Forest Sciences Commons^™

Editorial-Sure Journal Volume 7, Issue 2, Geraldine M. Dowling, Eva Campion, Sinead Loughran, Ariane Perez-Gavilan, Josephine Treacy

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Substantial Contribution Of Woody Components To Rainfall Interception In Chinese Forests: Insights From A Refined Analytical Model, Zhi-Ang Chen, Zhi-Yun Jiang, Wei He, John T. Van Stan Ii, Et. Al.

Biological, Geological, and Environmental Faculty Publications

Assessing rainfall interception (I-R) is a critical yet uncertain aspect in hydrological cycle, particularly the quantification of relative contributions from leaves and woody components (e.g., branches, stems, and trunks) to I-R. Nevertheless, the role of woody components in I-R estimation remains largely unexplored and thereby has been constantly overlooked. This study addressed this challenge and refined the widely-used Gash model to distinguish woody interception (I-W) from leaf interception (I-L). We incorporated the spatial variability of vegetation traits alongside satellite data in 2019 into the refined model, and spanned China's major forest types. The refined model showed a strong agreement with …

Contrasting Pathways To Tree Longevity In Gymnosperms And Angiosperms, Roel J. Brienen, Giuliano Maselli Locosselli, Stefan Krottenthaler, Emanuel Gloor, Robyn Wrigley, Steve L. Voelker, Jan Altman, Nela Altmanova, Leander D. Anderegg, Michele Baliva, Deepak Barua, Vaclav Bazant, Bryan Black, Peter M Brown, Gregorio Ceccantini, R Justin Derose, Jose Villanueva Diaz, Alfredo Di Filippo, Jiri Dolezal, Louis Duchesne, Christopher Earle, Pavel Fibich, Hardy Griesbauer, Samuli Helama, Stefan Klesse, Kirill Korznikov, David Lindenmayer, Shuhui Liu, Lidio Lopez, Maurizio Mencuccini, Thomas A. Nagel

Michigan Tech Publications

Tree longevity is thought to increase in growth-limiting, adverse environments, but a quantitative assessment of drivers of global variation in tree longevity is lacking. We assemble a global database of maximum longevity for 739 tree species and analyse associations between longevity and climate, soil, and species' functional traits. Our results show two primary pathways towards long lifespans. The first is slow growth in resource-limited environments, consistent with the "adversity begets longevity" paradigm. The second pathway is through relief from abiotic constraints in productive environments. Despite notable exceptions, long-lived gymnosperms tend to follow the first path through slow growth in cold …

Disentangling Complex Relationships And Disjunctions In Western Camassia: Integrating Multiple Criteria To Resolve Taxonomic Boundaries, Susan R. Kephart, Theresa M. Culley, Jenny K. Archibald, Robert Tunison, Kathryn E. Theiss, James E. Kephart

Michigan Tech Publications

Premise: Understanding genetic and morphological variability helps efforts to sustain landscapes and develop effective species concepts for resolving difficult groups. To unravel puzzling relationships and range disjunctions, we applied morphometrics, phenology, phylogenetics and population genetics in Camassia species with cultural, ecological, and conservation value, asking: Do the unusual Camassia populations in northeastern California represent previously unrecognized, disjunct C. howellii? Do C. howellii, C. leichtlinii, and C. quamash maintain diagnostic features in allopatry or sympatry? Are C. quamash subsp. breviflora and subsp. linearis taxonomically distinct?. Methods: We evaluated 34 Camassia populations in situ for morphometric traits, phenology, and habitat type, collecting …

Temperature Predicts Myotis Lucifugus Declines And Persistence After White-Nose Syndrome Introduction, Tanner M. Barnes, Jared D. Wolfe, Allen Kurta, Steve M. Smith, John E. Depue

Michigan Tech Research Data

No abstract provided.

Performance Enhancement For Rufa: Rapid Urban Forest Assessment, Nicholas Tan

Master's Theses

Urban forests are crucial to the livability and resilience of cities, offering critical ecosystem benefits such as air quality enhancement, temperature regulation, and biodiversity. Managing said urban forests is essential to ensure their sustainability and adaptability to rapidly changing environmental and climate conditions. The Rapid Urban Forest Assessment (RUFA) tool was developed to address the need for a standardized approach to evaluating and comparing urban and community forestry programs. By analyzing and aggregating tree-specific data across California, such as canopy cover, tree counts, and diversity scores, RUFA assigns a comprehensive urban forestry score for each city. This score allows for …

The Effects Of Green Orientation And Technological Agility On Sustainable Competitive Advantage Under Environmental Uncertainty: Organizational Agility As A Pathway, Sahilali Saiyed, Vimal Kumar, Abdul Waaje, Adi Prasetyo Tedjakusuma

Michigan Tech Publications

Despite the strengthened efforts on sustainability and technological activities by firms, the existing literature lacks a clear picture regarding how green orientation (GO) and technological agility (TAG) can be transformed into sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) and at what time the conversion process may be most efficient. This paper conceptualizes organizational agility (OGA) based on the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory (DCT) and hypothesizes that GO and TAG indirectly affect SCA with the mediating impact of environmental uncertainty (ELU). A moderated-mediation model was tested based on a sample of 200 managers (HR, marketing, accounting/finance, quality control, R&D) of auto-parts …

The Ecology Of Arthropod Rain In A Tropical Forest., Andrew Robert Seiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tropical forests are structured by complex vertical linkages and nutrient exchanges between canopy and understory habitats. These linkages include the downward flux of organisms, the movement of canopy fauna, and the recycling of nutrients through litter and organic matter deposition. This dissertation investigates arthropod rain and its role in connecting the canopy and forest floor processes in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Chapter 2 quantifies “arthropod rain”, the fall of canopy arthropods into the understory. Using pan and pole traps, I measured the composition, abundance, and biomass of arthropods falling from the canopy and assessed environmental drivers of the …

Reproduction And Larval Development Of The Invasive Asian Longhorned Beetle In South Carolina, Lindsey A. Stone

All Theses

The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky; ALB) is a major threat to forest health due to the damage done by larval feeding in host trees. In 2020, ALB was discovered in Charleston County, South Carolina, which presents a novel climate for this invasive pest in North America. I investigated the reproductive biology and larval development of ALB to support detection and management efforts. By exposing 19 host trees to mated pairs of adults, I was able to determine rates of oviposition success (55%), egg viability (55%), and early larval survival (56%). On average, females chewed nearly 1 egg …

Mountain Communities During A Time Of War: A Case Study Of The Hutsul Region In The Carpathian Mountains Of Ukraine, Pavlo Rybaruk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the ethno-ecological technologies employed by the Hutsul people within the highland agrarian economy of the Carpathian Mountains. Over centuries, the Hutsuls have developed ethno-ecological technologies that maintain ecological integrity while supporting community livelihoods.

The study addresses three primary research questions: What are the most important ethno-ecological technologies of the Hutsul highland economy? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be applied to economic, agricultural, and tourism development in the Hutsul region? How might these traditional ethno-ecological practices be combined with contemporary approaches to encourage sustainable development in the region?

The research explores the devastating impact of the Russian …

Environmental Identities Of College Students Reveal Potential Conflicts And Common Ground For Wildlife Conservation, Richard Von Furstenberg, Lincoln R. Larson, M. Nils Peterson, Kangjae Jerry Lee, Victoria R. Vayer, Kathryn Stevenson, Stacy A.C. Nelson, Jeremy Bruskotter, Adam A. Ahlers, Christine Anhalt-Depies, Taniya Bethke, Chris Chizinski, Brian Clark, Kiley M.D. Fryman, Ashley A. Dayer, Benjamin Ghasemi, Larry Gigliotti, Alan Graefe, Samuel J. Keith, Matt Kelly, Gerard Kyle, Elizabeth Metcalf, Wayde Morse, Mark D. Needham, Neelam C. Poudyal, Michael Quartuch, Shari L. Rodriguez, Chelsie Romulo, Ryan L. Sharp, William Siemer, Matt Springer

Michigan Tech Publications

“Conservationist” and “environmentalist” are two prominent environmental social identities often perceived as conflicting, particularly on wedge issues like hunting. While these groups may hold differing philosophies, their beliefs could overlap, revealing opportunities for collaboration in conservation. We examined environmental identities among U.S. college students across 22 states (n = 17,203) from 2018 to 2020, assessing identity, wildlife values, and positions on polarizing issues. Students were classified into four groups: conservationists (8 %), environmentalists (9 %), pluralists (59 %) who expressed both identities, and eco-agnostics (24 %) who expressed neither. Environmentalists, the most diverse group demographically, exhibited mutualistic wildlife value orientations, …

Population Dynamics, Host Range, And Impact Of The Naturalized Weevil Ochyromera Ligustri: A Potential Biological Control Agent Of Invasive Ligustrum Sinense, Brandi H. Misiaszek

LSU Master's Theses

Invasive woody plants have become dominant components of many forest understories in the southeastern United States. These species can displace native species, disrupt ecosystem processes, and reduce biodiversity. Chinese privet (Oleaceae: Ligustrum sinense Lour.) is an invasive shrub distributed through the Southeastern United States. The ligustrum weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Ochyromera ligustri Warner) is a non-native insect that was first found in the U.S. on Ligustrum in 1959. This weevil is considered a potential fortuitous biological control agent of invasive Ligustrum spp. in the U.S. The objectives of this study were to evaluate O. ligustri as a potential biological control agent …

What A Landowner Should Expect When Hiring A Drone Aerial Applicator For Forestry Herbicide Application, Jon R. Carter, Patrick Hiesl, Jared A. Elmore, Nilesh Timilsina

Forestry and Natural Resources

Chemical site preparation using herbicides is done primarily through three conventional methods: backpack sprayers, sprayers on forestry equipment, and helicopters/fixed-wing aircraft. However, in recent years, agricultural drones have been increasingly utilized to apply herbicides. While drones (unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)) can perform common forestry tasks, meeting with the drone aerial applicator and collecting data for the herbicide application may look unfamiliar. This publication will help landowners and forestry professionals become more familiar with chemical site preparation and seedling releases applied by drones and what they should expect from start to finish from providers utilizing this technology.

Artificial Light At Night Can Worsen Competitive Outcomes Between Native And Invasive Grasses, Shannon M. Murphy, Kylee Grenis, Anna A. Sher

Biological Sciences: Faculty Scholarship

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an important global disturbance that affects community dynamics, but how it affects species interactions, such as competition, is not well understood and needs investigation. In plant communities, some exotic-invasive plant species seem to be facilitated by ALAN, which may alter competitive outcomes with native plant communities and promote invasion. Despite these intriguing results, whether ALAN affects competitive outcomes between native and invasive species is understudied. Here we tested how ALAN affects competitive outcomes between two native prairie grasses and two grasses that are exotic-invasive in North America. We planted each native species with a …

Solvent Extracts Of Pulvigera Papillosa (Orthotrichaceae) Show No Antimicrobial Properties In Disk Diffusion Tests, Ryan A. Solorzano, Justin Paulin, Grayson Prater, Michael Lanier

Humboldt Journal of Microbiology

Abstract As antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more prevalent, the search for novel forms of antibiotics in the natural world has become an increasingly worthwhile endeavor. Many mosses have been found to contain antimicrobial properties, including those in the family Orthotrichaceae. Pulvigera papillosa, an Orthotrichaceous moss native to California, has thus far not been investigated to determine whether it contains antimicrobial properties. Extraction techniques using polar and nonpolar solvents have proven to be effective in extracting the secondary metabolites that allow mosses to defend themselves against a hostile microbial world. This study takes a preliminary look into the antimicrobial properties of P. …

Examining Private Landowner And Stakeholder Attitudes, Perceptions, And Knowledge Of Prescribed Fire In Louisiana, Chloe E. Crawford

LSU Master's Theses

Periodic fire was a primary driver of ecosystems across the Southeastern United States for millennia; however, fire suppression policies have become pervasive in the United States and led to increased fuel loads in forests as well as reduced biodiversity and reduced disease resilience. Prescribed fire presents a risk mitigation strategy and land management tool whereby practitioners can apply fire to the landscape in a controlled manner, thus reaping the benefits of fire while minimizing the risks associated with fire. Land in Louisiana is primarily privately managed and owned, so state-level conservation goals cannot be met without private landowner participation. As …

Losing Focus In The Age Of Tik Tok: Clinical Evidence For Policy Action On Social Media Use, Megan Conefrey, Robert Griffin

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Tracking Livestock Heart Rate & Location Using Long-Range Radio Networks. An Immediate Solution For Farms Without Reliable Wi-Fi, Dermott Harkin, Martin Bradley

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Voices Matter: Tackling Accentism In Ireland. A Study Addressing Accent-Based Discrimination Awareness In Education, Sadhbh Reddington, Victoria Graham, Holly Jordan, Mairead Moriarty

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.

Income Inequality And Attitudes Towards Immigrants – How Increased Inequality Drives Division, Niamh Anderson, Vincent O'Sullivan

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

No abstract provided.