Treesearch

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized the field of genetics by providing a means for fast and relatively affordable sequencing. With the advancement of NGS, wholegenome sequencing (WGS) has become more commonplace. However, sequencing an entire genome is still not cost effective or even beneficial in all cases. In studies that do not require a whole-genome survey, WGS yields lower sequencing depth and sequencing of uninformative loci. Targeted sequencing utilizes the speed and low cost of NGS while providing deeper coverage for desired loci. This thesis applies targeted...

Fungi in the genus Armillaria are associated with an important disease of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs in western North America. This study examined the distribution of Armillaria by forest habitat types on the Kaibab National Forest and northern Coconino National Forest, Arizona. Over 400 trees were examined for Armillaria in 76 Interior West Forest Inventory and Analysis permanent plots representing 17 different habitat types. Samples of the fungus associated with Armillaria root disease were collected from 23 trees and identified using DNA sequencing. All samples were...

With global focus on the conversion of biomass into products, fuels, and energy, there is a strong need for information that will lead to new sustainable products, applications, and biotechnological advances. The omics approach to biology is a discovery-driven method that may deliver solutions to these overarching problems. It gives scientists the ability to obtain a systems-level understanding of life that begins with identifying the genome or genes in an organism. The pivotal technology that enabled this revolutionary approach is next generation DNA sequencing. New fields bring new...

We reviewed the effects of prescribed fire on wildlife in the southern Appalachian Mountains and placed our results in the context of regional, national, and global studies.We conducted a Web search of peer-reviewed literature and technical reports to evaluate the number of prescribed fire studies pertaining to geographical regions and taxonomic groups. We obtained 717 relevant, unique studies, the majority of which were from North America (n=513). The most studied taxonomic group globally was birds (n=244).Within the United States, most studies occured in the Southeast region (n=179),...

The acreage of land burned annually in the Appalachian region has increased steadily over the last thirty years, with the rate of increase nearly doubling in recent years (Lafon and others 2005). Projected increases in fire activity in the southeast due to climate change strongly suggest the area of recently burned land in the southern Appalachian Mountains is likely to continue increasing (Bachelet and others 2001).

At the Appalachian site of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study, prescribed burning was repeated three times and chainsaw felling of shrubs was done twice between 2002 and 2012. Goals were to reduce fuel loading and to promote restoration of an open woodland community. Chainsaw felling created a vertical fuel break, but the effect was temporary, and no restoration goals for other vegetation were achieved. Prescribed burning opened the canopy only slightly and supported graminoids and oak regeneration for a short time after each burn. The combination of mechanical and burning treatment...

A key function of forest inventory is to detect changes in the area of forest land over time, yet different definitions of forest land are used in different regions of the world. Changes in the definition of forest intended to improve international consistency can affect the ability to quantify true changes over time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a definitional change from relative stocking to canopy cover on the area classified as forest land and its relationship to species and forest density in California, Oregon, and Washington. Both western Juniper and...

Rural residential development in forests of Oregon and Washington continues to be a key driver of land use change. This type of development can have a variety of effects on the goods and services forests provide to the region. We used structure density from photo-interpreted points around forest inventory and analysis plots to examine differences in forest attributes with respect to varying development metrics. Our results demonstrate that forest ownership (public vs. private), structure density, and proximity of development are critical factors in explaining variation in forest attributes....

Sanjiang Plain is the largest concentrated area of freshwater wetlands in China, however nearly 80% of these freshwater wetlands were drained or reclaimed in the past 50 years. It is important to know whether wetlands reclamation would affect soil invertebrates, especially the winter-active invertebrates. During November 2011 to April 2012, we used pitfall traps and in-field direct observation methods to study the activity of collembolans in wetland, and a reclaimed forest plantation and soybean field. In total,3465 collembolans were captured and identified to 8 species from 6 families....