Forest Biology Commons^™

Tecumseh Land Trust: Land Trusts And Land Preservation, Michele Burns

Runkle Woods Symposia

Part 1 of the "Protecting Glen Helen with a Conservation Easement" presentation. Michele Burns introduces the concept of land trusts—nonprofit organizations that protect various types of land, particularly through conservation easements, which are legally binding agreements that restrict development and preserve land forever. She explaines how Tecumseh Land Trust, founded in 1990, operates in southwest Ohio to protect farmland and natural areas without owning land directly and their work in protecting the Glen Helen preservation.

Opening Remarks, Volker Bahn

Runkle Woods Symposia

Dr. Volker Bahn welcomes everyone to the 2024 Runkle Woods Symposium. This year's symposium is held in collaboration with the REACH Native American Heritage Festival. The event began with a land acknowledgement written by Shane Creepingbear in collaboration with Chief Ben Barns and other, recognizing the Indigenouse peoples whose lands we occupy and emphasizing our reponsbility to protect and restore the natrual word.

Scaling Individual Tree Transpiration With Thermal Cameras Reveals Interspecies Differences To Drought Vulnerability, Mostafa Javadian, Donald M. Aubrecht, Joshua B. Fisher, Russell L. Scott, Sean P. Burns, Jen L. Diehl, J. William Munger, Andrew D. Richardson

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding tree transpiration variability is vital for assessing ecosystem water-use efficiency and forest health amid climate change, yet most landscape-level measurements do not differentiate individual trees. Using canopy temperature data from thermal cameras, we estimated the transpiration rates of individual trees at Harvard Forest and Niwot Ridge. PT-JPL model was used to derive latent heat flux from thermal images at the canopy-level, showing strong agreement with tower measurements (R2 = 0.70–0.96 at Niwot, 0.59–0.78 at Harvard at half-hourly to monthly scales) and daily RMSE of 33.5 W/m2 (Niwot) and 52.8 W/m2 (Harvard). Tree-level analysis revealed species-specific responses to …

Latticed Stinkhorn, Emilee G. Seigworth

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Artist Statement

Latticed Stinkhorn is a watercolor piece originally created for the special gallery of the 2023 Scientific Illustration course at the University of North Florida. It was inspired by my enduring fascination with the world of fungi, particularly specimens of the family Phallaceae. This watercolor piece offers a simple perspective of Clathrus ruber, a species commonly referred to as Latticed Stinkhorn. Like many members of the family, the reproductive fruiting body first surfaces encased in a cream-colored soft shell with a texture comparable to a leathery reptile egg. As the body ages, the initial shell disintegrates to reveal a …

Chinese Tallow Long-Term Impact On Stand Dynamics In A Bottomland Hardwood Forest Following Vegetation Management, Nicklaus R. Langlois

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera (L.) Small) is an invasive tree known to have negative impacts on bottomland hardwood forests. Chinese tallow is proficient in reproducing and surviving in bottomland hardwood forests because it is more flood and shade tolerant than most native trees. The long-term effectiveness of Chinese tallow control is an important topic to research as only a few long-term studies of Chinese tallow control have been conducted. A 10-year re-measurement of 22 paired plots installed in 2012 on the Pineywoods Mitigation Bank near Diboll, Texas following herbicide treatments examined Chinese tallow and native tree stand structure. Each …

Living Dead Forests: Assessing Detrital Services In Puget Sound Pseudotsuga Menziesii Ecosystems, Forrest Becker

Capstone Collection

Coarse woody debris (CWD), the detrital result of down wood recruitment, contributes to wildlife habitat, nutrient cycling, morphological processes like soil formation, and each forest’s sense of place but if undermanaged can fuel wildfires or obstruct stakeholder use. Despite its ubiquity in Puget Sound Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in Washington, USA, few studies quantify the exact ecosystem services which down wood provides. This study seeks to understand how forest managers can estimate the ecosystem services of down wood and how human communities perceive down wood management between community, public, and private Douglas fir (P. menziesii) …

Avian Communities Monitored Along A Successional Chronosequence In Bottomland Hardwood Forests In The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Eamonn Alasdair Thurmond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley have been extensively reduced due to agriculture conversion and altered hydrology. Remnant forests have undergone further degradation from sources such as a lack of forest management, invasive species, and reduced regeneration of oaks (Quercus spp.). Recent restoration efforts of bottomland hardwood forests have focused on implementing wildlife forestry practices that prioritize restoring wildlife habitat while retaining profitable timber harvests. In this study I surveyed bird communities in bottomland hardwood forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley along a successional chronosequence. Birds were sampled using automated recording units over 10 days …

The Role Of Forest Disturbance And Habitat Characteristics In Shaping Arthropod Ecology., Kane Alec Lawhorn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Disturbances in forests often generate dead wood, which is an important resource for a variety of arthropods. In tropical wet forests where fire is rare, lightning and branchfalls are common disturbances that create canopy gaps with associated large amounts of localized dead wood. By contrast, prescribed fire is a common disturbance in temperate forest that creates habitat heterogeneity and widely dispersed dead wood resources. The ecological effects of these disturbances on arthropod communities are largely unknown. This dissertation investigates how disturbance and habitat associations in both tropical and temperate forest shape arthropod ecology. Throughout, I primarily focus on beetles, ants, …

I’M A Forest, Not A Saltmarsh, Captain: Carbon And Sap Flow Dynamics In Coastal Forested Wetlands Of The Southeastern United States, Chris Shipway

All Theses

Coastal forested wetlands are identified as some of the highest-priority ecosystems for climate change mitigation. Here, we present two studies conducted in these unique ecosystems.

The first assessed changes in aboveground vegetative C stocks along the estuarine-riverine gradients of the Winyah Bay in South Carolina and the Savannah River in Georgia, using a space-for-time substitution to increase understanding of the impacts to upper estuarine forested wetlands from relative sea level rise. Standing C stocks on the Savannah River averaged 183.6 Mg C ha^-1, while sites on the Winyah system averaged 162.3 Mg C ha^-1. The largest …

A Seasonal Decomposition Comparison Between Forest And Turf Habitats: Implications For Climate Change, Amanda Shirmer

DePaul Discoveries

Decomposition is an essential ecosystem service in which microorganisms breakdown organic matter. This process improves soil health and acts as a vital step in global carbon cycles. In this study, we examined decomposition rates and associated soil properties in turf and forest habitats across summer and fall seasons in order to determine how land management practices and climate change may be altering local decomposition regimes. Our study determined that there was a statistically significant difference between decomposition rates in turf and forest ecosystems (P=0.003) and a significant difference in decomposition rate across season (P

New York City’S Rising Sea Level And Coastal Erosion: Approaches To Resiliency, Ryder D. Isidro

Student Theses 2015-Present

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Cogongrass Invasion On Soil Biota And Nutrient Loads In A Longleaf Pine Savanna, Jordan Werneth

Honors Theses

The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem, characterized by its namesake pine species and diverse community of understory vegetation, is a hotspot of biodiversity in the southeastern United States. The longleaf pine savanna is differentiated from other longleaf systems through the combination its unique assemblage of herbaceous understory vegetation, wide-open canopy, and distinct hydrogeological composition. Longleaf pine ecosystems, including savannas, are facing significant decline from their historic range due to anthropogenic interference including fire suppression, habitat fragmentation, deforestation, and the introduction of invasive species such as cogongrass (Imperita cylindrica).

Cogongrass, a nonnative grass species introduced to the …

Utilization Of The Hunt Trap Method To Investigate A Small Mammal Community In An Upland Pine Stand, Leo Montano

Undergraduate Research Conference

Small mammals are strong and informative biological indicators of forest ecosystems. Populations are responsible for shaping successional patterns through their diets, behaviors, and contributions to other ecological communities.

Knowledge of community metrics within southern yellow pine forests under varying production and disturbance regimes can be valuable in understanding pine production impacts on biodiversity.

The objective of this study was to investigate species richness, time to detection, and activity patterns of the small mammal community in an upland pine stand utilizing the Hunt Trap Method.

Effects Of Treated Effluent Discharge On Tree Water Use And Growth In A Cypress Swamp., Devin Schexnayder

LSU Master's Theses

Inundated baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) trees generally respond to secondarily-treated and disinfected municipal effluent additions with increased growth rates and reduced mortality. Yet, the effects of effluent additions on the water-use and functional traits of inundated mature baldcypress are poorly understood. Because increased tree growth is associated with increased water use, effluent additions may affect the water budget in coastal swamps by increasing water uptake from the rhizosphere due to increased tree transpiration. I used sap flux density (f_d) measurements to assess water-use traits and tree-level daily transpiration (E) in seven mature inundated baldcypress trees that had …

Mushroom Composition Across An Elevational Gradient During The 2024 Wet Season In Mazumbai Forest Reserve, Tanzania, Christopher Brady

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Mushrooms are key bioindicators that contribute greatly to ecological health, and their diversity is indicative of a healthy ecosystem. However, even with the vital role they play in ecological health, there are few studies which measure the diversity of mushrooms in Mazumbai Forest Reserve (MFR), Tanzania, Africa, and none which focus on diversity along the elevational gradient within the reserve (1300-1900m). This study measures the diversity and equitability of mushrooms growing in six elevational zones within MFR during the rainy season of 2024. A species checklist of mushrooms growing in MFR during the 2024 rainy season was created, tracking the …

Vascular Epiphyte Population Dynamics Within Human-Modified Landscapes Of Guadalupe, Cerro Punta, Chiriquí, Panamá, Lucine Tashjian

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Epiphytes are plants that grow on other plants non-parasitically, and globally, epiphytes compose a very large and diverse group. They are especially abundant and species-rich in the tropics- particularly, in tropical montane forest ecosystems. Human population growth in the tropics, however, has resulted in significant declines in forest cover with land being converted largely for agricultural purposes. Studies on epiphytes have traditionally been undertaken in pristine, undisturbed forest ecosystems, yet terrestrial land conversion has increased the need to understand the value of human-modified ecosystems for epiphytic populations and biodiversity conservation. This study sought to understand the relationship between human modification …

An Ecological Analysis Of The Elevational Gradient Effect On Mushroom Community Diversity Near Andasibe, Madagascar, Zoe Garver

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The effect of elevational gradients on biodiversity has been widely studied in the field of ecology (Rahbek, 1995). The evidence supports a trend for highest biodiversity at mid latitudes and decreasing biodiversity as elevation increases (Rahbek, 1997; Grytnes, 2003; Hariharan and Buckley, 2022). This effect has primarily been explained by variation of temperatures and resource availability at different elevations. However, the effect that elevation plays on fungal communities is relatively underrepresented in the literature (Dahlberg, 2001). This study analyzes changes in mushroom diversity across an elevational gradient in Mitsinjo Reserve and Analamazaotra National Park found in Madagascar. Using the Braun-Blanquet …

El Retamo Espinoso (Ulex Europeaus L.) En La Provincia Del Sumapaz, Arlette Ivonne Gil Clavijo, Jenny Paola Moreno Lopez, Laguandio Del Cristo Banda Sánchez, Alba Gissela Fajardo Ortiz, Ángela Ginet Prieto Chitiva, Anyela Patricia Guaidia Gómez, César Alfonso Ariza Castillo, Daniela Rincón Garzón, Erika Katerina Romero González, Gloria Adriana Velosa Cruz, Héctor Emilio Tinjacá Torres, Iván Camilo Perilla Domínguez, Jader Yedfrey Rodríguez Velásquez, Juan Gabriel Niño Castillo, Juliana Andrea Martínez Chiguachi, Juliet Andrea Clavijo Giraldo, Karen Lorena Herrera Delgado, Lina Ximena Galindo Castillo, María Del Carmen Sierra Garzón, Natalia Arias Rodríguez, Odair Andrade Andrade

Ciencias Agropecuarias

El retamo espinoso ( Ulex europaeus L.), una planta europea altamente agresiva en Colombia, afecta los páramos y desplaza especies nativas, generando preocupación ecológica. Este estudio investiga su biología, a partir de un banco de semillas (113 semillas/m² a 5 cm), acumulación de biomasa (0,006732 g/día en 481 días), fenología en estado juvenil durante 378 días sin floración, y resultados preliminares del uso de herbicidas en los tallos. Estos datos iniciales son cruciales para desarrollar métodos de control, abordando disciplinas como ecología, fenología, hábitat, herbicidas, malezas, biodiversidad y bioseguridad.

Automated Tree Mortality Detection Using Ubiquitously Available Public Data, Michael T. Huggins

Master's Theses

Understanding the dynamic interplay between fire severity, topography, and tree mortality, is crucial for predicting future forest dynamics and enhancing resilience against climate change-induced wildfire regimes. This thesis develops a multi-sensor approach for automated estimation of tree mortality, then applies it to examine trends in tree mortality over a six-year period across a fire affected study site in the Trinity River basin in Northern California. The Random Forest model uses publicly available USGS 3D Elevation Program Lidar (3DEP) and NAIP imagery as inputs and is likely to be easily adaptable to other landscapes. The model had a Receiver Operating Characteristic …

Toward A Coordinated Understanding Of Hydro-Biogeochemical Root Functions In Tropical Forests For Application In Vegetation Models, Daniela F. Cusack, Bradley Christoffersen, Chris M. Smith-Martin, Kelly M. Andersen, Amanda L. Cordeiro, Katrin Fleischer, S. Joseph Wright, Nathaly R. Guerrero-Ramírez, Laynara F. Lugli, Lindsay A. Mcculloch, Mareli Sanchez-Julia, Sarah A. Batterman, Caroline Dallstream, Claire Fortunel, Laura Toro, Lucia Fuchslueger, Michelle Y. Wong, Daniela Yaffar, Joshua B. Fisher, Marie Arnaud, Lee H. Dietterich, Shalom D. Addo-Danso, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Monique Weemstra, Jing Cheng Ng, Richard J. Norby

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Tropical forest root characteristics and resource acquisition strategies are underrepresented in vegetation and global models, hampering the prediction of forest–climate feedbacks for these carbon-rich ecosystems. Lowland tropical forests often have globally unique combinations of high taxonomic and functional biodiversity, rainfall seasonality, and strongly weathered infertile soils, giving rise to distinct patterns in root traits and functions compared with higher latitude ecosystems. We provide a roadmap for integrating recent advances in our understanding of tropical forest belowground function into vegetation models, focusing on water and nutrient acquisition. We offer comparisons of recent advances in empirical and model understanding of root characteristics …