Annual Report: 1036600
Annual Report for Period:10/2011 - 09/2012
Principal Investigator: Wang, Yong .
Organization: Alabama A&M University
Submitted By:
Wang, Yong - Principal Investigator
Submitted on: 07/19/2012
Award ID: 1036600
Title:
Center of Forest Ecosystem Assessment (CFEA)
Project Participants
Senior Personnel
Name: Wang, Yong
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Wang is the PI of the CREST-CFEA proposal, and has been serving as the Center Director since 2007. He has been
coordinating the Center functions and managing the budgets. On behalf of CREST-CFEA, he worked on several initiatives during
the past year: (1) leading the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) International China program at AAMU, with Dr.
Elica Moss and with financial support from NSF and AAMU; (2) collaboration with the North Alabama Center for Educational
Excellence (NACEE), a private organization working to increase the minority participation in STEM fields, to recruit high school
students to participate CREST related research activities. A supplement proposal submitted to NSF to fund two minority high
school students to join the summer research programs each year was awarded by NSF; (3) a co-PI on Undergraduate Research
Mentoring project funded by NSF; (4) PI of research on the plant invasion, and worked with faculty members and research staff of
the CREST-CFEA on the project funded by US Office of Surface Mining; (5) PI on the project of enhancement of recruitment
effort by collaborating with the recruitment director of the College of Agricultural, Life, and Natural Sciences (CALNS)
'Developing Online Dual Credit Partnerships and Recruiting for 21st Century Professionals in Food and Agricultural Science',
funded by a
NIFA grant; (6) worked with partners from Bankhead National Forest, a private consultant, and other organizations on establishing
a research and education center at Bankhead National Forest; (7) worked with NSF Program Director and University and School
administrators to resolve CREST-CFEA budget issues; and (8) lead the AAMU China initiative funded by USDA.
Dr. Wang is also in charge of the herpetofaunal and avian research of the subproject II. As a biometrician, Dr. Wang assists the
faculty and students in research design and statistical analyses. Dr. Wang currently has five graduate students working on
CREST-CFEA related project. Most of these students and their research activities have been funded by external funds, but
benefited from CREST-CFEA directly or indirectly.
Name: Senwo, Zachary
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Senwo is the interim Assistant Dean of the School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and is Director of the SAES
Research Program. In 2010, Dr. Senwo traveled to China with the research group (on a NIFA grant), to Nanjing Forestry
University, to establish long-term research ties to that university.
Name: Tadesse, Wubishet
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Tadesse coordinates the Center of Forest Ecosystem Assessment's
Subproject III - Coupled Dynamics of Human and Landscape (CD) with
administrative responsibilities including budgeting, developing
progress reports, and project planning with monthly meetings. He is
involved in the investigations on Component 1: Impact of watershed
level forest management on hydrological processes, forest structure,
and carbon stocks, and Component 2: Land-use strategies and forest
land cover changes influence on the provision of ecological services.
Name: Chen, Xiongwen
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Annual Report: 1036600
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Chen's work during this reporting time period mainly included (1)
recruited a graduate student (Emily Summers); (2) implemented the
proposed activities; and (3) published two peer-reviewed journal
papers. He visited the study area to implement field surveys from last
winter. He collected relevant field information for ecological
services and air quality at Bankhead National Forest with students
using field surveys and monitoring. He also use remote sensing to
collect relevant information for the project. He advised one graduate
student (Emily Summers) for the CFEA sub-project Coupled Dynamics of
Human and Landscape (CD). He also serves as a major advisor for two
Ph.D. and one master students. Additionally, Dr. Chen also advises one
URM student and two REU students. Dr. Chen also invited seminar
speakers: Dr. Shermin de Silva , Director of Uda Walawe Elephant
Reserve in Sri Lanka, and Dr. K. Bruce Jones, Senior Research
Scientist with USGS.
Name: Christian, Colmore
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Christian coordinates the ecological impact/outdoor recreation
component of Thrust Area III. Progress in implementation of this
project component has been delayed. During the last six months Dr.
Christian has served as a resource person at Limited Resource
Landowners Assistance Network (LRLEAN) workshop, served as a judge for
graduate students' poster presentations at the 2012 Minorities in
Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS)
Conference, had abstract titled 'Dominica's Park Users' Visitation
Patterns and Perceptions' accepted for presentation at the 'Forests
for People International Conference, scheduled for May 2012 in Vienna,
Austria. A couple other submitted manuscripts are in the review
stages.
Name: Dimov, Luben
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Luben Dimov is a Co-PI in the CREST-CFEA center. His participation in CFEA is related to the vegetation dynamics and response
to the treatments. Dr.Dimov worked in a number of aspects of the project during the reporting period, including:
1) served as member of the Bankhead National Forest Restoration Monitoring Team. The team is composed of participants from
the environmental protection group Wildsouth and from the USDA Forest Service William B. Bankhead National Forest,
2) obtained a grant from the Weyerhaeuser NR Company that supported an undergraduate student from Alabama A&M University
for a summer research project. The student then presented her results at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America
and is now applying to attend graduate school,
3) along with other Alabama A&M University PIs, obtained funding from the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station to
provide STEM-related educational and research opportunities for Alabama A&M University undergraduate students from the
Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences. The grant is entitled Cahaba River/Lake Purdy Watershed
Education,Research and Outreach Initiative. The project also aims to recruit high-school students from the Birmingham inner-city
and increase participation of underrepresented minorities in forest ecology, biological sciences, and STEM disciplines in general,
4) advised private landowners on the restoration of American chestnut
5) served as PI on a project funded by the USDA to determine the scientific basis for sustainable biomass harvesting in the
southern United States,
6) advised two graduate students, one of which graduated during in the Fall of 2011 with an MSc in the Department of Biological
and Environmental Sciences. She examined environmentally friendly methods for controlling non-native invasive plant species and
was partially supported by CFEA. The other student, partially supported by CFEA, is examining the relationship between forest
diversity and forest productivity and is working on a PhD. The PhD student recently won and was awarded an EpSCOR Graduate
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Annual Report: 1036600
Research Scholars Program (GRSP) fellowship that comes with a salary support for up
to three years,
7) provided a review and feedback on the resumes and graduate school
applications of students from the Ecological Society of America's diversity program (called SEEDS) and students from Alabama
A&M University,
8) reviewed silviculture related abstracts submitted to the Society of American Foresters for their annual convention. As a forest
ecologist and silviculturist, Dr. Dimov works with other faculty, as well as graduate and undergraduate students, and assists them
in
their design and implementation of forestry-related experiments.
Name: Fraser, Rory
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Fraser is coordinating efforts to extend the land cover data base for the Black Belt region by incorporating georeferenced and
mosaicked images of aerial photographs. The development of survey instruments to be used with landowners, and identifying
ecological functions of forests in the Bankhead and Black Belt.
Name: Gyawali, Buddhi
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Lead investigator for Component 2, supervised undergraduate/graduate
students. Dr. Gyawali recently left AAMU and is now working at Kentucky State University in Frankfort, KY.
Name: Mbila, Monday
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Monday Mbila is a pedologist, and has been working with soils of
several northern Alabama study sites (including Bankhead National
Forest) to characterize the soil mineralogy, and soil organic matter
of the ecosystem. Currently, he directs investigations on ecosystem
functions and processes in disturbed forest ecosystem to address clay mineral changes and organic matter interaction patterns in the
forest ecosystem. Dr. Mbila was an adviser for the AAMU Environmental Science Club. he was also a judge for the North
Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair (March 2-4, 2011) and for the Alabama State Science and Engineering Fair
(March 31-April 2, 2011), in the School of Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Dr. Mbila attended the following meetings/conferences:
The Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Society's Annual Meeting, held
June 8-10, 2011, at Five Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort,
Alabama.
The Alabama USDA-NRES Soil Survey Work Planning Conference, held March
8-9, 2011, at Auburn University in Alabama.
Name: Moss, Elica
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Elica M. Moss received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental
Science with a minor in Chemistry at Alabama A&M University. After
which, she obtained her Ph. D in Crop and Soil Science/Environmental
Toxicology from Michigan State University. Dr. Moss currently works
in Sub-project II - Ecosystem Functions and Processes in Disturbed
Forest Ecosystem: Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycling Dynamics. Dr. Moss,
along with other members of sub-project II, works collaboratively with
the US Forest Service to assess the long-term study sites at the
Bankhead National Forest. During this past year, she traveled to Long
Beach, California to attend the Soil Science Society of America
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Annual Report: 1036600
meeting (October 31-November 4, 2010). She brought ten (10)
students with her to attend this meeting. She is planning on attending
this year's SSSA international meeting in San Antonio, Texas (October
16-19, 2011), and will bring nine (9) students with her to this
meeting as well. Dr. Moss is a mentor and Co-PI for the National
Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences Program (REU). She is
also PI and mentor of the NSF Undergraduate Research and Mentoring
Program, the first of its kind at Alabama A&M University (AAMU).
Recently a new REU proposal was also accepted by the NSF, for an
international program that will bring undergraduate students to China
to conduct research for ecological and environmental sciences in an
urbanizing landscape.
Dr. Moss advised Ph.D. candidate and CFEA-CREST student Meiko Thompson
who graduated in 2010 (and who is now a post-doc at the University of
Tennessee in Knoxville). She is the coordinator of the only
accredited Environmental Health Science program in the state of
Alabama. She is advisor to many students with an interest in
ecological studies and teaches several courses in Environmental
Science, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology and Environmental
Toxicology. Dr. Moss is advisor to the Environmental Science Club,
which focuses on improving environmental awareness and stewardship
across campus. She also serves on the planning committee for the
annual AAMU STEM Day in hopes of attracting more students to the STEM
disciplines and increasing the awareness of the wonderful/significant
research that occurs on campus. Dr. Moss is also a proponent of
sharing with the community the tremendous opportunities in natural
resources and environmental science areas. She has established a
relationship with the Birmingham Water Works Student Ambassadors
program, the Sumter County Board of Education and the North Alabama
Center for Educational Excellence through which AAMU has established
an EnvironMentor program where she serves as a mentor.
Name: Naka, Kozma
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Naka has just started working on his project and he is trying to
recruit one graduate student. He was involved in the first round of CFEA as advisor of two graduate students, Thomas Tenyah and
Xavier Ndona, both African American who graduated two years ago.
Name: Nyakatawa, Ermson
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Nyakatawa is affiliated with sub-project two: Forest Ecosystem
Functions and Processes in Disturbed Forest Ecosystem?Biogeochemical
Nutrient Cycling Dynamics. Within this ub-project, Dr. Nyakatawa is
studying the carbon sequestration aspects of component 3 (Carbon
sequestration and energy flux balance in disturbed forest ecosystem)
to improve our understanding of the role orests play in global carbon
sequestration. Specifically, Dr. Nyakatawa's research is concentrating
on investigating the effects of forest management practices such as
prescribed burning and tree harvesting on soil carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions and C sequestration. Quantitative impacts of soil
temperature and soil moisture conditions under the different forest
management practices on soil C dynamics will be developed by
performing regression and correlation analyses on soil CO2 fluxes and
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Annual Report: 1036600
soil C storage data.
Dr. Nyakatawa currently trains and supervises Ms. Bahja Anderson, an
undergraduate student in the Department of Natural Resources and
Environmental Sciences. He is currently working on recruiting an MS
graduate student to conduct research on the effects of fire and tree
harvesting forest management practices on soil C dynamics in the
Bankhead National Forest ecosystem. Dr. Nyakatawa is a thesis
committee member for a CFEA-CREST sponsored graduate student, Ms.
Angela Reedy, who is working towards her MS degree, studying the
effects of forest management practices on soil organic phosphorus
transformations. Last summer, Dr. Nyakatawa participated in the
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the Department
of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. This is an NSF funded
program within the CFEA, whose activities are closely related to the
CREST project. As an REU program mentor, Dr. Nyakatawa trained an
undergraduate student from Florida A&M University on laboratory
instrumentation aspects of measuring and quantifying ammonium and
nitrate nitrogen in forest soils exposed to prescribed burning forest
management practice.
Name: Ranatunga, Thilini
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Ranatunga serves as a Co-PI for the CFEA Sub-project: Ecosystem Functions and Processes in Disturbed Forest
Ecosystem?Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycling Dynamics. Her research is specifically focused on investigation of phosphorus (P)
transformation in forest soils subjected to prescribed burning and thinning treatments. During this reporting period, Dr. Ranatunga
actively participated in designing of experimental protocols to meet the objectives of the sub-project, P fractionation of soils, data
analysis, budget management, preparation of reports, and participation in CFEA group meeting discussions. She also participated
in the CREST/CEFA External Board Meeting (September 2011) activities and presented her work plan and research activities to
the committee. Her other research activities include investigation of structural transformation of soil organic matter in forest soils
subjected to prescribed burning and logging treatments. Preliminary work from this study was presented at the Soil Science
Society of America (SSSA) Annual Meeting (October 2011). She serves as a member of several MS and Ph.D. thesis advisory
committees. She has also attended scientific meetings, conferences, and faculty development activities. She is an active member in
scientific societies, including: Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and Association of Women Soil
Scientists.
Name: Schweitzer, Callie
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Schweitzer leads the USFS SRS research unit in Huntsville. She is
working on both sub-projects one and three and is a fundamental part
of the ongoing collaboration between subprojects and external
partners. The USFS Research and Development partners collected field
data on all 36 stands, including vegetation characterization, canopy
structure, light dynamics and fuel loading specifics. Field training
days were conducted, and several field tours targeted myriad groups.
In 2012, Dr. Schweitzer and her technicians continued to work with
artificial establishment of the American chestnut on selected sites.
Schweitzer compiled a series of graphs and related data for the USFS
Bankhead National Forest Fire Management Chief, who used this
information to address concerns raised in a scoping letter with
comments germane to loblolly thinning and fuel inputs (February 2012).
USFS research personnel held several field training sessions for new
graduate students and their associates, assisted with soil field
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Annual Report: 1036600
collection, and continue to provide logistical support, including maps
of stands and information on the field research. Schweitzer is also
working with partners from the USFS Northern Research Station and the
University of Missouri to quantify product damage (timber) and
recovery due to harvesting and repeated prescribed fires. Data
compilation and analysis is on-going to document the stand structure
composition and structural changes due to the treatments, with
additional work to compute above ground carbon storage capacity and
changes.
Name: Soliman, Khairy
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Tsegaye, Teferi
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Tsegaye left AAMU for a position at Kentucky State University in
Frankfort, KY.
Name: Wagaw, Mezemir
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr Wagaw is a assistant processor of hydrology and joined CFEA in 2010
with the renewal of the NSF CREST grant. His work build on land
management and geospatial work done during the first cycle to
integrate a new aspect to CFEA, hydrology. During the 2011/12 year Dr
Wagaw had four site selection field trips to the BNF, and specified
eight locations for the soil measurement in Oct. 2011 and Feb. 2012.
Due to size and location of instrumentation permitting was required
before installation (6 month process). The instrumentation of the
sites will take place in July 2012. In this reporting year, Dr Wagaw
started the mapping of the BNF on potential sediment load supply sites
based on LiDAR and High Resolution infrared imageries. Pre-processed
data from Southeast Regional Climate Center (in Chapel Hill, NC)
records, and USGS river/stream flow gage historical measurements,
USDA-NRCS SSURGO/STATSGO soil database.
Name: Tazisong, Irenus
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Tazisong coordinates the Thrust II (Soils) project with
responsibilities for progress reports, experimental design and project
planning. He directs investigations on the biogeochemical nutrient
cycling dynamics in disturbed managed ecosystem, and the soil
microbial biodiversity studies to address component 1. Dr Tazisong
supervises Shelley Baltar (a field and lab technician for the soil sub
project) who was hired in June 2011. Shelley Baltar has mapped and
taken GPS points of all the treatments. She has ordered most of the
supplies needed for soil sampling and collection. She is also
responsible for data entering into spread sheet, prepare molar
solutions in the lab, operate and trouble shoot instruments, and
assist graduate and undergraduate students working in the soil sub
project. She has received training in forest safety from Allison
Cochran, the Bankhead National Forest wildlife biologist. This
training has prepared her to do her job effectively.
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Annual Report: 1036600
Dr. Tazisong is a CO-PI for two grants awarded and two pending (See
Table 1). The two grants awarded are: ( 1 ) Increasing Adoption of
Organic Farming Practices in Alabama through Teaching and Educational
Extension Activities. This was an integrated proposal jointly
submitted by Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University. This
grant was funded by the USDA in July 2011 for the amount of
$600,000.00 with AAMU to receive $240,000.00 of the total amount. My
collaborators in this grant are:- Desmond Mortley; Eunice Bonsi;
Adelia Bovell-Benjamin; Leonard Githinji; Franklin Quarcoo; Wendell
McElhenney; Youssouf Diabete; Leopold Nyochembeng; Regine Mankolo; and
Rufina Ward; and ( 2 ) Trends and Emerging Issues in Soil Microbial
Ecology: Challenges and Opportunities, funded by the USDA for the
amount of $10,000.00. Collaborators in this grant include Dr. Zachary
Senwo and Dr. Ramble Ankumah. The grants pending are ( 1 ) NSF REUChina Site for Ecological and Environmental Sciences in Urbanizing
Landscape. This grant is a Research Experience for Undergraduates
(REU) at AAMU with the financial support requested from NSF. My
collaborators in this grant include: Drs. Yong Wang, Elica Moss,
Zachary Senwo, Goang Liaw, Yuanchun Yu, Haibo Wu, Zhongjun Jia,
Jianzhi Niu; and ( 2 ) Understanding the Interaction of the Root
Endophyte Piriformospora indica with Tomato Plants and Effects of
Different Soils on its Colonization of Tomato Roots, submitted to
USDA-AFRI in June 2011, for the requested amount of $499,814.
Collaborators for this grant include: Dr. Leopold Nyochembeng, Dr.
Regine Mankolo, and Dr. M. S. Reddy.
Dr. Tazisong works in collaboration with Co-PIs of the CREST-CFEA and
faculty members across the Department of Natural Resource and
Environmental Science (NRES). He attended and presented at the 16th
Biennial Research Symposium held in Atlanta Marriott Marquis Atlanta,
Georgia, from April 9 ? 13, 2011. This symposium was organized by the
Association of Research Directors, Inc. During this symposium Dr.
Tazisong also serve as a moderator for the concurrent graduate
students oral presentations, in the Renewable Resources, Bioenergy and
Environmental Stewardship session. Dr. Tazisong has authored two
publications and a presentation as listed elsewhere in this Report.
Name: Stone, William
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Stone serves with other faculty members on the Core Steering Committee (CSC) and chairs the Teambuilding Leadership
Committee (TLC). Dr. Stone (along with Dr. Ken Ward) are PIs on the McIntire-Stenis grant looking at effects of timber
harvesting techniques on freshwater ecosystems. He is major advisor to Heather Howell (Ph.D. candidate), who is the primary
researcher on freshwater ecosystem response to timber harvesting techniques and other anthropogenic disturbances in urban areas.
Both teach two courses in fisheries. With other CFEA colleagues and students, Dr. Stone has conducted several community
outreach projects at local public schools and community groups this year.
Name: Taylor, Robert
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Taylor is professor of soils and soil-related topics at AAMU.
Post-doc
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Annual Report: 1036600
Name: Li, Jianqiang
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Li is a post-doctoral researcher at Alabama A&M University (beginning in September 2011). He collaborates on avian research
in China, and has collaborated on several publications with Dr. Wang. He participated in data collection, field work, publishing,
and program assistant.
Graduate Student
Name: Farid, Rashidah
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Farid is a MS candidate under the advisement of Dr. Soliman. Her
research is focusing on genetic differences that may be present in
amphibians living and breeding within different silvicultural treatments
in the Bankhead National Forest. She is currently funded through CREST.
Name: Williams, Jeanette
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Williams received her graduate degree from Alabama A&M University in Fall 2011. She is a co-author with Dr. Dimov on
research and publications. Ms. Williams also participated in data collection and field work.
Name: Ojha, Santosh
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr.Ojha is examining the effect of forest tree diversity on the productivity of forests. He is currently using Forest Inventory and
Analysis (FIA) data from Alabama, including data from the William B. Bankhead National Forest, but his study will expand to use
all FIA data from plots east of the Mississippi river. The diversity-productivity relationship in forest is not as well known as for
grasslands. It will have important consequences for the sustainable management of of the W. B. Bankhead National Forest, as well
as forests elsewhere. Santosh will be presenting his preliminary findings at the Ecological Society of America annual meeting in
Portland, Oregon in August of 2012.
Name: Stringer, Brandie
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Stringer is a Masters student on Subproject 1 (Wildlife). Dr. Yong Wang is her major advisor. Her research topic is: Effect of
forest management on the songbird breeding success in northeastern Alabama. A better understanding of disturbance ecology is
crucial to the conservation of Neotropical migratory songbirds, as many of them are sensitive to anthropogenic environmental
changes. Many Neotropical migrants, such as Setophaga discolor, the Prairie Warbler (PRAW), are dependent upon periodic
disturbance for their habitat needs and have shown declines due to loss of early successional habitat. Most land in the southeastern
US are forested and are privately owned. Alabama contains the third largest commercial forest and the second largest private
forest in the nation. Timber production is a major economic driving force, which affects the forest structure and availability across
the landscape. These disturbances may create early successional habitat that is beneficial to some avian species that rely on this
habitat. However, little work has been done to examine the mechanisms such as the individual fecundity and population level
productivity that affect these avian species. The logging practice creates early successional habitat that will accommodate more
breeding territories of early successional avian species at the forest stand level. The practice also increases the risk of predation
and parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird. The tradeoff between the increased breeding habitat (opportunity for breeding,
territories) at a forest stand level and the negative effect on individual fecundity due to predation and parasitism may change
temporarily with forest successional changes. We may expect a particular forest stand going through the process of 'sink' 'source' habitat dynamics. The study examines songbird response to anthropogenic disturbance from forest logging practices by
examining: (1) individual level reproductive success (nest level) and (2) population level reproductive success (forest stand level).
Ms. Stringer gave eight (see below) presentations at different conferences/meetings, including: Alabama A&M University Stem
Day 2011, Normal, AL (April 20), where she gave a poster presentation (Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal
Response), the ASB 2010 Annual Conference in Huntsville, AL (April 13-16), where she gave a poster presentation (Forest
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Annual Report: 1036600
Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response), and at the ACTWS 2011 Annual Meeting in Prattville, AL (March
3-5), where she gave a poster presentation (Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response).
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2012. Forest Canopy Manipulation and Breeding Bird Responses: Treatment- and
Temporal-Dependent Responses. Alabama A&M University STEM Day 6th Annual Conference, Normal, AL. Poster presentation,
2nd place in competition, April 2012.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2012. Forest Canopy Reduction and Breeding Bird Responses: Treatment- and
Temporal-Dependent Responses. Association of Southeastern Biologists 73rd Annual Meeting, Athens, GA. Abstract published,
Alabama Academy of Science.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2012. Forest Canopy Reduction and Breeding Bird Responses: Treatment- and
Temporal-Dependent Responses. Association of Southeastern Biologists 73rd Annual Meeting, Athens, GA. Poster presentation,
April 2012.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2012. Disturbance and Conservation Priority Species: Temporal Responses.
Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Priceville, AL. Poster presentation, February 2012.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2011. Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response.
Alabama A&M University STEM Day 5th Annual Conference, Normal, AL. Poster presentation, 2nd place in competition, April
2011.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2011. Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response.
Association of Southeastern Biologists 72nd Annual Meeting, Huntsville, AL. Abstract published, Alabama Academy of Science.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2011. Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response.
Association of Southeastern Biologists 72nd Annual Meeting, Huntsville, AL. Poster presentation, April 2011.
Stringer, B.K., Y. Wang, and C.J. Schweitzer. 2011. Forest Disturbance and a Songbird Community: Temporal Response.
Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Prattville, AL. March 2011.
Name: Messenger, Kevin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Conner, Padraic
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Conner is a graduate student of Dr. Wang. His research study is on the relationship of above ground carbon storage variation
and herpetofaunal and small mammal community. His field site repairs were conducted from May 1st to May 31st. Mammal
surveys were conducted 6 days per week from June 1st to August 14th. Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted from May 14th to
September 17th when the season was cut short due to equipment failure and repair. Preparations for the Summer of 2012 field
season have begun and Surveys began May 14th. His major research highlights and findings are for small mammals, all 20 units in
the study were surveyed on two occasions for 5 days on each occasion. For herpetofaunal, all 20 units were surveyed each day for
up to 6 days per week. Surveys were conducted over a period of approximately 110 days. Species encountered and relative
abundance is recorded below. Some preliminary patterns that emerged included large numbers of young Lithobates palustris
following early season wet weather and showed a significant preference for shelterwood treatment, very large numbers of
Anaxyrus americanus mid to late season, greater numbers of lizards in cut areas, and overall greater diversity near woody debris.
No further data has been collected since the last report as data is collected only from May through September.
Mr. Conner has attended these meetings and conferences.
Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Prattville, AL. 4 March 2011. Attended.
Alabama Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Annual Meeting, Nauvoo, AL. 1 October 2011. Attended
Conner, P.T. and Y. Wang. 2012. Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Response to Carbon Storage Regimes. SEPARC Annual
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Annual Report: 1036600
Meeting, Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN. February 16-19 2012.
Conner, P.T. and Y. Wang. 2012. Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal
Community. Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Decatur, AL February 27, 2012.
Conner, P.T. and Y. Wang. 2012. Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal
Community. Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting, Athens, GA April 5-7, 2012.
Conner, P.T. and Y. Wang. 2012. Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal
Community. 2012 Alabama A&M University Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Day. Huntsville, AL.
April 12, 2011.
Name: Diggs, Elliot
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Diggs was a Masters student of Dr. Wang's. He was here during the majority of this
funding cycle. He completed some coursework, worked on his proposal, and fixed fences
and traps during the 2011-2012 winter months with Kevin Creely, who was
his technician. He has since left the program and Alabama A&M.
Name: Mitchell, Jasmine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Mitchell, a Management Information Systems major worked in the
GIS/Remote Sensing Lab and for NRES, assisting with setting up the
department's server, helping students, faculty and staff who may have
computer issues and maintaining/repairing computers for the computer
labs in the department. She is now a MS student. As part of her thesis
she will develop a mobile GIS application for forest management in
collaboration with the Department of Computer Sciences.
Name: Fields, Szymanski
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Advisor: Dr. Wubishet Tadesse
Major: Plant and Soil Science
Graduated May 13, 2011
MS Thesis title: The use of LiDar and color infrared imagery to measure forest characteristics in the William B. Bankhead Forest.
Mr.Fields' research focused on incorporating light detection and ranging (LiDaR) and color infrared imagery to quantify forest
structures and to distinguish tree species groups (pines and hardwoods) for selected stands within the William B. Bankhead
National Forest, Alabama. The broader focus of this study was contribute to the state of knowledge in applying LiDaR data for
forest vertical structure quantification. The specific objectives of this study were to ( 1 ) test and evaluate the ability of a small
footprint Discrete LiDaR system in measuring individual tree heights at a plot level for selected stands within the Bankhead
National Forest; ( 2 ) further canvas pine-hardwood species differentiation along with the tree location and identification
capabilities of color infrared imagery (CIR) when used in conjunction with LiDaR. Tree species groups were assigned through
object-based classification and statistical analysis of CIR via ENVI Feature Extraction? software. Tree species group classification
accuracy was then statistically evaluated and validated through comparison to concurrent ground collected species data followed
by the implementation of user and producer accuracy calculations. The ability of modeled LiDaR return data to accurately measure
individual tree heights was carried out through Ordinary Kriging interpolation of LiDaR point clouds for the creation of Digital
Terrain Models (DTM) and Digital Surface Models (DSM) rasters of selected study area stands. Tree locations and heights in the
form of Canopy Height Models (CHM) were derived from subtraction modeling of DTM from DSM. The LiDaR CHMs were
processed using TreeVaW? software package to yield individual tree heights. LiDaR modeled tree heights were compared with
concurrent ground measured tree heights from each corresponding tree through regression analysis. A paired t-test conducted upon
all sampled trees (n=97, p-value < 0.00) indicated a significant difference between LiDaR and ground measured average heights
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Annual Report: 1036600
with an average difference of 1.0 m. Linear regression modeling of the LiDaR and field measured height showed that aerial
platform discrete LiDaR derived measurements slightly underestimated individual tree heights compared to traditional in-situ
measurements [LiDaR Ht.All= 0.98x], suppressed-intercept model, LiDaR?dependent variable). When separated into pine and
hardwood species groups, paired T-tests revealed a significant difference between ground and LiDaR heights of conifers (n=69,
p-value < 0.01) and a mean difference of 1.7 m [LiDaR Ht.Pine=0.93x]. However, no significant difference was found between
ground and LiDaR heights of hardwoods (n=28, p-value=0.05) and a mean difference < 0.1 m [LiDaR Ht.Hwood=1.03x]. LiDaR
derived measurements closely rivaled in-situ height measurements in accuracy and may exceed in-situ methods in cost
effectiveness and data collection time when applied across large scales. However, the proportion of remotely identified trees to the
actual number of trees within the study area suggests that the individual tree delineation abilities of the LiDaR system and data
processing methods of this study were hindered by interlaced crowns and close proximity trees, eluding that this method is best
suited for well distributed pine tree environments such as pine plantations. Object-based classification of study area CIR
successfully located 73% of targeted mid-story and over-story trees. The object-oriented classification method was conducted with
an overall accuracy of 87%.The OBC user accuracy for pines and hardwoods are 100% and 70% respectively. OBC producer
accuracy is 84% for pines and 90% for hardwoods. Results of the object-based classification of CIR imagery demonstrate this
method of image classification has the ability to reasonably discriminated pine-hardwood within a mixed forest environment when
applied to 0.5m multispectral imagery.
Name: Fountain, James
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Fountain was recruited as a graduate student in major of natural resources and
environmental sciences in March 2011 and he decided to change major to education in May.
Mr. Fountain was advised by Dr. Chen. During this short time period, Mr. Fountain was
engaged in reading relevant literature on forest ecological services and air quality. He
participated in the field survey of air quality at Bankhead National Forest during April.
Name: Riley, Robert (Bobby)
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Riley is working with Dr. Mezemir Wagaw on the impact of forest
management on hydrological processes at the watershed level. He is
currently working on his coursework and has not yet defended his
research proposal. Mr. Riley started in spring of 2011, and is a recent
graduate (BS) of the environmental science program at Alabama A&M
University.
Name: Lampley, Johnathan
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Advisor: Dr. Colmore Christian
Major: Plant and Soil Science
Expected graduation date: n/a (dropped out of program)
MS Thesis title: n/a
Mr. Lampley joined the Forestry, Ecology and Wildlife Program (FEWP)
in Fall 2010. During the course of that semester he assisted with a
'Visitor Use Pattern Study' at the Bankhead National Forest under a
McIntire-Stennis funded initiative. Unfortunately, Mr. Lampley dropped
out of school after one semester to continue fulltime employment with
the US Forest Service.
Mr. Lampley worked as part of the USFS SRS crew, under the
guidance of Dr. Schweitzer and Mr. Sisk. He has since left A&M for a permeant job position.
Name: Gill, Bonita
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
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Annual Report: 1036600
Advisor: Dr. Colmore Christian
Major: Plant and Soil Science
Expected graduation date: n/a (dropped out of program)
MS Thesis title: n/a
Ms Gill spent one semester working on an Evans-Allen funded project. That project is
looking at the 'Status and Enhancement of Private Sector Outdoor Recreation-based
Enterprises in Alabama's Black Belt,' during Spring 2011.
Name: Summers, Emily
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Summers graduated from Auburn University and holds B.S. degree in Zoology. She is a graduate student at Alabama A&M
University under Dr. Chen. Her research will focus on the study of wildlife ecological service and air quality change along
urban-forest gradient. She will be going to China with her advisor to work on a collaborative research project there and to assist
with the REU China Program (2012).
Name: Reedy, Angela
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Reedy is a MS student who started under Dr. Ranatunga, in the FE thrust area, recruited in Spring 2011. Her research focus
was on phosphorus transformation in forest soils due to Silvicultural treatments. By the end of the Fall 2011, she began working
under Dr. Mbila in the FE thrust area. Her research is now focused on soil mineral and soil organic matter interaction in a disturbed
ecosystem. Ms. Reedy has enhanced her understanding of the new topic through reviewed enough literature review and classes so
that she completed the first draft of her proposal. The final one will be submitted by the end of Summer 2012.
For the research topic, Ms. Reedy chose soil mineral and soil organic matter interaction in a disturbed ecosystem. On a global
scale, it deals with the rising amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere addressed in the Kyoto Protocols given by the UN. The
world soils have the capacity to capture the carbon and store it in the form of soil organic matter. That capacity depends on the
interaction between soil minerals and soil organic matter through mineral?organic matter binding that stabilizes the soil organic
matter. The study of the relationships between soil mineral types and soil organic matter accumulation mechanisms in soils of
disturbed environments at the BNF may provide a better understanding the effects of management practices, such as prescribed
burning and thinning, on the low capacity organic accumulation in Alabama and on soil mineralogy, organic matter accumulations,
and carbon sequestration. She is gathering soil to perform lab analysis during this summer.
From the Fall 2011 through the Spring 2012 academic semesters, Ms. Reedy has completed the following courses: Soil
Microbiology (NRE 506), Hazardous Waste Management (NRE 553), 3 credit hours of the Master's Thesis (NRE599- research),
Statistics (NRE529), Remote Sensing of the Environment (NRE576), Advanced Topics in Plant and Soil (NRE590-Soil
Mineralogy and Morphology), and Soil, Plant and Water Analysis (NRE570). During the Summer 2012, she will continue to
research under the Master's Thesis class (NRE599).
Ms. Reedy has received training for conducting research for the William Bankhead National Forest (BNF) project in the following
areas:
Safety
Before actually commencing field work at the BNF for her research, Ms. Reedy attended all of the CREST safety training meetings
geared toward the BNF which included information on safety precautions, safety gear, and animal safety.
Basic Chemical Analysis
In the Soil, Plant, and Water Analysis lab, Ms. Reedy learned to perform the following experiments along with the theory of each
for basic chemical research analysis:
?Soluble Salt Content of Soils and Water
?Soil PH in CaCl2 and De-ionized water
?Determination of Lime Requirement ? Incubation Method
?Determination of Lime Requirement ? Adams and Evans Method
?Soil Organic matter ? Walkley-Black Method
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Annual Report: 1036600
?Total Phosphorus- Microwave Digestion
?Phosphorus Measurement ? Murphy-Riley Method
?Total Nitrogen
?Cation Exchange Capacity ? Calcium Oxalate Precipitation Method
?Determination of Cation Exchange Capacity ? BaCl2 Method
?Determination of Base Saturation
?Micronutrient Availability ? DTPA: Diethylenetriaminpentaacetic acid Method
?Soil Nutrient and Heavy Metal Extraction ? Mehlich III Method
?Plant Tissue Analysis
Equipment
Also, Ms. Reedy learned to operate the following equipment for basic chemical research analysis through the Soil, Plant, and
Water Analysis lab and other training sessions:
?Electrical Conductivity Meter
?PH Meter with the Specific Ion Electrode
?CNS Analyzer
?Microwave Digester
?Spectrophotometer/ Calorimeter
?Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)
?Ion Chromatographer
?Automated Kjeldahl Apparatus
?Innov-X Delta X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzer
?LaboStar Ultra Pure Water System
?Eddie Covariance System
Ms. Reedy has already attended various meetings for research and presentation training. She went to AAMU's Fourth and Fifth
Annual STEM Days. Also, Ms. Reedy presented a poster on Biogeochemical Nutrient Cycling in sub-project 2 research of the
Ecosystem Functions in Disturbed Forest Ecosystem at the NSF2011 Joint Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Additionally, she
attended the Development and Study of Advanced Materials and Nanophotonics Workshop in summer 2011. In fall 2011, Ms.
Reedy did a presentation on Phosphorus Transformations in Forest Soils in an Ecosystem Subjected to Prescribed Thinning and
Burning Treatments for the External Advisory Board meeting.
Name: Anderson, Bahjah
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
No
Name: Washington, Douglas
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Washington is a master's student under Dr. Monday Mbila. He is studying differences in soil characteristics based on
landscape position on a small toposequence at the Winifred Thomas Research Station (AAMU's research farm). Mr. Washington
helps in the lab by cleaning glassware, mixing reagents, performing the tests needed for his own experiments, and helping with
undergraduate lab classes. He is set to attend the 2015 Alabama A&M University China program.
Mr. Washington went to China in summer 2011 with Dr. Regina Mankolo,
and a group of other students and faculty, through a USGS NIFA grant.
In China, Mr. Washington worked with Dr. Yu of Nanjing Forestry
University in his laboratory. Mr. Washington was unable to participate
directly with much research due to the fact that students from the lab
were busy with finals or thesis defense, and were therefore unable to
train him properly in the lab. He did, however, make good connections
within China and in the University.
Name: Polius, Jemilia
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
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Annual Report: 1036600
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Polius is a master's student under Dr. Mbila. She is doing a comparative analysis of the
pipette and hydrometer methods for soil particle size distribution in northern Alabama.
Name: Williams, Ashantye
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
As of summer 2011, Ms. Williams performed DNA extractions and species amplification of target oak species using primers based
on red oak DNA sequences. With the assistance of the vegetative group (subproject I of the first CREST funding period), Ms.
Williams collected red oak samples from five locations along the Cumberland Plateau. She used an identification catalog of red
oak species, established by Dr. Callie Jo Schweitzer (USGS-FS SRS) that aided in locating individuals of each species. DNA
samples were collected manually from the cambial layer of each tree (fig.1). Ms. Williams also collected samples from the campus
of Purdue University' Davis Research Forest to use as controls. Samples were collected from the following locations on the
Cumberland Plateau: Bear Den Point and Jack Gap (Jackson County); Bankhead National Forest (Franklin, Lawrence, and
Winston counties); and Hayes Nature Preserve and forest areas surrounding AAMU campus (Madison County). Due to the
variability in species ranges and habitat preferences, the red oak species sampled were not evenly distributed across all sites.
Therefore,Ms. Williams was not able to collect the same number of samples per species per site. In total 200 samples of the red oak
species has been collected within the six locations.
Using the optimized protocols for extraction and primer amplification, all 200 samples were extracted and quality and quantity
checked (fig 2). She carefully screened the five oak species from the 200 samples, using 60 microsatellite markers developed from
several research scientists at Purdue University. She obtained amplified fragments that separated on 2% agarose gels in order to
assess the quality of the amplification. Any primers that generated a clear polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product band of the
predicted size were characterized.
The results of screening the simple sequence repeats (SSR) primers developed from northern red oak in four other species revealed
that most of the primer pairs produced amplification products of the expected size in the majority of the species tested. In 10 out of
the 30 primers all species had amplification products of the expected size from the locations. There was a case where five primer
pairs did not amplify on any of the species and were therefore eliminated from further studies. Since 25 samples per species were
tested, information about the level of polymorphism was assessed. The amplified products were separated using polyacrylamide
(6%) gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and visualized by ethidium bromide to determine polymorphism (figure 3). Polymorphism
information content (PIC) provided an estimate of the discriminatory power of the locus. The marker profiles of different SSRs on
different species were analyzed using cluster analysis to reveal a phylogenetic relationship with the help of the Genetic Data
Analysis software.
We examined cross-species amplification within the SSRs developed based on the northern red oak genome. Seventeen of the 30
SSRs transferred from northern red oak to three or more of the five other species. Ten loci amplified successfully in all five species
(quru-GA-2H18, -1M18, -1iO6, -2NO3, -1FO2, -1LO5, -1G13, -1H14, -2H14 and ?OC21). These rates of successful transfer are
conservative compared to other reports for these and related species. Our findings showed that 57% of the Q. rubra SSRs
transferred to Q. falcata, Q. coccinea, Q. velutina and Q. shumardii. The PIC values for SSR loci ranged from 0.78 to 0.35 with a
mean of 0.58.
Based upon preliminary data observed in this study, it was determined that the primers that amplified well outside of Q. rubra also
revealed high levels of genetic variation. All loci were variable in Q. rubra, and those that amplified in Q. falcata, Q. coccinea, Q.
velutina and Q. shumardii were also variable. The overall success rate of amplification across the red oak species was high.
Based on cluster analysis using the primers, there is a close relationship between the northern red oak and the shumard oak as well
as the black oak (fig. 4). The tree indicates that the northern red oak, shumard oak and black oak may be homologous to that of the
southern red oak species. Further analysis will be conducted to explain this phenomenon.
Identification of pure species vs. hybrids is an important attribute for understanding the population dynamics of oaks and for the
economic reasons as well. Therefore, categorization of genetic diversity within and among the oak species with the use of
molecular markers may facilitate unambiguous identification of trees. A majority of the SSRs exhibited cross-species amplification
and thus have the potential for use in detecting molecular phylogeography of the red oaks. These markers will be used to help in
establishing the genetic diversity of Quercus spp. in the Southern Cumberland Plateau.
At the suggestion of collaborators, 56 new DNA markers were added to the study: 33 SSR markers developed from Steinkellner et
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Annual Report: 1036600
al. (1997) and 23 Sequence Characterized Amplified Region (SCAR) markers developed from Bod?n?s et al. (1997) have been
purchased. These markers have been added to help establish a panel of DNA markers to assess the diversity of the red oak species.
Ms. Williams has also retrieved 1233 EST sequences of Northern Red Oak from the GenBank database in hopes to develop her
own set of markers to add to the panel.
Ms. Williams presented her preliminary data to the Proceedings of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations
(IUFRO) Conference in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on September 24- 27, 2009. She also attended a GIS workshop sponsored by the
CREST center. She also traveled to Purdue to learn molecular techniques and data analysis. She has just been awarded a travel
grant to go present at the American Society of Plant Biologist Conference this summer in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Williams has
presented her proposal to her committee member and has maintained a GPA of 3.9. The continued financial support of this student
is a great investment in her future as well as the future of the Center for Molecular Biology and the Center for Forest Ecosystems
Assessment.
Name: Gardner, Lisa
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Gardner is a graduate of Alabama A&M University, and received her Masters in Wildlife
Ecology in December 2010. Her research was CFEA-related. She is currently the Coordinator
and Technical Manager of CFEA (since January 2011). Her responsibilities include organizing
meetings and seminars; updating and maintaining the website she created; compiling data
and information from all CFEA affiliates for the Annual Report and for CRESTWeb; and
assisting Dr. Wang and other researchers within CFEA on a variety of other things.
Additionally, she is heavily involved in outreach and educational activities including:
coordinating REU-China as well as mentoring a student (Delvan Kelly) for the EnvironMentors
program.
Name: Howell, Heather
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Baldwin, Timothy
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Baldwin is a doctoral candidate working with subproject 1 (wildlife). His research is on
the effects of multi-scale forest disturbance on pool-breeding amphibian ecology. Research
on the effects of forest management practices on amphibian communities focused mostly on
monitoring amphibian species richness and abundance. While a few researchers have tried
to identify the biological and physiological mechanisms that affect amphibian breeding
success and individual fitness, these studies were often conducted under isolated
experimental conditions. Few studies have examined the effect of forest management
practice on the amphibian breeding success at varying spatial scales. The proposed study
will identify mechanisms affected by forest management practices that may influence
amphibian breeding success and examine how these mechanisms vary spatially. Two
complimentary approaches will be used for the study: 1) a smaller-scale experimental
component and 2) a large-scale landscape observational study. The experimental design
for the first approach will follow a three-factor split plot design with disturbance treatment
as the main factor and distance from forest edge and shading as split-plot factors. The
forest disturbance treatments are two levels of oak shelterwood; a 35-40% retention of
canopy trees with an oak shelterwood treatment (commercial harvest), 70-75% retention of
canopy trees (midstory herbicide injection), and a control. Each treatment area will be five
hectares in size and have five replicates. Within each treatment, pool arrays will be located
along a distance gradient with three shading treatments: 1) closed canopy pools, 2) 50%
closed canopy levels, and 3) open canopy levels. For the landscape level study, thirty
ephemeral pools across northern Alabama will be selected. To monitor the larval amphibian
development and population dynamics, three sampling techniques will be used: 1) dipnetting, 2) minnow trapping, and 3) leaf litter bags. Habitat and environmental conditions
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Annual Report: 1036600
including light, water temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, algal production, and
vegetative cover will be measured at each experimental pool and all thirty ephemeral pools
across the landscape. Landscape habitat variations surrounding the breeding pool will be
quantified using remote sensing data and geographic information system technology.
Results from this study will improve the understanding of how forest management practices
affect habitat and environmental conditions, and how these factors affect amphibian
population dynamics by affecting the mechanisms related to the breeding success. The
results will help forest resource managers to choose the forest management options to
minimize negative impacts from the forest disturbances on amphibian breeding at various
spatial scales.
Mr. Baldwin presented at four conferences/meetings in the 2011-2012 year. They are as
follows:
Baldwin, T.E. and Y. Wang. 2011. Survivorship and the Influence of Varying Spatial
Environmental Factors on Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in
Northern Alabama. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Conference.
Minneapolis, Minnesota. July 6-11, 2011. Presentation.
Baldwin, T.E. and Y. Wang. 2011. Survivorship and the Influence of Varying Spatial
Environmental Factors on Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in
Northern Alabama. Austin, TX. August 7-12, 2011. Presentation
Baldwin, T.E. and Y. Wang. 2012. The Influence of Environmental Factors on Spotted
Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in Northern Alabama. Alabama Chapter of
the Wildlife Society. Decatur, Alabama. February 27-28, 2012. Presentation.
Baldwin, T.E. and Y. Wang. 2012. The Influence of Environmental Factors on Spotted
Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in Northern Alabama. Alabama A&M
University Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Day. Huntsville, AL.
April 12, 2012. Presentation.
Name: Cantrell, Andrew
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Cantrell is a recent AAMU graduate, receiving his MS in spring 2011. He is currently a 'Program Assistant' under Dr. Wang.
His current work includes conducting breeding bird surveys at Bankhead National Forest (BNF), and also as the supervisor of a
research project looking at herpetofaunal responses to silvicultural treatments at BNF. Since the last report Mr. Cantrell has
mentored one student for the EnvironMentor program, Asia Jefferson who was selected to go the national conference with her
research topic 'Herpetofaunal Habitat Use on Alabama A&M Properties'. Mr. Cantrell also gave a seminar at Beijing Normal
University about his M.S. research and herpetological research in general. He is currently working on two manuscripts for
publication, and have two already published. Also, he has attended two conferences and presented at one.
Cantrell, A.W., Y. Wang, C.J. Schweitzer. 2011. New County Records from Grundy County Tennessee on the Mid-Cumberland
Plateau of Southern Tennessee, USA. Herpetological Review 42(3): 403-404.
Cantrell, A.W., Y. Wang, C.J. Schweitzer, and C. Greenberg. 2012. Herpetofaunal Response to Oak-Regenerating Silvicultural
Practices in the Mid-Cumberland Plateau of Southern Tennessee. Butnor, John R., ed. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial
southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-156. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest
Service, Southern Research Station. 393 p.
Cantrell., A.W., Y. Wang, C.J. Schweitzer, and C. Greenberg. 2012. Short Term Response of Herpetofauna to Shelterwood and
Oak-Shelterwood Treatments Within the Mid-Cumberland Plateau of Southern Tennessee. 2012 Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife
Socieity. Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Alabama Feb. 28, 2012.
Name: Hill, Anquinette
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
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Annual Report: 1036600
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Hill worked on subproject three, sub objective 2: Determine the effects of landowner strategies on the patterns of land cover
types change, and landscape fragmentation and consolidation.
Name: White, Christian
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. White is a graduate student under Dr. Chen. She recently defended her master's
proposal in Spring 2012. Ms. White developed historical aerial photograph for the Blackbelt
study site. She also studied the patterns of forest cover, hydologic flows, and aquatic biota
in Alabama.
Name: Nanton, Karen
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Nanton is a graduate student in the Department of BES. She will work with Dr. Nyakatawa
to collect soil and enviromental data to study and document the effect of forest management
practices on soil C sequestration and soil greenhouse gas fluxes (CO2, CH4, and N2O) and
relate them to soil environmental variables.
Name: Biancucci, Luis
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Biancucci is a recent graduate from the University of Montana (MS) and was pursuing his PhD, with Dr. Wang as his advisor.
He spent spring/summer of 2011 in China conducting field research and determining his project. Unfortunately, Mr. Biancucci left
the program in December 2011.
Name: Jackson, Jonjala
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Jackson is a recent graduate of Alabama A&M University in the area of Environmental Health Science. She enrolled as a
graduate student in January 2012 as part of the CREST program. Her advisor is Dr. Elica. M. Moss. Her research will involve
microbial and community diversity of fire disturbed forest soils. Ms. Jackson will head to China alongside the REU-China program
at Nanjing Forestry University this spring/summer (2012) and will assist Dr. Moss and her REU students (Nara McCray and
Rakeyta Scales) and their Chinese research partner (Dr. Fang) in data collection and lab work.
Their project focused on soil microbial diversity, and Jonjala worked on the DNA aspect of this project.
Name: Whitaker, Stephaine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Whitaker is interested in using geographical information systems (GIS) technologies and
remotely sensed data to develop landscape information that can be integrated within
hydrologic models to determine long-term change and make predictive inferences about the
future. She is currently researching land use change in the Flint River watershed located in
north Alabama. Her study developed land use scenario projections for the Flint River
watershed, from the baseline year of 2000 to the year 2030, using the Prescott Spatial
Growth Model (PSGM). Land use for 2030 in conjunction with the hydrological process model,
ArcSWAT, was used to evaluate the contribution of land use change to sediment yield in an
effort to identify sensitive regions in the watershed.
While working on her M.S., she participated in the Student and Faculty Research Exchange
Program at Nanjing University in China. She also worked at National Space Science and
Technology Center (NSSTC) under the advisement of Dr. William Crosson on developing
future land use scenarios for Madison County, Alabama and Lincoln County, Tennessee. Ms.
Whitaker is also active in the Flint River Conservation Association and the annual Flint River
clean-ups. She earned her master's degree May 2012.
Ms. Whitaker has participated in these presentations; 'Assessing the Hydrologic Implications
of Forecasted Land-use Change for the Flint River Watershed in North Alabama,' Land Grant
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Annual Report: 1036600
and Sea Grant National Water Conference, Portland, Oregon. Oral Presentation, May 2012 and
'Assessing the Hydrologic Implications of Forecasted Land-use Change for the Flint River
Watershed in North Alabama,' Rocket City Geospatial Conference, Huntsville, AL. Poster
Presentation, November 2011.
Name: Bekele, Gete
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Gete is a PhD candidate working on a project using GIS and statistical models for predicting breeding bird distribution and
occurance in northern Alabama.
Undergraduate Student
Name: Ellis, NaAsia
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Shelton, Erica
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Erica Shelton is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. She is working under
Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of other
CREST-related projects. She has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity African American)
Name: Thomas, Shayla
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Shayla Thomas is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. She is working
under Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of
other CREST-related projects. She has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity African American)
Name: Rogers, Latithia
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Rogers worked for Lisa Gardner in fall 2010, doing data entry.
Name: Wright, Vernon
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
No
Name: Flowers, Marshun
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Marshun Flowers is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He is working
under Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of
other CREST-related projects. He has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity African American)
Page 18 of 73
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Name: Daniels, Sharodd
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Sharrod Daniels last worked on the project in spring 2010. He is an undergraduate in the
Forestry Program and will graduate this coming Fall. He also worked in the Geospacial lab on
georeferencing aerial photos to assess land changes and digitizing historical land
classification maps.
Name: Owen, James
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
James Owen is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He is
working under Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive
species and various aspects of other CREST-related projects. He has
assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot establishment,
treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and
data collection for the project on invasive species control and other
CREST-related projects.
Name: Smith, William
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
William Smith is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He is working under
Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of other
CREST-related projects. He has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity African American)
Name: Smith, Shandreka
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Shandreka Smith is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. She is working
under Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of
other CREST-related projects. She has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity African American)
Name: Dowdy, Joshua
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Joshua Dowdy is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He is working under
Dr. Dimov with Thrust Area I on the control of invasive species and various aspects of other
CREST-related projects. He has assisted Jeanette Williams with field work (plot
establishment, treatment application, re-measurement of the response variables) and data
collection for the project on invasive species control and other CREST-related projects.
(Ethnicity: African American)
Name: Black, Jermaine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Black, a junior and a Forestry major, is a recent transfer from Florida A&M University, and is new to the geospatial field and
spent the spring semester of 2011 becoming familiar with the GIS software under the guidance of Ms. Long. He has gained basic
digitizing and attributing spatial data. He will continue to work in the geospatial lab in the coming semesters. He is expected to
Page 19 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
graduate in the Spring of 2013.
Name: Cobb, Breana
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Cobb worked in the GIS/Remote Sensing Lab, developed website, and acquired digital data for study site under Dr. Tadesse.
She also has assisted Rufina Ward. Ms. Cobb is a sophomore and a Social Work major. She is expected to graduate in the Spring
of 2013.
Name: Franks, Joshua
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Franks, a junior and a Forestry major, is a transfer from Florida A&M University and has shown a keen interest in the
geospatial field, with a strong aptitude for new technology. He worked on digitizing historical land class maps during the spring of
2011. He has gained experience in basic data collection and display skills. Mr. Franks has become, at his own initiative, the lab
expert in GPS units, assisting student and staff in setting up their GPS units. Mr. Franks has shown a keen interest in graduate
studies in the geospatial field. He is expecting to graduate in the Spring of 2013.
Name: Long, Bashia
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Long, an Environmental Science major and a junior, worked in the GIS/Remote Sensing
Lab during spring and summer of 2011. Her primary duties included managing a small team
of students to digitize historical land class maps, assist in training these students and assess
and maintain high standard of digitizing. Ms. Long is currently preparing a poster
presentation on this work for a regional GIS conference in October. Her works has allowed
her to gain a good perspective of the integration of geospatial sciences with forestry
research and an appreciation for the use of historical data in current research. Upon
graduation, Ms. Long is interested in pursuing a graduate degree. She is expecting to
graduate in the spring of 2012. She did not work with CREST this period.
Name: Pearson, Tyler
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Pearson, a Community Planning and Urban Studies major and a junior, was hired
primarily to assist in acquiring and digitizing parcel maps of six Black Belt counties, one of
CFEA's primary study sites. He is involved in collecting information on parcel maps, digitizing
maps, and understanding historical perspectives land cover and land ownership change in
the Black Belt counties. He also prepared and presented a poster at AAMU's STEM Day, titled
'Spatial Analysis of Greene County.' He resigned on April 1, 2011 to spend more time on his
course work and class projects.
Name: Belingheri, Kaisha
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Belingheri worked as a research team member on projects investigating the effect forest management on wildlife communities
(amphibians, reptiles, birds, or small mammals). She assisted with the collection of wildlife and habitat field data; she entered data
into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team
leader or supervisor. She is set to attend the 2014 Alabama A&M University China program.
Name: Hill, Johnathan
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Hill worked as a research team member on projects investigating the effect forest management on wildlife communities
(amphibians, reptiles, birds, or small mammals). He assisted with the collection of wildlife and habitat field data; he entered data
into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team
leader or supervisor.
Page 20 of 73
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Name: Phillips, Wyfred
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Phillips is a Sophomore student at AAMU and was a student worker during the fall and spring semesters of the 2011-2012
academic school year. Mr. Phillips helped Lisa Gardner in the office with various tasks, such as entering information and
uploading photos into the website; and enter data into CRESTWeb. He also assisted with creating and hanging fliers for CFEA
Seminars, as well as setting up and cleaning up after each seminar.
Name: McCloud, Ryan
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Miller, Monique
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Work with water quality research project
Name: McNeil, Jermecia
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Ms. McNeil is a Forestry student in her junior year. During the fall semester, she was an
active participant in the wood products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and
marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property
ownership.
Name: Strother, Dexter
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Strother was a Forestry student. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in
the wood products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines
and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property ownership. He recently
graduated from Alabama A&M University.
Name: Turner, Kelvin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Turner was a Forestry student. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in
the wood products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines
and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property ownership. He recently
graduated from Alabama A&M University.
Name: Jones, Jamal
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Jones is a Forestry student in his junior year. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in the wood products class,
and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB
property
ownership.
Name: Breedwell, Matthew
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Breedwell is a Forestry student in his sophomore year. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in the wood
products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of
BWWB property ownership.
Page 21 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Name: Jacobs, Justin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Jacobs is a Forestry student in his senior year. During the fall semester, he was an active
participant in the wood products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and
marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property
ownership.
Name: McDonald, Kirk
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Mr. McDonald is a Forestry student in his sophomore year. During the fall semester, he was
an active participant in the wood products class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees,
and marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property
ownership.
Name: Tucker, Cory
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Tucker is a Forestry student in his sophomore year. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in the wood products
class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB
property ownership.
Name: Morrill, David
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Morrill is a Forestry student in his senior year. During the fall semester, he was an active participant in the wood products
class, and helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines and corners on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB
property ownership.
Name: Matthews, Jonathan
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Mathews is a Forestry student in his senior year. During the fall
semester, he was an active participant in the wood products class, and
helped cruise, mark, and locate trees, and marked landlines and corners
on 1,058 acres of the 8,669 acreage of BWWB property ownership.
Name: Davis, Cedric
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Davis is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He worked on subproject
three, sub objective 2: Determine the effects of landowner strategies on the patterns of land
cover types change, and landscape fragmentation and consolidation, with Dr. Christian.
Name: Howard, Kimberly
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Howard received her undergraduate degree in May 2012 from Alabama A&M University. She collaborated with Dr. Dimov
on research and publications.
Name: Nyako, Eric
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Nyako is an undergraduate student at Alabama A&M University. He worked on subproject three, sub objective 2: Determine
the effects of landowner strategies on the patterns of land cover types change, and landscape fragmentation and consolidation, with
Page 22 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Dr. Christian.
Name: Sledge, Alisha
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Sledge was a senior and graduated with a BS in Environmental Science in May 2012. She
was mentored by Dr. Elica Moss.
Technician, Programmer
Name: Gardner, Lisa
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Gardner is a graduate of AAMU, and received her Masters in
Wildlife Ecology in December 2010. Her research was CFEA-related. She
is currently the Coordinator and Technical Manager of CFEA (since
January 2011). Her responsibilities include organizing meetings and
seminars; updating and maintaining the website she created; compiling
data and information from all CFEA affiliates for the Annual Report
and for CRESTWeb; and assisting Dr. Wang and other researchers within
CFEA on a variety of other things. Additionally, she is heavily
involved in outreach and educational activities including:
coordinating REU-China as well as mentoring a student (Delvan Kelly)
for the EnvironMentors program. She is currently in China as
coordinator. While in China, she helped the professors with all their
needs, assisted in bird surveys (Li Jianqiang and David Farris), and
helped students adjust to the cultural change.
Name: Sangalang, Mila
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Sangalang is the Budget Analyst for CFEA. Fifty percent of her annual salary comes from
CREST, and she performed the following tasks for CFEA: monitored the operating budget
accounts of all CREST projects; processed and followed through with all requisitions and
encumbrances in the university's Banner system; provided budget reports to the respective
PIs and co-PIs; assisted co-PIs with problems associated with the Banner system; contacted
vendors for invoices, quotes, and other information required for processing requisitions;
received and distributed items ordered from various vendors to the personnel that ordered
them; and requested gas cards for CREST and in-charge for submission of gas monthly
expenses to Physical Facilities. Other miscellaneous duties included: filing, data input,
minimal repair/maintenance of copy machine, mail distribution, and other assigned duties.
Name: Stone, Penny
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Stone is support staff for COE/FEW. She helps all staff and
students affiliated with COE/FEW/CFEA through the following tasks: ( 1
) process requisitions and encumbrances for faculty and staff on the
Crest project, including researching budgets for available funds,
processing budget transfers if necessary, monitoring approval queues,
following up on receipt of goods/services, contacting the company for
invoices for payment, and filing the paperwork once payment has been
processed; ( 2 ) reserve meeting rooms and research vehicles as
needed; ( 3 ) make travel arrangements for faculty and staff; and ( 4
) contact companies for quotes and invoices.
Name: Baltar, Shelley
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Annual Report: 1036600
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Baltar started as in intern on June, 2010 to assist with an invasive species mapping,
monitoring, on reclaimed mines in northwest Alabama. Her main tasks are to assist in
vegetation surveys on reclaimed mines, including locating sites using topographic maps and
GPS units, walking transects, identifying native trees and invasive plants, conducting a
general assessment of lower story and ground cover and collecting of soil samples.
Ms. Baltar took on a full time position as the soils lab/field technician with CFEA subproject
two in June 2011. She has mapped and taken GPS points of all the treatments. She has
ordered most of the supplies needed for soil sampling and collection. She is also responsible
for data entering into spread sheet, prepare molar solutions in the lab, operate and trouble
shoot instruments, and assist graduate and undergraduate students working in the soil sub
project. She has received training in forest safety from Allison Cochran, the Bankhead
National Forest wildlife biologist. This training has prepared her to do her job effectively.
Field work was conducted in September 2011 and analysis of soils collected during that time
are currently underway.
Name: Mitchell, Jasmine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Mitchell is a Management Information Systems major and worked in the GIS/Remote
Sensing Lab and for NRES, assisting with setting up the department's server, helping
students, faculty and staff who may have computer issues and maintaining/repairing
computers for the computer labs in the department. She is now a MS student, as part of her
thesis will develop Mobile GIS application for forest management in collaboration with
Department of Computer Science.
Name: Ruffin, Nashondra
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Ruffin is a graduate student working in consultation with Dr. Wagaw over the time-frame
from June 1, 2011-July 31, 2011. Her work focused on: pre-model handling of raw
measured hydrologic data and generation of diagram outputs using the tools statistica, and
Arc-GIS; capturing data on water use in north AL cities over the past 100 years (intensive
contact with state/federal agencies); accessing TVA library to get historical Tennessee River
water use/regulation dam construction records, (intensive contact with TVA), USGS river gage
records for the 13 north AL counties and the BNF; and Download satellite image data to
create teaching/research database.
Name: Zirbel, Matthew
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Zirbel started as in intern in April, 2011 to assist with an invasive species mapping,
monitoring, on reclaimed mines in northwest Alabama. His main tasks are to assist in
vegetation surveys on reclaimed mines, including locating sites using topographic maps and
GPS units, walking transects and identifying invasive plants. Mr. Zirbel is also assisting the
USFS in data collection. He completed is job in November 2011.
Name: Lemke, Dawn
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Lemke assisted in project management of subproject III, facilitating graduate student lab meetings, worked on objective
S3.101 (biomass), and completed two externally funded CFEA projects (Assessing reforestation and nonnative vegetation invasion
probabilities at reclaimed surface mine sites of Cumberland Plateau and Mountain Region; Invasive potential of invasive plants in
the forest of the Southern Region, United States)
Page 24 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Name: Sisk, Ryan
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Sisk is the lead technician with the Huntsville USFS work unit. Under the guidance of Dr Schweitzer, he manages the USFS
SRS crew. The USFS Research and Development partners collected field data on all 36 stands, including vegetation
characterization, canopy structure, light dynamics and fuel loading specifics. Field training days were conducted, and several field
tours targeted myriad groups.
Name: Petty, James (Trey)
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Petty works as part of the USFS SRS crew, under the guidance of Dr. Schweitzer and Mr.
Sisk. His duties include collection of data and samples, data entry, processing of fuel
samples, setting up fire rate of spread and fire intensity monitoring systems, and most other
aspects of the field and lab work associated with vegetation sampling. The USFS Research
and Development partners collected field data on all 36 stands, including vegetation
characterization, canopy structure, light dynamics and fuel loading specifics. Field training
days were conducted, and several field tours targeted myriad groups.
Name: Bastin, Nancy
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Bastin assists with data base entry, literature searches, maintenance of training and work
logs under the guidance of Dr. Schweitzer.
Name: Lawson, Daryl
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
During the 2011-2012 year, Mr. Lawson has participated in the
following activities: (1) renewed a grant with BWWB in 2011, to
provide a Natural Resource Management Plan for 12,000 acres of BWWB
property in Jefferson, Shelby and Blount Counties in Alabama. Grant
amount awarded in 2011-12 was $65,000, and included five months of Mr.
Lawson's BWWB Project Manager salary and benefits, as well as travel,
supply, and equipment funds; (2) he was elected to serve on the on the
Bankhead National Forest Liaison Panel (BNFLP) Board in early 2011;
served on the Alabama Tornado Forest Recovery Task Force, representing
forestry interests in north Alabama and serves on the reforestation
committee which is working to secure funding for replanting forested
areas destroyed in the April 27th tornado outbreak; in 2012, he was
selected to serve on the Alabama Prescribed Burning Council as
chairman on the outreach and implementation subcommittees; Mr. Lawson
attended a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager refresher course as part
of the continuing education requirement for his CPBM license in 201112.
Name: Howell, Heather
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Name: Cseke, Sarah
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Cseke is a technician in the Center for Molecular Biology and responsible for maintaining
the laboratories and various instruments. She also trains students in DNA sequencing, gel
electrophoresis, PCR, and Imaging instrumentation. Ms. Cseke has since left Alabama A&M.
Page 25 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Name: Creely, Kevin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Creely was a technician for Elliott Digg's project. Elliott Diggs dropped out of the program in May 2012, and Mr. Creely will
continue on as a technician for Dr. Wang and will continue to collect herp data from the traps in the BNF.
Name: Bru, Rachel
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Bru worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2006. She re-trained Ms. Gardner in bird banding
techniques; helped establish net lines and set up nets; opened/closed nets; removed birds from nets; banded and took biometric data
from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field (Walls of Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Other Participant
Name: Virone, Dana
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
No
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Virone is intern for Dr. Dimov and is conducting vegetative surveys
in the Bankhead National Forest. She graduated with her MS in December
2010 from AAMU under Dr. Dimov.
Name: Patterson, Clinton
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Patterson is a recent graduate of AAMU and CFEA. After graduation, he worked as a
consultant on a species distribution modeling project with Dawn Lemke. The main task of
the statistics technician was data analysis and reporting on invasive species occurrence on
reclaimed mines in north Alabama. Work included performing correlation, canonical
correspondence analysis, logistic regression, data re-sampling, and species distribution
modeling. Reporting work included generating tables and figures, writing and editing, and
disseminating results at conferences.
Name: Thomas, Noel
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Thomas, a recent Texas A&M University graduate, worked as a research team member with Padraic Connor on a project
investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and small mammal communities in southern Tennessee in
collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. He conducted herpetofaunal and small mammal surveys
and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that he performed were: entered data into a
computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners;
and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor. He left the program August 2011.
Name: Beir, Jarrod
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Bier, a recent graduate of Perdue University in Huntington, IN, worked as a research team member with Padraic Connor on a
project investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and small mammal communities in southern Tennessee in
collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. He conducted small mammal and herpetofaunal surveys
and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that he performed were: entered data into a
computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners;
and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor. He left the program August 2011.
Name: Oliver, Matthew
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
Page 26 of 73
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Mr. Oliver worked as a research team member under Brandie Stringer on a project investigating the effects of forest management
on bird communities in Jackson County, northern Alabama. He conducted bird surveys, bird nest searches, and monitored nests for
success rate. He assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that he performed were: entered data
into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other
landowners; and
completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor. He left the project in Fall 2011.
Name: Miller, Mark
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Miller worked as a research team member, under Brandie Stringer, on a project
investigating the effects of forest management on bird communities in Jackson County,
northern Alabama. He conducted bird surveys, bird nest searches, and monitored nests for
success rate. He assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other
tasks that he performed were: entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and
remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and
completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor. He completed his
work Fall 2011
Name: Ambrose, Deborah
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Ambrose worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on amphibian
breeding success in northern Alabama in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted
amphibian surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she performed were:
entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and
other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Loscalzo, Samantha
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Loscalzo worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on amphibian
breeding success in northern Alabama in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted
amphibian surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she performed were:
entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and
other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Ng, Stacy
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Ng worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest
management on amphibian breeding success in northern Alabama in collaboration with the
Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted amphibian surveys and
assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she
performed were: entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing
data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and completed other
responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Schneider, Jacquelyn
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Schneider worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on amphibian
breeding success in northern Alabama in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted
amphibian surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she performed were:
entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and
other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Page 27 of 73
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Name: Cox, Kaysie
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Cox worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on amphibian breeding
success in northern Alabama in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted
amphibian surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she performed were:
entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and
other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Vinci, John
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Vinci worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on bird communities in
Jackson County, northern Alabama. He conducted bird surveys, bird nest searches, and monitored nests for success rate. He
assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that he performed were: entered data into a computer
database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and
completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Brinkman, Leslie
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Brinkman worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on bird communities
in Jackson County, northern Alabama. She conducted bird surveys, bird nest searches, and monitored nests for success rate. She
assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other tasks that she performed were: entered data into a computer
database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and
completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Burdick, Caroline
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Burdick worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and
small mammal communities in southern Tennessee in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service.
She conducted herpetofaunal and small mammal surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other
tasks that she performed were: entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted
with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Ohanlon, Bradley
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Ohanlon worked as a research team member on a project investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and
small mammal communities in southern Tennessee in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service.
He conducted herpetofaunal and small mammal surveys and assisted with collecting habitat and other related research data. Other
tasks that he performed were: entered data into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interacted
with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and completed other responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor.
Name: Wang, Yong
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Wang traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. Dr. Wang is PI on the NIFA grant that has provided
funding to build this relationship. He organized the visit, along with the Chinese hosts at
NFU.
Name: Tadesse, Wubishet
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
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Contribution to Project:
Dr. Tadesse traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, he represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture.
Name: Chen, Xiongwen
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Chen traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, he represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture.
Name: Mankolo, Regine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Dr. Mankolo traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, she represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture.
Name: Washington, Douglas
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Washington traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, he represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. He his currently pursuing his master's degree.
Name: Whitaker, Stephaine
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Whitaker traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, she represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. She recently graduated in May 2012 with her master's degree.
Name: Roberts, Kathy
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Roberts traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, she represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. She is currently pursuing her Phd.
Name: Messenger, Kevin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Messenger traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, he represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. He is currently pursuing is Phd.
Name: Gresham, Stefanie
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
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Ms. Gresham traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, she represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. She is an undergraduate student.
Name: Belingheri, Kaisha
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Belingheri traveled to China as an AAMU delegate with the NIFA-funded group, whose
purpose was to strengthen ties with Nanjing Forestry University, and establish a long-term
research and exchange relationship. While there, she represented AAMU and experienced
Chinese culture. She is an undergraduate student.
Name: Jervis, Kim
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Jervis worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2006. She learned how to: open/close nets; remove
birds from nets; band and take biometric data from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field (Walls of
Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Name: Thompson, Nick
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Thompson worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2007. He learned how to: open/close nets;
remove birds from nets; band and take biometric data from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field
(Walls of Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Name: Greeves, Brian
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Greeves worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2007. He learned how to: open/close nets; remove
birds from nets; band and take biometric data from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field (Walls of
Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Name: Crespo, Juan Carlos
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Crespo worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2008. He learned how to: open/close nets; remove
birds from nets; band and take biometric data from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field (Walls of
Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Name: Carter, Adam
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Carter worked for Lisa Gardner's field research in late summer/early fall 2008. He learned how to: open/close nets; remove
birds from nets; band and take biometric data from birds. The field team conducted their research and lived in the field (Walls of
Jericho, Jackson County, AL) for 2 months.
Name: Isler, Amber
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Isler worked as a research team member with Padraic Connor on a project investigating the effects of forest management on
herpetofaunal and small mammal communities in southern Tennessee in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA
Forest Service. She conducted herpetofaunal surveys using drift fences with funnel traps and pitfalls, and assisted in small
mammal trapping. Other tasks performed are: data entry into a computer database; developed GIS and remote sensing data layers;
interact with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and complete other responsibilities assigned by team leader or
supervisor. She is expected to leave the program (field work will end) in August 2012.
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Name: Bradley, Dana
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Bradley, a recent graduate from Clemson University in Clemson, SC, worked as a research team member with Padraic Connor
on a project investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and small mammal communities in southern
Tennessee in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. She conducted small mammal surveys
using Sherman live traps and assisted in herpetofaunal trapping. Other tasks performed are: data entry into a computer database;
developed GIS and remote sensing data layers; interact with USDA Forest Service and other landowners; and complete other
responsibilities assigned by team leader or supervisor. She is expected to leave the program (field work will end) in August 2012.
Name: Hassapakis, Craig
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Hassapakis, a recent graduate from Brigham Young University in Modesto, CA, worked as a research team member with
Padraic Connor on a project investigating the effects of forest management on herpetofaunal and small mammal communities in
southern Tennessee in collaboration with the Southern Research Station - USDA Forest Service. He assisted in herpetofaunal
trapping. He was only in the field for one month (June 2012).
Name: Davis, David
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Davis worked for Brandie Stringer on a project investigating the
effects of forest management on bird communities in Jackson County,
northern Alabama during the month of March 2012. He graduated from Texas
Technical University with his MS.
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Name: Scales, Rakeyta
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Scales is an REU participant from AAMU in the 2012 REU-China
program. She is working with Dr. Moss, Jonjala Jackson, and Dr. Fang on soil microbial diversity. She is focusing on nutrient
availability within the soils sampled.
Ms. Scales was also a 2010 REU student (Freshman) from AAMU, majoring in environmental science/health. She worked with Dr.
Moss on a project titled 'Evaluating the Variation in the Enumeration of Fecal Contaminants between Agricultural and Commercial
Watersheds in Madison County, Alabama.'
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Same as Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012 2010
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Bazile, Cassandra
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Bazile was a 2010 REU student (Sophomore) from Morgan State University, majoring in
biology. She worked with Dr. Kantety on a project titled 'Analysis of the Resistance and
Susceptability to Reniform Nematodes in Upland Cotton.'
Years of schooling completed: Freshman
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Morgan State University
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Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported:
2010
REU Funding: REU supplement
Name: Tadesse, Brittany
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Tadesse was a 2010 REU student (Freshman) from the University of Alabama, majoring in
pre-medicine. She worked with Dr. Kantety on a project titled 'REPLI G Amplification
Advances New Technology of 454 Sequencing.'
Years of schooling completed: Freshman
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
University of Alabama
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported:
2010
REU Funding: REU supplement
Name: Treusch, Nicholas
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Treusch was a 2010 REU student (Junior) from Northwestern Louisiana State University,
majoring in biology. He worked with Dr. Stone on a project titled 'Abundance and Behavioral
Responses of Peromyscus mice and Riparian Habitats Downstream from Forest Treatments:
Fight of Flight?'
Years of schooling completed: Freshman
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Northwestern Louisiana State University
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Master's Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported:
2010
REU Funding: REU supplement
Name: Williams, Arnesha
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Williams was a 2010 REU student (Junior) from Grambling State University, majoring in
biology. She worked with ? on a project titled 'Greene County, Alabama: The Interrelationship Between Land Tenure, Land Cover, and Well-being.'
Years of schooling completed: Freshman
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Grambling State University
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Master's Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported:
2010
REU Funding: REU supplement
Name: Breckbiel, Erin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Breckbiel is a Junior Biology student from Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. She will be working with Dr. Xiongwen
Chen on urban plants distribution in the Nanjing / Shanghai areas, in collaboration with...
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Arizona State University
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Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Farris, David
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Farris is a Junior Ecology student from the University of
Connecticut in New Haven, CT. He will be working with Dr. Wang and
Jianqiang Li on urban effects of bird species richness/abundance in a
rapidly urbanizing environment.
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
University of Connecticutt
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Gross, Iwo
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Gross is a Junior Biotechnology student from Eastern Illinois
University in Charleston, IL. He worked with Dr. Wang and Kevin
Messenger in China on a field research project studying snakes on Hainan
Island in our first REU-China summer, 2012.
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Eastern Illinois University
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Kukula, Joanna
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Kukula is a Sophomore Physiology student at Michigan State
University in East Lansing, MI. She will be working with Dr. Soliman on
Years of schooling completed: Sophomore
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Michigan State University
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: McCray, Naramena
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. McCray is a Junior Environmental Science student at Alabama A&M University in Normal, AL. She is currently an REU
student in the REU-China 2012 program, working with Dr. Moss and Dr. Ben Fan (NFU) working on the hypothesis that
rhizobacteria strains will promote growth of maize from inoculation. N-6 and N-12 are proven to be PGPR but the third strain,
which we have been calling X, is uncertain. In theory their research will reveal whether or not strain x promotes plant growth.
research is going fine. Her research is going well. She has inoculated maize seeds with three different strains of PGPR bacteria to
test their growth promotion.
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Annual Report: 1036600
Additionally she worked in the GIS/Remote Sensing Lab for Dr. Tadesse in the fall 2011 semester as a work-study student, where
she acquired digital data for the Blackbelt study site.
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Same as Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Means, Calvin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Means is a Junior Biology student at Alabama A&M University in
Normal, AL. He will be working with Dr. Soliman and Rashidah Farid in
China. His research in China is focused on gene mapping of poplar tree
species.
Years of schooling completed: Junior
Home Institution:
Same as Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Mielke, Dustin
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Mr. Mielke is a Senior Biotechnology student at Saint Cloud State
University in St. Cloud, MN. He will be working with Dr. Chen on bamboo
and tree branch:bole ratios for growth rates.
Years of schooling completed: Other
Home Institution:
Other than Research Site
Home Institution if Other:
Saint Cloud State University
Home Institution Highest Degree Granted(in fields supported by NSF): Doctoral Degree
Fiscal year(s) REU Participant supported: 2012
REU Funding: REU site award
Name: Rigsby, Courney
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Rigsby was a 2010 REU student (junior) from Reinhart College, majoring in biology. She worked with Timothy Baldwin and
Dr. Yong Wang on a project titled 'Terrestrial Habitat Environmental Influence on Amphibian Larvae and Metamorphs within
Temporary Wetlands.'
Name: Steelman, Roxann
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Yes
Contribution to Project:
Ms. Steelman was a 2010 REU student (junior) from Frostburg State University, majoring in wildlife and fisheries. She worked
with Drs. Dimov and Stone on the project titled 'Invasive Vegetation Effects on Small Mammal Abundance.'
Name: Harvey, Andre
Worked for more than 160 Hours:
Contribution to Project:
Yes
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Mr. Harvey was a 2010 REU student (junior) from Morehouse College, majoring in biology. He worked with Drs. Banerjee and
Mentreddy on a project titled 'Antibacterial Activity of Jatropha curcas on Three Food-borne Pathogens.'
Organizational Partners
USDA Forest Service
The Bankhead National Forest Staff have been a major contributor of this project. They have worked with our scientists and students in every
phase of this project including identifying research plots, applying the treatments, accommodating students and faculty, and providing logistic
support.
AL Dept of Cons and Nat Resources
(ADCNR) has provided research grants and technical assistance for
several CFEA wildlife related research projects. Eric Soehren, a state biologist for ADCNR, has helped with technical assistance and field
related research in Jackson County and in BNF. Brandon Hunnicutt, the land stewardship officer in Jackson County, has provided assistance
and guidance for the wildlife research in that area.
Auburn University
Auburn University (AU)- is one of AAMU partners along with Tuskegee University (TU) in the Alabama Agricultural Land Grant Alliance
(AALGA). They are conducting related research and educational efforts that address similar issues in natural resource management and public
education. We collaborate on many research projects in the Bankhead National Forest (BNF) and in Forestry Summer Camp; two examples of
our mutually beneficial partnership. Faculty from both campus also worked on proposals, research project, and student mentoring.
Bankhead Education Foundation
(BEF) is a private, nonprofit (501c3) organization partnered with AAMU, Auburn University, Tuskegee University (all members of Alabama
Agricultural Land Grant Association (AALGA)) to plan, fund and build the Bankhead Center for Education and Research (BCER). This center
will provide onsite research labs, housing, and classrooms for the CFEA research team of faculty, staff and students.
Bankhead National Forest Citizen Liaison
A citizen's advisory board to the Bankhead National Forest District
Ranger (BNFRD). The liaison panel plays an important advisory and
monitoring role in the planning and implementation of the Bankhead's
management activities including the Restoration Plan which is a
foundation of much of the CFEA research. CFEA attends their quarterly meetings to provide information about research findings, receive
information regarding their monitoring of the implementation of restoration treatments, and build support for the Bankhead interpretive center
and research field station.
The Nature Conservancy
(TNC) has collaborated in developing a proposal funded by USFWS/ADCNR for a wildlife inventory study of the properties recently acquired
by TNC. TNC is also working with AAMU to establish Bankhead Research and Education Center. It has identified a property that could be
used for the site of the Center.
USDA-FS Wm. B. Bankhead National Forest
(USFS-BNF) is the Forest Unit that manages the Bankhead study sites.
They have assisted throughout all phases of the research conducted on the Bankhead National Forest working with research in site selection,
harvesting logistics and burn timing.
USDA-FS Southern Research Station
The main participants are the Upland Hardwood Ecology and Management
Research Unit's Dr. Callie Schweitzer, assisted by her technicians
Ryan Sisk and Trey Petty. Dr. Schweitzer work closely with AAMU PIs,
students, and technicians on this project. She is leading the
vegetation and woody vegetation data collection effort at the BNF
(part of Thrust Area I). Dr. Schweitzer led the development of the
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Annual Report: 1036600
silvicultural treatments in the planning stages of the proposal, the
selection of the stands, and communication with the BNF collaborators.
She has an active role in the CFEA and is a valuable member on several
graduate student committees. She works with many CFEA PIs on a large
number of research projects related to vegetation and wildlife
dynamics in response to silvicultural treatments.
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee University is one of AAMU partners along with Auburn University (AU) in the Alabama Agricultural Land Grant Alliance
(AALGA). We have a long history of collaboration in CFEA related research and student advising. We also had a few graduate students
coming from Tuskegee University. We currently have several collaborative research projects between the two institutions including the Costa
Rica International Program that we initiated in 2010.
Clemson University
With his minority background, Dr. J Drew Lanham from Clemson University, has been helping to mentor the minority graduate students
associated with CREST. Dr. Lanham serves on graduate committee, and has provided guidance and technical assistance to several graduate
students for their research project. Dr. Lanham also helped reviewing manuscripts. Dr. Wang also have been invited several time to give
presentations at Clemson about his research in China and explored possibility for collaborations.
Marshall University
We have had a long history of collaborating with Marshall University for conducting herpetologically related research. Dr. Thomas Pauley is a
professor from the Biological Department of Marshall University. Dr. Pauley is a herpetofaunal expert and has assisted several graduate
students for their herpetofaunal research. He also helped to recruit a minority graduate student for us.
Mississippi State University
Several students and faculty have got helps from Mississippi State for their research projects. Provided access to entomological museum
specimens and training in entomological identification to faculty, staff and students.
Nanjing Forestry University
Nanjing Forestry University (NFU), located in Nanjing, China, is a
partner with Alabama A&M University. We are in the process of
establishing a long-term research relationship with this university.
In the past two years (2009-2010), we have had a mixed team of
students and faculty visit NFU to establish long-term working
relationships with faculty there. During our first visit to NFU in
summer 2009, the President of the university signed an MOU, indicating his commitment to establishing a strong relationship with AAMU.
During 2011, a delegation from NFU visited AAMU and met with President Hugine to discuss our relationship. President Hugine made a
verbal promise to visit NFU and sign an MOU there. Recently, we were awarded an international REU grant to bring undergraduate students to
NFU to conduct research abroad and to experience the Chinese culture. We are currently advertising for students to apply.
City of Huntsville, Alabama
CFEA are currently working with the City of Huntsville on a variety of projects such climate, water, and air monitoring. We also collaborated
on student training.
University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
Dr. Wang is currently collaborating with researchers at the University of Alaska, along with researchers from China, on a migratory bird
project.
Northwest A&F University
CFEA is collaborating with Northwest A&F University in China on educational and research initiaties. A delegate of students and faculty
visited their campus this year. A visiting scholar from NWAFU also worked at AAMU for one year.
Beijing Normal University
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Annual Report: 1036600
CFEA has strong ties to Beijing Normal University in China. Dr Wang He is serving as a visiting professor at this university and also
collaborates with Dr. Zhengwang Zhang and others on different research projects. Serveral graudate students has worked in China with the
students and faculty of Beijing Normal University through National Science Foundation EAPSI program.
Beijing Forestry University
Both Drs. Chen and Wang are collaborators with faculty from Beijing
Forestry University in China on educational and research initiatives.
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
We are collaborateing with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in
China on several aspects including Dr. Wang's wildlife related research and Dr. Chen's plant science and ecosystem work. There staff have
visited and worked at AAMU, our students and faculty have worked with research staff from this leading research institution in China.
Dongzhai National Nature Reserve
We have collaborates with researchers at Dongzhai National Nature
Reserve in China. Serveral students have been there working on various collaborative research projects.
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation provides funding and other resources to faculty and students of the center.
N. AL Center for Educational Excellence
Collaborate with CFEA on recruiting and mentoring minority high school students.
AL Agricultural Land Grant Association
This association includes Alabama A& M University, Tuskegee University, and Auburn University. It provides critical role in leadship the
collaborative research and education among land grant universities. It also provided funding opportunities through the Government of
Alabama.
US Army Engineer R and D Center
US Army Engineer Research and Development Center ? Construction
Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Nyakatwa
collaborates with Heidi R. Howard and Niels G. Svendsen of the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center ? Construction
Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL in a research project studying temporary landscaping of military ranges using composted
materials for erosion control and training land restoration. Dr. Nyakatawa's research focuses on evaluating surface runoff, sediment, and
nutrient transport from compost consisting of various organic materials in combination with each other and with soil on a simulated military
training landscape.
Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Dr. Nyakatawa recently completed a USDA-NIFA funded five year research project studying C sequestration in an agroforestry ecosystem in
South Alabama. The project was conducted on the property of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives' Rural Research, Training, and
Extension Center at Epes, Alabama.
Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB)
The water services for the City of Birmingham and the intermediate
urbanized area in Central Alabama has partnered with AAMU to provide
funding for the support of students through scholarships; and staff
through salary supplements and supplies. The BWWB supplements the NSF
CREST funding. In return, AAMU is providing natural resource planning
and research on their 14,000-acre forestland ownership. This is a 15year commitment between the partners.
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Annual Report: 1036600
Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Old Dominion University
Sub-project II.
Kansas State University - ARC Hays
Sub-project II.
Office of Surface Mining
Sub-project III. Funded research related to landscape disturbance and
invasive species.
Canterbury University
Sub-project III. Dawn Lemke is currently working on her PhD through the
Canterbury University. Her advisor, Dr. Jennifer Brown, co-author papers
with Ms. Lemke and others from AAMU.
Lincoln University
Sub-project III. Researchers from Lincoln University co-author papers
with personnel from AAMU, affiliated with CFEA.
Purdue University
Sub-projects I, II, and III. Collaborations with NSF funded Soundscape
Ecology Research Projects; and co-author on paper(s).
USDA-FS Northern Research Station
Sub-projects I, II, and III. Co-author on paper(s), primarily with Dr.
Callie Schweitzer, with all three sub-projects.
Stevenson Land Company
Sub-projects I, II, and III. Co-author on paper(s).
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Sub-projects I, II, and III. Co-author on paper(s).
University of Guyana
UG provided the time, space, and opportunity for AAMU faculty to be
involved in tropical forest and biodiversity studies.
Conservation International - Guyana
Sub-project III. CIG provided support for AAMU staff involved with
field-based training of students in Guyana and Suriname.
Anton de Kom University, Suriname (AdK)
AdK provided space and personnel for training in field based ecological
research.
University of Florida
Sub-project III. UF provided staff and graduate student in training
course in Suriname.
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Guyana Shield Initiative
Sub-project III. GSI provides support for AAMU faculty to participate in
Guyana Shild dialogue.
Kentucky State University
Sub-project III. co-author papers.
University of Kentucky
Sub-projects I, II, and III. Co-author on paper(s).
West Texas A&M University
Sub-project III. Co-authored abstract.
Shanghai Landscape Gardening Research In
Collaborating on research and gradaute student training.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Collaborating on research and gradaute student training.
Other Collaborators or Contacts
Veronica Acosta-Mart?nez, PhD:
Dr. Acosta-Mart?nez is a soil microbiologist and biochemist at the SDA Agriculture Research Service in Lubbock, Texas. She collaborates with
Dr. Zachary Senwo. She also served on the CFEA External Advisory Board during September 2011.
Hosein Alam, PhD:
Dr. Alam is a lecturer at the University of Guyana. He collaborated on eight funded Mangrove Restoration Research projects with Dr. Fraser.
Heather Alexander, PhD:
Dr. Alexander is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Florida. She is a co-author with Dr. Schweitzer on a fire publication.
Frank Allen:
Mr. Allen is a wildlife manager of Alabama DCNR. He has provided
assistance in the development and implementation of wildlife research
in Jackson County, Alabama.
Mary Arthur, PhD:
Dr. Arthur is a professor at the University of Kentucky. She is a coauthor on a fire publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Estella Atekwana, PhD:
Dr. Atekwana is a Sun Chair Professor at the Boone Pickens School of
Geology at Oklahoma State University. She served on the CFEA External
Advisory Board Committee in September 2011.
Swagata Banergee, PhD:
Dr. Bangergee is an associate professor at Alabama A&M University. He is a co-author on papers and proposals related to Dr. Gyawali's
research.
Gary Bentrup:
Mr. Bentrup works at the USDA National Agroforestry Center. He has
collaborated on the development of a Chinese version of Guideline of
Conservation Buffer and organizing workshops of 'Designing multi-
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Annual Report: 1036600
functionality in local landscapes.'
Kamala N. Bhat, PhD:
Dr. Bhat is a chemistry instructor in the Department of Chemistry at
Alabama A&M University. She is a co-author on a publication with Dr.
Ranatunga.
William F. Bleam, PhD:
Dr. Bleam, from the Department of Soil Science at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison, is a consultant for Dr. Ranatunga, advising her in
proper analyses for the 31P-NMR analysis of soil organic phosphorus
compounds.
Allison Bohlman:
Ms. Bohlman is a research associate in the College of Biological and
Environmental Sciences at AAMU. She contributes her time assisting in
entomological and stream field collections and helps to train students
in aquatic bio-assessment protocol and identification of benthic
macroinvertebrates. She was a research associate with the arthropod
group during the first year of CFEA.
Jennifer Brown, PhD:
Dr. Brown is the Associate Director of the Biomathematics Research
Centre and Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Statistics at the
University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. She is working
with CFEA in developing an invasive plant research program, and is
major advisor to Dawn Lemke (PhD candidate). She has also collaborated
on six publications, four of which are currently under submission.
David Buckley, PhD:
Dr. Buckley is a professor at the University of Tennessee. He is a co-author on an understory light publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
James O. Bukenya, PhD:
Dr. Bukenya is an associate professor in the Department of
Agribusiness at Alabama A&M University. He collaborates on research
and publications extensively with Dr. Gyawali, and is a co-author on a peer reviewed journal with Dr. Nyakatawa.
Philip Cannon:
Mr. Cannon works for the United States Forest Service. He is a coauthor for 'Growth Response to Singling of Upland Hardwood Sprouts.'
John Carpenter:
Mr. Carpenter works at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mr. Carpenter is a former
graduate student (MS, Dr. Wang). He has collaborated on publishing a
manuscript related to Cerulean Warbler habitat associations.
Lawrence Carrington:
Mr. Carrington is the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Guyana. He
worked with Dr. Fraser on stakeholder dialogue for the establishment
of an International Biodiversity Research Center in Guyana.
Duncan Chembezi, PhD:
Dr. Chembezi is a professor at Alabama A&M University. He is a coauthor on papers and proposals related to Dr. Gyawali's research.
Dongquan Chen, PhD:
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Dr. Chen is an associate professor at The University of Alabama at
Birmingham. He contributed by working with Dr. Soliman providing
statistical analysis of the data.
Patrick Chesney:
Mr. Chesney is a coordinator for Guyana Shield Initiative ? UNDP. He
is the organizer of the Guyana Shield Fora, a collaboration that Dr.
Fraser is affiliated with, that is concerned with sustainability of a
globally unique multinational ecosystem.
Allison Cochran:
Ms. Cochran is a wildlife biologist at the Bankhead National Forest
and serves as our Liaison with this essential partner. She serves on
the CFEA Core Steering Committee, and provides important communication
about treatment operations and other relevant Forest Service news that
affects our research. She helps coordinate visits to the forest by
internal and external CFEA research, education, and outreach groups.
She also helped with safety training of our field-going personnel in
2011.
Tommy Colman, PhD:
Dr. Colman is a professor at Alabama A&M University. He is a Co-PI on
collaborative research: Climate Change and Land Use Impacts of
Spatial-Temporal Nutrient Dynamic Interactions across the Mid-Atlantic
and Gulf Coast Regions of the United States.
John W. Connelly:
Mr. Connelly is a principle wildlife research biologist at the Idaho
Department of Fish and Game, Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho
State University. He collaborated with Dr. Wang on a peer reviewed
journal publication.
Dwight Cooley:
Mr. Cooley is Manager and Project Leader at the Wheeler National
Wildlife Refuge in northern Alabama. He served on the CFEA External
Advisory Board Committee during September 2011.
John Coulston, PhD:
Dr. Coulston is a supervisory researcher forester for the United
States Forest Service ? Southern Research Station. He assisted in the
development of a research project that concluded in the funding cycle,
on the potential of invasive plants in the forest of the Southern
Region. He has contributed to three presentations and three
publications, one of which is in press and the others are close to
being submitted. He has acted as a mentor for Dawn Lemke, throughout
her PhD program and is now part of her application to the USDA for a
Post doc program.
Elvira Cuevas, PhD:
Dr. Cuevas, who is Director of the CREST Center for Applied Tropical
Ecology and Conservation, served on the CFEA External Advisory Board
Committee in September 2011.
Dan Dey:
Mr. Dey is a research forester for the United States Forest Service ?
Northern Research Station. He is a co-author on a fire publication and
on a stand dynamics publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
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C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., PhD:
Dr. Dodd is a Zoologist (Research) of the Florida Integrated Science
Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Gainesville, FL. Dr. Dodd is also the
Project Leader, USGS Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative
(ARMI), Southeastern US. Dr. Dodd has been assisting several CREST
graduate students to develop and implement their herpetofaunal
research. He also serves on graduate committee, and also helped review
manuscripts.
Mike Dosskey:
Mr. Dosskey works at the USDA National Agroforestry Center. He
collaborated on the development of the Chinese version of 'Guidelines
for Conservation Buffers' and organizing workshops of 'Designing
multi-functionality in local landscapes,' with Dr. Wang.
Songlin Fei, PhD:
Dr. Fei is an assistant professor at Purdue University. He is
currently serving as a graduate advisor for one of Dr. Wang's Ph.D
students. He has also contributed with GIS and statistical
applications to strengthen our projects for modeling natural resources
and environmental conditions.
Zachary Felix, PhD:
Dr. Felix is a professor at Reinhardt University, and a former
graduate student (PhD, Dr. Wang). He collaborated on publishing
manuscripts related to forest management effect on herpetofaunal
community.
Yujian Fu, PhD:
Dr. Fu is an associate professor in computer science at Alabama A&M
University. Dr. Fu co-authored a book chapter 'Spatial Decision
Support System (SDSS) for Stormwater Management and Water Quality
Assessment.'
Teshome Gabre:
Mr. Gabre is a research associate at Alabama A&M University. He is a
Co-PI for urbanization and loss of prime agricultural land in north
Alabama region: A remote sensing and GIS-based study.
Emile Gardiner:
Ms. Gardiner is a research forester for the United States Forest
Service ? Northern Research Station. She is a co-author on a under
planting oak publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Kurt Gottschalk:
Mr. Gottschalk is a research forester for the United States Forest
Service ? Northern Research Station. He is a co-author on an
understory light publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Kathryn Greenburg, PhD:
Dr. Greenburg works for the USDA Forest Service. She has collaborated
on research projects related to the effects of forest management on
wildlife communities with a number of CFEA researchers, primarily with
Drs. Wang, Schweitzer, and Dimov.
Stephen Grayson:
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Mr. Grayson is a graduate assistant at the University of Tennessee. He
is a co-author on an understory light publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
James Guldin:
Mr. Guldin is a research project leader for the United States Forest
Service ? Southern Research Station. He is a co-author of a
silviculture publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Yuming Guo, PhD:
Dr. Guo is Assistant Professor at the College of Natural Conservation
at Beijing Forestry University. He collaborated with Dr. Wang on avian
research in China and with co-advising graduate students in China and
USA.
Paul Hamel, PhD:
Dr. Hamel is a wildlife biologist of the Southern Research Station of
USDA Forest Service. Dr. Hamel has assisted and guided several avian
related research projects. He is currently serving on the committee of
Brandie Stringer.
William Hammitt, PhD:
Dr. Hammitt is a retired professor at Clemson University. He has
accepted abstract stems from collaborative work. HUH?
Zhongqi He, PhD:
Dr. He is a researcher for the USDA/ARS Southern Regional Research
Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. He collaborates with Dr.
Ranatunga, and serves as a collaborator for a USDA/NIFA/Evans Allen
funded project: Heat?induced Structural Changes in Soil Organic Matter
and Black Carbon Distribution in a Prescribed Burned Forest Ecosystem
and Effects on Climate Change. Dr. He is helping to characterize
organic matter and black carbon particles utilizing Atomic Force
Microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and
13C Nuclear Magnetic Spectroscopy (NMR) to study these components.
Kasia Heller-Uszynska:
Ms. Heller-Uszynska is a research scientist at Diversity Arrays
Technology Pty Ltd. She is a co-author on a peer reviewed journal
publication with Dr. Soliman.
Jason Henning:
Mr. Henning is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee.
He is a co-author on an understory light publication with Dr.
Schweitzer.
Drew Hildebrandt, PhD:
Dr. Hildebrandt is a medical researcher in Jackson, Mississippi, and
has expertise in carabid beetle taxonomy. He has provided essential
help in species identification of this important indicator group for
study sites in Jackson County and Bankhead National Forest.
Anquinette Hill:
Ms. Hill is a graduate research assistant in the Department of
Agribusiness at Alabama A&M University. She is a Co-author on a
publication with Dr. Gyawali.
Heidi R. Howard:
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U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction
Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Nyakatawa
collaborates with Dr. Howard and Dr. Svendsen on a research project
studying temporary landscaping of military ranges using composted
materials for erosion control and training land restoration. Dr.
Nyakatawa's research focuses on evaluating surface runoff, sediment,
and nutrient transport from compost consisting of various organic
materials in combination with each other and with soil on a simulated
military training landscape.
Falk Huettmann:
Dr. Huettmann is an Associate Professor in the Biology and Wildlife
Department at the Institute of Arctic Biology of the University of
Alaska in Fairbanks. He has collaborated on avian research in China
with Dr. Wang.
Philip Hulme, PhD:
Dr. Hulme is a research professor at Lincoln University. He is coadvisor for Dawn Lemke, and has collaborated on six publications, four
of which are currently under submission.
Brandon Hunnicutt:
Mr. Hunnicutt is a land stewardship officer of ADNCR. Brandon has
provided assistance, guidance, and collaboration for the wildlife
research in Jackson County, Alabama.
Douglass Jacobs, PhD:
Dr. Jacobs is an assistant professor at Purdue University. He is a coauthor on an underplanting oak publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Greg Janzen:
Mr. Janzen is a manager for the Stevenson Land Company. He is a coauthor on an oak regeneration publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Kuruvilla John, PhD:
Dr. John is Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for the
College of Engineering at the University of North Texas. He served on
the CFEA External Advisory Board Committee during September 2011.
John Kabrick:
Mr. Kabrick is a research forester with the United States Forest
Service ? Northern Research Station. He is a co-author on an
underplanting oak publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
Nally Kaunda-Bukenya, PhD:
Dr. Kaunda-Bukenya is a GIS Specialist with the City of Huntsville. He
collaborates extensively with Dr. Gyawali. He authored book chapter
'Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) for Stormwater Management and
Water Quality Assessment.' Relevant?
Ellene Kebede, PhD:
Dr. Kebede is a professor at Auburn University. She collaborated on
initial research. HUH?
Andrzej Kilian, PhD:
Dr. Kilian is the founder and director of Diversity Arrays Technology
Pty Ltd. He is a co-author on a peer reviewed journal publication with
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Dr. Soliman.
Joe K. Kpomblekou-A, PhD:
Dr. Kpomblekou-A is a professor at Tuskegee University. He
collaborated with Dr. Tazisong on applying and working on a grant.
Thomas Lacher Jr., PhD:
Dr. Lacher is a professor and chair at Texas A&M University. He
accepted abstract stems from collaborative work. ?
David Loftis, PhD:
Mr. Loftis is an emeritus research forester for the United States
Forest Service ? Southern Research Station. He is a co-author on a
fire publication with Dr. Schweitzer.
J. Drew Lanham, PhD:
Dr. Lanham is an associate professor of Wildlife Biology of the
Clemson University. With his minority background, Dr. Lanham has been
helping to mentor the minority graduate students associated with
CREST. Dr. Lanham serves on graduate committee, and has provided
guidance and technical assistance to several graduate students for
their research project. Dr. Lanham has also helped to review
manuscripts.
Robert O. Lawton, PhD:
Dr. Lawton is a professor of ecology of University of Alabama,
Huntsville (UAH). Dr. Lawton has assisted and guided several graduate
students to develop their research projects and has served on several
graduate student committees. Many of CFEA's students take his classes
at UAH (Population and Community Ecology; Biogeography; Evolutionary
Biology), through a mutual agreement between the universities. He also
served on the CFEA External Advisory Board Committee during September
2011.
Laura Leites, PhD:
Dr. Leites is a research associate at Penn State University. She
collaborated on the proposal 'RCN UBE Incubator ? QUANTIFY: a network
to redesign the teaching of quantitative methods to applied ecology
undergraduate students.'
Zakiya H. Leggett, PhD:
Dr. Leggett is a research scientist with the Weyerhaeuser Company. She
collaborated with Dr. Dimov on research and publications.
Sha Li, PhD:
Dr. Li is a professor in the School of Education at Alabama A&M
University. He has collaborated with us in the evaluation of the
previous REU program and publishing one manuscript based on REU
program.
L. Lv:
Mr. Lv is a doctoral student at Beijing Normal University. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal with Dr. Wang.
Zhijiun Ma, PhD:
Dr. Ma is Associate Professor at the College of Natural Conservation
at Fudan University. He collaborated on avian research and co-advising
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graduate students in China and USA. He also collaborated with Dr. Wang
on research and publications.
James Miller, PhD:
Dr. Miller is an emeritus research ecologist for the United States
Forest Service ? Southern Research Station. Dr. Miller assisted in the
development of a research projected that concluded in the funding
cycle, on the potential of invasive plants in the forest of the
Southern Region. He has contributed to three presentations and three
publications, one of which is in press and the others are close to
being submitted. He has acted as a mentor for Dawn Lemke, throughout
her PhD program.
Padma Nimmakayala, PhD:
Dr. Nimmakayala is a research scientist and assistant professor at the
Gus R. Douglass Institute and Department of Biology, West Virginia
State University. She is a co-author on a peer reviewed journal
publication with Dr. Soliman.
Benedict C. Okeke, PhD:
Dr. Okeke is an associate professor of biology at Auburn University Montgomery (Alabama). He collaborated with Dr. Elica Moss on research
and the peer-reviewed publication (as first author) 'Occurrence,
molecular characterization and antibiogram of water quality indicator
bacteria in river water serving a water treatment plant,' published in
Science of the Total Environment.
Thomas Pauley, PhD:
Dr. Pauley is a professor from the Biological Department of Marshall
University. Dr. Pauley is a herpetofaunal expert and has assisted
several graduate students with their herpetofaunal research. He has
also helped to recruit a minority graduate student.
Andy Patterson, PhD:
Dr. Patterson is a professor at the University of Georgia. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal publication with Dr. Soliman.
Bryan Pijanowski, PhD:
Dr. Pijanowski is a research professor at Purdue University. He
collaborated on the Soundscape Research proposal with Dr. Tadesse,
currently funded by NSF.
Thomas Potts, PhD:
Dr. Potts is an emeritus professor at Clemson University. He accepted
abstract stems from collaborative work. ?
Ying Qi:
Mr. Qi is a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science. He
collaborated with Dr. Wang on research and publications relating to
'Postbreeding Movement and Habitat Use of the Plateau Brown Frog, Rana
kukunoris, in a High-Elevation Wetland.'
Dr. Mahfuzur Rahman:
Dr. Rahman is an assistant professor at the Gus R. Douglass Institute
and Department of Biology, West Virginia State University. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal publication with Dr. Soliman.
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Sajjala Reddy:
Mr. Reddy is an assistant weed scientist at the Agricultural Research
Center ? Hays, Kansas State University. He collaborated for
statistical analysis of data. With whom?
Umesh Reddy, PhD:
Dr. Reddy is a professor at West Virginia State University. He
collaborated with Dr. Soliman and contributed by carrying out many of
the experiments and prepared the first version of the manuscript for a
peer reviewed journal.
J. Rong, PhD:
Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory, University of Georgia. Co-author on a
peer reviewed publication with Dr. Soliman.
Gregory Ruark, PhD:
Dr. Ruark is Assistant Director of the Southern Research Station in
Asheville, NC. He used to be stationed at AAMU for the USFS. He served
on the CFEA External Advisory Board Committee during September 2011.
Mark Sasser:
Mr. Sasser works for the Alabama Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources. He has assisted us with wildlife conservation
projects.
Andy Scott, PhD:
Dr. Scott is a Research Soil Scientist with the USDA-Forest Service
Southern Research Station. He is stationed at AAMU and assists with
advising students and researchers, and with Bankhead National Forest
research.
David Singh:
Mr. Singh is a director for the Conservation International Guyana. He
collaborated with Dr. Fraser in the development of a field-based
training program in Guyana and Suriname.
Douglas R. Smith:
Mr. Smith is a soil scientist United States Department of Agriculture
? Agricultural Research Service. He is a co-author on a peer reviewed
journal with Dr. Nyakatawa.
Eric B. Sucre:
Mr. Sucre is a researcher with the Weyerhaeuser Company. He
collaborated with Dr. Dimov on research and publications.
William Sutton, PhD:
Dr. Sutton is a Post-Doctoral research associate at the University of
Tennessee. He received his PhD in plant and soil science (2010) from
Alabama A&M University. He collaborated on ecology and herpetological
research and publications for this project with Dr. Wang.
Niels G. Svendsen:
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Construction
Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, Illinois. Dr. Nyakatawa
collaborates with Dr. Svendsen and Dr. Howard on a research project
studying temporary landscaping of military ranges using composted
materials for erosion control and training land restoration. Dr.
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Nyakatawa's research focuses on evaluating surface runoff, sediment,
and nutrient transport from compost consisting of various organic
materials in combination with each other and with soil on a simulated
military training landscape.
Thomas Tenyah:
Mr. Tenyah works for the United States Forest Service. He is a coauthor of 'Environmental Impact of Two Logging Methods in Bankhead
National Forest,' with Kozma Naka.
Sue Thompson, PhD:
Dr. Thompson collaborated with Dr. Elica Moss on research and the
peer-reviewed publication 'Occurrence, molecular characterization and
antibiogram of water quality indicator bacteria in river water serving
a water treatment plant.'
Henry A. Torbert, PhD:
Dr. Torbert is a supervisory soil scientist with the United States
Department of Agriculture ? Agricultural Research Service. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal with Dr. Nyakatawa.
Gopinath Vajja, PhD:
Dr. Vajja is a research associate at the Gus R. Douglass Institute and
Department of Biology, West Virginia State University. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal publication with Dr. Soliman.
Dexter B. Watts, PhD:
Dr. Watts is a research soil scientist with the United States
Department of Agriculture ? Agricultural Research Service. He is a coauthor on a peer reviewed journal with Dr. Nyakatawa.
Naijang Wang, PhD:
Dr. Wang is an associate professor at the Northwest Agricultural and
Forestry University. He collaborated with Dr. Wang on a peer reviewed
journal publication.
Qingyu Wang:
Mr. Wang is Director of the Office of International Cooperation and
Exchange at Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China. She has
collaborated on the China exchange program between AAMU and Nanjing
Forestry University.
Y. Z. Wang, PhD:
Dr. Wang is a professor at the Biological Institute of Chinese Academy
of Science. He is a co-author on a peer reviewed publication with Dr.
Yong Wang.
Thomas R. Way:
Mr. Way is an agricultural engineer with the United States Department
of Agriculture ? Agricultural Research Service. He is a co-author on a
peer reviewed journal with Dr. Nyakatawa.
Longying Wen, PhD:
Dr. Wen is an associate professor at Harvard University. She has
collaborated on research and publications with Dr. Wang.
Miranda I. Williams:
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Ms. Williams recieved her graduate degree from Alabama A&M University.
She is a co-author with Dr. Tazisong on a peer reviewed publication.
Constance Wilson, PhD:
Dr. Wilson is an associate professor in Urban Planning at Alabama A&M
University. She is a Co-PI for urbanization and loss of prime
agricultural land in north Alabama region: A remote sensing and GISbased study.
B. Xi, PhD:
Dr. Xi is the director of research at the Dongzhai Institute of
Chinese Academy of Science, China.
He is a co-author on publications with Dr. Wang.
Jiliang Xu, PhD:
Dr. Xu is Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of the College of
Natural Conservation at Beijing Forestry University. He collaborated
with Dr. Wang on avian research in China and co-advising graduate
students in China and USA.
John Yu, PhD:
Dr. Yu is a research geneticist at the Southern Plains Agricultural
Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural
Research Service, College Station, TX. He is a co-author on a peer
reviewed journal publication with Dr. Soliman.
Yaoqi Zhang, PhD:
Dr. Zhang is a professor at Auburn University. He collaborated on
initial research. With whom and on what?
Zhengwang Zhang, PhD:
Dr. Zhang is a professor at Beijing Normal University. He collaborated
on avian research with Dr. Wang in China and with co-advising graduate
students in China and USA.
Guangmei Zheng, PhD:
Dr. Zheng is a professor at Beijing Normal University. He collaborated
with Dr. Wang on research and publications.
Junyan Zhong, PhD:
Dr. Zhong is an NMR facility manager at Old Dominion University. He
contributed by collaboration for NMR spectroscopy analysis.
Activities and Findings
Research and Education Activities: (See PDF version submitted by PI at the end of the report)
See attached PDF.
Findings: (See PDF version submitted by PI at the end of the report)
See attached PDF
Training and Development:
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FACULTY TRAINING
Microsoft SharePoint workshop. February 2012. AAMU's Information
Technology department held a brief training on their new website
content management software, Microsoft SharePoint. Lisa Gardner and
Dr. Wubishet Tadesse attended this workshop.
CETL Management Skills for Team Leaders workshop. October 2011. Lisa
Gardner participated in Continuing Education workshop on Management
skills for Team Leaders through the AAMU Centers for Excellence in
Teaching and Learning (October 11 and 13, 2011). This workshop was
taught by Ms. Sharon Myers (Myers Technical Services, LLC). It was two
half days of lecture and group activities aimed at improving
management skills. Ms. Gardner received a certificate of attendance
upon completion.
Operation of Metrhom Ion Chromatography System Training. February
2012. Methrom, USA Service Representative, Instructor. Training and
presentation was provided by Metrhom, USA, for hands on operation and
maintenance of Metrohm Ion Chromatography system that can be utilized
for anion analysis in water and soil extracts. Attendees included
Thilini Ranatunga, Irenus Tazisong, Shelley Baltar, Robert Taylor,
Angela Reedy, and Regine Mankolo.
Outreach Activities:
COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION
Outreach activities are divided into two main categories. First, we
strongly believe that the dissemination of the results from CFEA
research is imperative to our success and is an integral part of the
CFEA mission. Second, we believe it is our duty to educate the
community. There are two types of community education: (1) landowner
education around the Bankhead National Forest and in the Black Belt
region of Alabama, about the research activities taking place in the
forests they intimately rely upon and how to be better land stewards
and more effective land managers; and (2) general community education?
from elementary school to adults?about forest ecosystems, watershed
health, and the clear benefits of healthy silvicultural practices. We
have therefore taken an aggressive posture to inform the scientific
and educational community of our research findings.
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment Seminar Series:
The CFEA Seminar Series hosted six guest speakers during the 2011-2012
school year. Topics ranged from silvicultural practices to Asian
elephant research in Sri Lanka. The seminars were a great success, and
regularly hosted upwards of 50 audience members. We will be
continuing the series into the 2012-2013 academic school year as a
means of bringing a variety of research topics to our students and as
a way of promoting collaborative efforts.
April 10, 2012. Improving Upland Hardwoods: How? Dr. David C. Mercker.
This hardwood seminar was co-sponsored by CFEA and the Society of
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American Foresters, and Alabama A&M Forestry, Ecology, and Wildlife
Program. Keith Cox, SAF Chapter Chair welcomed Dr. David C. Mercker,
Extension Forester from the University of Tennessee. Dr. Mercker
explained how to enhance the growth, quality, and composition of
hardwood forests using crop tree release and corridor thinnings.
Around 50 people attended this seminar.
April 5, 2012. Can Cerulean Warbler Catalyze Oak Forest Conservation
in the Western Hemisphere? Dr. Paul Hamel. Dr. Paul Hamel presented on
two different research projects he has been working on across the
years: cerulean warblers in South America and oak forests of Mexico.
March 29, 2012. Indian Medicinal Plants and Research at the Medicinal
Herbal Garden Scheme: Potential for Collaborations. Dr. S. S. N.
Reddy. Dr. Reddy presented on a wide variety of traditional Indian
medicinal plants and their gaining popularity in the West. Dr. Reddy
is research professor from the Dr. Y. S. R. Horticultural University
in Andhra Pradesh, India.
March 9, 2012. Making the Most of What's in the Kitchen Cupboard: The
National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center. Dr. K. Bruce
Jones. Dr. Jones Dr. Jones is Chief Scientist for the Biology
Discipline at the USGS.
February 16, 2012. Elephant Landscapes. Dr. Shermin de Silva. Dr. de
Silva gave an overview of the situation in Sri Lanka for the largest
wild population of Asian Elephants, including their population
dynamics and the biggest threats to their long-term survival:
elephant-human interactions. Dr. de Silva is a visiting scientist at
Colorado State University in the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and
Conservation Biology. She is also founder and Director of the Uda
Walawe Elephant Research Project, and trustee of the Elephant Forest
and Environment Conservation Trust.
January 26, 2012. What is the National Ecological Observatory Network?
And What Does it Mean for Ecology and Scientists? Dr. Hank Loescher.
Dr. Loescher gave an overview of NEON and talked about our
collaborative efforts in the Bankhead National Forest, and how they
would contribute to a national database. After the presentation, there
was a panel discussion. Dr. Loescher is Assistant Director for
Biometeorology and is leader of the FIU (Fundamental Instrument Unit)
team at NEON.
Earth Day at Hays Nature Preserve
Daryl Lawson, Andrew Cantrell, Allison Bohlman, William Stone, Luben
Dimov, Ernst Cebert
As in years past, many CFEA affiliates participated in this year's
annual Earth Day Event at Hays Nature Preserve, Saturday April 21,
manning many educational booths. Over 3000 people attended this event.
Andrew Cantrell was one of the main presenters, and gave a talk on the
local herpetofauna and their conservation. Allison Bohlman, Heather
Howell, Patience Knight, and Helen Czech brought the Stream Trailer
with them to educate children about watersheds: what they are and how
they can be affected by various land uses. Daryl Lawson and some of
the FireDawgs demonstrated how fire can be used as a management tool
for forests. Luben Dimov manned a booth with the US Forest Service on
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general forest education. Ernst Cebert and Lee Hoeck brought their
biodiesel trailer to demonstrate how easily biodiesel can be created
from a plant source. Rhonda (?) and Dr. Rudy Pacumbaba Jr. worked with
Waterworks demonstrating the utility of rain barrels.
Forest Fair Day
William Stone, Stephanie Love, Daryl Lawson, Allison Bohlman, Heather
Howell, Patience Knight, Helen Czech, Lisa Gardner, Nara McCray
This activity, planned for April 2012, was cancelled and rescheduled
for September 2012, due to a scheduling error. Ms. Stephanie Love, of
the USFS, and Dr. Wes Stone are the primary organizers for this
activity. We plan to host around 150 fifth and sixth grade students
from the north Huntsville area. This event, co-sponsored by the US
Forest Service and AAMU, is held on the AAMU Campus in the Quad.
Activities planned for this event include: Wildlife Identification
(Allison Cochran), Watershed Trailer (Allison Bohlman and Heather
Howell), Why We Recycle (Nara McCray), Axe throwing and wood cutting
contests (held by Forestry students, cheered on by elementary
students), etc.
Minority Landowner Workshops, 2012
Buddhi Gyawali, Colmore Christian
Two workshops were organized and held by Drs. Buddhi Gyawali and
Colmore Christian in Luverne (June 7-8) and Selma (July 1-2), Alabama.
These workshops were aimed at socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers, with the goals of educating minority forest landowners about
the government's cost share programs, and assisting in the development
of sound forest management plans, Estate planning and other best land
management practices. About 20 landowners participated in both
workshops.
Reaching Out Building Bridges Project (ROBB)
Buddhi Gyawali
Dr. Buddhi Gyawali participated actively in organizing a two week
summer camp for high school students at Alabama A&M University.
Eighteen high school junior and senior students from Robert C. Hatch
High school, Union Town, Alabama and Butler High School, Huntsville,
Alabama participated in the summer camp. Dr. Gyawali lectured on the
'use of computer technology in agriculture' to the students and led
two field trips for them. These students received information on
agricultural research activities at AAMU and exposures to various onsite agricultural production and processing activities through
multiple field trips. At least 10 students are expected to join the
program at AAMU as a result of participation in this program.
1890 Agro-forestry consortium workshop
Buddhi Gyawali
Dr. Gyawali participated in this workshop, which was attended by
twelve HBCU representatives. Collaborative research and outreach ideas
and strategies were discussed during the meeting. The workshop was
helpful for identifying effective strategies for participation of
minority landowners in agricultural and forestry based income earning
activities. Field trips in the various agro-forestry research sites
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Annual Report: 1036600
helped to understand the connection between people, landscape and
environment for the sustainable use and management of natural
resources.
Birmingham Water Works Board Young Water Ambassadors Program, Lake
Purdy Field Day, 21 June 2012
Daryl Lawson, Colmore Christian, William Stone, Heather Howell,
Allison Bohlman
We continued our annual Lake Purdy Field Day with the BWWB Young Water
Ambassadors. The BWWB Young Water Ambassadors program is a summer
program for inner city minority students to acquire hands-on,
practical environmental science experiences. The Lake Purdy Field Day
is an all-day event aimed at teaching the YWA students about a variety
of ecology-related fields including lake and stream ecology, water
quality assessments and importance of clean water for all aspects of
an ecosystem; wildlife ecology; forest recreation; wildland fire
management, etc. This year, hosted around 150 high school students and
they circulated through the following activities: Forest Recreation
(Colmore Christian), Stream Ecology (Allison Bohlman), Lake Ecology
(Heather Howell), Capturing Fish for Research (William Stone),
Wildland Fire (Daryl Lawson, Vermar Wilson, Matt Breedwell). As usual,
students were excited to see Mr. Lawson discuss the use of fire as a
means of forest management, and Dr. Stone use an electricity to stun
fish.
Birmingham Water Works Board Young Water Ambassadors Program, Alabama
A&M University On-campus All Day Educational Visit, 21 July 2012
Daryl Lawson, Colmore Christian, William Stone, Heather Howell,
Allison Bohlman
We have hosted BWWA YWA students at the AAMU campus both for
educational and for recruitment purposes. This year we hosted ~150
students. Students spent the day at AAMU learning about GIS and Remote
Sensing, wildlife, stream ecology, genetic variations and DNA
extraction, and forest ecology. Students toured through classrooms and
working labs to see hands-on research, then ate lunch on campus.
Lake Purdy / Cahaba River Project
Daryl Lawson, Colmore Christian, William Stone, Heather Howell,
Allison Bohlman
The purpose of this project is to initiate research on the 8000-acre
Lake Purdy watershed owned by the Birmingham Water Works Board and
provide real world experience for AAMU students. Funded by SRS Civil
Rights Capacity Grant (11-CA-11330124-099). Several undergraduate
students participated in this project and enjoyed the hands-on
practical experience it gave them. This project promises to enhance
the Forestry program at AAMU further. All students said that having
younger people speak about their experiences with this program (and
others) would be an excellent addition to the AAMU Forestry Program
recruiting process. Below are some students' reflections on their
experience with this program.
>> Dexter Strother (Senior): Mr. Stother said that the real life
experience was fun and beneficial. He felt that he was actually
learning things that had been taught in class through practical
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Annual Report: 1036600
implementation and hands-on application of techniques. He has been
motivated by his experience with the BWWB project.
>> Jamal Jones (Junior): able to see more sides of forestry than just
timber marking. Mr. Jones thought this was a great experience. He
discovered areas where he needs to do some extra work and also where
his strengths lie. He expressed gratitude for the trust shown in him.
The experience he gained will help him in his future jobs.
>> Cory Tucker (Freshman): Mr. Tucker appreciated that teachers'
expectations were high, which helped motivate the students to learn
more. He feels that many more opportunities are now open to him. Will
be able to help motivate others due to the experience he's gained.
Experience in the field has brought lessons to life from the
classroom.
>> Matt Breedwell (Junior): Learned more with the hands-on experience.
Brought it to life much better than just sitting in the classroom.
Natural Resources Management Plan
Daryl Lawson
AAMU received a resolution from the Board in appreciation for our
partnership in education for the rural youth of the Birmingham Metro
area. In addition we received a letter of commendation from the BWWB
presented to AAMU in July 2011 at the annual board meeting at
Birmingham Works Board Main office. The BWWB NRMP Service agreement
was extended for 2010-2011 with an award of $65,000 to continue to
provide natural resource management assistance and advice. We have
reapplied for 2011-2012 for another one year service agreement for FY
2011-2012. The BWWB has assured that this service agreement will be
renewed in light of the acceptance of the USFS grant application. A
USFS grant application has been submitted to fund the teacher
coordinator trip to the Bent Creek and Coweta Experimental forest.
Along with the twelve teachers, four BWWB land management employees
will be going on this tour the goal is to demonstrate to the
participant's proper road building techniques, best management
practices for timber harvesting in forested watersheds, and the
potential for employment for YWA in natural resource careers. Another
aspect of the USFS proposal is to increase the participation of CFEA
students in the natural resource inventory and management
recommendations for the 12,000 acre BWWB property. In addition, the
proposal established a research partnership between CFEA, FEWP, COE
and BWWB as a long term study area for impacts of thinning and
prescribed burning on the BWWB property.
FireDawgs
Daryl Lawson
The Alabama Forestry Commission continues to compensate our FireDawgs
for activation to various details during the school year. This year,
$7000 has been paid to individual FireDawgs crew members for fire
duty. The AFC has committed to renewing this grant for FY 2011-12 and
has made a state funding request to increase the grant amount due to
past successes. There have been 48 students enrolled to date, in
FireDawgs. In 2011, there were 10 prescribed burns for 395 acres,
including for State Parks and the Nature Conservancy. In addition,
Page 54 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
students learned how to create fire plans.
EnvironMentors Program
W. Tadesse, J. Mitchell, D. Lemke, L. Gardner, E. Moss, E. Davis, D.
Washington, H. Howell, A. Cantrell, E. Cebert, A. Bohlman, B. Petty,
and C. Moultry
The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) accepted
our application to become EnvironMentors chapter in the fall of 2011,
after a successful pilot year in 2007-08 (Dr. Monday Mbila, first
Chapter Director). The Current Chapter Director, Dr. Wubishet Tadesse
is assisted by coordinator Jasmine Mitchell, M.S. Student majoring
Computer Science. Dr. Robert Taylor (former Dean) is also instrumental
in the establishment of the current Chapter. The National Council for
Science and the Environment (NCSE) also funded the chapter with over
$9,000.
The Chapter began the 2011-12 program year with 12 students and 10
mentors. The successful recruitment was due, in part, to AAMU's
existing relationship with Johnson High School, AP Environmental
Science teacher, Ms. Colette Moultry, the North Alabama Center for
Educational Excellence (NACEE) and to their ability to provide each
student who completes the program with a $700 stipend. NACEE which
participates with AAMU in the 'Earn and Learn' summer mentoring
program also helps AAMU Chapter in recruiting as well as transports
students to their campus. The funds for student stipends were provided
from several sources, including NSF Research Experience for
Undergraduates (REU), USDA's National Institute of Food and
Agriculture (NIFA), and their Dean's office. Together, these funds
allow us to provide a stipend to students who finish both semesters of
the EnvironMentors program, and complete their research project. Both
parents and students sign a letter of agreement, to ensure that
expectations are clear from the start. Three EnvironMentors and Ms.
Jasmine Mitchell will attend the National Fair in Washington, DC on
May 22-24. Dr. Sonia Ortega NSF Program Director for the Graduate STEM
Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) program is our chapter mentor.
Intensive Southeastern Training Expansion Program (InSTEP) for
African-American Landowners
Colmore Christian, Buddhi Gyawali, Rory Fraser, and Chelsea Scott
Landowners and workshop participants in each of the communities that
participated in these outreach workshops identified four critical need
areas that we intend on exploring through the proposed InSTEP followup training workshop series (Fraser, 2009):
1.Heir property and estate planning
2.Forest resource management
3.Cost-share programs for landowner assistance
4.Alternative land management strategies
A total of 21 landowners participated in the two InSTEP workshops
organized in Alabama to date. Seventeen participants were present at
the Luverene workshop held during the first week of June 2011 whereas
four landowners made it to Selma workshop in June/July 2011. The low
attendance at the Selma workshop has been partly attributed to the
fact many other potential participants may have been engaged in 4th of
July related activities.
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Annual Report: 1036600
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Day 2012
The daylong Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Day
event is dedicated to promoting interest and skills in the STEM fields
among college students for many science-teaching institutions. It is
also a day for AAMU to celebrate the accomplishments of their students
in research and senior science projects. The goal of the program is to
build the STEM education and research capacity at AAMU alongside other
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as a means of
broadening interest and participation in the nation's STEM workforce.
CFEA students, staff, and faculty have been a driving force behind
STEM Day since its inception here five years ago. During this year's
event (2012), about 120 students participated in scientific poster
presentations from any STEM related research, including on-going
research at AAMU, or projects completed on campus through summer
research experiences. Scientists from outside AAMU were recruited to
judge the posters. The STEM Day event received full participation from
the CREST PIs and collaborators, either as STEM Committee
members,advisors and mentors of students' research and senior
projects, science poster judges, fundraisers, and support staff. Dr.
Monday Mbila served on the STEM Committee as the Award Chair on behalf
of the CFEA-CREST Project. Several graduate students received awards
for their research posters in every year. For example, Brandie
Stringer won the first place award this year for her study of bird
breeding populations in thinned forests and edge habitat.
Newsletters
Two newsletters were published, one during fall 2011 and the other in
summer 2012. The fall 2011 newsletter summarized the recent CFEArelated activities, commended the FireDawgs and others for their call
to civic duty during the tornado disaster, highlighted recent
graduates and welcomed new graduates to the program. The summer 2012
newsletter reviewed the 2011-2012 academic year and research, and
summarized things to expect for the following year.
Journal Publications
Gyawali, B., R. Fraser, J. Bukenya, and S. Banerjee, "Spatial relationship between human well-being and community capital in the west-central
Black Belt counties of Alabama.", Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, p. 167, vol. 2, (2010). Published,
ISSN-2141-2170
Bukenya, J. O., C. Davis, S. Banerjee, and B. Gyawali, "Analysis of regional disparities and wage convergence in Alabama.", African Journal
of Agricultural Research, p. 363, vol. 6, (2011). Published, ISSN 1991-637X
Lemke, D., P. E. Hulme, J. A. Brown, and W. Tadesse, "Distribution modelling of Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) invasion in the
Cumberland Plateau and Mountain Region, USA.", Forest Ecology and Management, p. 139, vol. 262, (2011). Published,
doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.03.014
Carpenter, J., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Avian community associations and microhabitat associations of Cerulean Warblers (Dendroica
cerulea) in Alabama.", Wilson Journal of Ornithology, p. 206, vol. 123, (2011). Published, 10.1676/10-038.1
Chen, X., "Spatial geometry of amphibian distribution in Alabama, USA.", Wildlife Biology in Practice, p. 57, vol. 2, (2010). Published,
10.2461/wbp.2010.6.5
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Annual Report: 1036600
Chen, X., "Trends of forest inventory data in Alabama, USA during the last seven decades.", Forestry, p. 517, vol. 83, (2010). Published,
10.1093/forestry/cpq034
Ngowari, J., M. Mbila, T. Tsegaye, and J. Odutola, "Landscape variability of the riparian buffers and its impact on soil and water chemistry of a
northern Alabama urbanized watershed.", Soil, Water and Air Pollution, p. , vol. , (2011). Submitted,
Ngowari, J., M. Mbila, T. Tsegaye, and J. Odutola, "Trace metal Redistribution in Ultisols of a North Alabama Urbanized Watershed.",
unknown, p. , vol. , (2011). In preparation,
Tazisong, I., Z. N. Senwo, and M. Williams, "Mercury speciation and effects on soil microbial activities.", The Journal of Environmental
Science and Health, p. , vol. , (2011). Submitted,
Nyakatawa, E. Z., D. A. Mays, K. Naka, and J. O. Bukenya, "Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus dynamics in a loblolly pine-goat silvopasture
system in the Southeast USA.", Agroforestry Systems, p. , vol. , (2011). Submitted,
Nyakatawa, E. Z., D. A. Mays, H. R. Howard, G. Svendsen, R. Britton, and R. P. Pacumbaba, Jr., "Runoff and sediment transport from
compost mulch berms on a simulated military training landscape.", Soil and Sediment Contamination: An International Journal, p. 307, vol. 19,
(2010). Published, 10.1080/15320381003695231
Nyakatawa, E. Z., D. A. Mays, H. R. Howard, G. Svendsen, R. Britton, and R. P. Pacumbaba, Jr., "Nitrogen and phosphorus transport in runoff
from compost berms for simulating military training landscapes", Waste Management and Research, p. 188, vol. 29, (2011). Published,
10.1177/0734242X10368304
Carpenter, J. P., Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer, and P. Hamel, "Avian community and microhabitat associations of Cerulean Warblers in Alabama",
Wilson Journal of Ornithology, p. , vol. , (2011). Accepted,
Li, J., L. Lv, Y. Wang, and Z. W. Zhang, "Breeding biology of two sympatric Aegithalos tits with helpers at the nest.", Journal of Ornithology,
p. , vol. , (2011). Accepted,
Xu, J. L., Z. W. Zhang, Y. Wang, and J. W. Connelly, "Spatial-temporal responses of male Reeves Pheasants Syrmaticus reevesii to forest
edges in the Dabie Mountains, central China.", Journal of Wildlife Biology, p. , vol. , (2011). Accepted,
Li, S., Y. Wang, and E. Moss, "The effectiveness of the REU program among novice undergraduates.", The Business Review, p. 334, vol. 16,
(2010). Published,
Cantrell, A., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Herpetofaunal New County Records of Grundy County, Tennessee.", Herpetological Review, p. ,
vol. , (2011). Submitted,
Wang., Y., J. Carpenter, J. L. Xu, Z. W. Zhang, G. M. Zheng, "Home-ranges estimation of Reeves Pheasant Syrmaticus Reevesii: effects of
sample size and information-theoretic based model selection", Ibis, p. , vol. , (2011). In preparation,
Sutton, W., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Amphibian and reptile response to thinning and prescribed burning in mixed pine-hardwood
forests of northwestern Alabama, USA.", unknown, p. , vol. , (2011). In review,
Sutton, W., Y. Wanga, C. J. Schweitzer, and D. A. Steen, "Relationships of microhabitat and microclimate conditions and lizard community in
pine-hardwood forests with prescribed burning and thinning in southeast USA.", unknown, p. , vol. , (2011). In review,
Wang, N., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "A review of forest vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau of China: current status and future
strategies.", unknown, p. , vol. , (2011). In review,
Okeke, B. C., S. Thompson, and E. M. Moss, "Occurrence, molecular characterization and antibiogram of water quality indicator bacteria in
river water serving a water treatment plant.", Science of the Total Environment, p. 4979, vol. 409, (2011). Published,
Page 57 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Indumathi Kamma, B. R. Reddy, and Monday Mbila, "Effect of crsytallization on the energy upconversion and spectral properties of erbium
doped oxyfluoride glass", Journal of the Optical Society of America B, p. , vol. , (2012). In review,
Arthur, M.A., Alexander, H.A., Dey, D.C., Loftis, D.L., and Schweitzer, C.J., "Refining the oak-fire hypothesis for management of
oak-dominated forests of the eastern United States", Journal of Forestry, p. , vol. , (2012). Published,
Dey, D.C., Gardiner, E.S., Schweitzer, C.J., Kabrick, J.M. and Jacobs, D.F., "Underplanting to sustain future stocking of oak (Quercus) in
temperate deciduous forests", New Forests, p. , vol. , (2012). Published,
Grayson, S.F., Buckley, D.S., Henning, J.G., Schweitzer, C.J., Gottschalk, K.G., Loftis, D.L., "Characteristics of Understory Light Regimes
Resulting from Different Silvicultural Treatments in Central Hardwood Forests", Forest Ecology and Management, p. , vol. , (2012). Accepted,
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, I. Tazisong, Y. Wang, J. Brown, "Invasion of a Mined Landscape: what habitat characteristics are influencing the
occurrence of invasive plants?", International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment, p. , vol. , (2012). Published,
10.1080/17480930.2012.699215
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, W. Tadesse, Y. Wang, J. Brown, "Geospatial Assessment of Non-native Vegetation: application of geospatial
models to predicting alien plants on reclaimed mines in the Shale Hills region", International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment,
p. , vol. , (2012). Submitted,
Wagaw, F.M. Riley, B., "The Impact of Forest management on localized hydrologic process in the Bankhead Nationa Forest of Winston and
Walker Counties ofAlabama", Journal of the Amecian Water Resources Association, p. , vol. , (2012). Submitted,
B. Gyawali, Anquinette Hill, Swagata Banerjee, Colmore Christian, D. Chembezi, "Exploring Variations in Income Growth in Southeastern
United States", Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, p. , vol. , (2012). Submitted,
B. Gyawali, A. Hill, Swagata Banerjee, D. Chembezi, C. Christian, "Examining factors affecting population change in the southeastern united
states", Journal of Rural Social Science, p. , vol. , (2012). Submitted,
Books or Other One-time Publications
Schweitzer, C. J., L. W. Gottschalk, J. W. Stringer, S. lark,
and D. Loftis, "Using silviculture to sustain upland oak forests under stress
on the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky.", (2011). General Technical Report, Published
Editor(s): S. Fei, J. M. Lhotka, J. W. Stringer, K. W. Gottschalk, and G. W. Miller
Collection: Proceedings of the 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference;
2010 April 5-8; Lexington, Kentucky. GTR NRS-P-78
Bibliography: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 467489. [Peer Reviewed]
Thompson, J. D., R. Rummer, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Harvesting productivity and disturbance estimates of three
silvicultural prescriptions in an eastern Kentucky hardwood
forest.", (2011). General Technical Report, Published
Editor(s): In: S. Fei, J. M. Lhotka, J. W. Stringer, K. W. Gottschalk, nd G. W. Miller (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference;
2010 April 5-8; Lexington, Kentucky. GTR NRS-P-78.
Bibliography: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 398408. [Peer Reviewed]
Grayson, S. F., D. S. Buckley, J. G. Henning, C. J.
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Annual Report: 1036600
Schweitzer, and S. L. Clark, "Influence of alternative silvicultural treatments on spatial
variability in light in central hardwood stands on the
Cumberland Plateau.", (2011). General Technical Report, Published
Editor(s): In: S. Fei, J. M. Lhotka, J. W. Stringer, K. W. Gottschalk, and G. W. Miller (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 17th Central Hardwood Forest Conference;
2010 April 5-8; Lexington, Kentucky. GTR NRS-P-78.
Bibliography: Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 467489. [Extended Abstract]
Schweitzer, C. J., and S. L. Clark, "Thinning and prescribed fire impacts on duff and litter
weights from mixed pine-hardwood stands on the William B.
Bankhead National Forest, Alabama.", (2011). Abstract, Submitted
Collection: Proceedings of the 4th Fire in Eastern Oak Forests Conference,
May 16-19.
Bibliography: Springfield, Missouri
Schweitzer, C. J., and Y. Wang, "Overstory tree status following thinning and burning
treatments in mixed pine-hardwood stands on the William B.
Bankhead National Forest, Alabama.", (2010). General Technical Report, Submitted
Editor(s): In: J. Guldin and D. Bragg (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 15th Biennial Southern Silvicultural
Research Conference; 2009 November 17-20; Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
Bibliography: GTR SRS-XX. Asheville, North Carolina:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern
Research Station: X-X.
Clark, S. L., and C. J. Schweitzer, "Red maple (Acer rubrum) response to prescribed burning on the
William B. Bankhead National Forest, Alabama.", (2010). General Technical Report, Submitted
Editor(s): In: J. Guldin and D. Bragg (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 15th Biennial Southern Silvicultural
Research Conference; 2009 November 17-20; Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
Bibliography: GTR SRS-XX. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: X-X.
Wick, J., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Immediate effect of burning and logging treatments on the
avian community at Bankhead National Forest of northern
Alabama.", (2010). General Technical Report, Submitted
Editor(s): In: J. Guldin and D. Bragg (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 15th Biennial Southern Silvicultural
Research Conference; 2009 November 17-20; Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
Bibliography: GTR SRS-XX. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: X-X.
Baldwin, T., F. Chan, Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Predicting amphibian communities using habitat variables in
forested landscapes in the southern Cumberland Plateau.", (2010). General Technical Report, Submitted
Editor(s): In: J. Guldin and D. Bragg (eds.)
Collection: Proceedings of the 15th Biennial Southern Silvicultural
Research Conference; 2009 November 17-20; Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
Bibliography: GTR SRS-XX. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: X-X.
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Annual Report: 1036600
James H. Miller, Dawn Lemke, and John Coulston, "The invasion of southern forests by nonnative plants: current
and future occupation with impacts, management strategies, and
mitigation approaches.", (2011). General Technical Report, Submitted
Editor(s): In: D. N. Wear and J. G. Greis (eds.)
Collection: The Southern Forest Futures Project: Technical Report.
Bibliography: GTR SRS-XX. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: X-X.
Schweitzer, C. J., G. Janzen, and D. C. Dey, "Regenerating Oak the Natural Way: A Practical Guide to
Managing Oak Forests in the Eastern United States.", (2011). Technical report, Accepted
Editor(s): P. Keyser, T. Burhans, and C. Harper (eds.)
Bibliography: Not available
Tazisong, I. A., Z. N. Senwo, R. W. Taylor, and Z. He, "Mercury in manures and toxicity to environmental health.", (2010). Book, Published
Editor(s): Zhongqi He (ed.)
Collection: Environmental Chemistry of Animal Manure.
Bibliography: Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, New York
Williams, A., K. M. Soliman, P. Aldrich, and C. Michler, "Molecular analysis of genetic diversity of red oak species
(Quercus spp.).", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the American Society of Plant Biologists
Bibliography: Chicago, Illinois
Ranatunga, T. D. R. W. Taylor, and W. F. Bleam, "Identification of organic phosphorus forms in forest soil
using 31P NMR nuclear magnetic spectroscopy.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Soil Science Society
of America, Oct 31-Nov 4
Bibliography: Long Beach, California
A. Cantrell, Y. Wang, C.J. Schweitzer, and C. Greenberg, "Herpetofaunal and small mammal response to oak-regeneration
silvicultural practices in the mid-Cumberland Plateau of
southern Tennessee.", (2011). Conference Proceedings, Submitted
Collection: Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Southern Silvicultural
Research Conference, Technical Report, Feb 14-17.
Bibliography: Charleston, South Carolina
Baldwin, T. E., and Y. Wang, "The effect of forest management practices on pool breeding
amphibian reproductive fitness in the Cumberland Plateau in
southern Tennessee.", (2011). Published Abstract, Published
Collection: Bottomland Hardwood Forest Management Meeting, March 14-15
Bibliography: Stoneville, Mississippi.
T. E. Baldwin and Y. Wang, "Survivorship and the influence of varying spatial
environmental factors on spotted salamander, Ambystoma
maculatum, egg masses in northern Alabama.", (2011). Published Abstract, Published
Collection: The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern
Biologists, April 13-16
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Baldwin, T. E., and Y. Wang, "Use of mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) life stages to
assess local and landscape influences on reproductive fitness
along the Cumberland Plateau in northern Alabama.", (2011). Published Abstract, Published
Collection: The 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeastern
Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Page 60 of 73
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Baldwin, T. E., and Y. Wang, "Use of mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) life stages to
assess local and landscape influences on reproductive fitness
along the Cumberland Plateau in northern Alabama.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Alabama A&M University's 5th Annual Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Day, April 20.
Bibliography: Normal, Alabama
Cantrell, A., Y. Wang, C. J. Schweitzer, and C. Greenberg, "Herpetofaunal response to oak-regenerating silviculture
treatments on the mid-Cumberland Plateau of southern
Tennessee.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Cantrell, A., Y. Wang, C. J. Schweitzer, and C. Greenberg, "Variations of reptilian communities among forest stands under
different silvicultural treatments on the mid-Cumberland
Plateau of southern Tennessee.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Alabama A&M University's 5th Annual
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Day.
April 20.
Bibliography: Normal, Alabama
Gardner, L., and Y. Wang, "Stopover ecology of migrating songbirds at an inland site in
northeastern Alabama.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Lemke, D., J. Brown, and Y. Wang, "Application of adaptive sampling with a generalized random
tessellation stratified design: A case study of invasive
plants at reclaimed mines on the southern Cumberland Plateau.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Lemke, D., C. J. Schweitzer, and Y. Wang, "Impact of invasive plants on mine reclamation revegetation
goals on the southern Cumberland Plateau.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Joint Meeting of the 2nd Kentucky Invasive Species
Conference and the 13th Annual Southeast Exotic Pest Plant
Council Conference, May 3-5.
Bibliography: Lexington, Kentucky
Rigsby, C., T. Baldwin, and Y. Wang, "Terrestrial Habitat Environmental influence on amphibian
larvae and metamorphs within temporary wetlands.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Stringer, B., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Forest disturbance and songbird community: temporal response.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Alabama A&M University's 5th Annual
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Day,
April 20.
Bibliography: Normal, Alabama
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Stringer, B., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Forest disturbance and songbird community: temporal response.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Stringer, B., Y. Wang, and C. J. Schweitzer, "Forest disturbance and songbird community: temporal response.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Annual Meeting, March 3-5.
Bibliography: Prattville, Alabama
Sutton, W., Y. Wang and C. J. Schweitzer, "Lizard habitat relationships in managed forests of the
Southeast.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Alabama Chapter of Partners in Amphibian
and Reptile Conservation, November 5-7.
Bibliography: Andalusia, Alabama
Williams, J., L. Dimov, R. Lawton, K. Naka1, and Y. Wang, "Effect of high-intensity directed fire in different seasons
on survival of three invasive species: Paulownia tomentosa
(royal paulownia), Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet), and
Lonicera spp (honeysuckle).", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the Association of
Southeastern Biologists, April 13-16.
Bibliography: Huntsville, Alabama
Wang, Y., "Effect of forest management on the wildlife community.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Southern Hardwood Forestry Group field
workshop at Bankhead National Forest, April 21.
Bibliography: Bankhead National Forest, Alabama
Wang, Y., Z. Senwo, X. Chen, and R. Taylor, "Strengthening minority global perspectives in agricultural
research and education.", (2011). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 16th Biennial Research Symposium of the
Association of Research Directors, Inc., April 9-12.
Bibliography: Atlanta, Georgia
Wang, Y., Z. Senwo, X. Chen, and R. Taylor, "Strengthening minority global perspectives in agricultural
research and education.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 68th Annual Professional Agricultural
Workers Conference, December 5-7.
Bibliography: Tuskegee, Alabama
Wang, Y., "Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment.", (2011). Booklet, Published
Collection: CREST Internal Advisory Board Meeting, February 15.
Bibliography: Normal, Alabama
Wang, Y., "Stopover ecology: an east andwest perspective.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Symposium on Migratory Bird Study, October
9-16.
Bibliography: Republic of Korea
Xu, J., X. Zhang, Z. Zhang, G. Zheng, and Y. Wang, "Spatial and temporal association of male Reeves Pheasants to
different forest edges in the Dabie Mountains of Central
China.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Association of Field
Ornithologists, August 12-14.
Bibliography: Ogden, Utah
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Molloy, K., W. Sutton, and Y. Wang, "Avian response to land use practices in the City of
Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.A.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 95th Ecological Society Annual Meeting,
August 1-6.
Bibliography: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Ester Morales-Vega, Yong Wang, and Timothy Baldwin, "The influence of urbanization and canopy cover on vernal pool
biophysical conditions and breeding amphibian communities in
northern Alabama.", (2010). Abstract, Published
Collection: Proceedings of the 95th Ecological Society Annual Meeting,
August 1-6.
Bibliography: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Thompson, M., "Thinning and Prescribed Burning Effects on the Structural
Microbial Diversity and Nutrient Cycling of a Forest Ecosystem", (2010). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Gardner, L., "Stopover Ecology of Migratory Landbirds at an Inland Site in
Alabama During Autumn Migration", (2010). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Patterson, C. T., "Restoration of Hardwoods: Effects of Fertilizer Supplement on
Oak and of Overstory Density and Fertilizer Supplement on
American Chestnut Seedlings", (2011). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Virone, D. A., "Effect of Silvicultural Treatments on the Ground Layer
Vegetation in Pine-hardwood Stands of the Southern Appalachian
Plateau", (2010). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Sutton, W. B., "Herpetofaunal Response to Prescribed Burning and Thinning in
Pine-hardwood Forests", (2010). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Cantrell, A. W., "Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Response to Oak Regeneration
Treatments on the Mid-Cumberland Plateau of Southern Tennessee", (2011). Thesis, Published
Bibliography: Alabama A&M University, Normal, Alabama
Monday Mbila, "Soil Minerals, Organisms, and Human Health: Medicinal Uses of Soils and Soil Materials", (2012). Book, To be published
December 10th 2012
Editor(s): Eric Charles Brevik, Lynn C. Burgess
Collection: Soils and Human Health.
Bibliography: Taylor & Francis, CRC Press
Nally Kaunda-Bukenya, Wubishet Tadesse, Yujian Fu, Teferi Tsegaye, Mezemir Wagaw
, "Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS)
for Stormwater Management and
Water Quality Assessment
", (2012). Book, Published
Editor(s): Intech, Open Science
Collection: Open Science
Bibliography: Open Science
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Daniel C. Dey, John C. Brissette, Callie Jo Schweitzer, and
James M. Guldin, "The Silviculture of Eastern Forests in the United States", (2011). Book, Published
Editor(s): Forest Service
Collection: Forest Service
Bibliography: Forest Service Technical Report
Web/Internet Site
URL(s):
http://www.aamu.edu/cfea
Description:
This is the new homepage link for the Center for Forest Ecosystem
Assessment. Within are links for specific information related to the
Center.
Other Specific Products
Contributions
Contributions within Discipline:
Over the last year, CFEA investigators worked to continue building
upon the research of the previous seven years, not only on the
original disciples but also some new areas such as air and water
quality, forest fragmentation, harvesting impacts, forest site mapping and classification, invasive plants, outdoor recreation, and forest
management impacts on animal communities that were not included during the first phase of the CFEA. In addition to research, our focus
ensured that our research activities were relevant and reached those in and outside the science community. We contributed directly to
disciplines within our research disciplines and continued to secure external funds to develop additional areas of research related to forest
management impacts on forest ecosystems in northern Alabama. Our specific contributions with in disciplines are reported here by subprojects.
SUB-PROJECT I: FOREST COMMUNITY RESPONSES AND DYNAMICS (FC)
Our work on vegetation dynamics will improve forest management at the ecosystem level. It will allow us to better predict the effects of forest
management actions on the changes in plant cover, richness, diversity, and other vegetation attributes of importance to the proper functioning
of the ecosystem. The results will enable us to design and use the most effective treatments for restoring the native vegetation and other
members of the forest ecosystem community.
Our work resulted in a number of findings that are important
contributions to our knowledge in the field of plant ecology. Analysis of data from the ground layer vegetation showed that a total of at least 70
systematically distributed plots, 1 meter square each, are sufficient to capture at least 90% of the species in a forest ecosystems of the type
studied. Additionally, our analyses demonstrated that explaining the compositional variation of the three studied life forms (vines, herbs, and
graminoids) was better accomplished using non-linear methods.
The effects of burning and thinning on ground layer vegetation varied according to the intensity and type of disturbance introdued. Overall
cover and the cover of graminoids were the highest in the stands treated with the heavy thin alone and the two combination treatments. These
results indicate that the most beneficial conditions for increasing the cover of ground layer vegetation occurred in stands that were most heavily
disturbed: stands treated with the heavy thin alone and the combination treatments. Thinning appears to be the main factor in these changes
with burning having an additive effect.
In forests where conservation of biodiversity is a targeted management goal, it appears that burning and thinning can be implemented without
causing significant decreases in species richness or diversity. If a management goal is to increase graminoid richness managers should utilize a
heavy thin or a burn and either light or heavy thin. A combination of burning and heavy thinning will increase forb richness and overall species
diversity.
Our search for mechanisms in observed responses has been mostly
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successful thus far, but not completely satisfactory. Some animal
community groups have less certainty about causal factors in
explaining the ecological effects of the disturbances. Also, long term effects of disturbance may negate initial positive responses as
environmental conditions change and weaken our perceived causal
relationships. Our incomplete understanding is not surprising given
the complex nature of ecological relationships and our relatively
short investigation of this disturbance regime. Our data collection
must continue in order to detect the potential divergence of the
animal communities under different disturbance regimes.
Previous studies of animal community responses to these types of
disturbances are rather limited because of the difficulty of
conducting a large replicated field experiment with pre-treatment data and controls. Thus, our findings for particular animal taxonomic groups
will make significant contributions to those disciplines because of the comprehensive experimental design we have chosen. We are even
finding that some of the species we are studying that were thought to be rare in the State are relatively common, at least on a local level, once
we began to conduct our intensive surveys and studies. We are confident that, in the long term, we will be able to contribute information on
recovery period, threshold dynamics, and causal mechanisms to the disturbance ecology literature that is rare or lacking for some animal groups
that are important components of the forest ecosystem.
One of the new developments of the fauna project is to collaborate
with the molecular component of the Center. We started to look at
molecular/genetic variations of amphibians in relation to the
landscape level changes caused by forest management. We suspected
that changes at the population genetic structure level due to the
forest disturbances will be faster and detectable earlier than at an
organism level. This is a multidisciplinary approach that combines
our knowledge and strength in wildlife with molecular biology. The
project will enhance our understanding of forest management related
wildlife ecology using molecular tools. In turn, it will enhance our
molecular research capacities at AAMU. Despite the rich diversity and wide distribution of red oaks in the United States, relatively few
molecular genetic studies have been conducted on their diversity and phylogeny. We are expanding our study of the first phase of CREST
where we focused on studying the genetic processes that control variation in forest trees to answer questions related to the
population genetics of red oak species and pool breeding amphibians of the southern Cumberland Plateau. The findings from this research will
help us to identify genetic bottlenecks, while also developing
diagnostic genetic markers for detection of individual species. As the inter-specific hybridization within red oaks is very common, we may be
able to set up large-scale population genetics experiments to
determine the significant locations in the oak genome that influence
the important traits. Our current collaborations are already working
to develop additional markers using next generation sequencing and
bioinformatics for developing detailed genetic maps of red oak
genomes. Our new initiative will not only expand our research
activities from vegetation to animals, but also provide a more
complete assessment of the effect of forest disturbance on
biodiversity through molecular and genetic levels.
SUB-PROJECT II: FOREST ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION AND PROCESS (FE)
Forest ecosystems are undergoing accelerated changes due to natural
and anthropogenic causes. The widespread adoption of forest management technique such as burning and logging alter not only the highly
efficient nutrient-conserving mechanisms that characterize the forest, but also the patterns of Phosphorus (P) and soil organic matter
(SOM)cycling within the ecosystem. Considering the role of forest ecosystems on global biogeochemical cycles, elemental transformation is
primary in predicting nutrients availability for a healthy environment, as well as air, surface and ground water quality. Burning in forest
significantly depletes SOM and thus may reset P which is primary released from primary minerals to be released from the burned and
decomposed biomass. Management activities for forest restoration may have a significant long term effects on nutrients and SOM dynamics as
well as on soil properties. Our studies have been examining how such forest management practices affect soil C mineralization, CO2 emission
and C sequestration, nutrients cycling, and mineralogical behavior in the Bankhead National Forest, in addition to their potential impact on
global climate change. Forest management practices that make use of forest burning and logging for maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem
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traditionally fail to consider the implications of such practices to soil quality with respect to nutrient cycling and availability. Our research is
elucidating basic biochemical, physical, and mineralogical processes that control nutrient cycling dynamics in
response to management approaches that affect forest ecosystems.
The soil is a sink for both aquatic and atmospheric organic and
inorganic P. The transformation of organic P in soils determines P
bioavailability and influences forest ecosystem productivity. P in
the soil environment can be classified into seven categories: (i)
soluble inorganic and organic compounds in soil solution, (ii) weakly sorbed inorganic phosphate, (iii) insoluble phosphate-calcium bound, iron
and aluminum bound, (iv) strongly adsorbed phosphate or occluded hydrous of Fe and Al, (v) fixed phosphate of silicate minerals, and (vi)
insoluble organic forms (undecomposed plant and animal residues). Thus understanding the distribution and shift of P within these categories in
a disturb forest is critical for regeneration of another forest. Findings from the P fractionation study indicate that major P form in these soils for
all treatments at all depths comprises of NaOH-P or the Al/Fe bound P. Such P forms may exist as moderately labile P or as fixed P forms
depending on the pH, Al, and Fe levels in the soil. At all depths, a significant increase in NaOH-P were observed in soils subjected to thinning
and burning treatments relative to soils from control and burn only sites. Burning alone did not have any effect on significantly changing the
NaOH-P content in soil relative to control soil.
Forest fire has the potential to alter forest ecosystem carbon (C),
nitrogen (N), and P storage and dynamics by changing plant species
diversity and dominance, primary productivity, decomposition of SOM,
and characteristics of the forest physical environment. Above and
below ground productivity may also be affected following fire due to
microclimate modification, removal of litter and standing crops, and
changes in nutrients availability and distribution. During fire, soil heating may kill numerous microorganisms, with fungi being more
susceptible to heat than bacteria leading to a change in microbial
community composition. This change immediately after burning is often
observed in the soil surface than subsurface. Amidohydrolases are
enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of native and added organic N to
soil, and are mostly microbial in nature, thus burning and thinning
may affect their activity. They act on C-N bonds other than peptide
bond in linear amides releasing NH4+. Glutaminase and asparaginase
activities increases with burning and thinning compared to the
control. Burning seems to be the factor affecting enzymes activities
in this forest system. Amidase activity was the least irrespective of treatment. For the phosphatases, acid phosphatase activity was the
greatest. There was no significant effect of thinning and burning on
soil laccase, xylanase and ?-glucosidase activities at a 0.05 level of significance. However, there was a significant difference p<0.05 for
manganese peroxidase activity due to thinning.
In past centuries, fire has been viewed as a destructive and
undesirable force with bad effect on terrestrial ecosystem. Critical
scientific evaluations have shown a potential usefulness of fire in
ecosystem management. Fire is a powerful modifier of the environment
with potentially profound long-term influence on nutrient cycles. In
most forest, prescribed burning is used in preparing areas for forest regeneration after timber harvest. Maintaining forest fertility is imperative
for forest regeneration, and the C pool in forest soil is important in maintaining fertility. But in spite of the wealth of knowledge that is currently
available regarding forest management (specifically prescribed fires), and soil C sequestratin, there are still uncertainties due to current methods
of assessing C
sequestration in soils. The data for total soil C shows that soil C
accumulation in the top 0-10cm which averaged 24.7 g/kg was three,
four, five, and seven times that in the profiles of 10-20, 20-30, 3040, and 40-50cm, respectively. This is an expected and normal
distribution in soil C accumulation in natural soils. Total soil C in the 0-10cm (top-most soil layer) for treatments 1 (control, i.e. no-thin, no
burn), treatment 2 (no-thin, 10 yr burn), and treatment 5 (25% thin, no-burn) was higher than that for the other treatments.
Therefore this study is contributing significantly to our current
knowledge of ecosystem management and global C accumulation studies.
SUB-PROJECT III: COUPLED DYNAMICS OF HUMANS AND LANDSCAPES (CD)
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The contribution of Coupled Dynamics of Humans and Landscapes (CD)
within disciplines is in landscape ecology, hydrology, biomass
assessment and social economics as they relate to forest ecosystems.
The broad temporal and spatial component of this research gives our
findings strong relevance, with much of the work being conducted
across decades and from stand level dynamics to regional basin scales. Through an integrative nested approach our hydrology work will give
new insights to the influence of forest management on the hydrological regime. We are currently at the beginning stages of this research, but
the potential contribution to the discipline is great. The other contribution to within discipline is the hydrology component which ties directly to
biomass assessment, and through close coordination of research, biomass optimization can be tied to river health of the watershed. The biomass
work is integral to offering sustainable energy options for the nation; building on assessment of biomass undertaken by the USFS this work
evaluates varying forest management activities and their impact on biomass accumulation.
An important component of any managed forest system is disturbance;
disturbance is an integral part of any ecosystem but can offer
opportunities for imbalance. Disturbance can be coursed due to removal or addition to the system. One of the additions that can have a
devastating implication is invasive plants. Our research has assessed invasive plants to the southern region at multiple scales, from regional to
local, identifying environmental and anthropogenic
influences. The result from this research has been used by the USFS in developing the Southern Forest Futures Project report
(http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/futures/reports /draft/summaryreport.pdf), an effort to anticipate the future and to analyze what the interaction of
future changes might mean for the forests of the South and the services they provide. Other work related to invasive plants has been used by the
Office of Surface Mining to develop fact sheets to identify best practices in mining reclamation
(http://www.techtransfer.osmre.gov/nttmainsite/appliedscience/2009/Projects /AAMLemkeInvasiveVegetation09FS.pdf). Overall this
component is an integral part of the ongoing assessment and management of the
regions forest and has worked to refine tools available for species
distribution modeling.
Other components of this research have addressed one of the emerging
themes in the global research-human dimensions of natural resources
management by utilizing the indicators of socioeconomic and landscape disturbances in relation to the socioeconomic development of the
Alabama's Black Belt. This research presented an innovative spatial, data-based approach to understanding the relationship between economic
development and disturbances in the demographic and natural base such as changes in different types of land covers. The exploration of the
spatial aspects of the disturbances in social, economic and landscape change is an innovative one. The study provided interesting results on
objectives, grounded squarely in the human dimensions of natural resources literature, the use of the longitudinal data, and the importance of
examining the three themes at the Census Block Group (CBG) level. The use of satellite images and sub-county units is an innovative
methodological approach that goes beyond the previous research effort in the west-central Black Belt region of Alabama. Some of the
methodological limitations of previous studies in natural resource dependency were addressed in our research. Previous studies have not
adequately addressed the issues of rural restructuring, spatial arrangement of landscape, and the role of endogeneity. The findings of this
research will add to the spatial-temporal explanations of how the communities have responded to the disturbances in demographic and
landscape attributes. The integration of the social and landscape science, economics, spatial dynamics theories and the application of a spatial
analytical framework for analyzing cross-temporal primary, and secondary data is useful for understanding the evolving pattern of
human-environment relationships in the resource-dependent communities.
Further research should be interdisciplinary and multi-scale and
should combine spatial analysis of both historical and cross-sectional data with interviews. Many researchers address questions on pattern and
process in the ecological and human world from within the boundaries of a single discipline, neglecting the relationships
between ecological and social systems. Emphasis is needed on the
integration of the social sciences for long-term ecological research. Also, the longer time frame data will assist in fully understanding landscape
change patterns and the effects of other endogenous and exogenous forces. The methodology adopted by this study could be one way to explore
the important role of endogenous and exogenous disturbances operating at finer to coarser geographical scale.
Contributions to Other Disciplines:
SYNERGIST CONTRIBUTIONS
Long-term ecological studies require a synergy between different
disciplines, as ecosystems are affected by multiple environmental
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variables, both natural and anthropogenic. We have been working to
strengthen this synergistic approach through strong collaborations
between sub-projects. We anticipate a strengthening of internal
synergy between taxonomic groups, as we all seek to understand the
patterns of responses to forest ecosystem disturbances and the
underlying mechanisms that are responsible for those patterns. As our Center develops further, it is likely that additional fauna will be included
in our research. They will enable us to further our
understanding of the deeper ecological patterns and processes
explaining the dynamics of competition, predation, regeneration,
migration, and other areas of forest ecology.
Contributions from the Center are wide reaching and go well beyond the direct disciplines identified in our subprojects. The Center's work is
applied, with great longer term implications for environmental management. This interdisciplinary approach has inherent benefits since each
discipline can make substantial contributions to other disciplines and overall synergistic comprehension of disciplines as well as related
phenomena. This may be between disciplines being studied, for example, wildlife research benefits soil science and forestry because of the
ecological connectedness to their data; thus our results are their results, in an ecological context. And to external disciplines, for example, we
are now integrating many forms of technology allowing cross pollination between computer science and forest management.
The knowledge gained to date about vegetation dynamics and the data we are collecting in subsequent growing seasons will strengthen the
ability to manage the forest at the ecosystem level. Historically,
human development forced people to focus on the sustainable production of wood as it used to be the main source of heating and energy. But as
society has advanced, the importance of the multiple uses of forest resources has emerged and so has our understanding of the importance of
biodiversity. The interconnectedness among organisms and between them and their environments has required us to recognize ecosystem-based
management is most appropriate. Our study is one of very few in the country that is positioned to answer ecosystem level responses to common
silvicultural treatments. Most other studies focus on limited components of the ecosystem, e.g., only vegetation or only avian community.
Studies integrate the response of multiple communities, but none have done this to the same extent as in our study. Our study examines the
response of the woody and herbaceous vegetation, amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, soil micro-fauna, and soil chemistry to
disturbance. Our work also provides the means to quantitatively estimate the impact of silvicultural operations on plant succession and on the
change in plant cover, richness, diversity, and other vegetation characteristics of importance to ecosystem functioning. These results will enable
us to design and use more effective treatments in our effort to restore the native vegetation and with it, the birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other
organisms that once occupied these sites before they were converted to pasture and pine plantations.
The results that we generated with our research shed light on
vegetation dynamics in upland hardwood forests of the Southern
Cumberland Plateau. Our knowledge of the processes driving vegetation dynamics in the region will improve the ability to manage the forest as
an ecosystem rather than as tree farm. Forest management in the US was initially concerned with production of wood for construction and
paper, as well as for heating and energy. But as knowledge of forests improved through research, many forest ecosystem functions were
revealed. The dependence of various species on one another and their close relationship with their environments helped us recognize that
ecosystem-based management is most appropriate and most beneficial to society and the environment in the long run. Managing forests as
ecosystems lets us protect them as the natural capital and human life support systems that they are.
Our findings have wider implications than the field of plant ecology. The vegetation dynamics following thinning, burning and combinations of
the two treatments, as well as the vegetation dynamics within a growing season, has implications for the dynamics of other organisms that
depend on the plants for shelter and forage. Treating the forest stands or not treating them at all has an impact on the plant community by
altering overall cover, richness, and diversity, as well as the proportion of the different species and life forms that are present on the site.
Altering these forest ecosystem attributes is bound to impact the availability of food for native pollinators, vertebrate and invertebrate wildlife,
and have an impact on the higher trophic levels. Additionally, the change in the cover and species composition following the treatments
modified the amount of sun reaching the forest floor and the amount of exposed bare soil. These changes influence the soil chemistry, flora, and
fauna, as well as soil erosion and the hydrology in the treated stands.
The faunal studies, like all other research efforts in CFEA, have
contributed to the other disciplines by connecting their findings with the findings of other field research efforts. This interdisciplinary approach
has inherent benefits since each discipline can make substantial contributions to other disciplines and overall synergistic comprehension of
disciplines as well as related phenomena. For example, wildlife research benefits soil science and forestry because of the ecological
connectedness to their data; thus our results are their results, in an ecological context.
Several studies have provided ample evidence that habitat suitability to wild life species is influenced by the interaction of factors at multiple
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scales for example, the combination of fewer breeding adults and reduced pool suitability could result in a fewer breeding events and egg
masses at these breeding pools, These demographic changes may lead to increasingly smaller population size in some pool breeding
amphibians in the area being impacted by forest canopy reduction practices. A population that is maintained at a small size for several
generations will have different genetic characteristics. Our study is designed to sort out the contribution of various environmental factors to
success of the species and more specifically to identify the overall effect of forest disturbance on genetic structure of oaks and pool breeding
amphibians. The study will also allow us to address questions that cannot be answered at higher ecosystem levels. Furthermore, this research
will closely interact with other components to identify the overall effect of forest disturbance on wild live and vegetative community diversity
and dynamics. Our research finding will strengthen the ability to manage the forest at the ecosystem level. Historically, human development
forced people to focus on the sustainable production of wood as it used to be the main source of heating and energy. But as society has
advanced, the importance of the multiple uses of forest resources has emerged and so has our understanding of the importance of biodiversity.
The soil microbial studies, like all other research efforts in CREST, have contributed to the other disciplines by connecting their findings with
those of other field research efforts. This interdisciplinary approach has inherent benefits since each discipline can relate their findings to
microbial activity. The soil microbial studies will benefit the plant ecology discipline because vegetation dynamics are highly dependent on
nutrient (NPK) availability made possible through microbial activities. Thinning will lead to the accumulation of carbon, organic and inorganic
nutrients in soils which will stimulate microbial growth and activity; and therefore, enzyme synthesis. High organic matter levels from residue
may provide a more favorable environment to accumulate enzymes in the soil matrix. Our findings will not only benefit the scientific
community, but it will contribute greatly to the activities of the forest service personnel, because understanding microbial involvement in
nutrients cycling in forest
ecosystem is important for forest productivity, fertility, and health, thus best management practices will be developed and implemented.
The subject of carbon sequestration is gaining momentum worldwide due to increasing atmospheric CO2 levels which is associated with global
warming. The process of soil respiration which releases carbon back to the atmosphere after decomposition of soil organic matter by soil
microorganisms is a critical step in the overall balance of carbon in the environment. There is a strong synergy between carbon study and the
other discipline. For example, wildlife will depend on carbon for food, vegetation depends on carbon for energy and electrons, CO2 generated
as a result of decaying organic matter contribute to global warming. Therefore this study is contributing significantly to our current knowledge
of ecosystem management and global carbon accumulation studies.
Beyond this, we have extended our contribution to other disciplines;
it is worth noting that we have expanded some contributions by adding studies in herpetology, invasive plants, and aquatic ecology. The base
funding from NSF has been a wonderful platform to extend of ecosystems based research and has assisted in developing new projects.
Interactions with landowners provide educational and outreach
opportunities focusing on hardwood forest management and invasive
plant impact on their lands.
We have employed students from other disciplines (Biology, Chemistry, Business, Engineering and Computer Science) in field data collection,
research outreach, and database entry. Some of these students are now interested in pursuing graduate degrees in natural resource and ecology
related fields, others have broadened their knowledge base, and even though they will continue in different discipline will now have a new
perspective of natural resources and environmental science that they will carry with them.
Contributions to Human Resource Development:
One of the primary objectives of the Center is to increase the number of trained professionals, especially African-Americans, engaged in
research, teaching, and management of renewable natural resources. Our success in this area has been substantial, through integrating both
graduate and undergraduate students in all aspects of the research. After graduation these students are well equipped to lead in research,
management, and teaching fields and in state and federal agencies, private consulting, and industrial forestry.
During last seven years, CFEA has provided numerous opportunities to
enhance the technical skills and professional training of faculty,
staff, and both graduate and undergraduate students. One such example is our seminar series, in which world renowned scientist not only give a
lunch time seminar but also spend time, one on one, with students and faculty discussing their research. We also have focused
professional development that has included statistics and geospatial
workshops giving Faculty, graduate students, and professional
conservation partners opportunity to strengthen analytical skills. One of our strongest tools for human resource development is attended local,
regional, national and international conferences, and workshops. All center participants are not only given the opportunity but are encouraged
to attend, to share their research and learn from others.
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Our students have shown great interest and dedication to this project and many of them have worked in more than one thrust area. One of the
most beneficial aspects of this Project is the 'on the ground' training that students receive while working in the individual thrust areas. They are
encouraged to study field samples and enter raw data, so that they can understand and apply the science beyond the data collection level. Many
students are now developing their own hypotheses that will complement the present research being conducted in this project. Some of the
research outputs were utilized as educational materials (for instance, land cover and socioeconomic maps) in land management training
workshops for the underserved landowners in the study area. Such activities helped them to understand the demographic and landscape
transformation in their vicinity.
Though many of our graduate students have received assistantships
through the CFEA CREST project most have also received other grants,
scholarships, and assistantships through other programs including EPA STAR and EPA GRO fellowships, USDA/CSREES and USDA/Forest
Service, State Wildlife grants, private industry and public utilities
(Birmingham Water Works Board) work study programs, cooperative
programs (Alabama Forestry Commission) etc. This shows the strength of our students in there competiveness for national funding and has
given the opportunity for further strengthen out contribution to human resources by making more funds available to bring in more students.
One of the key goals of the Center has been to educate future natural resource scientists, especially students from groups currently
under-represented in science and technology fields. Often by collage students have identified there areas of interested thus one of the strategies
that CFEA has adopted to achieve this goal is to form partnerships with neighboring high schools and other educational organizations in a
program called 'EnvironMentors'. This program is being carried out in collaboration with the The North Alabama Center for Educational
Excellence (NACEE) and Johnson High School (JHS). The goals of the program are: ( a ) to increase opportunities for minority students to be
involved in science and the environment; ( b ) to help in the development of future leaders in agricultural and environmental sciences through
research and educational experience; and ( c ) to help in student recruitment efforts for the Department of BES, especially the AAMU
Environmental Science program, Expanding Alabama A&M University's Global Research, Education, and Engagement.
One of the major initiatives of the Center has been to enhance its
international collaboration in research and education. We successfully secured a grant from the International Science and Education Program of
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in 2009. This three-year project aims to strengthen AAMU's capacity and capability
to develop globally competent students and faculty through collaborative partnerships with universities and research organizations in China, in
the field of agricultural and environmental sciences. So far, we have organized two trips to China by the faculty and students associated with
the center, including Drs. Yong Wang (Project Director), Zachary Senwo, Xiongwen Chen, Robert Taylor, Govind Sharma, Wubishet
Tadessee, Regina Mankola, and 10 graduate or undergraduate students. The team acquired research, educational, cultural, and language
experiences in China through a faculty and student exchange program with Nanjing Forestry University. A memorandum of understanding was
developed between the College of Forestry and Environment Science of Nanjing Forestry University and the School of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences of AAMU in 2010. Dr. Robert Taylor was also awarded the honorary professorship by the Nanjing Forestry University
in 2010. The trips also featured visits to other universities and research institutions including Beijing Forestry University, China Agricultural
University, Beijing Normal University, Nanjing Agricultural University, Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Soil
Science of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Shanghai Research Institute of Landscape Gardening, and Northwest Agricultural and Forestry
University. The teams also visited several research sites and several companies which focus on developing and manufacturing wood and
bamboo products. To better understand China's history, culture and recent developments, the teams also visited some historical sites such as the
Great Wall, Ming's Tomb, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, and the City of Shanghai. The visits laid a solid foundation for our future
collaborations in research and education in China. Several research and teaching initiatives are currently on going. In 2011, we were award a
grant by National Science Foundation to establish a REU-China train site. In
May 2012, a delegate of 12 students and 5 faculty and staff jointed
the first AAMU REU-China program and spent 6 weeks in China to conduct urban and forest ecosystem related project. The activities and
accomplishment will be reported in next annual report because the program is still on-going.
Contributions to Resources for Research and Education:
Our contribution to resource for research and education have been
substantial both internally with in AAMU and for the broader
community. We have online material, research integrated learning,
workshop templates and training programs. This center has extended our technical facilities, vehicles, equipment and data resources.
AAMU's website was overhauled in July 2011, and CFEA's website is now: http://www.aamu.edu/CFEA. The new CFEA website provides
information on the research, participants and collaborators, activities, and outcomes. It also contains information for current and prospective
students, a calendar, and resources for field going students and technicians, as well as links to outside resources. The project's experimental
design and implementation is also contained within the web pages, so that other researchers with similar research goals and objectives can
Page 70 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
emulate our methods and protocols. We are working to regularly update this website to make it a major portal for communication within the
Center and to the public.
A portion of our facility and equipment maintenance, purchases, and
repairs were obtained using University funds, and are therefore
available for use by other researchers in other disciplines within the University. Several additional work trucks have been purchased with
leveraged funds and are being shared with CFEA researchers, including two new 4x4 field trucks, one SUV, and one van. New computers are
currently being ordered through leveraged funds. In addition, new statistical analysis (SAS), ARC-GIS, and other software packages have been
purchased with leveraged funding and provided by the university. Most of the personnel within the project are housed in the same building and
freely exchange ideas, concepts, and problems, so that common solutions can be reached with such concentration of resources. For example, the
acquisition of gene expressing arrays, RT-PCR and high throughput DNA sequencing equipment by the University has great enhance our
capability of conducting molecular and genetic related research in several fields such as vegetation, animal wildlife, and soil micro-organisms.
Using funds from the BWWB grant, CFEA was able to purchase equipment, shared between FEWP and CFEA including GPS units, computer
and vehicles. We are also sharing databases from private industry; municipal, state and federal agencies; and private consultants. Some of these
groups have agreed to share their databases with AAMU and as the research results are completed our findings will be shared with natural
resource managers and private landowners. The Center assisted to create digital databases (both unprocessed and processed) for socioeconomic
and landscape disturbances of the study region. These databases will be available for public through the campus server. Faculty and students
have developed manuscripts and other publications based on their research and presented extensively at international, national and regional
professional conferences (see list of publications and conference presentations). Several workshops to forest landowners and resource managers
have been conducted based on our research findings. For example, CFEA researchers led the 'Walk in the Woods,' sponsored by the North
Alabama Land Trust, Sierra Club of Alabama and Extension Services on October 24, 2010 at Monte Sano State Park; a workshop titled
Thinning and Burning to Restore Upland Hardwood Stands on the William B. Bankhead National Forest, Alabama was conducted on
November 15, 2010 at Bankhead National Forest. These hands-on, scholarly works are expected to contribute to the theories of human
dimensions of natural resource management in the resource dependent communities. We are planning to put all oral presentations and posters
online for public access.
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) of NRES is a place for students to seek advice and to receive peer reviews on thesis development and
implementation as well as manuscripts. It also is a way for them to share ideas and maintain a community. Lisa Gardner has been assisting
GSA in organizing meetings and social functions, getting their website updated (www.aamu.edu/academics/gradstudies), and in disseminating
ideas and sharing information among the graduate students.
Contributions Beyond Science and Engineering:
As human populations increase and our demand for resources grows,
management of forest resources is increasingly in need of precise
forest management plans that have originated from long-term studies on tree and forest responses to a variety of management plans, as well as
short- and long-term effects on ecosystems and watersheds. The response of various forest components to forest management has
received much attention because of their interrelationships and
dependence. One of the major strengths of our Center is its close
relationship and collaboration with USDA Forest Service, the agency
tasked with managing the public forests in many of our study areas.
Research results will be available immediately to resource managers,
forest landowners, and concerned groups. These groups are looking for ways to implement management plans that meet their goals and
objectives in an ecologically sustainable and cost effective manner.
The findings of CFEA research will provide several different burning
and thinning regimes, which will allow landowners and managers more
options in implementing management activities that are more sensitive to the environment.
In addition to forest research, research in the Black-belt region
continues to educate minority landowners and provide empirical data
that can influence public policy for the resource-dependent
communities, as well as insight into the socioeconomic developmental
strategies of rural communities. For example, we found that forest
growth trends were not evenly distributed and did not show a
consistent pattern in all areas within the west-central Black Belt
region of Alabama, which raises some interesting questions about
natural resource-based economic development. Classification maps
Page 71 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
showed that forest growth occurred in certain geographic areas (such
as in and around industrial or corporate lands, outskirts of major
highways, industrial zones, etc). Such unique pattern of resource
concentration or expansion may relate to the existing resource
distribution policy at the county or state level. These findings
provide much needed information to policy makers and administers for
making natural resource and economic development decisions and
strategic planning.
We have established a medium for information sharing and technology
transfer that provides an outlet for the people with varied and vested interests in the Bankhead National Forest. Our Center continues to provide
valuable input into the Bankhead Management Plan through active participation in the BNF Liaison Panel meetings and in hosting and
co-hosting a variety of educational activities geared towards landowners. These outreach activities educate the public about the fast changing
natural resources and environment-related issues that society is facing, and also helps to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting
these resources for future generations. We also advise the environmental group Wild South on various aspects of upland hardwood forest
restoration methods and goals. In addition, the Center's teams continue to participate in outreach activities, from Earth Day to the Landowner
Education and Assistance programs.
Continuation of this research is important so that the long term
impact of forest disturbance can be better understood to help
facilitate precise natural resource management decisions. Our findings will encourage greater participation by user groups in the decision and
policy making process, especially on federal lands. We also provide a forum for common ground discussions between landowners and resource
managers to better interact with concerned groups that may be opposed to forest management practices. Development of brochures, pamphlets,
and presentations materials to disseminate at landowner and concern group field day and state wide meetings provide resource managers with
real world solutions based on sound science to better manage all natural resources for future generations. In collaborating with the Bankhead
Liaison Panel, we have established a medium for information sharing and technology transfer that provide a much needed outlet for the people
with varied interest in the Bankhead National Forest. This group continues to provide valuable input into the Bankhead Management Plan and
continues to provide full support of the establishment of the Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment.
The Center's teams continue to participate in outreach activities,
from Earth Day to the Landowner Education and Assistance programs. We also advised the environmental group Wild South on various aspects
of upland hardwood forest restoration methods and goals. These outreach activities educate the public about the fast changing natural resources
and environment-related issues that society is facing, and also helps to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting these resources
for future generations. The Center has been working with the USDA Forest Service and The Natural Conservancy (TNC) to establish the
Bankhead Center for Research and Education (BCRE) within Bankhead National Forest. BCRE is a proposed multi-use facility designed for
forestry and natural resource management field research, educational and outreach activities, including lodging for faculty, staff and students
working remotely in the vicinity of Bankhead National Forest.
The Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment continues to graduate
students, the majority of whom are minorities, and primarily African
American. As the Center continues to grow, more minorities will become aware of the career opportunities in non-medical scientific
disciplines, be attracted to the type of work that we do, and increase our success through our graduates. Successful alumni of our Center are the
best recruiters for future minority researchers and educators in these disciplines. As these minority scientists become recognized in their
disciplines and their communities, a growing recognition of the relevance and importance of ecological research and education by an increasing
segment of our society is likely to gain greater political and economic support for environmental quality and ecological research in the future.
Conference Proceedings
Special Requirements
Special reporting requirements: None
Change in Objectives or Scope: None
Animal, Human Subjects, Biohazards: None
Page 72 of 73
Annual Report: 1036600
Categories for which nothing is reported:
Any Product
Any Conference
Page 73 of 73
RESEARCH FINDINGS 2012
The Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment team has been conducting research on hardwood restoration and
hardwood responses to a variety of silvicultural treatments since our inception in 2004 As an interdisciplinary team,
we have been working together to strengthen our knowledge of managed forest ecosystem issues, and have been
working towards applied science based management tools. As we continue collecting data for this long-term project,
the knowledge gained about vegetation dynamics and the data we are collecting in subsequent growing seasons will
strengthen the ability to manage a forest at the ecosystem level.
SUBPROJECT ONE – FOREST COMMUNITY RESPONSES AND DYNAMICS (FC)
Component 1: Forest Vegetation Responses to Prescribed Burning and Thinning and Effects of Wildlife
Browsing and Microclimate (Drs. L. Dimov and C. Schweitzer)
1. Determine the effects of the burning and thinning treatments from 5 to 10 years after treatment on the change in
woody and herbaceous vegetation composition, growth, competitive status, richness, cover, and diversity.
Findings:
This is ongoing. No new findings are being reported on this objective. Previous year’s results related to fuel data
follow: The main effect of thinning was significant for duff, 10-hour, 1-hour, and bark immediately after thinning.
Compared to controls, thinning increased duff (+4.3 and +5.7 tons acre-1 for 50 feet2 acre-1 and 75 feet2 acre-1,
respectively), 1-hour (+0.2 tons acre-1 for both thinning treatments), 10-hour (+1.6 and +1.4 tons acre-1 for 50 feet2
acre-1 and 75 feet2 acre-1, respectively), and bark loads (+0.4 and +0.3 tons acre-1 for 50 feet2 acre-1 and 75 feet2
acre-1, respectively). Three years following thinning, only leaf litter had significant differences with a reduction of 1.1 and -0.8 tons acre-1 in 50 feet2 acre-1 and 75 feet2 acre-1 treatments respectively. Burning and its interaction
with thinning was not significant after the first burn. After the second burn, leaf litter decreased by 0.5 tons acre-1,
compared to controls, and bark increased by 0.1 tons acre-1. Duff, 1-hour, 10-hour, and fruit were not affected by
the first or second burn.
Burning alone and in conjunction with thinning as applied in this study had minimal effects on fine fuels and duff.
Thinning produced more of a reduction in fine fuels than did burning, likely due to higher decomposition rates
related to increased sunlight hitting the forest floor. Based on these results, we do not recommend prescribed fire
in these stands to reduce fine fuel and duff loads, but recognize fire has other benefits not measured in this study
for vegetation diversity and wildlife habitat. Analysis is ongoing to better understand how fire may alter species
composition and plant growth and establishment
2. Determine the effect of forest edge direction on vegetation dynamics and competitive status;
Findings:
No findings are being reported on these objectives yet because the exclosures will be getting installed during the
summer of 2012.
3. Quantify the effect of deer browsing on tree regeneration.
See Objective 2 (above).
4. Use the information from objectives 1-3 to develop guidelines for achieving the desired vegetation composition and
structure.
No new findings to publish.
Component 2: Response of Avian and Herpetofaunal Communities to Anthropogenic Disturbances in
Forested Landscapes (Drs. Y. Wang and C. Schweitzer)
1. Determine the relationship between microhabitat complexity and community structure.
See Objective 2 (below)
2. Determine the effects of forest disturbances upon resources availability for animals.
The two objectives above are the continuation of the research work we initiated during the first funding period
and have been enhance during the current funding period. We report these two components together as they are
closely related.
Findings:
1.1 Effects of variation in fire frequency and canopy reduction on the diversity of herpetofaunal communities at
Bankhead National Forest (Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer, T. Baldwin)
During this fiscal year we worked on two major objectives for continuing this project: developing manuscripts
and resuming data collection.
Lizard Microhabitat and Microclimate Relationships in Southeastern Pine-hardwood Forests. Understanding the
impacts of disturbances in forest ecosystems is essential for long-term biodiversity conservation. Many studies
have evaluated wildlife response to various disturbances, but were not able to identify mechanisms causing
changes to community. We examined lizard community response to two common forest-management
practices: prescribed burning and thinning in pine-hardwood forests of the Bankhead National Forest, Alabama,
U.S.A.
Basal area was similar among stands before treatment and ranged from 26.8 m2/ha to 29.1 m2/ha, and was
reduced in thinned stands after treatment (F2, 24 = 29.0; p < 0.0001; Table 3). Basal area did not differ
between heavy-thin (11.3 ± 0.9 m2/ha [heavy-thin] and 10.9 ± 0.8 m2/ha [heavy thin-with-burn]) and light-thin
(14.6 ± 1.2 m2/ha [light-thin] and 13.8 ± 0.3 m2/ha [light thin-with-burn]) treatments (Table 3). Basal area of
burn-only stands did not decrease post-treatment (29.5 ± 2.9 m2/ha) and remained similar to pre-treatment
estimates (27.6 ± 3.2; Table 3).
Model-averaged coefficient estimates and their confidence intervals indicated that (1) Sceloporus undulatus
captures were positively influenced by increased CWD and ground woody vegetation cover, negatively
associated with increased litter cover, and positively affected by treatment (treatment by year interaction); (2)
A. carolinensis were positively associated with air temperature, ground woody vegetation cover, and
treatment; (3) Plestiodon sp. captures were positively associated with CWD; (4) Scincella lateralis were
positively associated with litter depth and treatment (treatment and year interaction); and (5) total
heliothermic lizard captures were positively associated with increased CWD woody vegetation groundcover
and treatment. S. undulatus, A. carolinensis, and total heliothermic lizard captures were highly correlated with
several habitat variables. S. undulatus captures were positively correlated with CWD and the treatment
gradient during second year post-treatment surveys. A. carolinensis captures were strongly correlated with air
temperature throughout all years, with greater captures in thin-only stands during second year post-treatment
surveys. Plestiodon sp. captures were more highly correlated with percent CWD during post-treatment year
two and were relatively unaffected by forest treatments, whereas S. lateralis captures were correlated with
litter depth and the treatment gradient during second year post-treatment. Total heliothermic lizards captures
were strongly correlated with air temperature during all treatment years, with captures greatest during the
second year post-treatment; there was a consistent positive correlation of this species with woody and CWD
cover throughout all treatment years.
Models evaluated in this study indicated that forest treatments affected lizard captures in various degrees. S.
undulatus captures were considerably higher in thin with burn stands during second year surveys, whereas A.
carolinensis captures were consistently more abundant in thinned stands, particularly during second year posttreatment in thin-only stands. S. lateralis captures initially decreased in all treated stands plots during posttreatment year one, but recovered to pre-treatment levels during the second year post-treatment in light thin
and heavy thin and burn stands. Interestingly, S. lateralis declined steadily in control plots throughout the
study period. Total heliothermic lizard counts increased during both post-treatment years, but were highest in
thin with burn stands during the second year post-treatment (Fig. 1).
Figure 1. Univariate regressions between captures of heliothermic lizards and habitat variables selected based on information theoretic criterion in forest
stands treated with prescribed burning and thinning in the William B. Bankhead National Forest (2005–2008). Species for this analysis included Eastern Fence
Lizards (Sceloporus undulatus), Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis), Five-lined Skinks (Plestiodon fasciatus), Southeastern Five-lined Skinks (Plestiodon
inexpectatus), and Broad-headed Skinks (Plestiodon laticeps). Treatment designations as follows: 1 = Control, 2 = Burn, 3 = Light Thin, 4 = Heavy Thin, 5 =
Light Thin with Burn, and 6 = Heavy Thin with Burn.
60
60
R² = 0.09
R² = 0.14
50
30
Count * 100 Trap Nights
R² = 0.41
R² = 0.52
R² = 0.08
10
50
40
R² = 0.06
20
R² = 0.11
10
50
40
R² = 0.79
R² = 0.43
R² = 0.28
30
R² = 0.46
R² = 0.01
R² = 0.35
R² = 0.21
20
R² = 0.39
R² = 0.40
R² = 0.21
R² = 0.41
R² = 0.23
40
60
R² = 0.40
30
20
10
R² = 0.01
0
0
80
85
90
95
0
0
100
10
60
Pre-Treatment
30
40
50
0
Post-Treatment One
50
40
40
40
30
30
30
20
20
20
10
10
10
0
5
6
7
8
Litter Depth (cm)
50
40
30
20
10
0
1
2
3
4
Treatment Code
0
20
40
60
Percent Forest Level 3 Cover
60
5
6
4
5
6
0
0
4
3
60
Post-Treatment Two
50
3
2
Percent CWD Cover
50
2
1
Percent Woody Cover
Percent Litter Cover
60
20
80
100
20
25
30
Air Temperature (⁰C)
35
40
1.2 Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Response to Oak Regenerating Treatments on the Mid-Cumberland
Plateau of Southern Tennessee (Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer, P. Connor)
Findings:
Short Term Response of Herpetofauna to Shelterwood and Oak-Shelterwood Treatments on the MidCumberland Plateau of Southern Tennessee. We studied the short term response of herpetofaunal
communities including species richness, diversity, and relative abundance to shelterwood (SW) and oakshelterwood (OSW), on the mid-Cumberland plateau of southern Tennessee. We examined how
microhabitat and microclimate features varied by treatment type and how changes in these features
related to the change of the herpetofaunal community.
Canopy cover was higher in control and OSW stands than in SW stands in 2009 and 2010. Oakshelterwood and control stands had higher litter depth, litter cover, and presence of overstory than SW
stands. As expected, SW stands had a higher amount of slash and slash pile volume and abundance of
woody and herbaceous vegetation in the ground cover than control and OSW treatment stands.
Shelterwood stands also had more bare ground that OSW and control stands. Understory and midstory
structures were reduced in SW and OSW stands compared to controls.
A total of 33 species were captured during the two years combined: 18 reptiles and 15 amphibians.
Amphibian and reptile diversity and richness were similar among treatments types in 2009, but was
higher in SW than OSW or controls in 2010. We found no differences in the Shannon diversity index
among treatments or years for amphibians or reptiles. Species richness and diversity did not differ
among treatment in 2009, and species richness was higher in SW stands in 2010.
Species such as the eastern narrow-mouthed toad, northern slimy salamander, and Fowler’s toad (Bufo
fowleri) were positively associated with high coverage of herbaceous and woody vegetation, slash, and
CWD. Other species such as southern leopard frogs (Lithobates sphenocephalus), pickerel frogs (Rana
palustris), and cave salamanders (Eurycea lucifuga) were associated with higher canopy cover, and litter
depth. The CCA indicated that American toads (Bufo americanus) were not closely associated with any
structural attribute. Red salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber), eastern spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus
holbrookii), green frogs (Rana clamitans), and eastern red spotted newts (Notophthalmus v.viridescens)
did not show any strong relationship with any habitat variable (Figure 2).
Eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) had a strong positive relationship with CWD, slash piles, and
bare ground. In contrast, eastern garter snakes and eastern five-lined skinks had a strong negative
association with features in undisturbed controls including more litter cover, canopy cover, and
understory. Northern black racer (Coluber constrictor) abundance was positively related to the presence
of overstory and greater litter depth. Northern ring-necked snakes (Diadophis punctatus edwardsii)
showed a positive relationship with rock coverage.
Figure 2. Canonical correspondence analysis ordination biplot of representing the relationship between
amphibians species and microhabitat variables at Burrow Cove in Grundy County, Tennessee. Habitat variables are
depicted using codes found in Table 2. Species codes ANAM=American toad, ANFO=Fowler’s toad, EULU= cave
salamander, GACA= eastern narrow-mouthed toad, LIPA=pickerel frog, LISP= southern leopard frog, LICL=green
frog, NOVI= eastern red spotted newt, PLGL= northern slimy salamander, PSRU= red salamander, and SCHO=
eastern spadefoot toad.
3. Determine the change of territory size and density of selected animal species.
4. Assess the reproductive success of selected animal species
These objectives are reported collectively below as they are closely related.
Findings:
Response of songbirds in territory, density, and reproductive success to forest disturbance in Northeastern
Alabama. Four ‘conservation concern species’ (Rich et al.
2004, http://www.partnersinflight.org/cont_plan/ ) were found to occupy territories in the study area
during 2002-2003. In 2010, however, only three of these species held territories (Kentucky Warbler
[Geothlypis Formosa], Prairie Warbler [Setophaga discolor], and Worm-eating Warbler [Helmitheros
vermivorum]). Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) territories were not detected in 2010. In addition,
observations were recorded inside treatment stands for Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed
Woodpecker), another priority species, though no territories were detected.
Territory frequency of the Kentucky Warbler was highest in shelterwood stands. This indicates canopy
closure in these stands and suggests the early-successional forest created now provides habitat for these
species. As expected, territory frequency in previously treated shelterwood stands declined in 2011, as
canopies were opened. Territory frequency of the Prairie Warbler in 2010 was highest in shelterwood
stands of 50% retention, demonstrating this species’ need for moderate canopy opening. In 2011,
grouped shelterwood stands that are now clearcut contained the highest frequency of territories for this
species. Previously clearcut treatment units remained similar in Prairie Warbler territory abundance from
2003 to 2010, but declined in 2011. As expected, canopy closure in these stands most likely provided less
suitable habitat for this species. Also predicted was the absence of the Prairie Warbler in control stands.
Component 3: Genetic Diversity and Dynamics of Oaks and Pool Breeding Amphibians (Drs. K.
Soliman, Y.Wang, L. Dimov, and C. Schweitzer)
Findings:
There are no findings yet to report for the amphibian genetic study. Findings are expected in 2013.
The results of screening the SSR primers developed from northern red oak in 4 other species revealed that
most of the primer pairs produced amplification products of the expected size in the majority of the
species tested. In 10 out of the 30 primers all species had amplification products of the expected size from
the locations (Fig. 3). There was a case where 5 primer pairs did not amplify on any of the species and was
eliminated from further studies. Since 25 samples per species were tested, information about the level of
polymorphism was assessed. The amplified products were separated using polyacrylamide (6%) gel
electrophoresis (PAGE) and visualized by ethidium bromide to determine polymorphism (Fig. 4).
Polymorphism information content (PIC) provided an estimate of the discriminatory power of the locus.
The marker profiles of different SSRs on different species were analyzed using cluster analysis to reveal a
phylogenetic relationship with the help of the Genetic Data Analysis software.
Figure 3. A representation of the quality of the DNA isolated from cambial tissue of various oak species collected
from the Cumberland plateau. The ladder is a 1 Kb ladder. Row 1 represents samples from Bear Den Point. Row 2
represents samples from Hayes Nature Preserve. Row 3 represents areas surrounding AAMU. Row 4 represents the
Bankhead National Forest.
Figure 4. Screened SSR primers for polymorphism using 6% PAGE. Screening of simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer
pairs derived from northern red oak genomic sequences for their ability to amplify black oak (lanes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 12, 16,
17, 21, 22, 30, and 31), scarlet oak (lanes 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, and 20) and northern red oak (lanes 13, 14, 2329, and 32) templates. The PCR products were electrophoresed using 6% PAGE gels with primer 1L05. Expected
product size is the range o f346-270 bp.
1000 bp
500 bp
200 bp
We examined cross-species amplification within the SSRs developed based on the northern red oak
genome. Seventeen of the 30 SSRs transferred from northern red oak to 3 or more of the 5 other species.
Ten loci amplified successfully in all 5 species (quru-GA-2H18, -1M18, -1iO6, -2NO3, -1FO2, -1LO5, -1G13, 1H14, -2H14 and –OC21). These rates of successful transfer are conservative compared to other reports for
these and related species. Our findings showed that 57% of the Q. rubra SSRs transferred to Q. falcata, Q.
coccinea, Q. velutina and Q. shumardii. The PIC values for SSR loci ranged from 0.78 to 0.35 with a mean of
0.58.
Based upon preliminary data observed in this study, it was determined that the primers that amplified
well outside of Q. rubra also revealed high levels of genetic variation. All loci were variable in Q. rubra, and
those that amplified in Q. falcata, Q. coccinea, Q. velutina and Q. shumardii were also variable. The overall
success rate of amplification across the red oak species was high.
Based on the cluster analysis using the primers, there is a close relationship between the northern red oak
and the shumard oak as well as the black oak (fig. 5). The tree indicates that the northern red oak,
shumard oak and black oak may be homologous to that of the southern red oak species. Further analysis
will be conducted to explain this phenomenon.
Figure 5. Phylogenetic tree of the five red oak species based on cluster analysis of the SSR primers from 200 samples
and six locations in our study.
Southern Red Oak
Shumard Oak
Northern Red Oak
Black Oak
Scarlet Oak
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
Average Distance Between Clusters
Identification of pure species vs. hybrids is an important attribute for understanding the population
dynamics of oaks and for the economic reasons as well. Therefore, categorization of genetic diversity
within and among the oak species with the use of molecular markers may facilitate unambiguous
identification of trees. A majority of the SSRs exhibited cross-species amplification and thus have the
potential for use in detecting molecular phylogeography of the red oaks. These markers will be used to
help in establishing the genetic diversity of Quercus spp. in the Southern Cumberland Plateau.
OTHER RESEARCH FINDINGS:
In addition to the research components described in detail in the report, we have been working on the
following projects related to the CFEA research objectives.
1. Control of non-native invasive forest tree and shrub species without the use of synthetic chemicals (L.
Dimov and J. Williams).
A more environmentally friendly and cost effective method of controlling invasive species may be the use
of high intensity fire. We tested this method with three non-native and highly invasive species: royal
paulownia (Paulownia tomentosa), Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), and bush honeysuckle (Lonicera
spp.).
Bush honeysuckle. After two growing seasons, the mortality in the control honeysuckle plants was
significantly less than in the burned plants (all seasons of treatment pooled, F(3,40)=5694.1, p<0.001), as
seen in the figure below. There were no differences between mortality after burning in spring and summer
(p=0.810) or between summer and winter (p=0.103). The spring, summer, and winter burns resulted in
complete or nearly complete mortality of 100%, 99.5%, and 98%, respectively. The season of burn had a
significant effect on the formation of new sprouts (F(2,27)= 10.80, p<0.001). There were 0.2, 0.9, and 1.6
sprouts per plant after the winter, spring, and summer burns, respectively, all of which were significantly
Average Number of Sprouts Per
Plant
different from each other, as shown in the figure below.
2
1.8
1.6
B
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
A
C
N/A
Control
Spring
Summer
Winter
Season of Treatment
Figure 6. Number of honeysuckle sprouts per plant and standard error after two growing seasons. The same letters
indicate no difference among the bars at the p<0.1 level.
Chinese privet. We obtained a significant overall model predicting stem mortality in the small diameter
class Chinese privet two growing seasons after treatment, from the independent variables season,
treatment, and their interaction (F(1,32)=292.27, p<0.001). None of the non-control treatments were
significantly different from each other (F(5,24)=1.09, p=0.389). We had a significant overall model for
predicting stem mortality in the large diameter size class (F(3,30)=21.78, p<0.001). Following the
examination of the pair comparisons and applying the Tukey-Kramer adjustment, differences in percent
stem mortality were found between the following: stems burned in spring versus those burned in winter,
spring versus control, winter versus summer, winter versus control, and summer versus control, (p<0.001,
<0.001, 0.026, 0.002, <0.001). Spring and summer had the greatest average mortality of 80.7% and 67.0%,
respectively. Mortality in the control was 0.0%.
Table 1. Differences in the average percent mortality after 30 s and 40 s burn treatments (combined for this
comparison) after one and two growing seasons for Chinese privet.
Treatment
Versus
Treatment
Difference in
P-value
Percent Mortality
Large Diameter
Control
Winter
-42.5
0.002
Control
Spring
-80.7
<0.001
Control
Summer
-67.0
<0.001
Winter
Spring
-38.2
<0.001
Winter
Summer
-24.5
0.026
Spring
Summer
13.7
0.352
Royal paulownia. The mortality data collected in August of 2011, which was at least one full year after
completion of burning in winter, spring, and summer of 2010, indicated that not all treatments were able
to cause mortality in the experimental royal paulownia trees. There was no tree mortality among the
trees from the control treatment, or among the trees from the small diameter class that were burned for
15 s, regardless of the season of burn. Mortality did occur, however, as a result of the longer burn of 30 s
in the small diameter class, as well as the 40 s and 60 s burns in the larger diameter class. Greater
mortality occurred in the small diameter trees after a 30 s burn and in the large diameter trees after a 60
s burn than in the control (p=0.035, p=0.005, respectively). However, the percent mortality after burning
trees from the large diameters for 40 s was not different from the percent mortality in the control trees
(p=0.333). Overall, for the small diameter trees there was more mortality after burning for 30 s than for
15 s, and for the large diameter trees there was more mortality after burning for 60 s than 40 s (p<0.001
in both cases). The mortality after the 30 s burning in the smaller diameter class was an average of 25%,
while after 60 s burning in the larger diameter class was an average of 31.9%. There was no difference in
mortality between trees burned in the winter for 15 s and those burned for 30 s (P=0.233).
Table 2. Comparison of royal paulownia mortality a year after burning for different lengths of time during each
15 s
30 s
-13.6
0.233
*Spring
15 s
30 s
-17.7
0.081
*Summer
15 s
30 s
-47.1
<0.001
*Winter
40 s
60 s
-4.0
1.000
*Spring
40 s
60 s
-26.1
0.022
40 s
60 s
-49.3
0.001
P-value
Difference
in Mortality
(%)
*Winter
Season
Treatment
Versus
Treatment
season.
Small Diameter Class
Large Diameter Class
Summer
*Indicates Fisher’s Exact Test analysis. In all other comparisons Chi-square tests was used.
However, when the burn was carried out in the spring or summer, the 30 s burn resulted in greater
mortality than the 15 s burn (p=0.081, p<0.001, respectively). We observed similar results for the large
diameter class, where burning for 40 s or 60 s in the winter resulted in similar mortality (p=1.000), but
burning in the spring and summer resulted in greater mortality of the trees burned for 60 s than those
burned for 40 s (p=0.022, p=0.001, respectively). None of the trees died when burned for 15 s, regardless
of the season of burn, so we did not look for a season effect.
Similarly, we did not compare the season effect on mortality of the trees burned for 40 s in the winter
and spring, because no mortality was observed. There was no difference in percent mortality after
burning for 30 s in the winter versus the spring (p=0.333). However, there was a difference in percent
tree mortality after burning for 30 s among the other seasons.
Mortality after 60 s spring burn was greater than after 60 s winter burn (p=0.015, table above). The 40 s
burn and the 60 s burn both resulted in greater mortality after a summer burn than after spring burn or
after winter burn. It was similar with the 30 s burn, with the exception that mortality after the winter
burn was not different from mortality after the spring burn (p=0.333, table above).
No new stump sprouting occurred in the control paulownia plants. Stump sprouts examined in August of
2011, which was a minimum of one full year after burning took place in winter, spring, and summer of
2010, showed that sprouting occurred after each of the burn lengths of 15s, 30 s, 40 s, and 60 s.
Sprouting after burning for 40 s and 60 s was more common than in the control trees (p=0.067, p=0.011,
respectively), but no difference was found between the percent of trees with new sprouts in the control
and in the 15 s burn or the control and 30 s burn (p=0.333, p=0.114, respectively). The greatest percent of
trees with stump sprouts, 29.6%, occurred after the 60 s burn. There was no difference in percent of trees
with sprouts after burning for 15 s and for 30 s during the winter or summer (p=0.664, p=0.324,
respectively).
Greater sprouting frequency occurred after the spring 30s burn than the spring 15 s burn (p=0.081, table
above). There was no difference in percent of trees with stump sprouts after burning for 40 s or 60 s
during the spring (p=0.153) and summer (p=0.956). There were differences in the percent trees with
sprouts in the 40 s treatment versus 60 s treatment after a winter burn (p=0.047).
No differences were found in sprouting occurrence when the main stem was burned for 30 s in any of the
three seasons.
Similar lack of season effect was found for the 60 s burns. Seasonal differences in sprouting were not
observed after winter and summer burn for 15 s, spring and summer burn for 15 s, and winter and spring
burn for 40 s (p=0.202, p=0.158, p=0.203, respectively). Seasonal differences in sprouting were observed,
however, in comparisons of sprouting after spring and winter burn for 15 s, winter and summer burn for
40 s, and spring and summer burn for 40 s (p=0.077, 0.032, and p=0.095). No sprouting occurred after
burning for 15 s in the spring, but 14.3% average sprouting did occur after the 15 s winter burn. Sprouting
occurred almost 6 times more often after the summer 40 s burn, an average of 27.3%, than after the
winter 40 s burn, and occurred at almost double the rate of sprouting after the spring 40 s burn.
2. Relationship between forest diversity and productivity.
Findings:
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA, USDA-FS) plot data from Alabama was used to examine whether plant
diversity promotes ecosystem productivity. Our preliminary analysis of select FIA plot data from Alabama
showed a general increase of above ground biomass with an increase in diversity, as measured by the
Shannon Index (Fig. 7). When examined for species richness, the observed pattern in the results was
similar (Fig. 8). We also examined the effect of age and slope using the SAS CALIS procedure. The estimates
for all of the direct and indirect effects for age were significant. The estimates for total effects for slope
were non-significant although the estimates for all the direct and indirect effects were significant (Table 3).
Figure 7. Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index of Aboveground dry biomass, as examined by FIA data.
Figure 8. Species richness of aboveground dry biomass, as examined by FIA data.
Table 3. Covariance Structure Analysis: Maximum Likelihood Estimation of age and slope, from USDA-Forest Service
FIA data.
Standardized Effects on logAGB
Total
Effect
Std Error
t-value
P-value
0.4569
0.0754
6.0624
<0.0001
Effect
Std Error
t-value
P-value
0.0523
0.0846
0.6190
0.5359
Direct
Age
0.2026
0.0426
4.7561
<0.001
Slope
-0.1141
0.0404
-2.8252
0.0047
Indirect
0.2544
0.0692
3.6755
0.0002
0.1665
0.0763
2.1833
0.0290
3. Determine the effects of urban and rural forest management on the species richness, relative abundance,
and diversity of freshwater aquatic (fishes, mussels, arthropods) communities (Drs. W. Stone and K. Ward;
H. Howell, A. Bohlman, H. Cz, and P. Knight).
Findings:
We investigated nine study sites downstream from BNF-CFEA forest stands that were previously thinned
or thinned and burned (or control) to examine aquatic and riparian community responses to these forest
management methods. Stream habitat assessments, basic water quality parameters and sampling of
organisms including insects, small mammals and bats have been conducted at all of these sites. Currently,
all of last year’s, and part of this year’s macroinvertebrate samples have been identified to Genus or
Family. Twenty-four genera of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) in seven families, 24 genera of stoneflies
(Plecoptera) in eight families, and 18 genera of caddisflies (Trichoptera) in ten families have been
identified from aquatic insects collected across locations in 2009. Collectively (known as “EPT”),
distribution of these three families varied widely across watersheds. The highest percent of mayflies was
recorded for Basin Creek, while Borden Creek and West Flint Creek yielded the highest percent stoneflies
and caddisflies, respectively. Watersheds downstream from unmanaged areas yielded a higher EPT ratio
to other taxa than all other study sites except Borden Creek. Pooled average EPTs across treatments
showed highest percentage (40.12%) in watersheds associated with unmanaged areas (control)
compared to those downstream from thinned (23.76%), and thinned and burned (21.67%) plots.
Rock and Flannigan Creeks sustained the lowest population of EPT throughout the year. There was no
significant difference in percent EPT across seasons for these creeks.
Sampling of mussels and fish was conducted this year (2011-2012). A moderate drought dried up two of
the three control streams during the summer and fall of 2011. Fish diversity was highest in the one
control stream that maintained water flow. Refugia from drought for aquatic invertebrates were
discovered under rocks along the stream bank.
Bat capture numbers so far appear to have been unaffected by white-nose syndrome. Small mammal
abundance and diversity are higher in the control stands and lower below thinned stands (burned or not).
However, control stands are not significantly different from thinned stands or thinned and burned stands.
SUBPROJECT TWO – ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS AND PROCESSES IN DISTURBED
FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Component 1: Soil microbial biodiversity of Bankhead National Forest ecosystems
1. Study microbial and community diversity in response to forest management treatments
Findings:
Table 4 shows the physical and chemical properties of the soil studied. Amidohydrolases activity was
affected by burning and thinning (Fig. 9). Glutaminase and asparaginase activities increases with burning
and thinning compared to the control. Burning seems to be the factor affecting the activity of these
enzymes in this forest system. Amidase activity was the least irrespective of treatment. For the
phosphatases, acid phosphatase activity was the greatest (Fig. 10). As with the amidohydrolases, burning
and thinning do impact phosphatases activity. Thinning seems to be the major factor affecting
phosphatases in this forest ecosystem. Table 5 shows the microbial indices in this ecosystem. The
adenosine triphosphate (ATP) ranged from 0.776 ± 0.23 – 4.372 ± 4.37 ng g-1, whereas the particulate
carbon mineralized (PCM) ranged from 1.58 ± 1.84 – 8.90 ± 1.73 mg kg-1. Microbial biomass carbon
(MBC) ranged from 5.72 ± 6.65 – 108.66 ± 71.40 mg kg-1 whereas microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN)
ranged from 19.51 ± 10.89 – 59.57 ± 9.84 mg kg-1.
Treatment
Figure 10. Effect of burning and thinning on phosphatase activity.
Thin
50%
25%
-3
-3
yr b
yr b
urn
urn
1000
Thin
urn
bur
n
yr b
3 yr
- 10
urn
bur
n
bur
n
yr b
0 yr
- 10
in -
50%
25%
in -1
No
th
Thin
Thin
No
th
- No
bur
n
rn
not
thi
Thin
Thin
25%
-
3 yr
3 yr
10 y
r
burn
burn
burn
burn
No
burn
10 y
r
25%
-
50%
-
25%
-
burn
No
burn
3 yr
50%
-
50%
-
Thin
Thin
Thin
Thin
No
thin
-
burn
nN
o bu
rn
No
thin
-10
yr
Con
trol,
+
-1
NH4 -N Released (ug g )
400
50%
- No
in N
o bu
25%
o t th
-1
600
Thin
Thin
Con
trol,
n
+
NH4 -N Rreleased (ug g )
800
Amidase
Urease
Aspartase
Asparaginase
Glutaminase
200
0
Treatment
Figure 9. Effect of burning and thinning on amidohydrolase activity.
Acid phosphatase
Alkaline phosphatase
phosphodiesterse
800
600
400
200
0
Table 4. Soil physical and chemical properties at treatments site in Bankhead National Forest, AL.
Trmt
#
Application
pH_H2O
C (%)
N (%)
S (%)
C/N Ratio
NH4
NO3
Conductivi CEC
ty (µS/cm) meq/100g
soil
1
Reference (no treatment)
4.66±0.22
3.11±1.02
0.126±0.033
0.016±0.004
24.42±1.83
11.12±5.09
9.37±13.35
51.77±6.37
3.03±0.35
2
Burn only- 10 yr
4.34±0.45
2.99±0.46
0.122±0.022
0.014±0.002
24.72±2.58
4.35±0.25
2.22±1.94
48.77±9.41
3.51±0.76
3
Burn only- 3 yr
4.72±0.24
2.37±0.25
0.101±0.004
0.012±0.001
23.48±1.65
6.29±1.60
1.60±0.70
40.87±5.50
2.30±0.89
4
Thin to 11.46 m2 ha-1 basal
area
4.85±0.23
2.47±0.45
0.104±0.018
0.011±0.001
16.47±13.66
9.87±0.60
4.94±1.32
42.07±4.65
2.32±0.53
5
Thin 17. 22 m2 ha-1 basal area
4.57±0.28
3.49±1.38
0.129±0.028
0.013±0.003
26.54±5.17
4.86±1.9
5.70±0.34
40.13±6.99
3.40±1.15
6
Thin 11.46 m2 ha-1basal area +
3yr burn
5.06±0.1
1.97±0.24
0.085±0.005
0.012±0.001
23.18±2.13
6.71±0.79
1.38±0.29
38.33±4.11
2.21±0.32
7
Thin 17.22 m2 ha-1 basal area +
burn
4.74±0.22
1.90±0.16
0.090±0.011
0.012±0.001
21.35±1.71
5.68±1.38
2.66±0.96
37.17±8.35
2.71±0.69
8
Thin 11.46 m2 ha-1 basal area +
10yr burn
4.73±0.48
1.59±0.54
0.081±0.021
0.011±0.003
19.30±1.99
5.92±0.52
2.75±2.84
33.70±2.12
1.92±0.63
9
Thin 17.22 m2 ha-1basal area +
10yr burn
4.86±0.16
2.38±0.32
0.113±0.025
0.017±0.010
21.37±2.06
12.91±4.68
6.98±1.29
42.33±13.75
1.73±1.13
Table 5. Microbial indices at treatments site in Bankhead National Forest, AL.
Trmt #
Application
MBC
mg kg-1
MBN
mg kg-1
PCM
mg kg-1
ATP
( ng g-1 soil)
MBC/ATP
ATP/MBC
( %)
T1
Reference (no treatment)
10.46±7.30
48.17±2.73
7.54±1.01
0.921±0.57
12896±7405
0.010±0.007
T2
Burn only- 10 yr
30.14±7.52
55.27±17.69
6.58±0.66
0.961±0.15
31080±3383
0.003±0
T3
Burn only- 3 yr
22.00±7.41
55.75±8.07
6.93±0.82
2.180±1.49
13921±10683
0.011±0.008
T4
Thin to 11.46 m2 ha-1 basal area
5.72±6.65
29.30±15.07
7.03±1.20
4.372±4.45
3312±3975
0.019±0.023
T5
Thin 17. 22 m2 ha-1 basal area
65.02±91.32
38.50±19.92
3.93±2.85
0.903±0.77
2059851±355105
0.008±0.009
T6
Thin 11.46 m2 ha-1basal area + 3yr burn
108.66±71.40
19.51±10.89
7.54±2.56
1.788±1.08
72215±67953
0.002±0.002
T7
Thin 17.22 m2 ha-1 basal area + burn
58.85±52.61
28.21±7.90
8.90±1.73
1.159±0.28
48963±37524
0.006±0.008
T8
Thin 11.46 m2 ha-1 basal area + 10yr burn
75.93±27.1
41.63±3.59
1.58±1.84
0.776±0.23
105866±49797
0.001±0.00
T9
Thin 17.22 m2 ha-1basal area + 10yr burn
65.37±57.75
59.57±9.84
4.85±5.13
1.027±0.39
59464±59399
0.001±0
2. Inventory WRF diversity, their molecular phylogenetic profiles and biomass-degrading enzymatic
potentials in support of our bioenergy program initiatives
Findings:
Enzyme activities show that there was no significant effect of thinning and burning on soil laccase
(Fig. 11), xylanase and β-glucosidase activities at a 0.05 level of significance (Figs. 13 and 14).
However, there was a significant difference p<0.05 for manganese peroxidase activity due to
thinning (Fig. 12). There was no significant effect of burning under no thinning conditions, on soil
laccase, xylanase, β-glucosidase and manganese peroxidase activity activities at a 0.05 level of
significance. However, the mean activities for laccase were greater than the control (B0T0), while βglucosidase activities for the control was greater than the other treatments.
2.5
2.5
1.5
Treatment
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
c
2.0
10
T
50
B
B
Treatment
3T
50
0.0
B
0.0
3T
25
0.5
3T
0
0.5
10
T
25
1.0
B
1.0
1.5
10
T
0
1.5
d
B10 T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B10T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B10T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
B
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B3T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B3T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
B
Laccase activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
2.0
Treatment
2.5
Laccase activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
2.5
B
B
B
0T
50
0.0
B
0.0
0T
25
0.5
0T
0
0.5
10
T
0
1.0
3T
0
1.0
b
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B10T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B
Laccase activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
2.0
1.5
B
Laccase activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
2.0
0-10 cm
0-20 cm
a
0T
0
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B0T25 - No burn, 25% thin
B0T50 - No burn, 50% thin
Treatment
Figure 11. Soil laccase activities (a) effect of thinning (b) effect of burning (c) effect of thinning in 3yr burning
(d) effect of thinning in 10yr burning.
0.6
0.6
0-10 cm
0-10 cm
a
MnP activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
0.4
0.2
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B10T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
0.2
0
T
10
B
B
B
0T
50
B
0T
25
B
0T
0
B
3T
0
0.0
0.0
Treatment
Treatment
0.6
0.6
0-10 cm
c
0-10 cm
d
B10T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B10T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B10T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
MnP activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B3T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B3T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
0.4
0.2
0.2
Treatment
10
T
50
B
10
T
25
B
B
3T
50
B
3T
25
B
3T
0
0.0
B
0.0
0.4
10
T
0
MnP activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
b
0.4
0T
0
MnP activity (Umin -1g-1soil)
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B0T25 - No burn, 25% thin
B0T50 - No burn, 50% thin
Treatment
Figure 12. Soil manganese peroxidase activities (a) effect of thinning (b) effect of burning (c) effect of thinning
in 3yr burning (d) effect of thinning in 10yr burning.
0.015
0.015
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B0T25 - No burn, 25% thin
B0T50 - No burn, 50% thin
0-10 cm
0-20 cm
a
Xylanase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
0.010
0.005
b
0.005
10
B
T
0
3T
0
B
0T
50
B
0T
25
B
0T
0
B
Treatment
B
0.000
0.000
Treatment
0.015
0.015
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B3T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B3T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
c
0.010
0.005
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
Xylanase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
B10 T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B10 T 25 - 10yr burn, 25% thin
B10 T 50 - 10yr burn, 50% thin
d
0.010
0.005
50
T
B
T
10
B
Treatment
10
0
T
10
B
3T
50
B
3T
25
B
3T
0
Treatment
25
0.000
0.000
B
Xylanase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
B0T 0 - No burn, No thin
B3T 0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B10 T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
0.010
0T
0
Xylanase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
0-10 cm
10-20 cm
Figure 13. Soil xylanase activities (a) effect of thinning (b) effect of burning (c) effect of thinning in 3yr burning
(d) effect of thinning in 10yr burning.
0.6
0.6
0-10 cm
0.2
0.4
0.2
10
T
0
B
B
0T
0
B
0T
50
B
B
0T
25
0T
0
B
3T
0
0.0
0.0
Treatment
Treatment
0.6
0.6
0-10 cm
c
0-10 cm
B3T0 3yr burn, No thin
B3T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B3T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
β-Glucosidase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
0.4
0.2
d
B10T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B10T25 - 3yr burn, 25% thin
B10T50 - 3yr burn, 50% thin
0.4
0.2
10
T
50
B
10
T
25
3T
50
B
3T
25
B
3T
0
B
Treatment
10
T
0
0.0
0.0
B
β-Glucosidase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
B0T0 - No burn, No thin
B3T0 - 3yr burn, No thin
B10T0 - 10yr burn, No thin
B
β -Glucosidase activity (U min -1 g-1 soil)
0.4
0-10 cm
b
-1 -1
β -Glucosidase activity (U min g soil)
B0T 0 - No burn, No thin
B0T 25 - No burn, 25% thin
B0T 50 - No burn, 50% thin
a
Treatment
Figure 14. Soil β-glucosidase activities (a) effect of thinning (b) effect of burning (c) effect of thinning in 3yr
burning (d) effect of thinning in 10yr burning.
Component 2: Phosphorus (P) transformation
1. Investigate heat-induced changes in inorganic P forms in forest soils
Findings:
Findings from the P fractionation study indicate that major P form in these soils for all treatments at
all depths comprises of NaOH-P or the Al/Fe bound P. Such P forms may exist as moderately labile P
or as fixed P forms depending on the pH, Al, and Fe levels in the soil. At all depths, a significant
increase in NaOH-P were observed in soils from Treatment 6 subjected to thinning and burning
treatments relative to soils from control and Treatment 3 sites. Burning along did not have any
effect on significantly changing the NaOH-P content in soil relative to control soil. Water soluble P
forms were also significantly higher in soils from Treatment 6 at depths 0-10, 10-20, and 30-40 cm
relative to Treatment 1 or 3. Significant increase in bicarbonate or labile P forms was also observed
in soils from Treatment 6 at all depths relative to soils from control or Treatment 3 sites. The HCl-P
or Ca-bound P was not significantly different between treatments. In all treatments, most of the P
pools did not show any significant variations with soil depth, except for some instances where
significant accumulation of water or bicarbonate P was found in 0-10 or 10-20 cm levels depending
on the Treatment type. This portion of the study indicate that thinning and burning treatment has
impacts on increasing certain P pools in soil relative to no thinning/no burn or burning only
treatment. Phosphorus in ashes from burnt biomass incorporated into soil during thinning process
followed by burning (Treatment 6) may have contributed to the observed increase in certain P
pools. Changes in soil P pools are affected by fire disturbances with an initial post-burn increase in
soil P caused by incorporation of nutrient rich ash into soil or by release of P from the residual
unburned or incompletely burned slashed biomass.
2.
Study the effects of burning on transformation of amorphous Fe and Al oxide and its effect on
inorganic P retention and release over time
Findings to be presented in year 3 through 4
3.
Study the changes in soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) as affected by heat induced treatments
This objective will be carried out in the 3-4 year of the project.
4.
Investigate the composition of charred organic material (black C) deposited during burning
treatments and explore the possibility of P retention/release on the formation of black C
Findings to be presented in year 5
Component 3: Carbon sequestration and energy flux balance in disturbed forest ecosystems
1. Examine C sequestration and energy flux balance and model C flux in disturbed forest ecosystems
Findings:
Preliminary results from the soil samples collected from the Bankhead Forest are presented in
Figure 15. The data for total soil C shows that soil C accumulation in the top 0-10cm which averaged
24.7 g/kg was three, four, five, and seven times that in the profiles of 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, and 40-
50cm, respectively. This is an expected and normal distribution in soil C accumulation in natural
soils. Total soil C in the 0-10cm (top-most soil layer) for treatments 1 (control, i.e. no-thin, no burn),
treatment 2 (no-thin, 10 yr burn), and treatment 5 (25% thin, no-burn) was higher than that for the
other treatments. However, since the 10yr burn treatment had not been done at fall 2011 sampling,
treatment 2 was in actual fact the same as the control. Therefore the overall message here is that
our preliminary results indicate that total soil C in the surface soil (top 0-10 where the highest
concentration of soil C naturally accumulate) and in plots which had not been thinned or burned had
higher soil C content. At soil depths below the top 10cm (10-50), the differences in total soil C
among the treatments were less obvious. This is also an expected result since as we can see from
the graph, soil C declined with depth. However due to the fact that the burn treatments are not yet
complete and more clarification on the treatments is pending, these observations need further
analysis. Also, more data on seasonal and yearly trends in soil C storage and greenhouse gas fluxes is
needed to make thorough and conclusive assessments on the impact of forest management
practices on soil greenhouse gas emissions and C storage and sequestration. The recently recruited
Ph.D. student is will perform detailed laboratory and field collection of data as part of her
dissertation on assessing the effects of forest management practices (fire and thinning) on soil
greenhouse gas dynamics and soil C sequestration in the Bankhead National Forest ecosystem.
Figure 15. Soil C content in the 0-50cm soil profile for nine forest management treatments in the Bankhead
National Forest.
2. Improve our understanding of the role forests play in global C sequestration
Findings to be presented in year 3 through 4.
Component 4: Clay mineral changes and organic matter interaction patterns in a disturbed
forest ecosystem
1.
Investigate the soil clay mineral transformation pathways and mechanisms of highly weathered
soils that are managed with prescribed burning
There are no findings to report.
2. Investigate the long-term effects of prescribed burning on soil clay mineral-organic interaction
patterns
There are no findings to report.
SUBPROJECT THREE –COUPLED DYNAMICS OF HUMANS AND LANDSCAPES (CD)
Component 1: Assessing the impact of watershed level forest management on hydrological
processes, forest structure, and carbon stocks (D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, and W. Tadesse)
1. Assess carbon stock through modeling of forest communities and improve forest vegetation
mapping.
Findings:
Forests contain a large amount of carbon (C) stored as tree biomass (above and below ground),
detritus and soil organic material. The most rapid component of the forest change in this C pool is
the above ground tree biomass. Thus, management of forest resources can influence the net C
exchange with atmosphere by changing the amount of C stored. In the southeastern United States
forests make up over 60% of the land area. Our work focuses on the influence of burning and
thinning on live above ground tree (LAGT) biomass in the Bankhead National Forest, Alabama. We
implemented a large-scale study that involved a factorial arrangement of three levels of thinning
(heavy thin to 11 m2/ha basal area (BA); light thin to 15 m2/ha BA; and no thin) and three fire return
intervals (no fire, three year return, 12 year return). Biomass was assessed among treatments. Pretreatment stands ranged from 117 to 137 Mg/ha LAGT biomass. Overall burning showed no
significant influence on LAGT biomass. All but one thinning treatment (light thin, no burn) had a
higher rate of LAGT biomass gain post-treatment than the control. Control had an average yearly
LAGT biomass gain of 3% per year, with the thinned treatments having averages ranging from 5% to
7% per year. Species-specific responses were also analyzed. The need for reliable and accurate
measurement of biomass potential is increasingly important, particularly for sustainable forest
management, monitoring global climate change and forest productivity.
2. Develop geospatial-based virtual forest landscape using 3D visualization applications as a
communication and decision making tool (W. Tadesse, D. Lemke, and J. Mitchell)
In the proposal this was identified as a research objective for years 3 through 5. We will also
incorporate data collected from other objectives as they become available.
3. Study the long-term hydrologic store/flux process in the BNF (M. Wagaw, and B. Riley)
Findings:
No findings currently, this objective requires installation of equipment (currently under way) and
then a number of seasons of data collection before findings will be available.
Component 2: Assessing land use strategies and forest land cover changes and the provision
of ecological goods and services
1. Extend the land cover change geodatabase for 1950-2010 for BNF and BB region and characterize
the general trends of landscape changes in the study areas (B. Gyawali, X. Chen, W. Tadesse, R.
Fraser, B. Cobb, C. White, and D. Lemke)
Graduate and undergraduate work-study students have completed acquiring historical digital aerial
photos of 4 of the 8 counties in the BB study site. The acquired data have been referenced and
metadata developed. Additional data to complete the temporal period is in progress. Once the data
collection is completed, data analysis for observing trends of landscape changes will start.
2. Determine the effects of landowner strategies on the patterns of land cover types change, and
landscape fragmentation and consolidation (B. Gyawali, X. Chen, W. Tadesse, and R. Fraser A. Hill, S.
Banerjee, C. Christian, and D. Chembezi)
Findings:
The study employed both cross-section data between 1970 and 2000 and three binary logistic
models were specified for analysis: (1) 1970 and 2000, (2)1980 and 2000, and (3) 1990 and 2000.
Overall, high school, college, and employment are the most important predictors to population
change. African-American and employed population showed consistent result in each model, i. e.
they were all significant in all three models. People prefer living in areas where a quality education
and job opportunities are available. Likewise, in-migration in rural counties has occurred more
among retirees or older people who are not as economically productive population. The results of
the binary regression analysis are generally consistent with findings reported by previous studies.
The study provides important insights of the contribution of socio-demographic attributes of the
study region for understanding rural rebound and urban sprawls.
3. Identify the relationships between forest landscape structure and major ecological functions (X. Chen,
R. Fraser, E. Summers, W. Tadesse, and B. Gyawali)
Findings:
Preliminary results from field monitoring of air quality suggests there are more negative ions in the
forest areas, especially at pine forests during the winter season. The spatial and temporal variations
in the concentrations of six gas species (CH4, O2, CO, H2S, SO4, and CO2) and aerosol
concentrations were recorded. After comparing with aerosol concentration at the nearest city
(Huntsville), there is no statistical significant change. This study is ongoing, and results from the
collected data should be available in the next year or two.
Component 3: Aesthetics and environmental Impacts of outdoor recreation and woody
biomass harvesting on forest ecosystem
1. Explore relationship between visitors’ perceptions of resource conditions and actual resource
conditions at the BNF (C. Christian and K. Naka).
No fieldwork has been undertaken to date. However a draft survey instrument /questioner has been
developed.
2. Evaluate and monitor the environmental and ecological impacts of outdoor recreation activities at
the BNF
Some preliminary filed reconnaissance trips have been undertaken. Graduate student is expected to
start in fall 2012 to contribute and assist in data collection.
3. Monitor quantitatively timber and biomass harvesting activities at BNF (C. Christian and K. Naka)
This objective is scheduled to be assessed in years 3 through 5.
4. Assess harvesting environmental and ecological impacts of on soil surface and compaction, residual
vegetation, and hydrologic processes at the BNF (C. Christian and K. Naka)
This objective is scheduled to be assessed in years 3 through 5.
Other Sub-project III Research Activities not Related to Specific Objectives
In addition to the research components described in detail in the report, we have been working on the
following projects CFEA related research objectives.
1. Invasion of a Mined Landscape: what habitat characteristics are influencing the
occurrence of invasive plants?
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, I. Tazisong, Y. Wang, and J. Brown
Findings:
Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the invasive community was predominantly
associated with forest structure and composition. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and Japanese
honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) were more likely with higher vegetation diversity, total canopy
cover and hardwood density; autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and princesstree (Paulownia
tomentosa) were more likely with higher hardwood basal area. These parameters are features often
associated with more established forests. Chinese lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) and shrubby
lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor) were less likely to be found with the above characteristics. Logistic
regressions with the three most common species, Chinese privet, Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese
lespedeza, all had reasonable concordance (>75) and over 25 percent decrease in false omission
rates and type II errors, suggesting useful models for predicting occurrence. Chinese lespedeza is
more likely to be found in open or pine areas with higher magnesium levels in the soil and little or no
midstory and downed woody debris. Japanese honeysuckle was more likely found in areas with high
canopy cover with little midstory and in areas of high soil magnesium and higher species diversity.
Chinese privet was more likely found in areas with high canopy cover. The influence of planting alien,
invasive species in this area is likely the major driver of the high diversity of invasive plants, with
three of the six dominant species being planted. Adjusting the reclamation plantings to native
species would aid in resolving this. Overall, it appears that the initial reclamation efforts, apart from
the planting of invasive species, are not the major driver impacting the alien, invasive species
composition of the reclaimed, now forested mine sites.
2. Geospatial Assessment of Non-native Vegetation: application of geospatial models to
predicting alien plants on reclaimed mines in the Shale Hills region
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, W. Tadesse, Y. Wang, J. Brown
Findings:
Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that the invasive community was predominantly
associated with forest structure and composition. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and Japanese
honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) were more likely with higher vegetation diversity, total canopy
cover and hardwood density; autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and princesstree (Paulownia
tomentosa) were more likely with higher hardwood basal area. These parameters are features often
associated with more established forests. Chinese lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) and shrubby
lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor) were less likely to be found with the above characteristics. Logistic
regressions with the three most common species, Chinese privet, Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese
lespedeza, all had reasonable concordance (>75) and over 25 percent decrease in false omission
rates and type II errors, suggesting useful models for predicting occurrence. Chinese lespedeza is
more likely to be found in open or pine areas with higher magnesium levels in the soil and little or no
midstory and downed woody debris. Japanese honeysuckle was more likely found in areas with high
canopy cover with little midstory and in areas of high soil magnesium and higher species diversity.
Chinese privet was more likely found in areas with high canopy cover. The influence of planting alien,
invasive species in this area is likely the major driver of the high diversity of invasive plants, with
three of the six dominant species being planted. Adjusting the reclamation plantings to native
species would aid in resolving this. Overall, it appears that the initial reclamation efforts, apart from
the planting of invasive species, are not the major driver impacting the alien, invasive species
composition of the reclaimed, now forested mine sites.
3. Habitat Modeling of Alien Plant Species at Varying Levels of Occupancy in the Cumberland
Plateau
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown
Findings:
All species had strong models with AUC of greater than 0.75. The species with the highest
occurrence, Privet (Lingustrum spp.), had the greatest agreement between the models (93%)
suggesting the relevance of the variables in developing this model. Tall fescue (Lolium
arundinaceum), had the most disagreement between models at 33 percent and the lowest AUC
values. This agrees with other studies that have found more variation in shorter lived species.
Overall, we showed the strength of integrative modeling in assessing and understanding habitat
modeling.
4. Invasive Potential of Five Alien Trees in the Forest of the Southern Region, United States
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown, J. Miller, J. Coulston
Findings:
In the southern region of the United States invasive plants are one of the threats to the long term
sustainability of our forest ecosystems, along with climate and land use change. We assessed the
potential distribution of five alien trees in the southern region on forested lands. Maximum entropy
algorithms were used to integrate anthropogenic and environmental variables with species
occurrence data from the USDA Forest Service. All five species were predicted to significantly
increase their distribution at the regional level under current conditions. Four climate change
scenarios were then applied to the current potential with the five species responded exceedingly
different to the future scenario, particularly when climate variables had higher variability between
current conditions and future scenarios. The variation between climate change scenarios with one
species is greater than the variation between all species under current conditions. This suggests the
importance of adaptive management and long term monitoring programs and the need for further
development for assessing probable future climate conditions.
5. Value of Systematic Versus Opportunistic Data for Species Distribution Modeling: case
study of five invasive trees in the southern United States
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown, J. Miller, J. Coulston
Findings:
We used intensively collected systematic absence/presence data (Forest Inventory and Analysis,
FIA), occurrence only, opportunistic data (Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GBIF), and
combined datasets. The resulting potential distribution of the five invasive tree species in the
southern region was highly dependent on the source and scale (global and regional) data used to
make the predictions. Overall, we showed large variation in modeled distribution, with models built
on global opportunistic data always having larger geographical ranges. For each species the potential
distribution using global GBIF data presented less error as assessed by AUC and omission rate, but
suggested between two to four times greater areas of potential distribution (51 to 99%) when
compared with models based on the regional FIA data (12 – 44%) and regional GBIF data (23 – 41%).
Given the limitations of only using climate and elevation data we would suggest that the global GBIF
models represent a broader range of conditions that may not be limited by the same biotic and
anthropogenic constrains as in the southern region. Comparison of regional GBIF and FIA models
showed FIA to have stronger models, with low spatial congruence between the models for some of
the species. In general, there were more FIA points than GBIF regional points but this was not true
for all species, thus the number of data points cannot be the only component driving the more
accurate FIA models. The FIA data points were measured within meters of their true location, the
GBIF data is at an unknown level of accuracy; however, in some cases the GBIF points seem to be
based on county centroids (potential 100’s of kilometers from where the species was found), this
could be the other component of the greater accuracy found in the FIA models. A number of studies
have used an ensemble approach, utilizing a number of modeling techniques; in this case we took an
ensemble approach with models build with different datasets. The strongest regional models were in
general the one derived from the combined FIA and regional GBIF data, suggesting that though the
quality of data is important, quantity is fundamental. Temperature in the coldest month was the
only variable used in all models, with an average contribution of 35 percent. Annual precipitation
and precipitation seasonality were the only variables that contributed, on average, more than ten
percent to the models. The overall fit of the models suggests that species distribution for these
species is climate driven but at a regional level there are maybe other variables influencing the
distribution. SDMs can be used to assist in identifying areas of greatest risk of invasion and in
developing management strategies, but they are not the only tool and need to be used in context of
the data that was used in their development.
DISSEMINATION OF RESULTS
CFEA researchers and students (both graduate and undergraduate) attended and presented at
nineteen different conferences/meetings this past year, disseminating information through
both oral and poster presentations. Attending presentations and meetings also allows them the
opportunity to mingle with their peers, learn about the most recent research in their fields, and
meet new collaborators.
Conference Presentations 2011-2012
Faculty/staff
Oral
Poster
8
8
Graduate Students
13
11
Undergraduate Students
0
4
High School Students
0
1
Conference Presentations
15th Annual Southeast EPPC Conference, Auburn, Alabama. 8 May 2012.
http://www.se-eppc.org/meeting.cfm
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Dawn Lemke.
1. Oral presentation (Dawn Lemke): Modeling the invasive potential of five alien trees in
the forest of the southern region, United States.
2. Poster presentation (Dawn Lemke): Geospatial assessment non-native invasive
vegetation: application of geospatial models to predict alien plant occurrence on
reclaimed mines in the Shale Hills region.
17th Central Hardwood Forestry Conference, Morgantown, West Virginia. 28 March 2012.
http://centralhardwood.org/conf/index.php/chc/CHC2012
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Callie Schweitzer.
1. Poster presentation (Callie Schweitzer): A synthesis of underplanting oaks to sustain
future oak stocking.
39th Annual Conference of the National Association of State Land Reclamationists, Beaver, West
Virginia. (Land Stewardship – Protecting Tomorrow’s Waterways through Responsible
Reclamation Today). 27 October 2011.
http://www.crc.siu.edu/naslr/Newsletters/2011/NASLR%20Spring%202011.pdf
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Dawn Lemke.
1. Oral presentation (Dawn Lemke): Invasion of non-native plants at reclaimed surface
mines: A case study in the shale hills region of Alabama.
Alabama A&M University’s Annual STEM Day, Normal, Alabama. 12 April 2012.
http://www.physics.aamu.edu/STEM/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Emily Summers, Stephanie Whitaker, Douglas Washington,
Timothy Baldwin, Santosh O., Brandie Stringer, Padraic Connor, Kevin Messenger, Rashidah
Farid, Elliott Diggs.
1. Poster presentation (Emily Summers): Forests and Ecological Services: a case study of
wildlife services and air quality at Bankhead National Forest in Alabama. SP III.
2. Poster presentation (Alisha Sledge): Environmental Impacts on Leafy Greens. SP II.
3. Poster presentation (Bobby Riley): The Impact of Management and Timber Harvesting
on Bankhead National Forest Long-term Hydrologic Process. SP III.
4. Poster presentation (Timothy Baldwin): The Influence of Environmental Factors on
Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in Northern Alabama. SP I.
5. Poster presentation (Kevin Messenger): Herpetofauna of the Shennongjia National
Nature Reserve in Hubei Province. SP I.
6. Poster presentation (Brandie Stringer): Forest Canopy Manipulation and Breeding Bird
Responses: Treatment- and Temporal-Dependent Responses. SP I.
7. Poster presentation (Padraic Connor): Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage
Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Community. SP I.
8. Poster presentation (Yinusa Omidiran): Tropospheric Ozone Precursors and
Anthropogenic Activities in an Urban Setting of Huntsville, Alabama. SP II.
9. Poster presentation (Rashidah Farid): Bottleneck Screening of Amphibian Populations
within Vernal Pools, Throughout William B. Bankhead National Forest (3rd Place in Life
Sciences and Biology). SPI.
10. Poster presentation (Elliott Diggs): Effects of Forest Management Practices on the
Predator-Prey Relationship of Eastern King Snake (Lampropeltis getula) and Copperhead
(Agkistrodon contortrix). SPI.
Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting, New York, New York. 27 Feb 2012.
http://www.aag.org/cs/annualmeeting/pastprograms
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Nally Kaunda-Bukenya and Wubishet Tadesse.
1. Oral presentation (Nally Kaunda-Bukenya): Assessing the Contribution of Urban Land
Use Change to Pollution Loads using Geospatial Hydrological Model. SP III.
EnvironMentors National Fair, Washington, DC. 22-24 May 2012.
http://ncseonline.org/environmentors-national-fair-and-awards-ceremony
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Andrew Cantrell, Wubishet Tadesse, Asia Jefferson.
1. Poster presentation (Asia Jefferson): Herpetofaunal Habitat Use on Alabama A&M
University Properties.
The 1st International Union of Forest Research Organizations ‘Forests for People’ Conference,
Alpbach, Austria. 22-24 May 2012.
http://ffp2012.boku.ac.at/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Colmore Christian, Thomas Potts, William Hammitt, and
Thomas Lacher, Jr.
1. Oral presentation (Colmore Christian): Dominica’s Park Users’ Visitation Patterns and
Perceptions. SP III.
National Association of Recreation Professionals, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 17 April 2012.
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Colmore Christian, Yaoqi Zhang, and Ellene Kebede.
1. Poster presentation (Colmore Christian): Status of Small and Medium Scale outdoor
Recreation Enterprises in Alabama. SP III.
Society of American Foresters National Convention, ‘International Year of Forests: Linking Global,
Regional, and Local Solutions,’ Honolulu, Hawaii. 2-6 November 2011.
http://www.safnet.org/natcon11/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Kozma Naka, Philip Canon.
1. Oral presentation (Kozma Naka): Environmental Impact of Two Logging Methods in
Bankhead National Forest. SP III.
2. Oral presentation (Kozma Naka): Growth Response to Singling of Upland Hardwood
Sprouts. SP III.
The 75th Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA) International Annual Meeting,
‘Fundamental for Life: Soil, Crop, and Environmental Science,’ San Antonio, Texas. 16-19
October 2011.
http://scisoc.confex.com/scisoc/2011am/webprogram/start.html
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Thilini Ranatunga, Kamala Bhat, Bahjah Anderson, Na-Asia
Ellis, Alisha Sledge, Rakeyta Scales, Elica Moss, Luben Dimov, Ermson Nyakatawa, Monday
Mbila, Douglas Washington.
1. Poster presentation (Thilini Ranatunga): Soil Organic Matter in Forest Soils Subjected to
Prescribed Burning and Thinning Treatments. SP II.
2. Oral presentation (Bahjah Anderson): Changes in Soil Properties After Removal and
Burn of Invasive Species. SP II.
3. Oral presentation (Na-Asia Ellis): Integrated Moisture Index Modeling Using GIS. SP II.
4. Poster presentation (Alisha Sledge): Arsenite Oxidizing Genes in Soils Treated with
Pesticides and Poultry Litter. SP II.
5. Poster presentation (Rakeyta Scales): Evaluating Variations in the Enumeration of Fecal
Contaminants between Agricultural and Commercial Watersheds in Madison County,
Alabama. SP II.
6. Poster presentation (Douglas Washington): Soil Genesis and Variability Along a
Benchmark Soil Toposequence In North Alabama. SP II.
7. Poster presentation (Mbila, Monday): Soil Chemical and Mineralogical Properties of
Selected Geophagic Materials. SP II.
Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Birmingham, Alabama. 4-7
February 2012.
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Buddhi Gyawali, Swagata Banerjee, James Bukenya,
Anquinette Hill
1. Poster presentation (Anquinette Hill): Driving forces of Income Growth in Southeastern
Region. SP III.
2. Oral presentation (Buddhi Gyawali): Exploring Variations in Income Growth in
Southeastern United States. SP III.
The 15th Annual Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Meeting, Auburn, Alabama. 8 May 2012.
http://www.se-eppc.org/meeting.cfm
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Dawn Lemke
1. Oral presentation (Dawn Lemke): Geospatial assessment non-native invasive vegetation:
application of geospatial models to predict alien plant occurrence on reclaimed mines in
the Shale Hills region. SP III.
1st Annual Biotechnology World Conference, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 13-17 February 2012.
http://www.biotechworldcongress.com/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Khairy Soliman
1. Oral presentation (Khairy Soliman): Gene expression profiling under aluminum stress.
SP I.
2012 Emerging Research National (ERN) Conference in STEM, Atlanta, Georgia. 24 February
2012.
http://www.emerging-researchers.org/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Luben Dimov, K. J. Howard, Z. H. Leggett, E. B. Sucre
1. Oral/poster presentation (Luben Dimov): Effect of organic matter manipulation in a pine
plantation 16 years after clearcutting. SP I.
The 96th Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas. 7-12 August 2012.
http://esa.org/austin/
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Luben Dimov, Jeanette Williams
1. Poster presentation (Kimberly Howard): Effect of organic matter manipulation in a pine
plantation 16 years after clearcutting. SP I.
2. Oral presentation (Jeanette Williams): Effect of high-intensity directed fire in different
seasons on survival of the invasive species Lonicera (bush honeysuckle). SP I.
3. Poster presentation (Luben Dimov): Effects of overstory density and fertilizer
supplement on American chestnut seedlings: Preliminary results. SP I.
Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Decatur, Alabama. 28 February – 1
March 2012.
http://www.actws.org/ViewEvent.ashx?eventId=431405
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Yong Wang, Timothy Baldwin, Kevin Messenger, Padraic
Connor
1. Poster presentation (Timothy Baldwin): The Influence of Environmental Factors on
Spotted Salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, Egg Masses in Northern Alabama. SP I.
2. Poster presentation (Andrew Cantrell): Short Term Response of Herpetofauna to
Shelterwood and Oak-Shelterwood Treatments Within the Mid-Cumberland Plateau of
Southern Tennessee. SP I.
3. Poster presentation (Kevin Messenger): Herpetofauna of the Shennongjia National
Nature Reserve in Hubei Province. SP I.
4. Poster presentation (Brandie Stringer): Disturbance and Conservation Priority Species:
Temporal Responses. SP I.
5. Poster presentation (Padraic Connor): Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage
Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Community. SP I.
The 11th Annual National Ornithology Conference, Lanzhou, China. 8-15 August 2011.
http://www.chinabird.org/newsletter/newsletter20112.pdf
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Yong Wang, Jianqiang Li
1. Plenary Speaker (Yong Wang): Ornithological research: past twenty years and future
perspectives in China. SP I.
2. Oral presentation (Yong Wang): Statistical and research design issues in ornithological
research. SP I.
The 73rd Annual Meeting for the Association of Southeastern Biologists, Athens, Georgia. 4-7
April 2012.
http://www.sebiologists.org/meetings.html
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Elliott Diggs, Kevin Messenger, Brandie Stringer, Padraic
Connor
1. Poster presentation (Elliott Diggs): Habitat Use Patterns of Lampropeltis getula nigra
and Agkistrodon contortrix in Forest Stands Disturbed by Forest Management. SP I.
2. Oral presentation (Kevin Messenger): Herpetofauna of the Shennongjia National Nature
Reserve in Hubei Province.
3. Poster presentation (Brandie Stringer): Forest Canopy Manipulation and Breeding Bird
Responses: Treatment- and Temporal-Dependent Responses. SP I.
4. Poster presentation (Padraic Connor): Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage
Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Community. SP I.
The 2012 Southeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Annual Meeting, Fall Creek
Falls, Tennessee. 16-19 February 2012.
http://www.separc.org/meetings
Attendees from AAMU and affiliates: Elliott Diggs, Padraic Connor
1. Oral presentation (Elliott Diggs): Habitat Use Patterns of Lampropeltis getula nigra and
Agkistrodon contortrix in Forest Stands Disturbed by Forest Management. SP I.
2. Oral presentation (Padraic Connor): Relationship of Above-ground Carbon Storage
Variation and Herpetofaunal and Small Mammal Community. SP I.
RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES 2012
The multi-disciplinary team at the Center for Forest Ecosystem Assessment (CFEA) continues to
coordinate most of its research efforts at a common site and on integrated issues related to the forest
ecosystem. Our research is based on the concept that characteristics of an ecosystem are determined by
several relatively independent "external state factors" (global climate, geology, time, etc.) and by
interactive controls (regional climate, disturbance regime, human activities, etc.) that both effect, and
are affected by, ecosystem processes. Although humans exist and operate within ecosystems, our
cumulative effects can be large enough to influence external state factors such as climate and precise
enough to manipulate interactive controls such as disturbance regime. The research teams of the three
thrust areas of CFEA have continuing their effort of collaborative research in the BNF, a part of the
upland hardwood forests of the Southern Cumberland Plateau. Each research team at CFEA has been
examining components of the forest ecosystem. The emphasis of the research is focused on sustaining
short and long-term forest health and restoration of native upland forest communities. In order to deal
with the different levels of a forest community, including the human dimension, we created three subprojects, each with several specialized components. This allows us to explore the complex issues
involved from an integrated perspective, and to find long-term ecological/silvicultural solutions that are
appropriate for a complex system.
SUBPROJECT ONE – FOREST COMMUNITY RESPONSES AND DYNAMICS (FC)
Component 1: Forest Vegetation Responses to Prescribed Burning and Thinning and Effects of
Wildlife Browsing and Microclimate (C. Schweitzer, L. Dimov)
1. Determine the effects of the burning and thinning treatments from 5 to 10 years after treatment on
the change in woody and herbaceous vegetation composition, growth, competitive status, richness,
cover, and diversity.
Activities:
The Southern Research Station Upland Hardwood Research Work unit continued to collect field data
from all 36 stands involved in the thinning and prescribed fire study on the Bankhead National
Forest. Seventy field days were devoted to this work, including collection of pre- and post-fire fuel
data, sorting, drying and weighing of fuels, remeasuring overstory and understory vegetation,
assessing tagged seedling status, assessing light and canopy cover via ceptometer, densiometer and
hemispherical photography.
This was done both when the stand was burned for the first time as well as when it was re-burned
several years later. The fuel data collection was done using the standard Brown’s planar transect
intersect method for down and dead woody debris, fire characterization and behavior including
general weather conditions, fire intensity, duration and rate of spread, residual stand damage, litter
and duff dynamics, and intensive assessment of forest floor fuels. The forest fuels data were
collected at two transects on all five measurement plots in each stand. Litter and duff samples
collected in the field were sorted into categories of 1 hour, 10 hour, fruit (cones, seeds, berries, etc.),
bark and leaves and placed into labeled bags, then dried in an oven at 80° Celsius. Immediately after
drying, the paper bags were weighed. We also recorded fire behavior data using Type-K
thermocouple probes attached to Hobo® data loggers. The loggers were buried 6 inches
underground, and probe tips were placed 10 inches above the ground. We installed data loggers and
probes on the morning of the burns and programmed them to record temperature every 2 seconds.
Care was taken to minimize disturbance to fuels around the probe tip, and the litter layer was
repositioned over the trench of the buried cable. We recorded a plot as burned if one of the data
loggers obtained a minimum temperature of at least 175º F or 90º F, respectively. Probes were
removed 24-hours after the burn.
We re-measured the vegetation on each of the five plots within each treatment unit (stand) of
blocks 2 and 3. We permanently tagged the ingrowth of new all trees greater than 5.5 inches
diameter at breast height (dbh) with aluminum tags. We also recorded the tree distance and
azimuth to plot center. We measured and recorded tree species, dbh, canopy cover, and damage
after logging (number of wounds on the lower bole, length and height of each wound, number of
epicormic branches). Photosynthetically active radiation was measured using two synchronized
ceptometers (AccuPar LP-80, Decagon Devices, Pullman, CA). One ceptometer was placed in full
sunlight, and the second ceptometer was used to recorded light in each stand along pre-designated
transects. Additional canopy characteristics were assessed using hemispherical photographs taken at
plot centers and analyzed using Hemiview Version 2.1 (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK).
2. Determine the effect of forest edge direction on vegetation dynamics and competitive status;
Activities:
See Objective 3 (below).
3. Quantify the effect of deer browsing on tree regeneration.
Activities:
We acquired the remainder of the materials for the fenced exclosures – posts, fence, gates, etc. We
have been continuing our discussion with the forest managers and planners at the BNF about
potential sites for exclosure construction and additional requirements. Concerning the site selection,
we need to put up the fences as soon as the treatments (timber harvesting) are carried out.
However, loggers who submit the winning bids and get the contracts have up to two years to carry
out the harvesting operation. As a result, we have been unable to secure harvested areas where we
can install the exclosures. Some recently completed harvesting after storm damage however may
provide us with the site conditions needed for the exclosure experiment. It is very likely that the
construction and sampling will be done during the summer months of 2012. We actively pursued a
potential graduate student (a former undergraduate student in our program who now works for the
USFS) for this project.
4. Use the information from objectives 1-3 to develop guidelines for achieving the desired vegetation
composition and structure.
Activities:
Due to the nature of this objective, the activities for it are the combination of all the activities for
the previous three objectives. Additionally, we summarized the available information from our
research results.
Component 2: Response of Avian and Herpetofaunal Communities to Anthropogenic
Disturbances in Forested Landscapes (Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer, and L. Dimov)
1. Determine the relationship between microhabitat complexity and community structure.
2. Determine the effects of forest disturbances upon resources availability for animals.
Activities:
The two objectives above are the continuation of the research work we initiated during the first
funding period and have been enhanced during the current funding period. We report (below)
these two components together as they are closely related:
Determine the effects of different levels of fire frequency and canopy reduction and their interaction
on the species richness, relative abundance, and diversity of herpetofaunal (reptiles and amphibians)
communities at Bankhead National Forest (T. Baldwin, Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer)
During this fiscal year we worked on two major objectives for continuing this project: developing
manuscripts and resuming data collection.
Lizard Microhabitat and Microclimate Relationships in Southeastern Pine-hardwood Forests (T.
Baldwin, Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer). Understanding the impacts of disturbances in forest
ecosystems is essential for long-term biodiversity conservation. Many studies have evaluated
wildlife response to various disturbances, but were not able to identify mechanisms causing
changes to community. We examined lizard community response to two common forestmanagement practices: prescribed burning and thinning in pine-hardwood forests of the
Bankhead National Forest, Alabama, U.S.A.
Short Term Response of Herpetofauna to Shelterwood and Oak-Shelterwood Treatments on the
Mid-Cumberland Plateau of Southern Tennessee (P. Connor, Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer). We
studied the short term response of herpetofaunal communities including species richness,
diversity, and relative abundance to shelterwood (SW) and oak-shelterwood (OSW), on the midCumberland plateau of southern Tennessee. We examined how microhabitat and microclimate
features varied by treatment type and how changes in these features related to the change of
the herpetofaunal community.
The herpetofaunal community was assessed using drift fences with pitfall and box funnel traps.
Two drift fences were installed in the lower slope region (bottom 1/3 of the unit) and two drift
fences were installed in the upper slope region (top 1/3 of the unit) to test if a moisture gradient
exists, and if so, the response of herpetofaunal species along this gradient. Pitfall traps (a 19 L
bucket) were installed at each end of the drift fence with the opening edge being flush with the
bottom of the fence and the surrounding terrain. Each pitfall had three 0.32 cm holes drilled at
the bottom to drain water and to minimize mortality. Each drift fence also had a double funnel
box trap at the center along each side of the fence. Trapping was conducted from mid-May
through the end of September in 2011 and 2012. Traps were open continuously except for a few
days at the end of August and beginning of September. All traps were checked daily for 4-6 days
a week. Each time a single drift fence was checked it was recorded as being a single trap night.
The small mammal community was assessed using Sherman live traps (7.7 X 9.0 X 23.3 cm).
Sherman live trapping was initiated in June and extended through August in 2011 and 2012. Each
sampled stand had 60 Sherman live traps placed 10 m apart along a 50 x 90 m grid. All traps were
baited with peanut butter and were re-baited when needed during the sampling period. To avoid
potential bias of sampling time, one stand of each treatment type (control, Shelterwood, oakShelterwood, and pre-burn), was sampled concurrently for each trapping period. All traps set
were opened continuously for 5 nights and checked every morning. After the 5 night trapping
period, all traps were removed and deployed in the next set of stands. After all 20 stands had
been sampled this rotation was repeated for a second time, resulting in each stand being
sampled for a total of 10 nights. Additionally, small mammals were sampled using drift fences
equipped with pitfall and funnel traps. Data collected using both SLT and drift fences were
combined in analyses. Each check of a Sherman live trap or a drift fence was considered a single
trap night or array night.
3. Determine the change of territory size and density of selected animal species.
4. Assess the reproductive success of selected animal species.
The two objectives above are the continuation of the research work we initiated during the first
funding period and have been enhance during the current funding period. We report these two
components together as they are closely related.
Response of songbirds in territory, density, and reproductive success to forest disturbance in
Northeastern Alabama (B. Stringer, Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer). During 2010, there were 9-10 bird
spot-mapping surveys completed in 15 forest stands. There were 29 species occupying a total of
309 territories. Three of these species are of conservation priority, according to various bird
conservation organizations. During 2011, there were 10 bird spot-mapping surveys completed in
10 forest stands. Experiment established includes territory mapping surveys, nest searching,
nest monitoring in person/via RECONYX cameras, and cicada surveys. During the summer, two
interns assisted in both surveys and nest searching/monitoring. So far, in the 2012 season, over
55 nests have been counted. Field research is ongoing.
Scale dependent habitat and landscape effect on breeding success vernal pool amphibians (T.
Baldwin, Y. Wang, C. Schweitzer). This study is on-going. We have been inventorying the vernal
pools at William B. Bankhead National Forest and monitoring breeding activities of amphibians at
these pools. During this period we have been working on manuscripts.
Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis in Wildlife Research. Intermediate disturbance hypothesis
stated that species diversity measures, including species richness, were at its highest in response
to an intermediate level of disturbance. Species diversity is believed to be lower at low or high
intensity or frequency disturbance. To assess the evidence that supports or rejects the
intermediate disturbance hypothesis in wildlife related research, a literature review of 231 peer
reviewed articles from 92 different journals and 3 doctoral dissertations from 1980-2011 was
conducted.
Component 3: Genetic Diversity and Dynamics of Oaks and Pool Breeding Amphibians (K.
Soliman, Y.Wang, L. Dimov, and C. Schweitzer)
Activities:
As of summer 2011, we have actively optimized the DNA extraction protocols as well as the
amplification of various oak species using primers developed based on red oak DNA sequences. With
the assistance of the vegetative group (subproject I), we collected samples from different red oak
species in five locations along the Cumberland Plateau. A catalog of the identification of red oak
species was established by Dr. Schweitzer, who aided in the location of each species. Samples were
collected manually from the cambial layer of each tree (Fig.1). We also collected samples from
Purdue University to use as a control. The locations along the plateau are Bear Den Point, Jack Gap,
Hayes Nature Preserve, Bankhead National Forest and forest areas surrounding AAMU campus. We
also collected samples from Davis Forest in Indiana. All five species of red oak were not evenly
distributed, and therefore were not collected from each site. Bear Den Point had Northern Red Oak,
Southern Red Oak and Black Oak. Jack Gap contained Northern Red Oak and Black Oak. Shumard
Oak was mainly at Hayes Nature Preserve. Bankhead National Forest consisted of Northern Red Oak,
Southern Red Oak, Scarlet Oak and Black Oak. In total 200 samples of the red oak species has been
collected within the six locations.
Figure 1. A representation of the cambial layer of the red oak species.
We have made good progress in this year funding cycle as described below. Two graduate students
were identified and assigned a specific task related to sub-project objectives. Rashidah Farid an
African American female student with a B. S. degree in biology with extensive field experience in
wildlife ecology. She is carrying out the research objective 5, investigating the forest disturbance
effect on population genetic make up of vernal pool breeding amphibians. She's participated in
outreach activities already (Birmingham Waterworks Board - Environ mentors campus visit) as well
as participating in the Lake Purdy outreach. Her research progress is outlined below:
Oak genetic diversity (objectives 1-3)
Mr. Fetun Desta, a PhD candidate, will be carrying out the oak genetic work. Mr. Desta holds
permanent residence in the United Stated and is originally from Ethiopia. He was granted admission
to our graduate program starting fall 2011. He is working on research objectives 1 through 4. This
academic year, he developed molecular finger prints that will allow us to determine the genetic
profile of oak species as well as gene flow among different species. We also developed very
successful single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) protocol to be used to carry out objective 4.
Additionally, we have constructed 200 new primers based on the latest published information in
GENBANK related to oak. These primers will be used to carry out objectives 2 and 4. Leaf tissue from
400 individual trees from the BNF study site were collected. These samples are being stored in -70C
for future use to isolate DNA to carry out objectives 1, 2, 4. We also collected samples from different
tissues of two species that will be used construct cDNA libraries, as described in objective 4.
Additionally, we have developed a successful protocol for isolating chloroplast DNA that will be
utilized as outlined in objective 1 Extracted DNA from the approximately 200 red oak leaf samples
that have been collected. Additionally, oak leaf samples from five species (Quercus velutina, Q. rubra,
Q. coccinea, Q. falcata, and unidentified) were collected, and DNA was extracted from each. DNA
quality was checked using gel electrophoresis.
Population genetic make-up of vernal pool breeding amphibians (objective 5)
Ms. Farid has collected approximately 102 amphibian tissue samples from the BNF since January, of
which 27 were lost in March due to equipment failure, with 75 remaining viable. Tissue samples are
from five species of salamanders and frogs and from five of the total of 15 sites. DNA extraction
techniques were perfected from various tissues of different weights, for maximum yield and limited
morality. Around 29 DNA extractions were completed and yield quality DNA of 20 ηg/µL or more,
since January 2012, for a total of 53 since the beginning of project. Samples were test for quality
using gel electrophoresis, 1% TBE agarose gel; for most samples DNA fragments were above 800 bps.
A total of 25 primers were identified for three species. Some of these are expected to be compatible
with other species. A 40 RAMP Kit was used to identify additional SSRs in the remaining seven
species. Additional primers and 40 RAMP Kits will be order as of May 2012. We constructed two
primers: (5-CGGATCCCCATAGACTCCCAT-3 AND 5-CTCTAG AAACAGGGTTAGCTT-3) consisting of S1a
and S1b (satellite DNA ) that will be used to amplify similar sequences existing within and among
individuals of amphibian species once one the DNA isolation is complete. Ms. Farid is currently
enrolled in six course hours; she has completed a total of 13 hours since the beginning of program.
For Summer Term 2012, she is enrolled in 3 hours. After the Summer Term, she will have 10 hours of
coursework remaining. Protocol has been perfected.
Other Sub-project I Research Activities not Related to Specific Objectives
In addition to the research components described in detail in the report, we have been working on the
following projects CFEA related research objectives.
1. Control of non-native invasive forest tree and shrub species without the use of synthetic chemicals (L.
Dimov, J. Williams)
Justification: Non-native invasive woody species are of great concern in ecosystem management
because of their negative impact on other organisms and on ecosystem functioning. Invasive species
can hinder forest use, regeneration, and other management activities, as well as reduce biodiversity
and habitat for native species. After habitat destruction, invasion by non-native species ranks second
as a threat to biodiversity of imperiled groups of plants, mammals, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, and
amphibians. While there are a number of methods for control of unwanted woody species including:
mechanical control, herbicidal control, prescribed fire, soil solarization, and grazing by goats, the use
of herbicides poses the most negative effects on human health and the environment. These toxic
effects can cause reduction of nutrients to non-target species, mortality in tadpoles, deformation of
fish, and reduced fertility and sexual development in frogs, among many other negative effects. Less
toxic control measures are expensive to apply and less effective. A more environmentally friendly and
cost effective method of controlling invasive species may be the use of high intensity fire. We tested
this method with three non-native and highly invasive species: royal paulownia, Chinese privet, and
bush honeysuckle. The high-intensity directed fire was applied with the intent to kill the plant and the
basal buds, as well as prevent or minimize future stump sprouting. Because the fuel for the fire is
external and does not depend on the presence of forest fuels, this method is different from
prescribed burning in a number of ways, including that it requires only one to three workers instead
of a full crew, does not require the use of expensive fire control equipment (e.g. bulldozers), and can
be applied anytime when there is no risk of starting a wildfire (i.e. it can be applied during or soon
after rain when humidity and moisture are high). The currently available control methods have a
number of shortcomings. Herbicide use poses many known and potential health risks to humans and
wildlife, and contaminates the environment. Prescribed burning has disadvantages too, including that
fire may have been suppressed for so long that the fuel buildup is very large and a prescribed fire will
burn too intensely and cause mortality in desired species, prescribed burning requires a crew of
qualified personnel, expensive equipment, construction of fire breaks, and poses risk to human
property and life, etc. Mechanical control methods are expensive and generally ineffective and
disturb the soil.
Research activities: We examined the effectiveness of high-intensity fire directed at the base of the
stem with three species for several burn time lengths and in different seasons. The flame was kept at
unburned parts of the stem for 5 seconds (s) for honeysuckle, 10 and 20 s for small diameter privet
(1.3 to 5cm), 30 and 40 seconds for large diameter privet (5.1 - 10.2cm), 15 and 30 s for small
diameter paulownia (10-20 cm), and 40 and 60 seconds for large diameter paulownia (> 20.1cm). Fire
applications took place during the winter, early spring, and summer seasons. We recorded stem
mortality and the number of new sprouts from the stump after treatment. We used selected
unburned plants as control. All treatment plants were selected using a randomization
procedure. Treatment of honeysuckle was done on 30 plots per year and ten per season. Within
each plot, 20 honeysuckle bushes closest to the plot center were treated with 5 s burns. The bushes
could have single or multiple stems. There were 4 control plots with 10 honeysuckle bushes (plants)
per plot for a total of 40 bushes. For privet, we used 15 plots for 2010, and 21 plots for 2011. Five of
the 15 plots treated in 2010 were treated in each of the three seasons - winter, spring, and summer.
Of the 21 plots treated in 2011, 7 were treated each season. Each plot contained 20 experimental
plants. Within each plot there were two treatments for diameter class 1.27 - 5.0 cm (burn time of 10
s and 20 s), and two treatments for diameter class 5.1 - 10.2 cm (burn time of 30s and 40s). Each
treatment was applied to 5 experimental units (plants) per plot. There were 4 control plots with 10
privet trees per plot, 5 of which were in the 1.27 - 5.0 cm diameter class and 5 in the 5.1 - 10.2
diameter class totaling 40 control trees. There were a total of 720 treated Chinese privet plants and
40 control plants, with 100 plants burned during each of three seasons in 2010 (50 from each
diameter class) and 25 for each of the 4 lengths of time. During the winter, spring, and summer 2011
we burned 140 per season, resulting in an increase of 25 to 35 plants per burn-length per size
class. There were a total of 258 royal paulownia trees that were treated and 23 trees that served as
control.
2. Relationship between forest diversity and productivity (L. Dimov).
Justification: The question whether plant diversity promotes ecosystem productivity has been a
matter of much interest. Unlike in grass communities, it is still not known if tree species diversity in
forests causes an increase in tree biomass productivity. Grassland experiments proved that diversity
increases and stabilizes production, nutrient retention, stability of multiple functions and increase in
soil carbon sequestration. Understanding the nature of the relationship between diversity and its
possible intricate and synergistic effect on productivity and ecosystem function in forests is crucial to
increase above ground biomass and carbon sequestration in a sustainable manner. Non-woody
species diversity and productivity are often considered positively correlated because niche
partitioning causes individuals to occupy any available free growing space. The relationships between
diversity and productivity may depend on many ecological factors such as competition, community
assembly order, disturbance, site productivity, scale of observation, and the identity of the taxa being
considered.
Research activities: We identified the following crucial research questions for further study of the tree
diversity-productivity relationship: (1) are more diverse forests more productive? (2) how is the
diversity-productivity relationship influenced by climate and other environmental and stand-level
variables? (3) is functional diversity more adequate to use than diversity indices in the study of
diversity-productivity relationships? We focus our study on the forests of eastern United States. We
are using Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data that is continuously being collected by the USDA
Forest Service throughout the country. To find out if greater tree diversity is correlated with greater
biomass production, we are comparing the above-ground biomass on the subplot with greatest
diversity and on the subplot with smallest diversity within each selected plot. There will be over 2500
plots that we will examine.
3. Determine the effects of urban and rural forest management on the species richness, relative
abundance, and diversity of freshwater aquatic (fish- mussel-arthropod) communities (W. Stone, H.
Howell, A. Bohlman, H. Czech, P. Knight).
This project seeks to link the ecology and disturbance of ridgetop mixed hardwood-pine stands to
changes in the riparian and aquatic areas directly downstream, in a watershed-level study design.
Many of the loblolly pine study stands are sufficiently isolated to relate stream headwaters to a
specific treatment and treatment type. Treatment types—particularly burning—are also somewhat
spatially clumped, which may allow for significant influence of the downstream study sites by treated
areas. Study sites include reaches and riparian zones of headwater streams that directly drain treated
and control areas, and reaches and riparian areas of streams downstream of the headwaters where
there are fish and mussels present. These sites represent habitats influenced by clumped areas of a
particular treatment type. The treatment types selected for data collection are control, thin only, and
thin/burn. There are three replicates for each treatment type.
Benthic macroinvertebrates are important diagnostic tools in measuring impact of environmental
stress in aquatic ecosystems. Their rapid generation time and small home range allow detection of
small scale habitat changes over short periods of time. Aquatic insects vary in their sensitivity and
tolerance to environmental changes, thus they serve as excellent and reliable indicators of stream
degradation. Pollution-sensitive insects such as Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies)
and Trichoptera (caddisflies) are susceptible to chemical and physical changes in the stream. High
abundance indicates good water quality and their absence suggests water impairment, whereas
pollution-tolerant organisms increase in abundance in polluted streams. Invertebrates form vital links
in the aquatic food web connecting macrophytes, algae, leaf litter and fish. Thus, they play critical
roles in nutrient and energy cycles and other ecosystem processes, and their interactions with other
biotic stream dwellers influence shifts in the composition of fresh water stream communities. The
suite of macroinvertebrates and their differing functional groups (shredders, filter-feeders, etc.) are
directly related to the habitat and water quality characteristics within a stream. Anthropogenic
activities contribute to biodegradation of water quality that may result in changes in invertebrate
community composition and structure over time. Fish, aquatic snails, and mussels (Unionidea) serve
as bioindicators of the quality of habitat in a similar manner to insects, but in a way that is related to
larger geographic and temporal scales than to which insect community compositions are related.
The project’s overall goal is to determine the composition, structure and diversity of benthic
macroinvertebrates and fish in selected watersheds within managed (thinned and burned) and
unmanaged areas of the BNF. Specific objectives are to (1) determine seasonal changes in the
distribution and abundance of aquatic communities; (2) measure seasonal changes in aquatic
habitats (e.g., variability in quantity and quality of water flow, sediment transport; water
turbidity, pH, habitat structure, litter and large woody debris, etc.); (3) determine correlation
between shifts in composition and structure of aquatic communities and changes in habitat
characteristics.
Sampling benthic macroinvertebrates and fish occurs on twelve 150 m reaches within nine stream
catchments in the BNF. Sampling sites with representative habitat conditions were scouted and
selected. Sites were characterized according to forest cover, large woody debris, substrate
composition/embeddedness, surface flow and riparian land use/land cover. Physicochemical
characteristics (e.g., temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH) of water were measured in situ.
Sampling of aquatic insects occurs seasonally using kick net (500 m, 1m2) and dip net methods (D
frame net, 500-mmesh). Leaf packs were also collected. Sampling of mussels and snails occurs
annually and consists of transects excavated with a dredge and hand-sorted on-site. Sampling of fish
was to occur annually and consist of multiple-pass backpack electrofishing. However, the presence of
endangered fish in some of the streams has forced us to postpone that. Reference specimens or
question specimens were preserved in 10% formalin or 70% EtOH. Composite macroinvertebrate
samples collected were preserved in 80% ethanol until taxa identification. Influences of hydrologic
conditions (e.g. stream flow variability, water flow regimes, velocity, sediment transport), habitat,
land use/land cover and water quality on macroinvertebrate communities were determined with the
assistance of the Landscape and Ecological Process Thrust Area of CREST-CFEA.
Metrics used in the evaluation of biologic integrity include taxa richness, Shannon-Wiener’s
Diversity Index, relative abundance, %EPT (for insects), functional groups, Morisita-Horn’s Index of
Similarity, and dominance. Diversity indices were determined and statistical comparisons between
watersheds, sampling locations and time are currently being conducted. The importance of abiotic
factors to aquatic community composition will be examined through PCA, DCA, and CCA. Spatial
analysis of biotic and abiotic data will be undertaken using a GIS with the assistance of the
Subproject II and III of CREST-CFEA.
Activities for the 2011-2012 year included: continuation of arthropod and benthic organism sampling,
laboratory identification of macroinvertebrates (all of last year’s and part of this year’s samples have
been identified to Genus or Family). Water quality parameters and stream habitat assessments were
conducted. Additionally, small mammals and bats, which may depend on these organisms, have been
conducted at all of these sites.
SUBPROJECT TWO – ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS AND PROCESSES IN DISTURBED
FOREST ECOSYSTEMS
Component 1: Soil microbial biodiversity of Bankhead National Forest ecosystems
1. Study microbial and community diversity in response to forest management treatments
Activities:
Soils for this sub-project were collected in September of 2011. Soils were collected at 0 - 10 cm and
10 - 20 cm respectively. The soils have been characterized for physical and chemical properties (See
Table 1). Macro and micro-nutrients have also been determined (see table 2). Amidohydrolases,
phosphatases and phytase were determined (see Figs. 1 and 2). Microbial indices (microbial biomass
carbon, ATP, microbial biomass nitrogen, and basal respiration) have also been determined. Two
graduate students are currently working on the microbial community diversity. We have done
extensive research analysis and will begin the initial DNA analysis this summer, which will include
DNA extractions, gel electrophoresis, and PCR. Additionally, another round of sampling will occur.
An abstract (Microbial Indices Response to Prescribed Burning and Thinning in a Managed Forest
Ecosystem) was submitted to the ASA-CSA-SSSA 2012 international annual meeting.
2. Inventory white rot fungus (WRF) diversity, their molecular phylogenetic profiles and biomassdegrading enzymatic potentials in support of our bioenergy program initiatives
Activities:
The fruiting bodies of over 100 fungi (basidiomycetes) have been collected around the treatment
plots as well as the GIS coordinates of the points of collection. Some of the collected fungi have
been successfully cultured and used in the degradation of plant biomass, extracts of which have
been assessed for lignocellulolytic enzymes (biomass degrading enzymes). Soil samples collected
have been analyzed for lignocellulolytic enzymes typical of white rot fungi. These include ligninolytic
enzymes such as laccase, and manganese peroxidase, hemicellulolytic enzymes such as xylanase, as
well as cellulolytic enzymes such as β glucosidase. The fungi as well as bacterial community structure
have also been assessed using ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME) analysis as well as the
soil DNA isolation for the assessment of soil microbial community structure using pyrosequencing.
Component 2: Phosphorus ( P ) transformation
1. Investigate heat-induced changes in inorganic P forms in forest soils
Activities:
Research was carried out on soil samples collected from Bankhead National Forest in September,
2011. The primary goal was to generate information that enables us to understand the effect of
prescribed burning and thinning treatments on soil’s P pools and to study potential environmental
impacts associated with these changes. A soil P fractionation method was utilized to identify
predominant inorganic P pools in soil which include water soluble-P (Water-P), labile P (NaHCO3-P),
P considered to be bound to Al/Fe (NaOH-P), Ca bound-P (HCl-P), and residual P forms in soil
components (Hedely et al, 1982). Replicate soil samples (3 replicates for each depth) from
treatment sites (Treatment 1: Control-No thinning/No Burn; Treatment 3: No thin and 3 Year Burn;
Treatment 6: Thin 50% and 3 Year Burn) at 0-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40, and 40-50 cm depths were
subjected to an operationally defined P fractionation method described by Hedely et al. (1982). The
P concentration in each extract was analyzed by a colorimetric method (Murphy and Riley, 1962).
Data were statistically analyzed using General Linear Model procedure of Statistical Analysis System
(Version 9.1; SAS Inst., Cary, NC). Means were compared using the LSD procedure at a level 0.05.
Fractionation of P pools in soils from following treatment sites is in progress: Treatment 4 (Thin 50%,
No Burn), Treatment 5 (Thin 25%, No Burn), and Treatment 7 (thin 25% and 3 Year Burn).
Component 3: Carbon sequestration and energy flux balance in disturbed forest ecosystems
1. Examine C sequestration and energy flux balance and model C flux in disturbed forest ecosystems
Activities:
Soil samples for determining soil carbon content in the Bankhead National Forest project plots were
taken in fall 2011. The samples were collected from all the four blocks each with nine forest
management treatments, giving a total of 36 plots. The soils were taken from three locations at each
site and composited by depths of 0-10cm, 10-20cm, 20-30cm, 30-40cm, and 40-50cm using handheld augers. Soil sampling was undertaken as a collaborative effort by the soil sub-project group.
The soils were air-dried and sieved using a 2mm sieve. Total C content of the soils was determined
using the Dumas total combustion method using the Elementer CNS analyzer. In addition to soil
samples, forest floor litter consisting of fallen tree leaves, grass, and other dead vegetation on the
soil surface were sampled at each location were soils were collected. The forest litter samples were
ground on a Wiley Mill and sieved using a 2mm mesh sieve. The forest litter samples will be
analyzed for total C and N using the LECO TruSpec CN analyzer (LECO Corp., St. Joseph, MI) to assess
the portion of C stored in above ground non-living vegetation on the forest floor. Static chambers
for the collection of soil gas samples for determining soil CO2, methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide
(N2O) greenhouse gases were constructed (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the custom-made flux chambers (not to scale)
Each flux chamber consists of a fixed base and a removable cap. The base of the chamber was made
from a 20cm diameter, 6mm thick, and 15cm long white PVC pipe to enable the base of the
chamber to cover approximately 314cm2 of the soil surface. The cap of the chambers was made
from 10cm long socket end-caps of the same white PVC pipe material used to make the base (Fig. 1).
The socket end-caps were designed to fit over the PVC pipe base. A plastic vent tube 10cm long and
4.8mm in diameter was inserted on one side of the flux chamber cap to offset pressure differences
between the inside and outside of the flux chamber. A sampling port consisting of a tight fitting
butyl rubber stopper into which a syringe needle will be inserted during sampling was mounted onto
the flux chamber. A second butyl rubber stopper carrying a thermometer to measure temperature
inside the flux chamber was mounted on the flux cap. A small fan driven by a 12V DC motor was
attached to the inside of the chamber cap to mix the air inside the flux chamber during sampling.
The chamber anchor bases will be driven 10cm into the ground, leaving about 5cm above ground.
Two chamber anchor bases will be installed in the treatment plots this summer.
The gas samples will be analyzed using a Varian GC (Agillent Techonologies) equipped with a thermal
conductivity detector (TCD), an electron capture detector (ECD), and a flame ion detector (FID) for
CO2, N2O, and CH4 gas analyses respectively. Real-time soil CO2 flux measurements will be taken
from the treatment using the LI-6400 Infrared Gas Analyzer with the LI-009 soil flux chamber.
Ancilliary data which will be collected during soil gas sampling include soil temperature and soil
moisture. Soil temperature and moisture measurements will be used for to assess quantitative
impacts of soil temperature and soil moisture conditions under the different forest management
practices on soil greenhouse gas (CO2, CH4, and N2O) dynamics and soil C sequestration. A graduate
student to collect and analyze the gas samples was recently recruited.
Component 4: Clay mineral changes and organic matter interaction patterns in a disturbed
forest ecosystem.
1. Investigate the soil clay transformation pathways and mechanisms of highly weathered soils that
are managed with prescribed burning (M. Mbila)
During this period, and with the support of NOAA-NWS grant, work was done to install eddy
covariance system at the Bankhead National Forest Research Site.
•
With assistance from the National Water & Climate Center of the United States Department
of Agriculture based in Oregon, we mounted and connected EC system components of a) a
CSAT3 Sonic Anemometer, and b) a LI-7500 CO2 and H2O gas analyzer on the 130’ tower,
and installed the data logger and associated software programs.
•
The CSAT3 sonic anemometer measures the turbulent fluctuations of horizontal and vertical
wind. It can also provide average horizontal wind speed and direction measurements.
•
The LI-7500A is a high speed, infrared gas analyzer that accurately measures densities of
carbon dioxide and water vapor in situ.
•
With the eddy covariance technique, data from LI-7500A gas analyzer is used in conjunction
with data from CSAT3 sonic anemometer to determine ecosystem level fluxes of CO2 and
H2O, and therefore ecosystem Carbon sequestration or accumulation potential.
•
Additional installations for relative humidity and temperature as well as soil climate sensors
will follow in due course.
Figure 3. Mounting of the CSAT3 Anemometer, LI 7500 Gas Analyzer, and the Electronic Boxes
on the BNF 130-Foot Tower.
Eddy Covariance System Sensors
Son
ic
(CS anemo
AT3
met
)
er
Temperature &
Relative Humidity
Sensor
(HMP45C)
/H O
Open Path CO2 2
0)
50
I-7
(L
er
analyz
2. Investigate the long-term effects of prescribed burning on soil clay mineral-organic interaction
patterns (M. Mbila, A. Reedy)
•
Efforts are underway to characterize soil organic matter distribution and cycling patterns as well
as soil clay mineral-organic matter interactions in the ecosystem.
•
The strategy is to fractionate soil mineral fractions so as to determine the partitioning of soil
organic matter to the different soil mineral fractions. By extracting and analyzing the soil organic
matter from the different soil mineral fractions, the clay mineral-soil organic matter partitioning,
may indicate the ecosystem C accumulation mechanisms.
•
A graduate student has been hired to carry out research on this. We are currently gathering
literature and information to proceed with sampling for the next burning treatment.
2. Improve our understanding of the role forests play in global C sequestration
Findings to be presented in year 3 through 4
SUBPROJECT THREE –COUPLED DYNAMICS OF HUMANS AND LANDSCAPES (CD)
Component 1: Assessing the impact of watershed level forest management on
hydrological processes, forest structure, and carbon stocks (D. Lemke, C.
Schweitzer, and W. Tadesse)
1. Assess carbon stock through modeling of forest communities and improve forest vegetation
mapping.
Activities:
This year the focus was on data collection and collation and analysis at the plot scale. Data collection
of vegetation plots was done by the USFS under the supervision of Dr. Schweitzer. This work is
described under subproject one. One-fifth acre plot data was converted to species biomass and
ANOVA was used to assess the impact of treatments on biomass between pre-treatment, post
treatment and three years after treatment. Dominant species and species groups were also analyzed
examine species relationship to biomass in the Bankhead. The results of this are currently being
written up.
2. Develop geospatial-based virtual forest landscape using 3D visualization applications as a
communication and decision making tool (W. Tadesse, D. Lemke, and J. Mitchell)
Activities:
Plot scale 3-D visualization with available digital data and software has started. We have applied
feature extraction methods to high-resolution CIR and NAIP data to identify the exact point location
of individual trees. Historical black and white aerial photography from 1940 -1972 are currently
being acquired to incorporate 3D visualization of BNF’s historical development. In the proposal this
was identified as a research objective for years 3 through 5. We will also incorporate data collected
from other objectives as they become available.
3. Study the long-term hydrologic store/flux process in the BNF (M. Wagaw, and B. Riley)
Activities:
In this reporting year, we started mapping of the BNF on potential sediment load supply sites based
on LiDAR and High Resolution infrared imageries. Preprocessed data from Southeast Regional
Climate Center (in Chapel Hill, NC) records, and USGS river/stream flow gage historical
measurements, and integrated with USDA-NRCS SSURGO/STATSGO soil database.
Specific methodology for assessing the impact of forest management on hydrological flow regime at
a watershed and sub-watershed level with current active management has been defined. This subobjective will focus hydrology research on the Rush Creek watershed (Map given on next page).
Within this watershed all forest management activities (thinning and burning) will be tracked at a
stand level (historical, current, future). Overstory vegetation composition will be assessed at a stand
level. Temporal assessment of the impact of forest management on in Rush will be done by
assessing both base (feed through subsurface recharge) and high flow (runoff), and how the
hydrological characteristics (quantity, quality, response) change as forest management is applied in
each forest stand (Fig. 4). All permits have been applied for, equipment bought and full installation
is expected by the end of summer.
Dataset have been identified to assess the temporal impact of no forest management on
hydrological flow regime over 50 years at a catchment level. This sub-objective focuses hydrology
research in one catchment, the Sipsey Fork (23900 ha) using the USGS gauging station. Data sets
include 50 years of stream flow data, land use data from the USFS at the inception of the Sipsey
wilderness and Landsat data from the mid 1970’s.
Figure 4. Map of subsection of the Rush Watershed in Bankhead National Forest where impact of
forest management on hydrologic flow regime will be assessed.
Component 2: Assessing land use strategies and forest land cover changes and the provision
of ecological goods and services (W. Tadesse, D. Lemke, and J. Mitchell)
1. Extend the land cover change geodatabase for 1950-2010 for BNF and BB region and characterize
the general trends of landscape change in the study areas (B. Gyawali, X. Chen, W. Tadesse, R. Fraser,
B. Cobb, C. White, and D. Lemke).
Activities:
Graduate and undergraduate work-study students have completed acquiring historical digital aerial
photos of 4 of the 8 counties in the BB study site. The acquired data have been referenced and
metadata developed. Additional data to complete the temporal period is in progress. Once the data
collection is completed, data analysis for observing trends of landscape changes will start.
2. Determine the effects of landowner strategies on the patterns of land cover types change, and
landscape fragmentation and consolidation (B. Gyawali, X. Chen, W. Tadesse, and R. Fraser A. Hill, S.
Banerjee, C. Christian, and D. Chembezi)
Activities:
Dr Gyawali, along with his graduate student Ms. Hill, assessed large scale patterns in socioeconomic
perspectives of changes in population and economic development, which are important attributes
to understand decision making behavior of landowners in land use change in the southeast region.
This research focused on exploring variations in income growth in southeastern United States and
examining factors affecting population change in the southeastern United States. Specify examining
income convergence in 875 counties of the 10-state southeastern region using Census data for 1980
and 2000. Logarithmic difference of average per capita income between those years was regressed
on socioeconomic variables. Changes in education, labor force, and employment were strong
determinants of income growth. This work was conducted by Dr. Gyawali’s graduate student Ms.
Anquinette Hill, who graduated in May 2011 with M.S degree in Agribusiness. These papers
included CFEA’s both study regions (Black Belt counties and BNF counties), CFEA funded Census data
were partially used. Another objective of this research was to examine the causes of urban-sprawl
and rural rebound of population in the 10-state southeastern United States, in the 1970 to 2000
period. The study employed both cross-section data between 1970 and 2000 and three binary
logistic models were specified for analysis: (1) 1970 and 2000, (2)1980 and 2000, and (3) 1990 and
2000. Overall, high school, college, and employment are the most important predictors to
population change. African-American and employed population showed consistent result in each
model, i. e. they were all significant in all three models. People prefer living in areas where a quality
education and job opportunities are available. Likewise, in-migration in rural counties has occurred
more among retirees or older people who are not as economically productive population. The
results of the binary regression analysis are generally consistent with findings reported by previous
studies. The study provides important insights of the contribution of socio-demographic attributes
of the study region for understanding rural rebound and urban sprawls.
3. Identify the relationships between forest landscape structure and major ecological functions (X. Chen,
R. Fraser, E. Summers, W. Tadesse, and B. Gyawali)
Activities:
Two component of this objective are in the process of being addressed; air quality and wildlife
services. Ms. Summers, a CFEA graduate student, reviewed the literature and completed a proposal
for thesis. Dr Chen and Ms Summers collected data about wildlife species at Bankhead National
Forest from different sources and are currently undertaking analysis. Dr. Chen also collected remote
sensing information of aerosol and other pollutants at the Bankhead National Forest area. Field
monitoring of air quality was conducted three times at Bankhead National Forest. The spatial and
temporal variations in the concentrations of six gas species (CH4, O2, CO, H2S, SO4, and CO2) and
aerosol concentrations were recorded. After comparing with aerosol concentration at the nearest
city (Huntsville), there is no statistical significant change. Further study is doing now. But there are
more negative ions in the forest areas, especially at pine forests during the winter season.
Ms. Summers (Dr. Chen’s MS graduate student) has defended her thesis proposal and abstract from
her proposal is listed below:
Ecosystem services are those services provided via natural ecosystems to benefit human beings.
The forest ecosystem and wildlife species residing in these ecosystems provide services vital to
human health and well being. Wildlife providers of valuable services at the Bankhead National
Forest in Alabama will be assessed based on literature and integrated data. Matrix analysis will
determine which species deliver the most service and in which category of service. Along with
classification and identification of services contributed via wildlife ecosystem service providers,
impacts of forest type on the execution of select ecosystem services will be predicted. Air quality
will be monitored on each forest type as well to quantify which forest type contributes the most to
clean air. This type of analysis may be used in future ecosystem assessment projects to show
possible impacts of land use change.
Component 3: Aesthetics and environmental Impacts of outdoor recreation and woody
biomass harvesting on forest ecosystem (C. Christian, K. Naka)
1. Explore relationship between visitors’ perceptions of resource conditions and actual resource
conditions at the Bankhead National Forest.
Although the initial goal was to undertake the field work from the start of the project no field
work has been conducted to date due to challenges in student recruitment. A graduate student,
Jonathan Hill, will be starting in the Fall 2012, with field work commencing soon after.
2. Evaluate and monitor the environmental and ecological impacts of outdoor recreation activities
at the BNF.
Although the initial goal was to undertake the field work from the start of the project no field
work has been conducted to date due to challenges in student recruitment. A graduate student,
Jonathan Hill, will be starting in the Fall 2012, with field work commencing soon after.
3. Monitor quantitatively timber and biomass harvesting activities at the BNF.
This objective is scheduled to be assessed in years 3 through 5.
4. Assess harvesting environmental and ecological impacts of on soil surface and compaction,
residual vegetation, and hydrologic processes at the BNF
This objective is scheduled to be assessed in years 3 through 5.
Other Sub-project III Research Activities not Related to Specific Objectives
In addition to the research components described in detail in the report, we have been working on the
following projects CFEA related research objectives.
1. Invasion of a Mined Landscape: what habitat characteristics are influencing the
occurrence of invasive plants?
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, I. Tazisong, Y. Wang, and J. Brown
Using the Shale Hills region of Alabama as a case study, we examined the environmental and habitat
factors that may contribute to favorable conditions for heightened plant invasion, and developed
models for predicting the probability of occurrence of invasive plant species. We conducted
vegetation surveys, soil sampling, and environmental evaluation on the mined landscape.
2. Geospatial Assessment of Non-native Vegetation: application of geospatial models to
predicting alien plants on reclaimed mines in the Shale Hills region
D. Lemke, C. Schweitzer, W. Tadesse, Y. Wang, J. Brown
Using the Shale Hills region of Alabama as a case study, we examined the environmental and habitat
factors that may contribute to favorable conditions for heightened plant invasion, and developed
models for predicting the probability of occurrence of invasive plant species. We conducted
vegetation surveys, soil sampling, and environmental evaluation on the mined landscape.
3. Habitat Modeling of Alien Plant Species at Varying Levels of Occupancy in the Cumberland
Plateau
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown
We assess predictive habitat models for three invasive plant species, at differing level of occurrence
utilizing two different habitat-modeling techniques, logistic regression and maximum entropy. The
influence of disturbance, spatial and temporal heterogeneity and other landscape characteristics are
assessed by creating regional level models based on occurrence records from the United States
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis database. Logistic
regression and maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models were assessed independently and evaluated as
predictive tools to test the value of presence/absence and presence only data in predicting species
distributions. Ensemble models were also developed that combined the predictions of the two
modeling approaches to obtain a more robust prediction estimate.
4. Invasive Potential of Five Alien Trees in the Forest of the Southern Region, United States
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown, J. Miller, J. Coulston
In the southern region of the United States invasive plants are one of the threats to the long term
sustainability of our forest ecosystems, along with climate and land use change. We assessed the
potential distribution of five alien trees in the southern region on forested lands. Maximum entropy
algorithms were used to integrate anthropogenic and environmental variables with species
occurrence data from the USDA Forest Service. All five species were predicted to significantly
increase their distribution at the regional level under current conditions. Four climate change
scenarios were then applied to the current potential with the five species responded exceedingly
different to the future scenario, particularly when climate variables had higher variability between
current conditions and future scenarios.
5. Value of Systematic Versus Opportunistic Data for Species Distribution Modeling: case
study of five invasive trees in the southern United States
D. Lemke, P. Hulme, J. Brown, J. Miller, J. Coulston
Invasive species are one of the fundamental ecological challenges we are currently facing.
Knowledge is the best tool in this battle, in not only determining which species will become the most
detrimental but where they will have the greatest negative impact. One tool that is available to
assist in this fight is species distribution models (SDMs). SDMs make predictions about unsampled
locations using the relationships between species and environmental parameters. They are designed
to make use of known information of species that are at equilibrium with the environment, and
work best when a full range of the environment has been sampled. However, they have also shown
promise for the study of invasive species, species that have yet to reach equilibrium, or not fully
sampled. In this chapter we assess the applicability of different types of datasets to modeling five
invasive trees with forests of the southern United States. We used intensively collected systematic
absence/presence data (Forest Inventory and Analysis, FIA), occurrence only, opportunistic data
(Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GBIF), and combined datasets.
INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND EXCHANGE
Natural resources in Guyana
R. Fraser, D. Singh, H. Alam, L. Carrington, P. Chesney
This involved four activities: A facilitated discussion of field-training needs in the natural resources
sector in Guyana, Draft and submit 8 proposals to study Mangrove restoration efforts in Guyana, Lead
stakeholder discussion and develop the terms of reference for an International Biodiversity Centre, and
6 nation dialogue on natural resource conservation and management of the Guyana.
Alabama A&M University China Exchange Program
National Institute of Food and Agriculture China Exchange Program. Alabama A&M University
(AAMU) has a collaborative program with Nanjing Forestry University (NFU) that emphasizes
international research and education in agricultural and environmental sciences, thanks to a
grant through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture program (NIFA, under the United
States Department of Agriculture, USDA). The goal of this program is to provide an opportunity
for faculty and students to gain first-hand research experience, as well as become acquainted
with the culture and scientific research currently underway in China. Alabama A&M University
students and faculty have worked with Chinese students and faculty at NFU for the past three
years to strengthen the capacity of both universities to compete on a global scale. Another goal
of the program is to develop courses with international content / contexts, to prepare and
mentor students for international agricultural and environmental science career opportunities.
Existing courses are being enhanced to include global perspectives, as well as a new seminar
course, 'Global Issues in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences – an internal internship' will
be developed in the near future. The University is working to enhance the scientific research
and teaching capabilities of AAMU faculty through exposure to facilities run by researchers of a
different culture, thereby encouraging them to think about issues from a different perspective.
REU-China
Our growing relationship with Nanjing Forestry University has gotten stronger this year with the
implementation of our new REU program that exposes undergraduate students to research in China and
Chinese culture. Our proposal for this program was formally accepted by NSF in November 2011, and we
immediately posted advertisements around the country. The applicants were highly competitive, and
we received a total of 71 complete applications (82 total), representing 53 universities and colleges.
Eight applications were received from AAMU.
We chose eight undergraduate students, listed as follows:
1. Erin Brechbiel (Arizona State University, Junior)
2. David Farris (University of Connecticut, Junior)
3. Iwo Gross (Eastern Illinois University, Junior)
4. Joanna Kukula (Michigan State University, Sophomore)
5. Naramena McCray (Alabama A&M University, Junior)
6. Calvin Means (Alabama A&M University, Junior)
7. Dustin Mielke (St. Cloud State University, Senior)
8. Rakeyta Scales (Alabama A&M University, Junior)
Three faculty (Yong Wang, Xiongwen Chen, and Khairy Soliman) and four graduate students traveled to
China (on funds from a different grant and an EAPSI fellowship) and assisted with mentoring the
undergraduates in their research projects (Rashidah Farid, Jonjala Jackson, Emily Summers, and Kevin
Messenger). Additionally, one Chinese Post-doc (Jianqiang Li) and the CFEA coordinator (Lisa Gardner)
assisted in China. Elica Moss and Lisa Gardner prepared a pre-travel orientation at AAMU while Yong
Wang made all of the arrangements in China. When students return to the United States, they will
spend two additional weeks on the AAMU campus. During that time they will take classes in: ARC-GIS,
statistical analysis, and scientific writing.
The REU-China program is research-oriented. However, a large component of having a base in China is
to familiarize students with Chinese culture. To make the most of our visit, we balanced research and
tourism / cultural activities including the following: Shanghai (Oriental Pearl Tower and The Bund),
Nanjing (Nanjing Massacre by the Japanese Invaders Museum, Presidential Palace, Xiyuan Garden,
Purple Mountain, Duanwu Dragon Boat Festival at Mouchu Lake), and Beijing (Great Wall, Imperial
Tomb of the Ming Dynasty, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace). Additionally, we
went on a tour of different forestry and agroforestry practices at several experimental farms and visited
several small towns, including Suzhou, along the way, as well as the Beijing Milu Park to learn about the
critically endangered Père-David’s Deer (Elaphurus davidianus) and work to bring it back from the brink
of extinction.
Students and mentors are in China as of the submission date for this report. They return to the United
States and continue their Program at the AAMU campus through July 21. Students will give a
presentation of their research at NFU prior to leaving Nanjing. Once back in the US, they will complete:
their research paper, a trip report, create a website, and give a final presentation to the AAMU public.
NON-RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Recruitment
B. Gyawali, X. Chen, W. Tadesse, R. Fraser, D. Lemke, M. Wagaw, C. Christian and K. Naka
Significant measures have been made to recruit students from other institutions, AAMU, as well as other
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). EnvironMentors, REU, BWWA Water Ambassadors
events, etc. are recruitment tools as well as educational, and we use these events to showcase our
research and educational capacities for potential students, to garner interest. Additionally, efforts are
made at national and regional professional meetings, such as the National Agronomy Society (ASA)
meeting in Long Beach California last October, to recruit more students to AAMU.
Meetings
External Advisory Board Meeting
The CFEA External Advisory Board met September 21-23, 2011 in the Agricultural Research Center at
AAMU. This meeting’s EAB members were: Dr.Estella Atekwana, Dr. Elvira Cuevas, Dwight Cooley, Dr.
Kuruvilla John, Dr. Robert Lawton, Dr. Carmen Martinez, and Dr. Greg Ruark. The External Evaluation
committee evaluated CREST-CFEA performance of the past two years based on the annual reports,
presentations of researchers and students, partners and meetings with the University authorities and
members of CREST-CFEA. They based their recommendations on the results of the Center's annual
reports and the aforementioned activities.
Following is a summary of their concerns and recommendations: ( 1 ) They commended the continued
improvement of the Center’s output regarding scientific presentations and publications. They also
commended the active involvement of students as authors and/or co-authors in research activities,
where 47% of the presentations were authored and/or co-authored by students and 61% of the
publications were similarly authored. They were concerned, however, about the unevenness in research
output among the thrust areas and recommended that areas 2 and 3 needed to improve their research
and human development output; ( 2 ) They commended the Center for its dedicated group of faculty
and staff. They were, however, concerned with research synergy among the thrust areas and noted that
synergy was still lagging, based on student presentations and sub-project presentations. They
recommended that the Center’s Director and management team should reactivate the research
meetings to serve as a think tank for integrating research results and publications. They also mentioned
that students had requested more research meetings and community activities, and that there was a
general lack of a sense of integration; ( 3 ) They commended the Center on its continued improvement
in the number and quality of graduate students and their research, especially regarding the number of
African Americans being trained in forest ecology and ecosystem management. They were concerned,
however, of the AAMU administration’s slow response and turnover time to research needs and
activities, e.g. the purchasing of research materials, equipment, travel, student stipends, etc., and it was
brought to their attention that researchers, staff and students were using their personal funds to
expedite purchases of research materials. In many cases, reimbursement can take as long as six months.
They also noted that researcher’s time and effort to be devoted to research was limited by the amount
of teaching during the academic year and during summer months. They recommended that the
University administration establish and maintain specific administrative policies regarding research time
and efforts as part of the academic load of the faculty and that they include high quality research,
writing of grant proposals, and publications in their research faculty reviews. Additionally, they
suggested that a corporate credit card be established and used, where the expenses incurred are
debited directly from the Center’s administrative accounts and not on a reimbursement basis. Another
concern they noticed is that the recruitment of minority out of state graduate students is being limited
by out-of-state tuition. They recommend that the university re-establish their tuition waiver, as it would
increase the caliber of the graduate students and the presence of the university as a research institution
in the nation; ( 4 ) They commended the Center for its continuous and positive improvements of the
Center’s research, education, and outreach activities, and commended both Daryl Lawson and Dawn
Lemke in particular for their continuous and excellent output of many of these types of activities; ( 5 )
They also commended the Center for the establishment of partnerships and collaborations with other
stakeholders and institutions, and recommended that as the Center moves into its second phase of the
renewal of the NSF CREST grant and as it becomes institutionalized, that the Center’s activities be
expanded, establishing a Center’s identity as a promoter of research, community outreach and
collaboration with national and state agencies, thereby effectively promoting AAMU involvement in
national, state, and regional matters; ( 6 ) They commended the Center for its involvement in the
expansion of the undergraduate and graduate curricula. They were concerned, however, of a lack of
undergraduate involvement and recommended that the Center pursue the establishment of a research
accredited course at the under- and graduate-level to provide an academic year alternative to bring
students to both lab and field activities. They also proposed the implementation of an accredited Honors
alternative at the undergraduate level where students can devote academic semester time to research
activities both in the lab and field, and present a B.Sc. Honor Thesis.; and finally ( 7 ) They note that
Administration of the Center continues to be the weakest point of CFEA. There are still problems
regarding institutional support as the Center’s administrative secretary salary is coming from two
sources, therefore having to spend 50% of her time in non-CFEA duties, the Director’s role as an
administrative authority within the Center is not clearly established, and the Director’s time and effort in
running the Center is not clearly specified. They recommended that the University administration
provide strong institutional support to the Center, its faculty, staff and students through: a) CFEA should
be considered as a potential Center for the Institution, as specified in the NSF CREST program objectives.
CFEA is not a research project. Therefore, institutional support towards CFEA should be clear and
recurrent. The Center Manager and administrative secretary’s positions should be full time for the
Center, with both full time salaries covered by the Institution. This recommendation was presented in
the previous evaluation due to the present and developing complexity of CFEA. The way CFEA has been
managed by the Institution during the last four years does not provide a credible support to the next
phase of CFEA and its possible institutionalization (as expected by NSF). Providing a recurrent financial
support in the form of two full-time salaries for the Center manager and the administrative secretary for
the next five years will help provide the necessary credibility required by NSF, and b) the Center Director
has to have administrative authority on Center’s decisions.
Overall recommendation. The management team of CFEA should present the university authorities with
an action plan that would present the Center's mission and goals, how were they met during the first
phase of NSF funding, the present limitations toward establishing CFEA as a Center and not a research
project, and the proposed actions toward the institutionalization of the Center. The action plan should
include the benefits to the institution by strongly supporting CFEA within the institution, what type of
institutional support is required and the justifications for the support.
Center of Excellence in Forestry Bi-annual Meetings
USGS-Forest Service Southern Research Station staff and AAMU-FEWP faculty/staff met twice this past
year, as has been customary in previous years, to strengthen collaborative partnerships and give/receive
updates and feedback. There were two meetings: the fall meeting, held at the Asheville, NC-based
Southern Research Station (4-5 August 2011) and the spring meeting, held on the AAMU campus (5-6
January 2012). Fall meeting: Andy Scott (USFS), Ken Ward, Rufina Ward, Wes Stone, Penny Stone,
Robert Taylor, Lisa Gardner, Colmore Christian, and Xiongwen Chen. This meeting, members discussed
the 2011-2015 Strategic Plan, reviewed the 2006-2010 strategic plan, reviewed what is new, and
discussed recruitment for USFS, opportunities or other disciplines. The spring meeting: Andy Scott
(USFS), Ken Ward, Wes Stone, Luben Dimov, Yong Wang, Xiongwen Chen, Kozma Naka, Colmore
Christian, Daryl Lawson, Penny Stone, Lisa Gardner, Allison Bohlman, Patience Knight, Heather Howell,
Dawn Lemke, Abreotta Williams, and Lloyd Walker. This meeting discussed the reorganization of the
university, from five schools into four Colleges; research highlights were presented; Dr. Stone presented
the concept of ‘Curriculum Tracks,’ courses for Forest Science options within a Forestry Major
(undergraduate); Rob Doudrick of the Southern Research Station talked about working with elected
officials; the Lake Purdy/Cahaba River Project was updated; FireDawgs was updated; Balsie Butler of the
Alabama Forestry Commission gave an update; and a MOU was signed by SRS and AAMU for 2012-2017.
Bankhead National Forest Liaison Panel Quarterly Community Meetings
The Bankhead Liaison Panel is one of the best forums available for us to communicate our research
findings to the interested community. This panel meets once every quarter to promote cooperation
between the USFS and numerous user groups in the BNF. Forest demonstration areas and CFEA research
plots are utilized to educate small forestland owners and forest user groups in environmentally sound
resource management practices as part of the USFS and CFEA tech transfer. He attended and
participated in each of the quarterly Board meetings and provided updates and serve on outreach field
tours and monitoring trips in the BNF CFEA study sites. In 2011 a day long Hardwood Restoration tour
was planned but canceled due to the tornado outbreak of April. The tour has been rescheduled to
September 2011 and attendance has been estimated at 75-100 landowners, agency representatives and
natural resources managers based upon responses to RSVP. In addition, three harvesting and burning
monitoring tours were conducted within the study area with the USFS, BNFLP, local landowners, and
resource managers.
CFEA Bimonthly General Meetings
CFEA faculty and staff met bimonthly to discuss research and educational activities, seminar speakers,
recruitment efforts, collaboration efforts, and other funding sources. Each subproject met in alternate
months to discuss issues pertinent to their project.
Lab Meetings
Faculty for Subprojects I and III met regularly with their graduate students to discuss research, read
scientific papers, and go over presentations for feedback and enhanced knowledge. Dawn Lemke lead
the SPIII lab meetings, and met their students every week, while Dr. Wang lead the SPI lab meetings and
met their students every month.