Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Avian Ecology During Oak Savanna And Woodland Restoration In The Mid-South, Christine Ann Henderson

Masters Theses

Disturbance-dependent ecosystems in the eastern United States have been declining since European settlement, and, in recent years, early-successional species have followed. My objective for this research was to determine if oak savanna and woodland restoration (i.e., overstory thinning and prescribed fire) was a viable method of recovering declining earlysuccessional species to the landscape of the Mid-South. At 3 sites, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area (CWMA; Tennessee), Green River Game Lands (GRGL; North Carolina), and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL; Tennessee), oak savanna and woodland restoration projects were established and maintained. Closed-canopy stands were thinned and a 2-year burn …

A Predictive Model For Brook Trout Restoration In The Cherokee National Forest, Caylor Garrett Romines

Masters Theses

Over the course of the last century, Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) have been reduced in abundance and extirpated from many high elevation streams throughout the southern Appalachian Mountains. These fish have been threatened by anthropogenic factors that restrict their distribution across the longitudinal gradient of the streams they occupy. A large portion of Tennessee's Brook Trout streams are located within the Cherokee National Forest (CNF). Many agencies in the southern Appalachian Mountains are working to restore Brook Trout populations throughout this species’ historic native range. The purpose of this research is to develop a model of important habitat …

Bats Roosting In Buildings In Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Ecology, Human Dimensions, And Management Implications, Kirstin Emily Fagan

Masters Theses

During summer, bats are regularly observed in buildings of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM or the Park), the most visited National Park in the USA. As a result, natural and cultural resources managers seek to ensure public safety and protect historic structures while minimizing impacts on bats, especially in light of declines in bat populations as a result of white-nose syndrome. To inform management decisions, I examined the ecological and human dimensions of bats roosting in buildings in GRSM.

To assess roost selection by building-roosting bats, I surveyed 140 buildings in the Park for bats during May to August, …