- that grew on Axel Heiberg Island, Nunavut, Canada is the focus of this research. The text is divided into two chapters written as articles to be submitted to the International Association of Wood Anatomists Journal (IAWA). The first chapter of this text is a direct result of classifying the fossil wood of Axel Heiberg. The wood of Glyptostrobus is similar to that of Metasequoia. Because …
Localization Of Expansin Expression During Adventitious And Lateral Rooting In Response To Auxin In Loblolly Pine, Fuyu Xu
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Loblolly Pine is the most important and widely cultivated timber species in the southern United States. Due to its fast growth, it is extensively planted for lumber and pulpwood. Vegetative propagation will enhance gains from genetic improvement of tree species. Rooted-cutting is at present the most reliable non-somatic embryogenesis method for cloning specific genotypes. However, an abrupt decline of adventitious rooting capacity has hindered the application of vegetative propagation in loblolly pine. Unraveling the rooting mechanism may facilitate a way to overcome this barrier. Regulation of lateral and adventitious root formation by auxin has been demonstrated through the application of …
Relationships Between Rooting Restrictions, Radial Growth, And Drought Stress With White Pine (Pinus Strobus) Decline In Southern Maine, Megan L. Fries
Relationships Between Rooting Restrictions, Radial Growth, And Drought Stress With White Pine (Pinus Strobus) Decline In Southern Maine, Megan L. Fries
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Throughout southern Maine there was a noticeable decline and mortality of white pine (Pinus sfrobus) from 1997 through 2000 in dense pole-size stands. The decline was widespread, scattered, and happened simultaneously indicating that it was incited by an abiotic stress. Because only isolated stands showed decline and mortality, site factors likely predisposed trees to injury. Site factors are likely related to the widespread field abandonment that took place throughout southern and central Maine, and led to establishment of pure white pine stands in many areas. Although white pine can regenerate on many sites, some locations will have soil limitations, such …
Characterization Of Biochelators, Membrane Redox Systems, And Quinone Reductases From Wood Degrading Basidiomycetes, Weihong Qi
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Biodegradation of wood by brown rot fungi is dependent upon a non-enzymatic system involving Fenton chemistry. Iron biochelators with molecular weights lower than 1kD are important components in this process. Phenolate biochelators drive a hydroxyl radical generating Fenton reaction by reducing ferric iron. Biochelators may be mineralized or alternately, in some cases oxidized biochelators may be regenerated via a quinone redox cycle. Electron donors for this postulated regeneration have not been identified. Extracellular cellobiose dehydrogenase has also been found to drive the Fenton reaction by generating ferrous iron and hydrogen peroxide. This research compared the production of biochelators and the …
Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project Environmental Impact Statement: Appendix F: Terrestrial Ecosystem Analysis (Supplement), New England Division, United States Army Engineer Division
Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project Environmental Impact Statement: Appendix F: Terrestrial Ecosystem Analysis (Supplement), New England Division, United States Army Engineer Division
Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project
Construction of the proposed Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project in Aroostook County, Maine will result in the isolation of an area of land due to the impoundment behind Dickey Dam. This land area is located between the United States - Canadian border, the Little Black River, the impoundment (elevation = 913 feet), the Big Black River, and the Shields Branch of the Big Black River, and comprises 183,768 acres of land. A previous report (ERT, 1977) determined the forest types within two miles of the impoundment but did not extend to the Canadian border. This report addresses the forest types
Report On Rare And Unusual Plant Species Within The Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project Area, Charles D. Richards, United States Army Corps Of Engineers, New England Division
Report On Rare And Unusual Plant Species Within The Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project Area, Charles D. Richards, United States Army Corps Of Engineers, New England Division
Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes Project
Report on rare and unusual plant species within the Dickey-Lincoln School Lakes project area. New England.
Tb71: Fiber Analysis And Distribution In The Leaves, Juvenile Stems And Roots Of Ten Maine Trees And Shrubs, Fay Hyland
Tb71: Fiber Analysis And Distribution In The Leaves, Juvenile Stems And Roots Of Ten Maine Trees And Shrubs, Fay Hyland
Technical Bulletins
The value of woody plants in the paper-making industry is unquestioned. As our present supply of the readily accessible and more valuable species of this natural resource dwindles, it may become necessary to use shrubs and waste from logging operations. This study focuses on the juvenile wood eastern white pine, red spruce, balsam fir, eastern hemlock, gray birch, red maple, quaking aspen, pin cherry, speckled alder, and slender willow.
The Effect Of Chemicals On Weed And Conifer Seedlings, Fay Hyland
The Effect Of Chemicals On Weed And Conifer Seedlings, Fay Hyland
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
As reforestation becomes more important in the United States, there is an increasing demand for forest tree seedlings. The production of the seedlings is a somewhat specialized phase of the industry calling into use certain details of cultural practice not employed elsewhere. One of the major items of expense in the care of forest nursery seed beds is the control of weeds. A previous study estimates that the total cost of hand-weeding untreated seed beds may be reduced two-thirds to four-fifths by the use of chemicals. It is apparent that any procedure which will reduce the weeds will materially reduce …