2009-2010
Annual Report
30, 2005
Table of Contents
1
This document summarizes the activities of the Ecosystem
Science Center for the period from July 1, 2009 ─ July 1, 2010
Table of Contents
Introduction to ESC – A Message from the Director .................................................................3
ESC Mission Statement & Summary of Activities for FY2010 ..................................................4
ESC Members & Focus Areas......................................................................................................5
ESC Graduate Degrees Awarded ................................................................................................ 9
ESC Award and Expenditure Synopsis ....................................................................................10
ESC Active Research Awards ................................................................................................... 11
ESC Member Publications .........................................................................................................20
ESC Activities..............................................................................................................................26
Distinguished Ecologist Lecture Series ................................................................................ 26
Sponsored Graduate Student Travel Grants......................................................................... 27
Sponsored Graduate Student Research Grants ................................................................... 28
Sponsored Undergraduate Student Research Grant ............................................................ 29
Sponsored GraduateTraining Grants .................................................................................... 30
6th Annual ESC/BRC Graduate Research Forum .............................................................. ...31
Global Change Teachers' Institute ....................................................................................... 32
AERC membership and meeting .......................................................................................... 33
USFS NASP class - Spring 2010 .......................................................................................... 34
ESC Equipment Purchase - REF Infrastructure Enhancement.............................................35
International Faculty Exchange............................................................................................. 36
Photo credit on cover: Maria Janowiak took this photo of participants on the field trip at the Carbon in Northern
Forests Workshop the Ecosystem Science Center helped to sponsor in June 2009.
2
Introduction to ESC – A Message from the Director
The Ecosystem Science Center has now completed its sixth successful year. I am pleased to report
that the Center’s members have again been incredibly productive in terms of research awards,
graduate degrees granted, and publications. They are leaders at Michigan Tech in all of these areas,
as described in the Summary of Activities on the following page and the details provided throughout
this report. The ESC also puts tremendous effort into student training and outreach. I am consistently
impressed by the time our members are willing to put into activities such as helping students prepare
for and judging of the graduate student research forum, critically reviewing student proposals for ESC
research grants and training grants (new this year!), finding participants for the Distinguished Ecologist
Lecture Series, and assisting with training and outreach courses such as the very successful Global
Change Teacher’s Institute and the Ecological Systems Course of the US Forest Services’ National
Advanced Silviculture Program (NASP). The hard work of our members is what truly makes the ESC a
success, and I look forward to working with this outstanding group of ecologists during the coming
year.
I hope you enjoy the report. Michigan Tech is a great place to conduct research and education in
Ecosystem Science, and the ESC looks forward to creating new opportunities for both in the coming
year. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the report or the Center.
Andrew Burton
Associate Professor & Director,
Ecosystem Science Center
School of Forest Resources &
Environmental Science
Michigan Tech University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931 USA
ajburton@mtu.edu
phone: 906-487-2566
fax: 906-487-2915
For more information or to see past annual reports, visit our website at:
http://ecosystem.mtu.edu/
3
Mission Statement & Summary of Activities for FY2010
Mission Statement: "To promote understanding of ecosystem function through education
and research at Michigan Technological University."
The Ecosystem Science Center (ESC) is designed to advance our understanding of how
ecosystems function and how human activities influence ecosystem processes. The Center's
two main objectives are to: (1) foster ecosystem research and (2) educate graduate and
undergraduate students in the area of ecosystem science. These two objectives will be met
through collaboration among faculty, staff and students interested in ecosystem science.
Summary of Activities: During the past year, the Ecosystem Science Center (ESC) has
remained very active in research, ranking highest among the seventeen Centers and Institutes
at Michigan Tech in terms of number of research awards (110), award amounts ($6,838,203),
and number of projects (99). The ESC ranked second in terms of research expenditures
($5,413,712). ESC funds have supported the development of research proposals through
ESC’s International Faculty Exchange program, and member IRAD funds have supported
development of a large, interdisciplinary proposal involving multiple universities and
government and industrial partners. This proposed NSF Engineering Research Center for
Sustainable Forest-Based Biofuels Transportation Systems -- Wood-to-Wheels (W2W), was
selected by NSF for a site visit in the Fall of 2010, and is one of eleven proposals remaining in
competition for five to seven awards, which could have a total five-year values exceeding $18
million. The ESC also supports research through purchases of equipment, including and our
successful proposal for Michigan Tech REF funds this year to purchase an inductivelycoupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and microwave digester for
analysis of elements in soil, water and plant tissue. The availability of these instruments will
greatly aid existing research projects and proposed new avenues of research, such as the
W2W ERC and other projects involving sustainable use of forest biomass for energy. The
ESC will contribute $30,000 toward this purchase and ESC member IRAD funds will
contribute an additional $24,000. All ESC equipment is available not only to members but to
the entire campus community through analytical use charges.
Research awards to ESC members are supporting numerous graduate students, including
four Doctoral students and nine MS students who completed their degrees during the past
year. The ESC has directly enhanced graduate and undergraduate education and training by
awarding: 1) $15,000 in ESC research grants to 19 students, to either enhance their existing
research project or allow for new additional research; 2) $6,432 in travel grants for 13 students
to present research results at national and international scientific meetings; and 3) $10,350 in
training grants, allowing 6 graduate students to receive training in advanced research
methods and techniques not available at Michigan Tech. In addition, the ESC has supported
the Distinguished Ecologist Lectures Series and the ESC/BRC Research Forum, which give
our students opportunities to discuss their research with both peers and experts, helping them
improve both their current and future study designs. The combined efforts of our members
and their students have resulted in 79 publications in print or in press during the past year.
4
Members 2009-2010
Academic year page 1 of 3
Andrew
Burton,
Molly
Cavaleri,
Assistant
Professor
Assoc. Professor
& ESC Director
Assistant
Professor
Wildlife ecology
Forest ecology
Tree Ecophysiol.
Joeseph
Bump,
Rod
Chimner,
Assistant
Professor
Paul Doskey,
Professor
Jenn
Eikenberry,
Assistant Res.
Scientist
Wetland ecology
Environmental
biogeochemistry
Mike
Falkowski,
David
Flaspohler,
John
Forsman,
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Assistant
Researcher
Landscape ecology
Avian ecology
Wood decay
Robert
Froese
Associate
Professor
Forest biometrics
Uses of stable
isotopes
Oliver
Gailing,
Kathy
Halvorsen,
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Ecological Genetics
Sociology of nat.
resources
Casey
Huckins,
Mike
Hyslop,
Maria
Janowiak,
Associate
Professor
GIS Analyst
Research/Outreach Scientist
Aquatic community ecology
Remote Sensing
Climate change
5
Members 2009-2010
Academic year page 2 of 3
Martin
Jurgensen,
Professor
Forest soil
productivity
Glen Larkin,
Research
Scientist 2
Decomposition
processes
Alex Mayer,
Professor
Interactions in
water systems
Linda Nagel,
Associate
Professor
Forest vegetation
dynamics
Thomas
Pypker,
Assistant
Professor
Forest hydrology
Evan Kane,
Peter Laks,
Assistant
Professor
Professor
Soil carbon
Decomposition
processes
Erik
Lilleskov,
Adjunct
Professor
Assistant
Professor
Soil micro- and
macrobiota
Aquatic ecology
Audrey
Mayer,
Rachel
McDonald,
Assistant
Professor
Research
Associate
Sustainability
Forest ecosystem
restoration
Judith
Perlinger,
Rolf
Peterson,
Associate
Professor
Research
Professor
Enviro. transform.
of org. chemicals
Population ecology
Sigrid Resh,
Dana Richter,
Adjunct Assistant
Professor
Adjunct
Associate
Professor
Forest carbon
Forest mycology
Andrew
Storer,
Chris
Swanston,
Professor
Assistant
Professor
Forest health and
management
Amy
Marcarelli,
Forest soil carbon
Catherine
Tarasoff,
Assistant
Professor
Invasion ecology
6
Members 2009-2010
Academic year page 3 of 3
Noel Urban,
Ken Vrana,
Professor
Director of Isle
Royale Institute
Limnology
Outreach & education at Isle Royale
l
Leah
Vucetich,
Chris
Webster,
Research
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Disturb. ecology
John
Vucetich,
Assistant
Professor
Demographics of
populations
Hairong Wei
Assistant
Professor
Genomics and
bioinformatics
I. Royale wolf genetics
7
ESC Staff
Trish Burton,
Assistant Res.
Scientist
Financial Manager for
the ESC
Jill Fisher,
Assistant Research
Scientist
Program Manager for
the ESC
Carrie
Richards,
Staff Assistant
Web page Manager for
the ESC
8
FY09/10
ESC Graduate Degrees Awarded
Doctoral Dissertations
Carrie Andrew. August 2009. Response of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi to Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and
O3 within Northern Deciduous Forests. PhD Forest Science (Erik Lilleskov, Advisor).
Jessica Beachy. December 2009. The Development of Trapping, Survey and Educational Tools for
the Exotic Invasive Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilusplanipennis Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). PhD
in Forest Science (Andrew Storer, Advisor).
Sara Robinson. April 2010. The Scientific, Artistic, and Practical Implications of Sub-lethal Fungicide
Levels in Wood Exposed to Fungi. PhD Forest Science (Peter Laks, Advisor).
Jill Witt. April 2010. Patch Selection by Wintering White-Tailed Deer: Consequences for Eastern
Hemlock Regeneration at Local and Landscape Scales. PhD Forest Science (Chris Webster,
Advisor).
Master’s Theses
Elizabeth Boisvert. August 2009. Initiation and Development of Three Lake Superior Coastal
Peatlands. MS Applied Ecology (Tom Pypker, Advisor)
Chad Fortin. December 2009. Floristic Quality as a Potential Driver of Vegetative DiversityProductivity Relationships and Arthropod Habitat in Restored Grasslands. MS Applied Ecology (Chris
Webster and David Flaspohler, Advisors).
Max Henschell. April 2010. Biomass and Birds: Effects of Potential Biofuel Crops on Plant
Productivity and the Grassland Avian Community in the Upper Midwest. MS Applied Ecology (David
Flaspohler and Chris Webster, Advisors).
Nicholas Jensen. August 2009. Ungulate Winter Habitat Selection as a Driver of Heterogeneity in
Ground-Layer Plant Communities. MS Forest Ecology and Management (Chris Webster, Advisor).
Curtis Kvamme. April 2010. A Comparison of Ground Cover and Frequency Estimation Methods for
Soil Disturbance Monitoring. MS Forest Ecology & Management (Martin Jurgensen, Advisor)
Kathryn Marlor. August 2009. Determining the Role of Environmental Factors and Disturbance in the
Distribution of Reed Canary Grass within Wetlands. MS Forest Ecology and Management (Rod
Chimner, Advisor)
Matthew Metz. April 2010. Seasonal Patterns in Foraging and Predation of Gray Wolves in
Yellowstone National Park. MS Applied Ecology (John Vucetich, Advisor).
Mark Romanski. April 2010. Estimates of Abundance and Predation - The Population Ecology of
Beaver on Isle Royale National Park. MS Applied Ecology (John Vucetich, Advisor).
Alexandra Wrobel. April 2010. Golden-Winged Warbler Habitat Model Validation for Northern
Wisconsin and Central Minnesota. MS Applied Ecology (David Flaspohler, Advisor).
9
Photo by former ESC graduate student, Sarah Stehn, showing canopy
cover in one of her research plots in the Smokey Mts National Park.
The photo was taken with a fish eye lens she obtained with a research
grant awarded by the Ecosystem Science Center.
FY09/10
Number of Awards:
Award Amount:
Number of Projects:
Expenditures:
ESC Award and Expenditure Synopsis
Previous FY09
FY10
66
110
$5,697,874
$6,838,203
69
99
$5,519,172
$5,413,712
10
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Bump, J.K.
US Dept of Energy
Bump, J.K.
US Dept of Energy
Burton,
A.J.
Nat. Science Foundation
Burton,
A.J.
Nat. Science Foundation
Burton,
A.J. (DF
Karnosky
thru 10/08)
Burton,
A.J., &
Lilleskov
Burton,
A.J., &
Lilleskov
Burton,
A.J.
US Dept of Energy
US Dept of Energy, NICCR
NSF pass-through from
University of Nevada-Reno
DOE pass-through from
University of Nevada-Reno
Project Title
Top-down Control of Biogeochemical Hotspots
in Forest Ecosystems
Top-down Control of Biogeochemical Hotspots
in Forest Ecosystems
Collaborative LTREB: Long Term Ecosystem
Response to Chronic Atmospheric Nitrate
Deposition
REU supplements to: Collaborative LTREB:
Long Term Ecosystem Response to Chronic
Atmospheric Nitrate Deposition
Impacts of interacting elevated atmospheric
CO2 and O3 on the structure and functioning of
a northern forest ecosystem: Operating and
decommissioning the Aspen FACE Project
Short and long-term temperature acclimation
of roots systems in woody plants and the
moderation of warming-induced enhancement
of soil CO2 efflux
From Genes to Ecosystems: Mechanisms
Controlling Long-Term Ecosystem Response
to Nitrogen Deposition
Ecosystem response to Elevated Tropospheric
CO2 and O3 is Regulated by Plant-Microbe
Interactions in Soil
Burton,
A.J.
US Dept of Energy
Midwestern Regional Center of the National
Institute for Climatic Change Research:
Project Administration
Burton,
A.J.
US Dept of Energy
Midwestern Regional Center of the National
Institute for Climatic Change Research:
Research Subawards
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
9/1/08
8/31/11
$30,507
9/1/09
8/31/11
$30,794
5/1/09
8/31/11
$7,000
5/1/10
8/31/11
$7,000
4/1/08
3/31/11
$1,108,180
4/1/09
3/31/11
$1,497,888
12/1/09
3/31/10
$89,598
4/1/08
11/30/11
$407,954
6/15/07
8/31/09
$117,978
9/1/08
8/31/09
$50,349
6/15/07
8/14/09
$93,721
8/15/08
8/14/09
$59,296
12/1/05
12/1/07
12/1/08
12/1/09
2/1/06
2/1/07
2/1/08
2/1/09
2/1/09
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
11/30/11
$400,000
$134,324
$134,328
$40,028
$2,189,633
$1,429,895
$1,353,353
$1,395,769
$1,398,134
11
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Burton,
A.J.
Burton,
A.J.
Burton,
A.J.
Burton,
A.J.
Burton,
A.J.
Cavaleri,
M.A.
Cavaleri,
M.A.
Chimner,
R.
Sponsor
Name
USDA Forest Service
USDA Forest Service
University of Nevada-Reno
US Dept of Agriculture
US Dept of Agriculture
US Dept of Agriculture
US Dept of Agriculture
US Dept of Agriculture
Project Title
Soil Carbon Cycling and Storage in Response
to Elevated Tropospheric CO2 and O3 at the
Aspen FACE Experiment
Analysis of Insects for Carbon and Nitrogen
Stable Isotopes
Analysis of Soil and Plant Tissue for Carbon
Stable Isotopes
Ecosystem Constraint of Belowground
Autotrophic Respiration: Maintaining Positive
NPP in a Changing World
The Northern Forest Ecosystem Experiment
Investigating Vertical Canopy Gradients of
Foliar Morphology in a N. Hardwoods Forest
Ecophysiological Monitoring on the Marcell
Experimental Forest
Developing Methods for Restoring Fens in the
San Juan National Forest, Colorado
Analyze Water Isotopes to Determine Impacts
of Burning in Mesic Burr Oak Forest
Effects of plant species, organic matter quality,
and microbial activity on peatland ecosystem
function and resilience to climate change
Ecological and Biogeochemical Response of
Peatlands to Environmental Change
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
07/01/05
06/30/10
$39,000
7/29/09
12/31/11
$11,606
11/01/09
4/30/10
$9,659
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
5/12/10
4/15/15
$205,788
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
6/01/10
4/01/15
$69,795
12/30/09
$17,499
9/30/09
$3,000
6/21/07
4/01/10
$3,000
9/1/07
8/31/10
$268,058
7/27/09
6/16/14
$21,000
2/23/07
Chimner,
R.
US Dept of Interior
Chimner,
R.
US Dept of Energy NICCR
Chimner,
R.
US Dept of Agriculture
Chimner,
R.
US Dept of Agriculture
Development of a Long-term Ecohydrological
Study of N.White Cedar Forested Peatlands
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
Chimner,
R.
The Nature Conservancy
Restoration of Sleeper Lake Peatlands
5/01/09
1/01/11
$20,481
12
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Chimner,
R.
Falkowski,
M.J.
Flaspohler,
D.J.
Flaspohler,
D.J.
Sponsor
Name
Mich Tech University
US Dept of Agriculture
Cornell University
Cornell University
Project Title
REF-RS Developing Restoration Techniques
for Coastal Wetlands
Large Area Characterization of Wildland Fire
Fuels Across Space and Time via Biophysical
Modeling and LiDar Remote Sensing
Golden-Winged Warbler Conservation
Initiative – year 3
Cooperative Golden-winged Warbler
Management Plan
Measuring the Value of Fish and Wildlife
Habitat Restoration on Northern Wisconsin
Lakes: The Wisconsin Lakeshore Restoration
Project
Optimizing Both Habitat Quality for
Conservation-Concern Bird Species and Tree
Productivity in Aspen Forests in the Great
Lakes Region
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
7/01/09
8/31/10
$28,530
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7000
9/10/09
8/31/10
$6,000
9/01/09
8/31/10
$17,000
6/30/10
$8,898
6/30/10
$57,986
6/30/11
$71,288
12/31/09
$6,000
12/31/10
$15,000
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7000
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7000
Flaspohler,
D.J.
Wisconsin DNR
Flaspohler,
D.J.
US Dept of Interior
Flaspohler,
D.J.
US Dept of Agriculture
The Influence of Residential Development on
Nearshore Forest and Aquatic Ecosystems
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Assessing Dispersal Dynamics and Genetic
Introgression of Golden-winged Warblers in
the Upper Midwest: A Genetic and Stable
Isotope Approach
9/21/09
4/30/11
$52,740
Conner Hardwoods
Testing Hardwood Flooring
12/01/09
3/31/10
$4,993
8/17/09
12/30/09
$4,996
10/26/09
1/29/10
$4929
10/01/09
9/30/11
$345,557
Flaspohler,
D.J.
Forsman,
J.
Forsman,
J.
Forsman,
J.
Froese, R.
Conner Hardwoods
Conner Hardwoods
Frontier Renewable
A Preliminary Condition Assessment of an
Environmental Room
Monitoring the Conditions of an Environmental
Room
Increasing Sustainable Biomass Feedstock
Availabilty - Project 2
7/01/09
4/01/08
13
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Project Title
Froese, R.
Wolverine Power
Cooperative
Energy Crop Trials 2010 for the Wolverine
Clean Energy Venture
Froese, R.
US Dept of Agriculture
A Carbon Budget for Retired Farmland
Converted to Forest Energy Crops
Froese, R.
US Dept of Agriculture
Froese, R.
Wolverine Power
Cooperative
Froese, R.
Wolverine Power
Cooperative
Gailing, O.
Huron Mt. Wildlife
Halvorsen,
K.E.
US Dept of Agriculture
Janowiak,
M.K.
US Dept of Agriculture
Janowiak,
M.K.
Frontier Renewable
Resources, LLC
Janowiak,
M.K.
US Dept of Agriculture
Janowiak,
M.K.
US Dept of Agriculture
Jurgensen,
M.F.
US Dept of Agriculture
A Carbon Budget for Herbaceous Openland
Conversion to Forest Bioenergy Crops
Biomass Production and Carbon
Sequestration Trials for the Wolverine Clean
Energy Venture
Sustainable Biomass for Small-Scale CHP in
Michigan
Hybridization between Quercus rubra and
Quercus ellipsoidalis in Sympatric Oak Forests
and the Adaptation to Changing Environments
Cellulosic Ethanol Potentials and Obstacles in
the Upper Midwestern United States Sustainable Forest Management in the
Context of Climate Change: Training & Tools
for Strategy Development and Application
Outreach, Extension, and Technology Transfer
for the Feedstock Supply Chain Center of
Energy Excellence
Coordination and Support of the National Soil
Carbon Network
Enhance Forest Protection Through Increased
Science Delivery & Management Planning
Effects of Red Pine Thinning and Stand Age
on Ecosystem Carbon Pools and Fluxessupplement
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
12/27/09
12/31/10
$61,465
12/27/09
12/31/10
$4,170
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
1/01/09
12/31/09
$57,178
3/01/10
8/31/10
$18,450
3/01/10
2/28/11
$2,400
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
5/01/08
6/01/12
$75,000
10/1/09
9/30/11
$39,668
6/23/09
6/16/14
$25,000
8/25/09
8/15/14
$650,000
12/23/08
7/31/12
$10,001
14
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Project Title
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
12/23/08
7/31/12
$70,560
7/29/08
12/31/11
$40,000
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
7/30/08
12/30/10
$8,000
7/1/09
4/30/11
$10,000
Jurgensen,
US Dept of Agriculture
M.F.
Jurgensen,
US Dept of Agriculture
M.F.
Jurgensen,
US Dept of Agriculture
M.F.
Effects of Red Pine Thinning and Stand Age
on Ecosystem Carbon Pools and FluxesEvaluating Fire Impacts on Wood
Decomposition
Effects on Residual Stand Growth and
Productive Capacity of Soils
Jurgensen,
M.F.
US Dept of Agriculture
Jurgensen,
M.F.
US Dept of Agriculture
Laks, P.E.
Universal Forest Products
7/1/09
6/30/10
$17,001
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
10/01/09
12/31/12
$35,611
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
9/01/09
12/31/12
$54,340
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
10/01/09
12/31/12
$27,001
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
Validation of Region 1 Soil Quality Standards
and Protocols on the Custer National Forest
Soil Monitoring and Inventory of Above-and
Below-Ground Nutrient Pools of Benchmark
Soils on the Hiawatha National Forest
Laboratory Decay Test of Latitudes WPC
Decking for Universal Forest Products - June
2009 Protocol
Maunawili Ground Proximity Termite Test of
Arch Wood Preservatives-November 2009
Kipuka Above-Ground Decay and Depletion
Test of Arch Wood Preservatives-November
2009
Kipuka Ground Proximity Decay Test of Arch
Wood Preservatives-November 2009
Austin Cary Above-Ground Decay and
Depletion Test of Arch Wood PreservativesFebruary 2010
10/01/09
13/31/13
$45,001
Laks, P.E.
Rio Tinto Minerals
Maunawili Field Termite Test of Oriented
Straw Strand Board (OSSB)-November 2009
10/01/09
12/31/12
$29,685
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
Austin Cary AWPA E16 Above-Ground Decay
Test of Arch Experimental Wood Preservatives
- January 2010
1/01/10
12/31/12
$18,001
15
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
Laks, P.E.
Arch Wood Protection Inc.
Laks, P.E.
Rio Tinto Minerals
Laks, P.E.
Rio Tinto Minerals
Laks, P.E.
Rio Tinto Minerals
Laks, P.E.
Louisiana-Pacific Corp
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Larkin, G.
Osmose Inc
Project Title
Kipuka AWPA E16 Above-Ground Decay Test
of Arch Experimental Wood Preservatives January 2010
PNW AWPA E16 Above-Ground Decay Test
of Arch Experimental Wood Preservatives January 2010
Extended Maunawili Field Termite Test of Zinc
Borate Treated Wood Composites 1 - June
2010
Extended Field Termite Test of Borate Treated
Hardboard 1 - January 2010
Extended AWPA E16 Above-Ground Decay
and Depletion Test of Borate Treated
Eucalyptus PSL 1 - January 2010
Extended Multiple Site Field Test of LouisianaPacific Smart System Siding 2
Maunawili AWPA E7 Test of Osmose Project
2008-TPI-4
Extended Soil Bed Decay Test of Osmose
Experimental Wood Preservatives - June 2009
Protocol
Kipuka AWPA E16 Test for Osmose Project
2009-OS-7
Extended Soil Bed Decay Test of Osmose
Experimental Wood Preservatives - January
2010 Protocol
Extended Hawaiian Ground Contact Decay
Test of Osmose Experimental Wood
Preservatives 1 - January 2010
Consolidated Maunawili AWPA E7 Test for
Osmose - January 2010
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
1/01/10
12/31/12
$18,001
1/01/10
12/31/12
$18,001
6/01/10
5/31/12
$17,000
1/01/10
12/31/11
$17,000
1/01/10
12/31/12
$22,500
1/01/10
12/31/13
$128,261
11/01/09
12/31/14
$30,001
7/01/09
6/30/11
$15,800
1/1/10
12/31/15
$51,524
1/01/10
12/31/11
$15,800
1/01/10
12/31/12
$17,500
1/01/10
12/31/14
$31,901
16
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Nagel. L.
US Dept of Agriculture
Nagel. L.
US Dept of Agriculture
Nagel. L.
US Dept of Agriculture
Project Title
National Advanced Silviculture Program III of
the US Forest Service, Ecological Systems
Course
Assessing Vegetation of Isle Royale National
Park with FIA Data
Local Lake States Training Module for the
USDA Forest Service
Development of a Rigorous Geospatial
Processing Procedure for Conducting the
Terrestrial Ecological Unit Inventory in the
National Forests of the Pacific Southwest Identifying Regional-scale Self-organized
Patchiness in Ecosystems Using Remote
Sensing Imagery MacLean,
A. L.
US Dept of Agriculture
Mayer,
Audrey
University of Michigan
Peterson,
R., J.
Vucetich
US Dept of Interior
Wolf/Moose Population Monitoring, Isle Royale
National Park, 2005-2010
Pypker, T.
US Dept of Agriculture
Carbon, Water, and Soils Research Support
Pypker, T.
US Dept of Agriculture
Richter, D.
Trex Co Inc
Richter, D.
Green Bay Decking LLC
Richter, D.
Dow AgroSciences LLC
Effect of Invasive Earthworms on the
Hydrology of Northern Hardwood Forests in
Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Mold-Stain Test #16 of Wood Plastic
Composites with Inhibitor Coatings for the
Trex Co., Inc. (MTU/WPG 090123A)
AWPA E-24 Comparative Mold-Stain Test for
Green Bay Decking LLC
Various Sponsors-Soil Block Decay Test
Exposure of Termite Bait Composites - Third
Inoculation
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
2//01/10
12/31/10
$115,793
4/24/09
5/31/11
$15,000
4/01/10
4/01/10
4/01/10
9/30/10
9/30/10
9/30/10
$58,087
$8,849
$2,212
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
5/01/10
4/30/11
$5,000
01/01/05
09/30/10
$26,600
02/07/06
12/31/10
$36,600
4/20/09
4/20/09
9/30/13
9/30/13
$51,001
$10,000
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
1/22/09
1/22/10
$5,401
9/01/09
9/01/10
$7,559
8/01/09
8/01/10
$3,453
17
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Project Title
Soil Block Decay Test of Trial Hardboard
Products for Louisiana Pacific (WPG 091026A,
MTU-LP#28, 11/09)
Michigan and Northern Wisconsin Emerald
Ash Borer Detection Survey in WI and
Northern MI
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
12/01/09
12/01/10
$7,099
4/01/08
10/30/09
$44,999
4/01/08
10/30/09
$79,475
Richter, D.
Louisiana-Pacific Corp
Storer, A.
Wisconsin DNR
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Beech Bark Disease and Resistance in
American Beech
4/01/09
3/30/12
$225,001
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Evaluation of Sugar Maple Dieback in Upper
Michigan 4/01/09
6/30/10
$40,000
Storer, A.
GMO Renewable
Resources
Storer, A.
US Dept of Interior
Project Coordinator for the Slow Ash Mortality
(SLAM) Project
Multicriteria Risk Models and Management
Studies for Invasive Plants at Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore: Development, Validation
and Implementation
5/15/09
10/31/10
$65,000
6/23/08
6/30/11
$30,499
6/23/08
6/30/11
$39,999
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Demonstration Plots of Implementation of Ash
Phloem Model
3/01/05
12/31/09
$117,877
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
5/15/09
6/30/10
$55,000
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
5/15/09
6/30/10
$5,000
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
12/01/09
11/30/11
$651,540
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Phloem Reduction in Support of the Slow Ash
Mortality (SLAM) Project
Ash Inventory, Trapping and Treatment in
Support of the Slow Ash Mortality (SLAM)
Project
Effects of Prescribed Fire and Wildfire on
Forest Health in Upper Michigan
Forest Health Cooperative/Implementation of
Mitigation Strategies Based on the Slowing
Ash Mortality (SLAM) Effort in the UP
Effects of Prescribed Fire and Wildfire on
Forest Health in Upper Michigan
10/01/09
9/30/10
$7,000
18
ESC Active Awards Fiscal Year 2010 - continued
Name
PI
Sponsor
Name
Project Title
Start Date
End Date
Award
Amount
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Sugar Maple Dieback in the Upper Great
Lakes Region
4/01/10
3/31/13
$59,999
Storer, A.
US Dept of Agriculture
Factors Affecting the Growth of Emerald Ash
Borer Infestations in Northern Forests
5/01/09
4/30/11
$224,795
Tarasoff,
C.S.
US Dept of Interior
The Legacy Effect of Weed Competition on
Switchgrass Biofuel Production
10/01/08
9/30/09
$7,000
Vucetich,
J. A.
US Dept of Interior
Wolf-Moose Monitoring, Isle Royale National
Park
3/01/09
12/31/10
$36,600
Vucetich,
J. A.
National Science
Foundation
Yellowstone Wolves: Their Ecology and
Community Consequences
9/15/06
9/15/06
8/31/10
8/31/11
$150,000
$30,001
Vucetich,
J. A.
National Science
Foundation
LTREB: Multi-Level Trophic Dynamics of
Wolves, Moose, and Vegetation
Stable Isotope Analysis to Elucidate the
Physiological Basis of Silvicultural Treatment
Response in Great Lakes Pine Ecosystems
Suppl: Stable Isotope Analysis to Elucidate the
Physiological Basis of Silvicultural Treatment
Response in Great Lakes Pine Ecosystems
Identifying Trade-offs Between Biomass
Production and Biological Diversity in
Wisconsin's Forests and Grasslands to meet
Tomorrow's Bioenergy and Biofuel Needs
Senior Design: Various Capstone student
projects - 3 years
8/1/09
7/31/14
$449,500
8/2/05
9/30/10
$30,000
8/2/05
9/30/10
$30,000
7/1/08
8/31/10
$130,678
8/31/09
8/31/12
$1,998
10/1/08
10/1/09
9/30/09
9/30/10
$7,000
$7,000
5/15/2009
5/15/2014
$25,001
Webster, C US Dept of Agriculture
Webster, C US Dept of Agriculture
Webster, C Focus on Energy
Webster, C
Keweenaw Community
Forest
Webster, C US Dept of Agriculture
Gap Based Strategies for the Restoration of
Tree Species Diversity in Northern Forests
Vrana, K.
Isle Royale Institute Membership
US Dept of the Interior
19
ESC Member Publications
for calendar year 2009 to Sept. 2010
Note that ESC faculty members are bolded and ESC supported graduate students are
underlined.
Andrew, C. 2009. Response of Ectomycorrhizal Fungi to Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and O3 within
Northern Deciduous Forests. PhD Forest Science (Lilleskov)
Andrew, C., Lilleskov, E.A. 2009. Productivity and community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungal
sporocarps under increased atmospheric CO2 and O3. Ecology Letters. 12: 813-822.
Barrett, K., E.S. Kasischke , A.D. McGuire , M.R. Turetsky ,and E.S. Kane. (in press 2010)
Modeling fire severity in black spruce stands in the Alaskan boreal forest using spectral and
non-spectral geospatial data. Remote Sensing of Environment,
doi:10.1016/j.rse.2010.02.001.
Beyer, D.E., R.O. Peterson, J.A. Vucetich, & J.H. Hammill. 2009. Wolf Population Changes in
Michigan. Pages 65-86 In: A.P. Wydeven, T.R. Van Deelen, & E.J. Heske, E.J. (eds.)
Recovery of Gray wolves in the Great Lakes Region of the United States, An Endangered
Species Success Story. Springer Press, New York, NY.
Boisvert, E. (Graduated: 2009) MS. title: The historical development of coastal peatlands along
Lake Superior’s shoreline. Michigan Technological University.(Pypker)
Bump, J.K., K. Tischler, A. Schrank, R. Peterson, and J.A. Vucetich. 2009. Large herbivores &
aquatic-terrestrial links in southern boreal forests. Journal of Animal Ecology 78(2):338-45.
Bump, J.K., R.O. Peterson, and J.A. Vucetich, 2009. Wolves modulate soil nutrient
heterogeneity and foliar nitrogen by configuring the distribution of ungulate carcasses.
Ecology 90(11): 3159 –3167.
Bump, J.K, C.R. Webster, R.O. Peterson, J.A. Vucetich, J.M. Shields, and M.D. Powers. 2009.
Ungulate carcasses perforate ecological filters in forest herbaceous layers allowing trees a
competitive advantage. Ecosystems 12: 996-1007.
Burton, A.J., and K.S. Pregitzer. (in press). Measuring forest floor, mineral soil, and root carbon
stocks. Chap. 10 In R. Birdsey and C. Hoover (eds). Handbook of Measurements for
Landscape Scale Carbon Monitoring. Springer.
Carroll, C., J.A. Vucetich, M.P. Nelson, D.J. Rohlf, and M.K. Phillips. 2010. Geography and
Recovery under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Conservation Biology, 24(2):395-403.
Cavaleri, M.A., and L. Sack. 2010. Comparative water use of native and invasive plants at multiple
scales: a global meta-analysis. Ecology, 91(9): 2705–2715.
20
Cavaleri, M.A., S.F. Oberbauer, D.B. Clark, D.A. Clark, and M.G. Ryan. 2010. Height is more
important than light in determining leaf morphology in a tropical forest. Ecology, 91(6):
1730–1739.
Corace, R.G. III, · D.J. Flaspohler, and L.M. Shartell. 2009. Geographic patterns in openland cover
and hayfield mowing in the Upper Great Lakes region: implications for grassland bird
conservation. Landscape Ecology 24:309-317.
Derero, A., O. Gailing, and R. Finkeldey. 2010. Maintenance of genetic diversity in Cordia
africana Lam., a declining forest tree species in Ethiopia. Tree Genetics and Genomes. DOI:
10.1007/s11295-010-0267-0.
Erbilgin, N., T.R. Gordon, D.L. Wood and A.J. Storer. 2009. Bark beetle (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)mediated fungal infections of susceptible trees induce resistance to subsequent infections in
a dose dependent manner. Agricultural and Forest Entomology 11: 255-263.
Falkowski, M.J., A.T. Hudak, N. Crookston, P.E. Gessler, and A.M.S. Smith. 2010. Landscapescale parameterization of a tree-level forest growth model: a k-NN imputation approach
incorporating LiDAR data. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. Vol. 40, 184-199.
Fargione, J.E., T.R. Cooper, D.J. Flaspohler, J. Hill, C.L. Lehman, T. McCoy, S. McLeod, E.J.
Nelson, K.S. Oberhauser, and D. Tilman. 2009. Bioenergy and wildlife: Threats and
opportunities for grassland conservation. BioScience 59(9):767-778.
Finkeldey, R. Leinemann, L. and O. Gailing. 2010. Molecular genetic tools to infer the origin of
forest plants and wood. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 85:1251–1258.
Flaspohler, D., C. Giardina, G. Asner, P. Hart, J. Price, C. Ka’apu, and X. Castaneda. 2010.
Long-term effects of fragmentation and fragment properties on bird species richness in
Hawaiian forests. Biological Conservation 143:280-288.
Flaspohler, D.J., C. Webster, and R. Froese. 2009. Bioenergy, Biomass, and Biodiversity: A
review of key issues for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Chapter 7, pp. 133-162 in
Renewable energy from forest resources in the United States, B. Solomon and V. Luzadis,
eds. Routledge Publisher, N.York.
Ford, M. and D. Flaspohler. 2010. Scale-dependent response by breeding songbirds to residential
development along Lake Superior. Wilson Bulletin of Ornithology 122(2):296-306.
Gailing, O. 2010. Assessment of adaptive genetic variation in oaks with relation to the predicted
climate change, Swiss Forestry Journal 161: 216-222.
Gailing, O., B. Vornam, L. Leinemann, A.L. Curtu, and R. Finkeldey. 2010. Genetic approaches to
assess adaptive genetic variation in oaks. Forstarchiv 81:150-155.
Haskell D. 2009. Quantifying the Ecological Benefits of Lake Shore Restoration in Northern
Wisconsin. MS Applied Ecology (Flaspohler)
Haskell, D.E., D.J. Flaspohler, C.R. Webster, and M.W. Meyer (in press). Variation in soil
temperature, moisture, and plant growth with the addition of down woody material on
lakeshore restoration sites. Restoration Ecology.
21
Holmes, S. 2009. The Influence of Concurrent Disturbances on Plant Community Dynamics in
Northern Hemlock-Hardwood Forests. PhD Forest Science (Webster)
Holmes, S.A, C.R. Webster, D.J. Flaspohler, and R.E. Froese. 2009. Death and Taxus: the high
cost of palatability for a declining evergreen shrub, Taxus canadensis. Canadian Journal of
Forest Research 39:1366-1374.
Holmes, S.A, and C.R. Webster. 2010. Acer saccharum response to concurrent disturbances: the
importance of stem layering as an adaptive trait. Canadian Journal of Forest Research
40:1627-163.
Hopkins, J.M., A.M. Marcarelli and H.A. Bechtold. 2010. Ecosystem Structure and Function are
Complementary Measures of Water Quality in a Polluted, Spring-Influenced River . Water,
Air, and Soil Pollution DOI 10.1007/s11270-010-0432-y.
Janowiak, M.K., L.M. Nagel, and C.R. Webster. 2010. Minimum tree size and interpretation of
stand structure in uneven-aged northern hardwoods. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry
27 (1): 34-37.
Janowiak, M.K., and C.R. Webster. 2010. Promoting ecological sustainability in woody biomass
harvesting. Journal of Forestry 108(1):16-23. (featured on cover)
Jenkins, M.A., and C.R. Webster. 2009. Spatial patterning and population structure of a common
woodland herb, Trillium erectum, in primary and post-logging secondary forests. Forest
Ecology and Management 258:2569-2577.
Jensen, N. 2009. Ungulate Winter Habitat Selection as a Driver of Heterogeneity in Ground-Layer
Plant Communities. MS in Forest Ecology and Management. (Webster)
Kane, E.S., M.R. Turetsky, J.W. Harden, A.D. McGuire, and J.M. Waddington. 2010. Seasonal ice
and hydrologic controls on dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a
boreal rich fen, J. Geophys. Res., 115, G04012, doi:10.1029/2010JG001366.
Kane , E.S., W.C. Hockaday, M.R. Turetsky, C.A. Masiello, D.W. Valentine, B.P. Finney, and J.A.
Baldock. 2010. Topographic controls on black carbon accumulation in Alaskan black
spruce forest soils: mplications for organic matter dynamics. Biogeochemistry: 100:39–56.
DOI 10.1007/s10533-009-9403-z
Kolka, R.K., C.P. Giardina, J.D.McClure, A. Mayer, and M.F. Jurgensen. 2010. Partitioning
hydrologic contributions to an ‘old-growth’ riparian area in the Huron Mountains of Michigan,
USA. Ecohydrology. 3, 315–324.
Marcarelli, A.M., R.W. Van Kirk, and C.V. Baxter. 2010. Hydrologic effects on river metabolism:
Predicting effects of hydrologic alteration and climate change on ecosystem metabolism in a
western U.S. river. Ecological Applications. In press.
MacNulty, D.R., D.W. Smith, J.A. Vucetich, L.D. Mech, D.R. Stahler, and C. Packer. 2009.
Predatory senescence in aging wolves. Ecology Letter 12:1-10.
Marlor, K. 2009. Determining the Role of Environmental Factors and Disturbance in the Distribution
of Reed Canary Grass within Wetlands. MS in Forest Ecology and Management. (Chimner)
22
Marshall, J.M., A.J. Storer, I. Fraser, and V.C. Mastro. 2010. A predictive model for detection
of Agrilus planipennislarvae in girdled ash (Fraxinus spp.). Journal of Applied
Entomology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.2010.01525.x
Marshall, J.M., A.J. Storer, I. Fraser and V.C. Mastro. 2010. Efficacy of trap and lure types for
detection of Agrilus planipennis (Col., Buprestidae) at low density. Journal of Applied
Entomology 134: 296-302.
Marshall J.M., A.J. Storer, I. Fraser, J.A. Beachy and V.C. Mastro. 2009. Effectiveness of differing
trap types for the detection of emerald ash borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Environmental
Entomology, 38:1226-1234.
McPherson, B.A., S.R. Mori, D.L. Wood, M. Kelly, A.J. Storer, P. Svihra and R.B. Standiford. 2010.
Responses of oaks and tanoaks to the sudden oak death pathogen after 8y of monitoring in
two coastal California forests. Forest Ecology and Management 259: 2248-2255.
Metz, M. 2010. Seasonal Patterns in Foraging and Predation of Gray Wolves in Yellowstone
National Park. MS Applied Ecology. (Vucetich)
Moyano, F.E., O.K. Atkin, M. Bahn, D. Bruhn, A.J. Burton, A. Heinemeyer, W.L. Kutsch, and G.
Wieser. 2009. Respiration from roots and the mycorrhizosphere. Chap. 7, p. 127-156, In
W. Kutsch, M. Bahn and A. Heinemeyer (eds). Soil Carbon Dynamics: An Integrated
Methodololgy. Cambridge University Press, New York.
Nelson, M.P. and J.A. Vucetich. 2009. Preservation. Pages 180-184 In Encyclopedia of
Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, Edited by: J. Baird Callicott and Robert Frodeman
(Farmington Hills, MI: Macmillan).
Nelson, M.P. and J.A. Vucetich. 2009. On by Environmental Scientists, What, Whether, Why, &
How. Conservation Biology, in press. Advocacy.
Nelson, M.P. and J.A. Vucetich. 2009. On Advocacy by Environmental Scientists: What, Whether,
Why and How. Conservation Biology 23(5):1090–1101.
Page-Dumroese, D.S., M.F. Jurgensen, and T. Terry. 2010. Maintaining Soil Productivity during
Forest or Biomass-to-Energy Thinning Harvests in the Western United States. Western
Journal of Applied Forestry 25: 5-10.
Peterson, R.O., J.A. Vucetich, G. Fenton, T.D. Drummer, C.S. Larsen. 2010. The ecology of
arthritis. Ecology Letters doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01504.x.
Ping. C.L., G.J. Michaelson, E.S. Kane, E. C. Packee, C.A. Stiles, D.K. Swanson, and N.D. Zaman.
2010. Carbon Stores and Biogeochemical Properties of Soils under Black Spruce Forest,
Alaska. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 74:969–978. doi:10.2136/sssaj2009.0152
Pokharel, B and R.E. Froese. (in press) Representing site productivity in the basal area increment
model for FVS-Ontario. Forest Ecology and Management.
Powers, M.D., K.S. Pregitzer, B.J. Palik, and C.R. Webster. 2009. Water relations of pine
seedlings in contrasting overstory environments. Forest Ecology and Management
258:1442-1448.
23
Powers, M.D., C.R. Webster, K.S. Pregitzer, and B.J. Palik. 2009. Spatial dynamics of radial
growth and growth efficiency in residual Pinus resinosa following aggregated retention
harvesting. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 39:109-117.
Powers, M.D. and L.M. Nagel. 2009. Pennsylvania sedge cover, forest management, and deer
density influence tree regeneration dynamics in a northern hardwood forest. Forestry
82(3):241-254.
Powers, M.D, B. J. Palik, J.B. Bradford, S. Fraver, and C.R. Webster. 2010. Thinning method and
intensity influence long-term mortality trends in a red pine forest: implications for climate
change mitigation. Forest Ecology and Management 260:1138-1148.
Powers, M.D., K.S. Pregitzer, B.J. Palik, and C.R. Webster. 2010. Wood δ13C, δ18O and radial
growth responses of residual red pine to variable retention harvesting. Tree Physiology
30:326-334.
Pregitzer, K.S., D.R. Zak, A.F. Talhelm, A.J. Burton, and J.R. Eikenberry. (in press) Nitrogen
turnover in the leaf litter and fine roots of sugar maple. Ecology
Räikkönen, J., J.A. Vucetich, R.O. Peterson, M.P. Nelson. 2009. Congenital bone deformities and
the inbred wolves (Canis lupus) of Isle Royale. Biological Conservation 142(5): 1027-1033.
Richter, D.L., L.C. Kangas, J.K. Smith, and P.E. Laks. 2010. Comparison of effectiveness of
wood decay fungi maintained by annual subculture on agar and stored in sterile water for 18
years. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 56: 268–271.
Robinson, S.C., Laks, P.E. 2010. Culture age and wood species affect zone line production of
Xylaria polymorpha. The Open Mycology Journal 4:18-21.
Robinson, S.C., Laks, P.E. 2010. The Effects of Sub-threshold Loadings of Tebuconazole, DDAC
and Boric Acid on Wood Decay by Postia placenta. Holzforschung 64(4):537-543.
Robinson, S.C., Laks, P.E. 2010. Wood species affects colonization rates of Chlorociboria sp.
International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation 64:305-308.
Schwartz, M.K., and J.A. Vucetich. 2009. Molecules and beyond: assessing the distinctness of the
Great Lakes wolf. Molecular Ecology 18:2307-9.
Shartell, L.M., L.M. Nagel and A.J. Storer. In Press. Multi-criteria risk model for garlic mustard
(Alliaria petiolata) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. American Midland Naturalist (forthcoming,
January 2011)
Sertse, D. Gailing, O., Eliades N.G. and R. Finkeldey. In press. Anthropogenic and natural causes
influencing population genetic structure of Juniperus procera Hochst. ex Endl. in the
Ethiopian highlands. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution.
Smith, A.M.S., M.J. Falkowski, A.T., Hudak, J.S., Evans, and A.P. Robinson. 2010. A crosscomparison of field, spectral, and lidar estimates of forest canopy cover. Canadian Journal
of Remote Sensing, Vol. 36, 447-459.
Stehn, S. 2009. Influence of Exogenous Disturbance on Bryophyte Community Assemblage and
Tree Regeneration Dynamics in Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forests. MS Forest
Ecology & Management (Webster)
24
Stehn, S.E., C.R. Webster, J.M. Glime, and M.A. Jenkins. (in press) Elevational gradients of
bryophyte diversity, life forms, and community assemblage in the southern Appalachians.
Canadian Journal of Forest Research.
Stehn, S.E., C.R. Webster, J.M. Glime, and M.A. Jenkins. 2010. Ground-layer bryophyte
communities of post-adelgid Picea-Abies forests. Southeastern Naturalist 9:435-452.
Thiemann, J.A., C.R. Webster, M.A. Jenkins, P.M. Hurley, J.H. Rock, and P.S. White. 2009.
Herbaceous-layer impoverishment in a post agricultural southern Appalachian landscape.
American Midland Naturalist. 162:155-175.
van Verseveld, W.J., E.S. Kane, D.J. Sobota, I.H. Myers-Smith and J.B. Fellman. 2010. Reply to
comment on ‘Kane et al. 2008. Precipitation control over inorganic nitrogen import-export
budgets across watersheds: a synthesis of long-term ecological research. Ecohydrology 1:
105–117. Ecohydrology DOI: 10.1002/eco.107
Vornam, B., O. Gailing, and R. Finkeldey. 2010. Naturally occurring nucleotide diversity of
candidate genes related to bud burst in sessile oak (Quercus petraea). Forstarchiv 81:146149.
Vucetich, J.A., and M.P. Nelson. 2010. Sustainability: virtuous or vulgar? Bioscience 60(7):539544.
Vucetich, J.A., M.P. Nelson, J. Räikkönen, and R.O. Peterson. 2009. The Logic of Persistence.
Biological Conservation 143(3):533-534.
Vucetich, J. A. and R.O. Peterson. 2009. Dynamics of wolf & moose on Isle Royale. Pages 3548 in: Wydeven, A.P., Van Deelen, T. R., & Heske, E.J. (eds.) Recovery of Gray wolves in
the Great Lakes Region of the United States, An Endangered Species Success Story.
Springer Press, New York, NY.
Vucetich, J. A., P.M. Outridge, R.O. Peterson, R. Eide, & R. Isrennd. 2009. Mercury, lead and
lead isotope ratios in the teeth of moose (Alces alces) from Isle Royale, U.S. Upper
Midwest, from 1952 to 2002. J. Environ. Monit., 2009, 11(7):1352–1359.
Webster, C.R., D.J. Flaspohler, R.D. Jackson, T. Meehan, C. Gratton. 2010. Diversity,
productivity and landscape-level effects of grasslands managed for biomass production.
Biofuels 1(3):251-461.(invited)
Witt, J. C., and C.R. Webster. 2010. Regeneration dynamics in remnant Tsuga canadensis stands
in the northern Lake States: potential direct and indirect effects of herbivory. Forest Ecology
and Management 269:519-525.
25
Distinguished Ecologist Lecture Series – Fall 2009
Below are the Distinguished Ecologists who visited the MTU campus during Fall Semester
of 2009 as part of a 1-credit course to provide graduate and advanced undergraduate
students with a unique opportunity to meet with some of the world’s leading ecologists and
to discuss their research. The course includes readings and critical evaluations of primary
literature, and pre- and post-visit meetings to review the research of the distinguished
ecologist and discuss how their work has impacted the field of ecology. The instructors for
the 2009 semester were ESC members Chris Webster, Linda Nagel and Chris Swanston.
Dr. Susan L. Stout
USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station
A Road Less Taken: Surprises from Long-term Research
October 2009
Dr. David Mladenoff
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Forest Ecology and
Management
The Value of Historical Data for Ecological Questions of the Present and
Future.
October 2009
Dr. Knute Nadelhoffer
University of Michigan, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Decadal-scale 15N Tracer Recoveries Constrain Nitrogen Deposition as a
Driver of Forest Carbon Sequestration
November 2009
26
ESC
Sponsored
Graduate
Student
Travel Grants
2009-2010
Rosa Flores, PhD.
Student awarded ESC
travel grant to attend the
American Geophysical
Union meeting in San
Fransisco
Student
Nan Davis
Advisor
Froese
To Attend:
SmallWood Conference
Christopher
Johnson
Carley
Kratz
Anthony
Landon
Mathew
Metz
Lindsey
Shartell
Rosa Flores
Pypker
Burton
Research Immersion Experience –
Course takes place for 2 weeks
Pyrosequencing Protocol Training
Froese
SmallWood Conference
Vucetich
Perlinger
The Wildlife Society 16th Annual
Meeting
Entomological Society Annual
Meeting
Amer. Geophysical Union
Drew
Ballantyne
Anna Hess
Chimner
Society of Wetland Scientists
Falkowski
Kevyn
Juneau
Andrew
Kozich
Jennifer
Lind
Karl
Makinen
Total
Tarasoff
WI DNT Karner Blue Recovery
Project research coordination mtg..
Midwest Ecology and Evolution
Conference
International Symposium on Society
and Resource Management
American Society of Plant
Biologists Annual Meeting
International Symposium on Society
and Resource Management
Storer
Halvorsen
Gailing
Halvorsen
Location, date
Hot Springs, Arkansas,
April 20-22, 2010
King George Island,
Antarctica, Jan 2010
Univ. of CA, Berkely,
Dec. 2010
Hot Springs, Arkansas,
April 20-22, 2010
Monterey CA
Sept. 20-24th, 2009
Indianapolis, IN
Dec 13-16th
San Fransisco, Dec 1418
Salt Lake City, Utah,
June 27-July 2, 2010
Madison, WI March
24-25 2010
Iowa State Univ.,
March 26-28, 2010
Corpus Christ, TX June
6-10, 2010
Montreal, Quebec, July
31-Aug 4th, 2010
Corpus Christ, TX June
6-10, 2010
Amt
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$500
$432
$500
$500
$500
$500
Purpose
Present
poster
Attend
course
To acquire
training
present
poster
Poster
presented
Poster
accepted
Poster
accepted
Talk
submitted
Discuss
collaborat.
Talk
accepted
Talk
accepted
Present
poster
Talk
accepted
$6,432
27
ESC sponsored Graduate Student Research Grants
2009-2010
Applicant
Arvo
Aljaste
Drew
Ballantyne
Marcella
Campione
Emmanuel
Ebanyale
Meagan
Harless
Meral
Jackson
Mickey
Jarvi
Christopher
Johnson
Kevyn
Juneau
James
Klapperich
Mark
Romanski
Bryan
Murray
Margus
Paesalu
Amber
Roth
Kassidy
Yatso
Daniel
Yeboah
Total
Advisor
Chimner
Chimner
Nagel
Burton/
Storer
HuckinsBiol.Sci
Doskey
Burton
Chimner
Tarasoff
Storer
Vucetich
Webster
Pypker
Flaspohler
Tarasoff
Storer
Study
Effect of warming on growth response of
peatland vegetation
The effects of long-term water table
manipulations on peatland methane
production
Herbaceous community shifts: What affect will
it have on habitat classification systems?
Effects of carbon dioxide and ozone on the
anatomical properties of coppice shoots of
four aspen clones.
Small scale water chemistry changes in
roadside pools: consequences for amphibian
survival and demography
Plant-and Soil-Emissions of Reduced
Nitrogen Species as Precursors of ClimateForcing Aerosols
Respiration and temperature acclimation of
woody tree roots in a northern peatland
Canopy Temperature Responses to Open
Top Chamber and Infrared Lamp Warming
Viability and vigor of Phragmites australis
rhizome fragments
Can growth ring analysis distinguish beech
bark disease resistant beech trees from
susceptible trees?
Completing data acquisition for the long-term
population monitoring of beaver on Isle
Royale
White-tailed deer density affects the spatial
heterogeneity of plant-available nitrogen ions
Tracing the source of water for three different
coastal peatlands along Lake Superior
Golden-winged warbler dispersal and genetic
introgression with Blue-winged warblers in the
MW
Effects of Increasing weed competition on
switchgrass biomass allocation
Carbon sequestration by village based
forestry in Ghana
Items
Supplies for Licor 6400,
travel to field site
Isotope analysis of CH4
and Deuterium, vials for
gas collection
Field supplies, travel to
field sites across the UP.
Chemicals and microscope
slides for samples, travel
to field sites
Dionex autosampler vials,
waders, motor pool
vehicle, student labor
Sample processing,
consumables, mist
chambers and tubing
Field supplies, gas
sampling supplies, travel
3 Apogee SI111Radiometers
Greenhouse supplies,
travel to field site
Increment borers, travel,
field assistants,
consumables
Supplies and services to
Nat Park Service, travel
2,222 ion exchange resin
strips
126 O18 isotope samples
Travel to various WI field
sites, field crew
Greenhouse supplies,
tissue analysis travel to
field site
Lab analysis of carbon for
126 samples, field
assistants, diameter tape
Granted
$500
$1000
$750
$1000
$750
$500
$1000
$750
$636
$1000
$964
$1000
$1000
$500
$900
$750
$12,100
The ESC increased the Graduate Research Minigrants to $1000 for full funding. Fall
applicants that were not funded could reapply spring term. Partial funding was granted
spring term based on quality of the application. The grant review panel this year included
Molly Cavaleri, Mike Falkowski, Robert Froese, Jill Fisher, Evan Kane, and Catherine
Tarasoff.
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Photo showing recently graduated Master’s student Matt Metz downloading data
from GPS-collared wolves to examine summer predation patterns of wolves to
compare to winter patterns in collaboration with the Yellowstone Wolf Project.
ESC sponsored
Undergraduate Student Research Grants
2009-2010
Student
Advisor
Title of Research Project:
Items
Amount
Kayla Griffiths
Tarasoff
Invasion of Phragmites australis from
wetland to upland sites
$750
Karl
Romanowicz
Lilleskov
13
90 isotope samples,
chemicals,
greenhouse supplies
1 L bottle of labeled
CO2, testing of 24
samples
Auriel Van
DerLaars
Flaspohler
Total
CO+ Pulse Labeling of photosynthates
to quantify the effects of plant functional
groups and water level on root-derived
methane in poor fen mesocosms
Assessing the relationship between eye
spotting and age/breeding location of
Golden Winged Warblers
Digital camera,
student labor
$750
$500
$2000
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ESC sponsored
Graduate Training Grants
2009-2010
Student
Advisor
Amber Roth
Flaspohler
Chris Johnson
Chimner
Carley Kratz
Lilleskov/
Burton
Jianqiu Zheng
Doskey
Mike Hyslop
Storer
Sinan Abood
Maclean
Total
Title of Training Program
OTS graduate specialty course: Ecology of
Plant-Animal Interactions in the Tropics
Antarctic Research Immersion at
Bellingshauser King George Island,
Antarctica
Microbial Metagenetics at the MSU Kellogg
Biological Station, MI
Spring Institute in Isotope Biogeochemistry at
MSU, East Lansing
20th Annual N. American Dendroecological
Field Week, White Mt. Research Station, CA
Introduction to programming ArcObjects
using the Microsoft.NET, St. Paul MN
Match
Personal funds
$2,295 personal
$500 ESC travel
grant
$600 personal
$600 advisor
Personal and
advisor funds
$850 in project
funds
Reduced course
tuition
ESC
Amount
$2,500
$2,000
$1,167
$1,500
$1,326
$1,857
$10,350
The ESC initiated the new Graduate Training Grant program in the fall of 2009. The
program’s goal is to enable graduate students to travel for educational enhancement via
participation in formal short courses or informal lab exchanges for training at other
institutions. While Michigan Tech students receive excellent training in many subjects, not
all cutting-edge ecological research methods are taught here. This new program provides
for training opportunities that can be a major enhancement of their graduate education.
30
6th Annual ESC/BRC
Graduate Research Forum – March 27, 2010
A record 43 posters were
submitted to this year’s Graduate
Research Forum from the
departments of Biological
Sciences, BioMed Engineering,
Civil and Eniron. Eng., Chem.
Engineering, Physics, SFRES,
Social Science, and the USFS.
Judges this year included Joe
Bump, Rod Chimner, Paul
Doskey, Evan Kane Tom Pypker,
and Chris Webster. The ESC
judges ranked posters based the
following three categories:
appearance, content, and the
oral presentation.
.
2010 ESC awards:
Grand Prize Winner
Meagan L. Harless (Biological Sciences) for "Effects of Road Salt (NaCl Pollution on the Survival
and Growth of Larval Wood Frogs (Lithobates sylvatica)"; Advisor: Casey Huckins.
Merit Awards
Rita Koch (SFRES) for "Insect and Disease Response to Prescribed Burning and Wildfire in Pine
Forests in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan"; Advisors: Linda Nagel and Andrew Storer.
Mickey Jarvi (SFRES) for "Temperature acclimation of fine roots to soil warming in a sugar
maple dominated northern hardwood forest"; Advisor: Andrew Burton.
Kayla Griffith (SFRES) for "H2O18 as an Analyzer of Phragmites australis Invasion from Wet to
Dry Sites"; Advisor: Catherine Tarasoff.
Honorable Mention Awards
Emmanuel Ebanyenle (SFRES) for "Impact of Shoot Borer (Hypsipyla robusta) on the Wood
Anatomical Properties of Plantation Grown African Mahogany Species (Khaya ivorensis A.
Chev)”; Advisors: Andrew Burton and Andrew Storer.
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Global Change Teacher Institute July 19-23, 2010
Once again, many ESC members collaborated with the Western U.P. Center for Science,
Mathematics & Environmental Education to host the Global Climate Teacher institute In July
of 2010. Twelve middle and high school teachers participated in the intensive five-day
institute to study real-world current effects of global change factors.
2010 Instructors: The Institute was taught by ESC members Dr. Andrew Burton, Maria
Janowiak from Michigan Tech’s Northern Institute of Applied Carbon Science, Dr. Erik
Lilleskov, from the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, and Joan Chadde, K-12
Education & Outreach Program Coordinator, Western U.P Center for Science, Mathematics &
Environmental Education.
Participants in the field at the
Free Air Carbon dioxide
Enrichment site in
Rhinelander.
Visiting the Michigan
Gradient sites to observe the
effects of added chronic N
deposition to maple forests.
32
AERC Sept 2009
The Ecosystem Science Center remains a member alongside the 39 other reputable institutions in the
Association of Ecosystem Research Centers (http://www.ecosystemresearch.org/).
Molly Cavaleri represented the ESC and attended the annual meeting held in Washington, D.C. in
September of 2009. The subject of last year’s symposium was Sustainability of Urban Ecosystems
Under Changing Climates . The symposia speakers were as follows:
Donald F. Boesch (Center for Environmental Science, College Park, MD): “What is the future of
New Orleans?”
Peter M. Groffman (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY): “The bio-geo-sociochemistry of urban watersheds ”
Allen P. Davis (Maryland Water Resources Research Center, College Park, MD): “Impacts of
climate change on urban infrastructure"
Nancy B. Grimm (Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ): "Global change in the urban century"
Caroline M. Hermans (Cross-Roads Initiative, City College of New York, New York, NY): “Water
use and scarcity in arid urban environments: finding long-term sustainability in southern California”
Douglas Farr (Farr Associates, Chicago, IL): “Beyond green buildings: sustainable urbanism and
the LEED Neighborhood Design Program ”
33
USFS NASP Class – Spring 2010
Ecological Systems, NASP4 (National Advanced Silviculture Program) Participants –
May 9-21, 2010
Each course in the National Advanced Silviculture Program (NASP) consists of a variety of topics
taught by experts in their respective fields to prepare silviculturists to design prescriptions that meet
the Minimum National Standards for Silviculture Certification
.
Ecological Systems (Module One) – May 9-21, 2010
Course objectives are to educate practitioners in forest ecosystems, providing the basis for
formulating ecologically defensible silvicultural prescriptions and assessing the impact of forest
management on forest ecosystems. Coursework covers:




Forestry ecology
 Silvics of forest trees
Geology, landforms, and soils
 Genetics
Hydrology and watersheds
 Fire ecology and fire behavior
Tree physiology
Topics are covered at a variety of spatial scales (site, stand, forest, landscape, etc.), and examples
are demonstrated in the field throughout the course. ESC members who instructed this module were:
Andrew Burton, Mike Falkowski, David Flaspohler, Mike Hyslop, Maria Janowiak, Linda Nagel, Tom
Pypker, Andrew Storer, Chris Swanston, and Chris Webster.
Local Lake States Silviculture – June 6-18, 2010
Course objectives are to provide students with the local technical information necessary to evaluate
current forest ecosystem conditions and to perform analyses for silvicultural prescription development
using an integrated approach. The importance of technical writing, public speaking, prescription
implementation, and monitoring are also emphasized to assure that prescription objectives are
explained, documented, and achieved.
ESC members who instructed this module were: Andrew Burton, Maria Janowiak, Marty Jurgensen,
Linda Nagel, Matt Powers, Tom Pypker, Kristen Schmitt and Andrew Storer
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Purchase of an ICP-OES and Microwave Digester
REF Infrastructure Enhancement Grant
In 2010, the ESC applied for Michigan Tech REF Infrastructure Enhancement funds to help
purchase an inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and
microwave digester for quantifying multiple elements in soil, water and plant tissue.
Instruments in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (SFRES) have
long provided the Michigan Tech community with elemental analysis for C and N, but the need
to assess other elements in soil, plant tissue and water has grown significantly in recent years.
For example, in order to sustainably manage forests and marginal agricultural lands for
bioenergy and biofuel crops, it is necessary to understand the nutrient (Ca, Mg, K, P, S)
content of the biomass removed relative to existing soil nutrient reserves. Ongoing bioenergy
research projects and several new efforts, including the proposed NSF Wood to Wheels
Engineering Research Center, will benefit from having the appropriate analytical capabilities
on campus. Numerous other existing and proposed ecological and environmental research
projects would also benefit from the ability to analyze multiple elements in soil, water and plant
tissue. These include: monitoring of metals in aquatic systems draining proposed sulfide
mining operations; studies of nutrient release associated with climate-induced changes in
water table height and soil acidity in wetlands; examination of the environmental fate of B, Cu
and Zn in wood preservatives; and long-term studies of acidic deposition effects on forest soil
nutrient status and trace metal solubility. The instruments will reduce elemental analytical
costs for Michigan Tech personnel who currently send samples to service laboratories,
lowering costs charged to our sponsors and enabling researchers to employ experimental
designs with more intensive sampling. The equipment will be used extensively for graduate
research, and its use will be incorporated into several graduate courses.
Michigan Tech REF funds will provide $34,000 towards the purchase, with the remainder
coming from ESC funds ($30,000) and ESC member IRAD funds ($24,000). All ESC
equipment is available not only to members but to the entire campus community through
analytical use charges. We are currently preparing the Forest Ecology Analytical Laboratory
to receive the instrument, and anticipate it will be installed and operating early in 2011.
35
ESC International Exchange Initiative
Oliver Gailing (SFRES) was awarded $3,900 for the ESC’s International Exchange Initiative
to implement his project titled “International research collaboration in ecological genomics of
forest ecosystem between Göttingen University and Michigan Tech”. His project seeks to
initiate an international exchange and research program between Europe, the forestry
department at the University of Göttingen (Germany), the INRA Institute of Biodiversity, Genes
and Communities (BIOGECO, Pierroton, France), and the School of Forest Resources and
Environmental Science at Michigan Tech. The goal is to jointly develop and share a broad
knowledge base and expertise in the emerging field of forest ecological genomics by writing a
summary paper about the plant and genomic resources that are available in model species
oaks and poplar for developing such a transatlantic research program in ecological genomics
of forests. The grant brought in three researchers to Michigan Tech where they worked with
Dr. Gailing on a paper to be submitted to in an internally recognized Forest Genomics Journal
(e.g. Tree Genetics and Genomes). This summary information is also serving as the basis for
a proposal studying the genetic response and adaptation of forest tree populations to climate
change. The group will submit proposals simultaneously to the German Science Foundation
and to the National Science Foundation.
36