Forest Biology Commons^™

A Preliminary Study For The Future Translocation Of A Saimiri Sciureus Troop From Sumak Allpa To Yasuní National Park: Assessing The Habitat Use, Population, And Behavior Of A Common Squirrel Monkey Troop In Indillama, Kenia French

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sumak Allpa, an organization specializing in primate rehabilitation, plans to introduce a Common Squirrel Monkey Troop ( Saimiri sciureus ), the Yasuní Troop, to the Indillama region of Yasuní National Park. This study analyzes the habitat use, population, and behavior of the Saimiri sciureus troop, referred to as the Indillama Troop, already existing in the region, from April 14th to May 4th, 2019. Focal and scan observation techniques were used to observe the troop’s behavior, and EasyTrails on an iPhone 7 was used to record GPS data. EasyTrails was also used to map the trail system in the Indillama region. …

Mammals Of The Northern Andes: An Analysis Of Camera Trap Data And Observation In Angochagua, Ecuador, Risa Berman

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The high Andes of Ecuador are home to a diverse community of mammals, many of which are threatened. These include the Andean bear, Andean fox, puma, and mountain tapir. This study used camera traps, direct observation, and indirect observation over three weeks to monitor the wildlife in the mountains of the Parroquia of Angochagua. The five species observed during this period were Andean bear, Andean fox, dog, mountain paca, and mouse. While this short study did not completely survey the mammalian community of the area, it confirmed the presence, diet, sociality, temporal habits, elevational range, and habitat preferences of the …

Trends In Nectar Production And Concentration Of Hummingbird-Pollinated Flowers: An Investigation Of Three Flowers Of The Ecuadorian Cloud Forest: Palicourea Demissa, Mezobromelia Capituligera, And Kohleria Affinis, Grace Palmer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Nectar concentration and sugar production both impact and are impacted by pollinator activity through a complex system of coevolution. Additionally, a variety of morphological and environmental factors influence the nectar properties of animal-pollinated flowering plants. Nectar concentration and nectar production rate (NPR) of three hummingbird-pollinated plants, Palicourea demissa, Mezobromelia capituligera, and Kohleria affinis, were measured. These flowers occur and were studied in the southern section of the Chocó-Andean subtropical montane rainforest, in the Pichincha province of Ecuador. Flowers were bagged for 24 hours and sampled at approximate two-hour time intervals for 12 or 24 hours. Nectar concentration and sugar production …

A Survey Of Beetle Diversity (Order Coleoptera) On Lizard Island, John Mccormack

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The beetles (order Coleoptera) of Lizard Island, a small granitic island on the mid shelf of the Great Barrier Reef, have never been assessed in the scientific literature. Prior to our work, only a single beetle genus had been documented on the island (Caryotrypes Decelle, 1968), based on a single specimen collected in 1993 (Reid & Beatson 2013). We conducted a survey of Lizard Island in April 2019 to determine which beetle families are present on the island and which families are the most diverse. The survey also assessed the beetle diversity in different habitats on the island and two …

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 …

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.

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 4, December 2019

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 4, December 2019

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 3, September 2019

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 3, September 2019

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 2, June 2019

Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter

Timber Talk, Vol. 57, No. 2, June 2019

Identifying An Optimal Bald Eagle Monitoring Program For Southwest Alaska National Parks, Rebecca Kolstrom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network includes bald eagle monitoring as part of their Vital Signs Monitoring Plan. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve monitor bald eagles annually, albeit slightly differently among parks. Since monitoring decisions involve multiple objectives and stakeholders, there was a need for a structured approach to identify an optimal monitoring program. We used a structured decision making process and an iterative, four-round Delphi Process to collect information about long-term bald eagle monitoring from experts. We collected information …

2019 Annual Report, Ben Bohall, John Erixson

Nebraska Forest Service: Publications

No abstract provided.

Spatial And Temporal Patterns Of Invasive Exotic Plant Species In Response To Timber Harvesting In A Mixed Mesophytic Forest Of Eastern Kentucky, Benjamin Christopher Rasp

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Invasive exotic species (IES) responses to silvicultural treatments eight years after timber harvesting were examined and compared to one-year post-harvest IES survey in University of Kentucky’s Robinson Forest. The temporal effects of harvesting were further compared between harvested and non-harvested watersheds. Analyses were performed to identify IES spatial distribution and determine the relationships between IES presence and disturbance effects, biological, and environmental characteristics. IES prevalence was higher in the harvested watersheds and was influenced by canopy cover, shrub cover and disturbance proximity. Ailanthus altissima and Microstegium vimineum presence in the study area has decreased over time. Comparing to the 1-yr …

A Gis Model For Apiary Site Selection Based On Proximity To Nectar Sources Utilized In Varietal Honey Production On Former Mine Sites In Appalachia, Douglass W. Potter

Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources

Beekeepers in Appalachia market varietal honeys derived from particular species of deciduous trees; however, finding places in a mountainous landscape to locate new beeyards is difficult. Site selection is hindered by the high up-front costs of negotiating access to remote areas with limited knowledge of the available forage. Remotely sensed data and species distribution modeling (SDM) of trees important to beekeepers could aid in locating apiary sites at the landscape scale. The objectives of this study are i) using publicly available forest inventory data, to model the spatial distribution of three native tree species that are important to honey producers …

Application Of Short Tandem Target Mimic (Sttm) Technique For Functional Analysis Of Micro-Rna396 In Transgenic Poplar Trees, Surattana Boonsai

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Short Tandem Target Mimic (STTM) is a commonly technique used for functional studies of a number of genes in several plant model systems. However, very little is known about application of STTM technique in tree species. In this study, STTM was applied to knock down microRNA396 (miR396) in transgenic poplar trees for the first time. STTM396 expression resulted in dramatic decrease in miR396 expression levels leading to taller plants with larger leaves and larger leaf cell size. Additionally, an expression analysis of growth regulating factor genes (GRFs) that are members of miR396 target gene family showed up-regulation of GRF07 gene …

The Ecology And Behavior Of Spring Migrating Indiana Bats (Myotis Sodalis), Piper Lee Roby

Theses and Dissertations--Animal and Food Sciences

Migration of animals has been studied for decades and has included everything from large terrestrial and pelagic mammals traveling thousands of kilometers to many types of birds flying through several countries to insects going through multiple life cycles in a single migration. The migration of bats has been studied in broad terms to gather coarse information such as distance traveled, connecting summer and winter habitat, and a general understanding of timing. However, only recently have researchers begun to understand the specifics of bat migration including physiology and fine resolution behavior.

Using nine years of spring migration data collected on VHF …

Habitat Saturation Results In Joint-Nesting Female Coalitions In A Social Bird, Sahas Barve, Walter D. Koenig, Joseph Haydock, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Joint nesting by females and cooperative polyandry—cooperatively breeding groups with a male-biased breeder sex ratio—are little-understood, rare breeding systems. We tested alternative hypotheses of factors potentially driving these phenomena in a population of joint-nesting acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus). During periods of high population density and thus low independent breeding opportunities, acorn woodpecker females formed joint-nesting coalitions with close kin. Coalitions were typically associated with groups with a male bias. We found strong evidence for both inter- and intrasexual conflict, as joint nesting conferred a fitness benefit to some males, a significant fitness cost to females, and no gain in per …

Island Invasion: The Silent Crisis In Hawaii, Sophia Janssen

Pomona Senior Theses

Keeping out invasive species may, upon first review, seem like a trivial environmental cry from ecologists and deep environmentalists; a belated wish to return to an undeveloped world where nature was pristine. However invasive species create problems that impact all of us and can have far more severe consequences than changing a stunning landscape. These problems are heightened in islands like Hawaii, where the fragile ecosystems have developed over centuries of evolution and adaptation. The introduction of a disease-carrying mosquito can put the people of Hawaii at risk to many vector-born illnesses and create an epidemic, taking human life. The …

An Ecological Survey Of Forest Succession In A Northeast Ohio Ecosystem Following An Emerald Ash Borer Infestation, Joseph Haas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper will be an ecological survey of a selected 28 acre piece of land in northeast Ohio impacted by the Emerald Ash Borer. This invasive species arrived in North America in 2002 and has since spread throughout the country wreaking havoc on the ash tree population. The purpose of this study is to determine what tree species are replacing the native ash trees in the succession of the forest. In order to achieve this goal, a section of the selected land will be blocked off and subdivided into manageable sections to facilitate data collection, namely the location of the …