2009 LTER All Scientists Meeting - HFR

Regional, Historical, and Environmental Variation in A. petiolata occurrence in Western Massachusetts

Kristina Stinson — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:50:35 +0000

Poster Number:

386

Presenter/Primary Author:

Kristina Stinson

Co-Authors:

Dunbar Carpenter

Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) is an herbaceous biennial herb that has been present in the New England landscape for over a century. We investigated the ecological and historical factors affecting A. petiolata's invasion pattern across the New England landscape, including forest community structure, geophysical attributes, and habitat fragmentation. One-hundred-and-seventy-five 25× 100 m roadside, forested plots across two ecoregions were visited in the summers of 2006 and 2007. A. petiolata presence and cover, dominant canopy species, slope, and soil moisture were recorded.

Soil Organic Matter Responses to Chronic Nitrogen Additions at the Harvard Forest

Richard Bowden — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:06:01 +0000

Poster Number:

382

Presenter/Primary Author:

Richard Bowden

Co-Authors:

Serita D. Frey

Co-Authors:

Scott Ollinger

Co-Authors:

Rich Maclean

Co-Authors:

Michelle Day

Co-Authors:

Knute Nadelhoffer

Co-Authors:

Jim LeMoine

Co-Authors:

Adrien Finzi

Co-Authors:

Edward Brzostek

Co-Authors:

Christy Goodale

Co-Authors:

April Melvin

Co-Authors:

Marissa Weiss

The Chronic Nitrogen Addition Experiment at the Harvard Forest was initiated in 1988 to better understand the process of forest N saturation due to anthropogenic N deposition. Presently, there is great interest in understanding and quantifying impacts of deliberate (forest fertilization) or inadvertent (atmospheric deposition) additions of nitrogen on forest growth as a means to enhance forest uptake of atmospheric C and subsequent storage within biomass and soil.

Biomass energy and a changing forest landscape: Simulating the effects of intensified timber harvest for biomass energy

Jonathan Thompson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:05:09 +0000

Poster Number:

294

Presenter/Primary Author:

Jonathan Thompson

Co-Authors:

Dunbar Carpenter

Co-Authors:

David B. Kittredge

Co-Authors:

David R. Foster

Climate change, residential development, and timber harvesting are likely to be the primary disturbance agents affecting the forests of Massachusetts in the coming decades. One source of uncertainty is the potential rise of a forest biomass energy industry and the ensuing increases in harvesting to meet demand for feedstock. Under Massachusetts’ Renewable Portfolio Standard, potential future demand for biomass electricity could be around 165 MW, which would require up to 2 million Mg of woody biomass annually.

Soil Warming and Nitrogen Deposition in a Northeastern Forest

Sydne Record — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:44:14 +0000

Poster Number:

290

Presenter/Primary Author:

Sydne Record

Co-Authors:

Serita D. Frey

Co-Authors:

Alexandra R. Contosta

Co-Authors:

Aaron M. Ellison

Ecosystems worldwide are faced with climate change. In the northeastern United States, climate change is coupled with nitrogen deposition from air pollution. The objective of this study is to determine how soil warming and nitrogen deposition influence species richness, diversity, and abundance of vegetation in a northeastern forest. Our study site is the chronic Soil Warming and Nitrogen Fertilization experiment at the Harvard Forest Long Term Ecological Research site.

Student Poster:

Yes

The role of tree species and mycorrhizal fungi on seasonal patterns of amino acid cycling in temperate forest soils

Edward Brzostek — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:35:57 +0000

Poster Number:

273

Presenter/Primary Author:

Edward Brzostek

Co-Authors:

Adrien C. Finzi

Relatively little attention has been given to the processes that control the production and subsequent availability of amino acids in temperate forest soils. We examined how differences in soil organic matter chemistry and mycorrhizal association between temperate forest tree species of the Northeastern US lead to variation in amino acid cycling. We measured amino acid cycling throughout the growing season in soils from single tree species plots located in both the Harvard Forest, MA and the Pisgah State Forest, NH.

Student Poster:

Yes

Local Scale Carbon Budgets and Mitigation Opportunities for the Northeastern United States

Steve Raciti — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:08:20 +0000

Poster Number:

269

Presenter/Primary Author:

Steve Raciti

Co-Authors:

Timothy Fahey

Co-Authors:

Charles Driscoll

Co-Authors:

David Foster

Co-Authors:

Christine Goodale

Co-Authors:

Brian Hall

Co-Authors:

Jennifer Jenkins

Co-Authors:

Julian Jenkins

Co-Authors:

Steven Hamburg

Co-Authors:

Richard McHorney

Co-Authors:

Christopher Neill

Co-Authors:

Scott Ollinger

Co-Authors:

Erin Quigley

Co-Authors:

Ruth Sherman

Co-Authors:

R. Quinn Thomas

Co-Authors:

David Weinstein

Co-Authors:

Peter Woodbury

Co-Authors:

William Yandik

With recent shifts in public attitudes across the United States concerning the problem of global climate change, momentum is building for aggressive action to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, the ongoing economic recession presents challenges for financing an aggressive climate change abatement campaign; hence, it is imperative that cost-effective strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions be identified and pursued. To accomplish this, policy instruments will need to be tailored to a complex range of local and regional conditions.

Student Poster:

Yes

The Harvard Forest LTER

Audrey Barker Plotkin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:45:57 +0000

Poster Number:

257

Presenter/Primary Author:

Audrey Barker Plotkin

Co-Authors:

David Foster

The temperate forests of eastern North America support high biodiversity and critical ecosystem functions while providing natural resources and cultural benefits to an expanding human population. The region is shaped by a legacy of landscape change: major shifts in climate, vegetation and disturbance at millennial time scales; extensive deforestation for agriculture in the 17th – 19th centuries; and abandonment of farmlands, natural reforestation and increasing urbanization through the mid-21st century.

Seasonal Variation in Microbial Community Composition and Function in Chronically Warmed and Fertilized Soils

Alix Contosta — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:01:03 +0000

Poster Number:

249

Presenter/Primary Author:

Alix Contosta

Co-Authors:

Serita D. Frey

Co-Authors:

Melissa A. Knorr

The objective of this work was to compare estimates of microbial and biogeochemical processes obtained from year round versus field season only data. We also aimed to capture the response of soils to simultaneous warming and nitrogen fertilization in both winter and summer months. Our research took place at the chronic Soil Warming and Nitrogen Fertilization experiment at the Harvard Forest Long Term Ecological Research site. The experiment includes four treatments in a completely randomized design: control, +heat, +N, and +heat +N.

Student Poster:

Yes

It's the network: How personal relationships shape decisions about private forests

David Kittredge — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:31:34 +0000

Poster Number:

202

Presenter/Primary Author:

David Kittredge

Co-Authors:

Mark G. Rickenbach. University of Wisconsin

Co-Authors:

Angelica Erazo. University of Puerto Rico

Co-Authors:

Emma Snellings. Gettysburg College

Co-Authors:

Tricia Knoot. University of Wisconsin

In many parts of the United States, roughly 40% of forest is in non-industrial, private ownership, and in much of the eastern US, as much as 75% of all forest is in this category. Nationally, surveys and participation rates suggest most owners do not participate in traditional management or technical assistance programs, nor do they obtain professional advice prior to a management decision such as the sale of timber.

The effect of soil warming on the decomposition of woody debris

minda berbeco — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:48:45 +0000

Poster Number:

Presenter/Primary Author:

minda berbeco

Co-Authors:

Colin Orians

Co-Authors:

Jerry Melillo

Woody debris is a recalcitrant carbon pool, storing carbon in complex molecules for extended periods of time. It has been shown that temperature and moisture are major drivers in decomposition from this pool. Additionally, under certain circumstances, both species and size can influence decomposition. It is not known, however, how the woody debris carbon pool in the moist, temperate forests of New England will respond to climate change, specifically soil warming.

Student Poster:

Yes