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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Leveraging Natural Resources Toward Resilience: Outreach, Restoration, And Monitoring For A Resilient Nh Coast, Alyson Eberhardt, David M. Burdick, Gregg E. Moore Jul 2021

Leveraging Natural Resources Toward Resilience: Outreach, Restoration, And Monitoring For A Resilient Nh Coast, Alyson Eberhardt, David M. Burdick, Gregg E. Moore

Faculty Publications

Both sound science and meaningful community engagement are critical to creating resilient coastlines given that important natural resources and high population densities coexist in these areas. Salt marshes and sand dunes provide important benefits to the people who live near them, such as mitigating flood impacts, when the condition of the ecosystem is robust enough to support such functions. To enhance the ability of these systems to perform ecosystem services, the goals of this project were to 1. Empower landowners to sustainably manage their own property to support coastal ecosystems and the benefits they provide, 2. Restore eroded sand dunes …


Correcting Tree-Ring Δ13c Time Series For Tree-Size Effects In Eight Temperate Tree Species, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Katie A. Jennings, Andrew P. Ouimette, Heidi Asbjornsen Apr 2020

Correcting Tree-Ring Δ13c Time Series For Tree-Size Effects In Eight Temperate Tree Species, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Katie A. Jennings, Andrew P. Ouimette, Heidi Asbjornsen

Earth Systems Research Center

Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in tree rings have been widely used to study changes in intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), sometimes with limited consideration of how C-isotope discrimination is affected by tree height and canopy position. Our goals were to quantify the relationships between tree size or tree microenvironment and wood δ13C for eight functionally diverse temperate tree species in northern New England, and to better understand the physical and physiological mechanisms underlying these differences. We collected short increment cores in closed-canopy stands and analyzed δ13C in the most recent 5 years of growth. …


Eelgrass Health Survey And Results, Nicholas B. Anderson, Catherine M. Ashcraft, Dante D. Torio, Frederick T. Short Mar 2020

Eelgrass Health Survey And Results, Nicholas B. Anderson, Catherine M. Ashcraft, Dante D. Torio, Frederick T. Short

Natural Resources & the Environment

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire designed, tested, and conducted an eelgrass health survey. The primary goal of the survey was to collect health ratings from respondents who had viewed pre-selected images of eelgrass representing a wide range of health conditions. Survey results were used as a calibration and validation to a novel eelgrass health index developed using video-monitoring. Two secondary goals of this this survey were the identification of plant-specific and environmental characteristics important to respondents and the introduction of the new eelgrass health index. This published dataset includes de-identified survey respondent background and demographic data, the survey …


Influence Of Forest-To-Silvopasture Conversion And Drought On Components Of Evapotranspiration, Adam P. Coble, Alexandra R. Contosta, Richard G. Smith, Nathan W. Siegert, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Katie A. Jennings, Anthony J. Stewart, Heidi Asbjornsen Mar 2020

Influence Of Forest-To-Silvopasture Conversion And Drought On Components Of Evapotranspiration, Adam P. Coble, Alexandra R. Contosta, Richard G. Smith, Nathan W. Siegert, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Katie A. Jennings, Anthony J. Stewart, Heidi Asbjornsen

Natural Resources & the Environment

The northeastern U.S. is projected to experience more frequent short-term (1-2 month) droughts interspersed among larger precipitation events. Agroforestry practices such as silvopasture may mitigate these impacts of climate change while maintaining economic benefits of both agricultural and forestry practices. This study evaluated the effects of forest-to-silvopasture (i.e., 50% thinning) conversion on the components of evapotranspiration (transpiration, rainfall interception, and soil evaporation) during the growing season of 2016. The study coincided with a late-summer drought throughout the northeastern U.S., which allowed us to also evaluate the effects of forest-to-silvopasture conversion on drought responses of multiple tree species, including Pinus strobus, …


Phosphorus Limitation Of Aboveground Production In Northern Hardwood Forests, Shinjini Goswami, Melany C. Fisk, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Mariann Garrison-Johnston, Ruth D. Yanai, Timothy J. Fahey Jan 2018

Phosphorus Limitation Of Aboveground Production In Northern Hardwood Forests, Shinjini Goswami, Melany C. Fisk, Matthew A. Vadeboncoeur, Mariann Garrison-Johnston, Ruth D. Yanai, Timothy J. Fahey

Earth Systems Research Center

Forest productivity on glacially derived soils with weatherable phosphorus (P) is expected to be limited by nitrogen (N), according to theories of long-term ecosystem development. However, recent studies and model simulations based on resource optimization theory indicate that productivity can be co-limited by N and P. We conducted a full factorial N × P fertilization experiment in 13 northern hardwood forest stands of three age classes in central New Hampshire, USA, to test the hypothesis that forest productivity is co-limited by N and P. We also asked whether the response of productivity to N and P addition differs among species …


Effects Of Silvopasture Establishment On Aqueous And Gaseous Soil N Losses At The University Of New Hampshire Organic Dairy Research Farm, Kathryn Ann Slebodnik Jan 2017

Effects Of Silvopasture Establishment On Aqueous And Gaseous Soil N Losses At The University Of New Hampshire Organic Dairy Research Farm, Kathryn Ann Slebodnik

Honors Theses and Capstones

The expansion of local agriculture in the New England region is putting increased pressure on farmers to expand their arable land base. While clear-cutting is a traditional method of converting forested land to agriculture, it is known for having adverse ecological impacts. To minimize these impacts, farmers can create a silvopasture which incorporates a portion of the original forest canopy into pastures or crop fields. This study evaluates the impact of land-use changes for agriculture on soil nitrogen (N) retention. In particular, this study investigates the differences in soil N turnover, gaseous loss, and aqueous loss among an established forest, …


Salt Marsh Values In A Changing World: Examining Sea Level Rise On Tidal Marshes With A Surface Elevation Table, Sarah Martina Tierney Apr 2014

Salt Marsh Values In A Changing World: Examining Sea Level Rise On Tidal Marshes With A Surface Elevation Table, Sarah Martina Tierney

Student Research Projects

Rising seas are threatening coastal communities and putting added pressures on the natural environment. Sea level rise rates are increasing on a global scale (from 1.7 to 3.2 mm/yr). Salt marshes are not only intertidal habitats acutely influenced by sea levels, but they also provide key ecosystem services such as: buffers against storm surges, habitat for wildlife, carbon dioxide storage, and pollutant filtration. In New England, salt marshes have built at a rate of 1 to 2 mm annually over the past 4,000 years, which has kept pace with sea level rise. However, we do not know if salt marshes …