Mycorrhizal Fungi And Reforestation In An Eastern Lowland Rainforest Of Madagascar,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Mycorrhizal Fungi And Reforestation In An Eastern Lowland Rainforest Of Madagascar, Sophia Gibby
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Most terrestrial plants worldwide make associations with mycorrhizal fungi, yet the fungal diversity of Madagascar is vastly unknown. This research project is a preliminary investigation into the mycorrhizal status of 19 tree species in and near Ranomafana National Park (RNP), a lowland tropical forest on the southeast coast of Madagascar. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization in these species was studied in root samples under the microscope in the laboratory of Centre ValBio (CVB). The degree of AM infection was assessed for three study areas: one directly adjacent to a protected area and two reforestation sites supported by CVB. For the 19 …
Understory Epiphyte Hydrology: Analyzing Water Storage Capacity Of Epiphytes Along An Elevational Gradient In Western Ecuadorian Cloud Forest,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Understory Epiphyte Hydrology: Analyzing Water Storage Capacity Of Epiphytes Along An Elevational Gradient In Western Ecuadorian Cloud Forest, Angelina Dodge
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Epiphytes are defined as plants that grow on a host, often another plant, and acquire their nutrients and water from the atmosphere. As such is true, epiphyte composition is largely dependent upon atmospheric and thus climactic conditions. Due to high levels of atmospheric water availability that results from the frequent presence of mist, clouds, and high humidity, epiphytic plants grow and thus store water within the above ground region of the Andean cloud forest at levels higher than in any other ecosystem found in Ecuador. This study was done in hopes of revealing any trends of epiphytic water storage capacity …
A Comparative Plague Study Of Cacao Fungal Disease In Cacao Pods Within Monocultures And Indigenous Agroforests In Ecuador’S Napo Province,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
A Comparative Plague Study Of Cacao Fungal Disease In Cacao Pods Within Monocultures And Indigenous Agroforests In Ecuador’S Napo Province, Seamus Mccarthy
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
This study analyzes the composition of three major fungal diseases in Theobroma cacao fruits compared between monocultures and chakra agroforests in the Napo province of Ecuador with the goal of noting similarities and differences in the disease composition between the two systems, as well as investigate possible variation within this poorly understood category of agroforest to better structure future studies. Cacao pods on sampled trees were counted and fungal infections identified visually and by touch. Chakra systems were selected in the communities of Cinco de Enero and Seis de Marzo to the Southwest of Tena, Ecuador. Monoculture data was collected …
Tropical Tree Carbon Storage At Drago Dos Forest In Boca Del Drago, Panama,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Tropical Tree Carbon Storage At Drago Dos Forest In Boca Del Drago, Panama, Ben Dwyer
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Currently, anthropogenic carbon emissions pose a significant, global threat, contributing to Global Warming and Climate Change (CC). Today, the most effective carbon sinks are natural. Trees are highly effective carbon sinks that sequester large amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), most greatly in tropical areas. However, tropical tree carbon storage needs to be more accurately estimated to provide valuable information toward mitigating CC and its negative environmental effects. This study aimed to estimate CO2 sequestration at a tropical forest in Boca Del Drago, Panama, and compare it to that of a nearby mangrove forest. It was hypothesized that the tropical …
Variation In The Growth Parameters And Biomass Of Rhizophora Mangle Seedlings With Distances From Playa Estrella, Bocas Del Toro, Panama,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Variation In The Growth Parameters And Biomass Of Rhizophora Mangle Seedlings With Distances From Playa Estrella, Bocas Del Toro, Panama, Thiny Tep
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Mangrove is a salt-tolerant, intertidal, tropical tree or shrub and make up a rich community of various organism. On the Caribbean coast of Panama, in Bocas del Toro, mangrove forests cover 28 km2 and are dominated by R. mangle, followed by L. racemosa and A. germinans. Simultaneously, Isla Colón, the most populated and developed among all islands in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, is a tourist center. Unfortunately, tourism comes at the price of environmental degradation via alteration of natural habitats, solid and wastewater pollution. Therefore, this study aims to gain a preliminary understanding on how the …
Troop Composition And Behavior Of Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta Palliata) In Mangroves And Forested Islands South Of David, Panama,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Troop Composition And Behavior Of Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta Palliata) In Mangroves And Forested Islands South Of David, Panama, Slate Hyacinthe
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
The mantled howler monkey, Alouatta palliata, is one of the most commonly studied and widely distributed primate species in Central America. They have been reported to inhabit mangrove environments in Panama, but few studies have undertaken to describe their demography and behavior in these particular ecosystems. For my study, I spent 12 days studying A. palliata populations in both the mangrove and forested island ecosystems (Isla Parida and Isla Boca Brava) south of David. Seven groups were found in the mangrove environments, and 11 groups were found on the island environments. The mangrove groups were significantly smaller and at a …
Community Participation And Perspectives Of Ambondrolava Mangrove Restoration Project,
2023
SIT Study Abroad
Community Participation And Perspectives Of Ambondrolava Mangrove Restoration Project, Nadine Shannon
Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection
Madagascar’s mangrove forests are intertidal ecosystems that provide numerous valuable ecosystem services but are nonetheless under pressure from large amounts of deforestation. On the southwestern coast of Madagascar, the village of Ambondrolava practices community led management of the mangrove and its resources. This research project studied the evolution of the mangrove area using GIS data, and investigated, through interviews, the relationship between the local community of Ambondrolava and the organizations that manage the mangrove ecosystem. From 2000 to 2018, the zone of the mangrove has experienced a net loss in area every year, despite reforestation efforts. Most community members interviewed …
Dendrochronology In The Blackwater Ecological Preserve,
2023
Old Dominion University
Dendrochronology In The Blackwater Ecological Preserve, Sarah Durham, Arvind Bhuta
College of Sciences Posters
The Blackwater Ecological Preserve (BEP), located in southeastern Virginia, holds significant ecological importance as it contains the northernmost intact community of Pinus palustris, longleaf pine. At the BEP, we cored longleaf pine and recorded sample data including tree height and diameter at breast height (DBH). Two sites on the BEP, the 20’s series and 40’s series, were found to correlate within, but not between, sites. Statistical and qualitative analyses were conducted to find differences between the sites significant enough to affect correlation within a chronology. This data is being incorporated into a larger dendrochronology and climate analysis study on …
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 1, March 2023,
2023
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 1, March 2023
Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 1, March 2023
Near-Surface Soil Nitrogen And Vegetation Response To Invasive Emerald Ash Borer In Forested Black Ash Wetlands Of The Western Upper Peninsula, Michigan, Usa,
2023
Michigan Technological University
Near-Surface Soil Nitrogen And Vegetation Response To Invasive Emerald Ash Borer In Forested Black Ash Wetlands Of The Western Upper Peninsula, Michigan, Usa, Daniel A. Beyer
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) poses an imminent threat to the structure and function of North American hardwood forests, particularly black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall), and alters the hydrologic and ecological services of their wetlands. Black ash trees regularly grow in seasonally saturated soils and are responsible for hydrologic regulation and nutrient cycling. In this study, a gradient of black ash wetlands impacted by EAB were monitored to assess vegetation changes and near-surface soil nitrogen availability. Vegetation community changes were intertwined with nitrogen cycle disturbances following EAB infestation. As black ash died and fell to …
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 2, June 2023,
2023
University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 2, June 2023
Timber Talk: Nebraska Forest Industry Newsletter
Timber Talk, Vol. 61, No. 2, June 2023
The Birds And The Trees: Quantifying The Drivers Of Whitebark Pine Decline And Clark's Nutcracker Habitat Use In Glacier National Park,
2023
The University Of Montana
The Birds And The Trees: Quantifying The Drivers Of Whitebark Pine Decline And Clark's Nutcracker Habitat Use In Glacier National Park, Vladimir Kovalenko
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), recently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, is in steep decline in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA due to the non-native pathogen Cronartium ribicola, causal agent of the fatal disease white pine blister rust. A sample of the park’s population suggests that approximately 70 percent of whitebark pines have died, while 65 percent of the remaining trees are infected. Using landscape and climate variables, we show how geographic location, elevation, aspect, solar radiation, relative humidity, and snowpack interact with tree diameter to affect mortality, disease incidence, cone production, and regeneration. We also examine how …
Patterns, Mechanisms, And Characterization Of Carbon Cycling Stability Following Partial Forest Disturbance,
2023
Virginia Commonwealth University
Patterns, Mechanisms, And Characterization Of Carbon Cycling Stability Following Partial Forest Disturbance, Kayla C. Mathes
Theses and Dissertations
Among the most essential questions in the era of climate change is how the forest carbon (C) cycle will respond to an increase in the extent of biotic disturbances from insects and pathogens. While research has focused on stand-replacing disturbance regimes, less is known about C cycling stability following partial disturbances that produce gradients of disturbance severity. Belowground C cycling responses to disturbance are especially poorly understood, even though temperate forest soils contain up to 50% of total ecosystem C and soil respiration (Rs) accounts for more than half of temperate forest C loss. Interpreting trends and mechanisms …
The Long-Term Effects Of Wildfire Severity On Oak-Pine Communities And Their Microclimates,
2023
University of Kentucky
The Long-Term Effects Of Wildfire Severity On Oak-Pine Communities And Their Microclimates, Scott Glenn Culbert
Theses and Dissertations--Forestry and Natural Resources
In the eastern U.S., fire-dependent tree species have historically dominated upland forest communities, but are now experiencing widespread regeneration challenges as a result of 20th century fire suppression policies, and are being replaced by mesophytic species. Wildfires that contain areas of high burn severity may provide an important means of mitigating these challenges and facilitating fire-dependent species regeneration and recruitment into larger size classes. One mechanism by which high-severity fire can accomplish this is by modifying understory microclimate characteristics to be more conducive to these species’ growth. A wildfire within the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky, USA, provided the …
Fine Characterization Of Leafing Phenology In The Brazilian Atlantic Forest By Optical And Microwave Remote Sensing,
2023
CUNY City College
Fine Characterization Of Leafing Phenology In The Brazilian Atlantic Forest By Optical And Microwave Remote Sensing, James B. Bell
Dissertations and Theses
Tropical forests provide important ecosystem functions in the global biosphere, but they remain among the most poorly understood elements of land surface models, especially with regard to their seasonal dynamics. For instance, in seasonally dry forests, the pattern of the annual green-up in their canopies closely follows annual patterns of rainfall. The same, however, does not occur in wet forest canopies which are dominated by evergreen trees. In the latter, water is not scarce enough to limit leaf photosynthetic function. Canopy leafing phenology in these forests is therefore poorly characterized by optical remote sensing methods which are not sensitive to …
Impacts Of Introduced Earthworms On Sugar Maple Sap Chemistry And The Discourse Of Invasion Ecology,
2023
Michigan Technological University
Impacts Of Introduced Earthworms On Sugar Maple Sap Chemistry And The Discourse Of Invasion Ecology, Shelby Nicole Lane-Clark
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
To delve into further understanding of the relationships between introduced earthworms, forest ecosystems, and the human systems they impact, two approaches were taken. In the first approach, we seek to explore ways we can shift the discourse within and regarding the field of invasion ecology by re-framing how we approach discussion, management, and education regarding introduced species. Language issues surrounding introduced species through the example of earthworms in North America are described and potential solutions are provided, including a repositioned perspective that may facilitate better relationships with the natural world. The goal is to shift the language to be more …
Fine Root Respiration In Quercus Rubra Is Influenced By Multidimensional Trade-Offs In Root Trait Space,
2023
Michigan Technological University
Fine Root Respiration In Quercus Rubra Is Influenced By Multidimensional Trade-Offs In Root Trait Space, Emma L. Shedd
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Economic theory is often applied to plant strategies, arguing that trade-offs exist between maximizing quick returns on investment within short lifespans or producing longer-lived tissues with slower returns. While these trade-offs are well-studied aboveground, their influence on belowground traits, including root respiration, remains unclear. Resource heterogeneity and symbioses with mycorrhizal fungi may complicate root trade-off axes beyond those predicted by economics theory alone. Investigating fine root trade-offs in Quercus rubra populations along a latitudinal gradient in the Midwest, USA, we identified two distinct axes of variation in root traits: one related to a potential “fungal symbiosis” trade-off and another representing …
Sequencing Antisense Transcriptome Of Populus Through Antisense/Sense Transcript Pair Enrichment,
2023
Michigan Technological University
Sequencing Antisense Transcriptome Of Populus Through Antisense/Sense Transcript Pair Enrichment, Emma V. Burke
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Past transcriptome research on plants focused primarily on protein coding genes, and only recently researchers began looking into the non-protein coding regions that may play significant roles in gene regulation. Antisense RNA transcripts that are found naturally in the cell share complementary sequence with sense transcripts and have been shown to regulate expression of their sense counterparts. Since antisense RNA has been largely under-studied and difficult to sequence because of their low relative abundance, new methods are needed to target antisense RNA for efficient genome-wide profiling. To address this gap in methods to efficiently and cost effectively enrich antisense RNA …
Knobcone Pine Response To Shading From Competing Chaparral Shrubs Following Stand-Replacing Wildfire,
2023
Humboldt State University
Knobcone Pine Response To Shading From Competing Chaparral Shrubs Following Stand-Replacing Wildfire, Sean T. Lindley
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
In northern California, fire regimes are shifting towards more frequent and larger severe wildfire. There is growing concern that this shift poses a threat to biodiversity in the form of cover type change at the landscape scale, resulting in the extirpation of some species in favor of +AD617:AD649well-adapted ones. In northern California, mature serotinous conifers, such as knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata), and resprouting shrub species easily regenerate in severe patches of any size. There is no general consensus regarding the effects of shrub competition on conifer recruitment; conifer response varies with shade tolerance and other abiotic factors. Knobcone …
Assessing The Recovery Of Forest Understory Vegetation After Clearcut Logging Across A 445-Year Chronosequence,
2023
Humboldt State University
Assessing The Recovery Of Forest Understory Vegetation After Clearcut Logging Across A 445-Year Chronosequence, Molly Smith Metok
Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects
The conversion of natural forested lands to managed forests has reduced the amount of older, structurally diverse forests worldwide. In conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest (USA) – where the understory plant communities comprise only 1% of forest biomass but represent 90% of the plant species richness – the long-term impacts of timber harvesting are not fully understood. I used a chronosequence of forests in southwestern Oregon that ranged from 25 to 445 years of age to compare changes in plant communities in logged (i.e., managed) stands with that of stands in late succession and old growth conditions. The chronosequence …
