SUBMITTED POSTERS
11:00 am
Darcey Collins
dac491@msstate.edu
Co-Authors Joshua J. Granger, David S. Buckley, Krishna P. Poudel, Courtney M. Siegert, Austin Himes
Novel Silvicultural Practices for Managing Mixed-Species Stands for Non-Industrial Private Landowners Many landowners in the southeastern United States have invested in southern yellow pine plantations, leaving them with single-species plantations that do not provide the ecological functions provided by the historically mixed-species forests that initially existed in those areas, as well as difficult to sell pine products. Many landowners and researchers have begun to view mixed-species forests as a possible solution to this ecological and economic problem. However, oak species, which are often one of the most desired hardwood species, can be difficult to regenerate. The following study incorporated nurse and trainer tree effects to determine which silvicultural practices best allow for the creation and management of mixed-species stands from existing loblolly pine stands. Shortleaf pine, sweetgum, post oak, northern red oak, shingle oak, and southern red oak seedlings were planted in mixtures and in single species plots in order to examine their success under mid-rotation loblolly pine stands, and how they interact with each other. Seedlings experienced high survival as well as varying levels of browse pressure depending on species and treatment.
Darcey Collins Poster
Darcey Collins
dac491@msstate.edu
Co-Authors Joshua J. Granger, David S. Buckley, Krishna P. Poudel, Courtney M. Siegert, Austin Himes
Novel Silvicultural Practices for Managing Mixed-Species Stands for Non-Industrial Private Landowners Many landowners in the southeastern United States have invested in southern yellow pine plantations, leaving them with single-species plantations that do not provide the ecological functions provided by the historically mixed-species forests that initially existed in those areas, as well as difficult to sell pine products. Many landowners and researchers have begun to view mixed-species forests as a possible solution to this ecological and economic problem. However, oak species, which are often one of the most desired hardwood species, can be difficult to regenerate. The following study incorporated nurse and trainer tree effects to determine which silvicultural practices best allow for the creation and management of mixed-species stands from existing loblolly pine stands. Shortleaf pine, sweetgum, post oak, northern red oak, shingle oak, and southern red oak seedlings were planted in mixtures and in single species plots in order to examine their success under mid-rotation loblolly pine stands, and how they interact with each other. Seedlings experienced high survival as well as varying levels of browse pressure depending on species and treatment.
Darcey Collins Poster
11:10 am
Elizabeth Baach
eb1605@msstate.edu
Co-Authors Dr. Austin Himes, Dr. Joshua Granger, Dr. Adam Polinko, Dr. Michelle Zhou
Diversity-Productivity Relationships in Forests of the Southeastern United States: Leveraging National Inventory Data and Tree Functional Traits Numerous studies have evaluated the relationship between biodiversity and productivity, with general trends suggesting a positive relationship. While most studies only use species richness, I also analyzed how forest productivity changes with functional diversity and Shannon’s diversity index. Functional diversity gives important context to the examination of biodiversity-productivity relationships due to the direct link between organisms’ functional traits and their role in a given ecosystem. I use data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database collected in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana to estimate plot-level productivity, species diversity, and functional diversity. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the strength of the relationship between measures of diversity and forest productivity. I found that species richness, rather than functional diversity or Shannon’s diversity index, had the greatest influence on forest productivity but it was largely an indirect effect mediated by stand density.
baach_poster_shfrg_2022.pptx
Elizabeth Baach
eb1605@msstate.edu
Co-Authors Dr. Austin Himes, Dr. Joshua Granger, Dr. Adam Polinko, Dr. Michelle Zhou
Diversity-Productivity Relationships in Forests of the Southeastern United States: Leveraging National Inventory Data and Tree Functional Traits Numerous studies have evaluated the relationship between biodiversity and productivity, with general trends suggesting a positive relationship. While most studies only use species richness, I also analyzed how forest productivity changes with functional diversity and Shannon’s diversity index. Functional diversity gives important context to the examination of biodiversity-productivity relationships due to the direct link between organisms’ functional traits and their role in a given ecosystem. I use data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database collected in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana to estimate plot-level productivity, species diversity, and functional diversity. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the strength of the relationship between measures of diversity and forest productivity. I found that species richness, rather than functional diversity or Shannon’s diversity index, had the greatest influence on forest productivity but it was largely an indirect effect mediated by stand density.
baach_poster_shfrg_2022.pptx
11:20 am
Cassandra Hug
lch045245@uamont.edu
Co-Authors Pradip Saud, Douglas Osborne
Preliminary Assessment of Forest Composition and Tree Health within Green Tree Reservoirs in Arkansas The management and conservation of bottomland hardwood forests as Green Tree Reservoirs (GTR) is important both economically, and environmentally. The implications of artificial flooding on GTRs are known to play a role in forest composition and tree health. In this study, we aim to establish 750 plots across an elevation gradient, throughout 12 GTRs in Humphrey, Arkansas to collect overstory, understory and ground cover measurements. Preliminary data analysis conducted on 70 plots from one GTR, George’s Woods, suggest that overstory vegetation is primarily comprised of trees in lower Dbh size classes, 5-10 inches Dbh (43%). Overcup oak maintains the highest percentage of overstory species (16.09%) followed by Sugarberry (14.09%). The canopy cover is dominated by Overcup oak (31.1%) followed by Nuttall oak (19.1%) and Overcup has the highest importance value (64.65) followed by Nuttall oak (50.25). Analysis from the health evaluation suggests the majority of overstory tree species in George’s woods are under low stress. This preliminary analysis gives insight into the forest composition at Five Oaks and will help guide GTR management practices that will be economically viable and conserve the natural ecosystem.
southernhardwoodresearch_hug.pdf
Cassandra Hug
lch045245@uamont.edu
Co-Authors Pradip Saud, Douglas Osborne
Preliminary Assessment of Forest Composition and Tree Health within Green Tree Reservoirs in Arkansas The management and conservation of bottomland hardwood forests as Green Tree Reservoirs (GTR) is important both economically, and environmentally. The implications of artificial flooding on GTRs are known to play a role in forest composition and tree health. In this study, we aim to establish 750 plots across an elevation gradient, throughout 12 GTRs in Humphrey, Arkansas to collect overstory, understory and ground cover measurements. Preliminary data analysis conducted on 70 plots from one GTR, George’s Woods, suggest that overstory vegetation is primarily comprised of trees in lower Dbh size classes, 5-10 inches Dbh (43%). Overcup oak maintains the highest percentage of overstory species (16.09%) followed by Sugarberry (14.09%). The canopy cover is dominated by Overcup oak (31.1%) followed by Nuttall oak (19.1%) and Overcup has the highest importance value (64.65) followed by Nuttall oak (50.25). Analysis from the health evaluation suggests the majority of overstory tree species in George’s woods are under low stress. This preliminary analysis gives insight into the forest composition at Five Oaks and will help guide GTR management practices that will be economically viable and conserve the natural ecosystem.
southernhardwoodresearch_hug.pdf
11:30 am
Sharon Flue
seflue13@gmail.com
Co-Authors Dr. Joshua Adams
Three year growth results of improved American sycamore. The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a very resourceful tree species for the pulp and paper industry. American sycamores are also known for their rapid growth. The USDA Forest Service supplied Louisiana Tech with genetically different sycamore seedlings. After the seedlings were planted measurements were taken at year 1,2, and 3 years of tree growth. Measurements used in the results are the height and groundline diameter. The results showed year one is not a reliable indicator to show growth and height does not correlate with groundline diameter for the first three years. Within these 16 genetic families, most families showed an increase in growth in the three years recorded. There was one family that was high above the rest, but in general every family had significant growth overall. The best improved family had a 263% increase in height and 104% increase of groundline diameter all over the worst improved family.
sycamore_poster.pptx
Sharon Flue
seflue13@gmail.com
Co-Authors Dr. Joshua Adams
Three year growth results of improved American sycamore. The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a very resourceful tree species for the pulp and paper industry. American sycamores are also known for their rapid growth. The USDA Forest Service supplied Louisiana Tech with genetically different sycamore seedlings. After the seedlings were planted measurements were taken at year 1,2, and 3 years of tree growth. Measurements used in the results are the height and groundline diameter. The results showed year one is not a reliable indicator to show growth and height does not correlate with groundline diameter for the first three years. Within these 16 genetic families, most families showed an increase in growth in the three years recorded. There was one family that was high above the rest, but in general every family had significant growth overall. The best improved family had a 263% increase in height and 104% increase of groundline diameter all over the worst improved family.
sycamore_poster.pptx
11:40 am
Caroline Vickery
caroline.vickery@furman.edu
Co-Authors John Quinn
Connecting Land Use and Climate Change to Modeled Soil Ecosystem Services in the SC Upstate Ecosystem services (ESs) associated with surficial processes may change according to shifts in land use and climate parameters, and estimating these shifts can be important for land development planning. We employed the InVEST suite of models for sediment retention, nutrient delivery, and carbon storage to postulate how these ESs will change in the Upstate of South Carolina under future precipitation and land-use scenarios. Using linear mixed models, we found that phosphorus and sediment exports increased between 2011 and 2016, while nitrogen export stayed the same and carbon storage decreased. Land development that prioritizes forest cover will cause the least change in ESs, but perpetuating forest loss to low-density development will have the most intense implications for ESs. Land development planners should integrate consideration of ESs associated with soil and surficial processes into future regional planning.
vickery_poster_shfr.pptx
Caroline Vickery
caroline.vickery@furman.edu
Co-Authors John Quinn
Connecting Land Use and Climate Change to Modeled Soil Ecosystem Services in the SC Upstate Ecosystem services (ESs) associated with surficial processes may change according to shifts in land use and climate parameters, and estimating these shifts can be important for land development planning. We employed the InVEST suite of models for sediment retention, nutrient delivery, and carbon storage to postulate how these ESs will change in the Upstate of South Carolina under future precipitation and land-use scenarios. Using linear mixed models, we found that phosphorus and sediment exports increased between 2011 and 2016, while nitrogen export stayed the same and carbon storage decreased. Land development that prioritizes forest cover will cause the least change in ESs, but perpetuating forest loss to low-density development will have the most intense implications for ESs. Land development planners should integrate consideration of ESs associated with soil and surficial processes into future regional planning.
vickery_poster_shfr.pptx
11:50 am
Jiaxin Wang
jw3994@msstate.edu
Co-Authors: Heidi J. Renninger
Title: How does coppicing management affect poplar production in Southeast US?
Abstract: We conducted field experiments and planted 6-7 taxa (eastern cottonwood and hybrids) in Monroe and Pontotoc to select optimal poplar species for planting in South America, such as Mississippi. Coppicing management as a treatment was conducted at the end of the second growing season. Our results suggested that DM and DD exhibited the highest productivity at the end of the first growing season in both Monroe and Pontotoc sites, while DD showed the highest productivity after the second growing season. These results may suggest that DD and DM are optimal taxa for selecting and planting in the Mississippi. S7C8, 111733, ST70, and S7C2 are the best clones of DD that show the highest potential for biomass production. Compared with non-coppiced management, coppiced management reduced poplar’s potential productivity (~ 50%) since, after two growing seasons, poplar tends to obtain higher yearly productivity. Poplar planted in the Monroe site showed more productivity than in the Pontotoc site, which may be attributed to soil factors. Future studies are warranted to explore the phenological, physiological characteristics, and environmental factors that could be used to explain the differences in biomass productivity between cottonwoods and their hybrids.
48_60_poster_mississippi_delta_jiaxin_final.pdf
Jiaxin Wang
jw3994@msstate.edu
Co-Authors: Heidi J. Renninger
Title: How does coppicing management affect poplar production in Southeast US?
Abstract: We conducted field experiments and planted 6-7 taxa (eastern cottonwood and hybrids) in Monroe and Pontotoc to select optimal poplar species for planting in South America, such as Mississippi. Coppicing management as a treatment was conducted at the end of the second growing season. Our results suggested that DM and DD exhibited the highest productivity at the end of the first growing season in both Monroe and Pontotoc sites, while DD showed the highest productivity after the second growing season. These results may suggest that DD and DM are optimal taxa for selecting and planting in the Mississippi. S7C8, 111733, ST70, and S7C2 are the best clones of DD that show the highest potential for biomass production. Compared with non-coppiced management, coppiced management reduced poplar’s potential productivity (~ 50%) since, after two growing seasons, poplar tends to obtain higher yearly productivity. Poplar planted in the Monroe site showed more productivity than in the Pontotoc site, which may be attributed to soil factors. Future studies are warranted to explore the phenological, physiological characteristics, and environmental factors that could be used to explain the differences in biomass productivity between cottonwoods and their hybrids.
48_60_poster_mississippi_delta_jiaxin_final.pdf