Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Adam C. Edge, Jacalyn P. Rosenberger, Charlie H. Killmaster, Kristina L. Johannsen, David A. Osborn, Karl V. Miller, Gino J. D'Angelo
Summary: White-tailed deer populations in the southeastern United States have been declining due to reduced fawn recruitment caused by the establishment of coyotes. A study conducted in the Southern Appalachians revealed an average annual decline of 4.0% in the observed population. Antlerless harvest restrictions and improved fawn survival are necessary for population recovery in the region.
Article
Forestry
Michelle E. Baldwin, Jonathan M. Stober, Andrew J. Edelman
Summary: Snags, or standing dead trees, are important for forest ecosystems, as many animals, including endangered species, rely on them for various purposes. Changes in climate, habitat loss, and disturbance regimes affect the availability and characteristics of snags in forests. Therefore, understanding the processes that promote snags suitable for wildlife is crucial for conservation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Shawn P. Brown, Stacy L. Clark, Emerald Ford, Nahreen Mirza, Amerah Odeh, Scott E. Schlarbaum, Ari Jumpponen, Richard Baird
Summary: Forests in the Southern Appalachian Mountains were historically dominated by hardwood species, but due to stressors like pathogens, populations of Fagaceae species have greatly declined, leading to reforestation efforts. This study found that the soil fungal communities associated with different Fagaceae species changed similarly after three years of growth, suggesting that these species may have similar impacts on soils and share similar communities. The findings suggest that planting disease-resistant American chestnut alongside white oak trees could enhance the survival and growth of both species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Matthew C. Vaughan, Donald L. Hagan, William C. Bridges, Kyle Barrett, Steve Norman, T. Adam Coates, Rob Klein
Summary: The study found that extending the use of prescribed fire into the early growing season in southern Appalachian forests can effectively reduce shrub density in the midstory and decrease red maple tree density, thereby promoting forest restoration objectives.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jordan R. Stark, Jason D. Fridley
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of low-cost custom sensors to create a large monitoring network of soil moisture content across Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The study found that elevation was the strongest factor associated with soil moisture, and slope angle played a significant mediating role. The results indicate that establishing extensive soil moisture monitoring networks is practical and important.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Shawn P. Brown, Maryam Shahrtash, Avery E. Tucker, Jennifer Knoepp, C. Elizabeth Stokes, Richard Baird
Summary: This study conducted multi-year interseasonal investigations on fungal sporocarps in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States, revealing a temporal disconnect between saprobic and ectomycorrhizal taxa, as well as increased community variability across the growing season. Additionally, the occurrences of individual taxa in different seasons were examined, along with co-occurrence patterns between taxa and guilds.
Article
Forestry
Matthew J. Reilly, Steven P. Norman, Joseph J. O'Brien, E. Louise Loudermilk
Summary: In 2016, there was a regional outbreak of large wildfires in the southern Appalachian Mountains. These fires were larger and more widespread than previous wildfires in the past three decades. The increase in fire activity can be attributed to land-use changes, loss of native species, and fire exclusion. These wildfires have significant ecological and management implications for the region.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Albert E. Mayfield III, Robert M. Jetton, Bryan T. Mudder, William A. Whittier, Tara L. Keyser, James R. Rhea
Summary: This study found differences in HWA densities on hemlocks between winter and summer, likely due to HWA hibernation and activity. The study also found that factors such as tree competition index, HWA density, and tree characteristics were related to changes in hemlock crown transparency.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zackary J. Delisle, Robert K. Swihart, Brandon M. Quinby, Richard D. Sample, Kevin J. Kinser-Mcbee, Emily K. Tauber, Elizabeth A. Flaherty
Summary: Effective wildlife management relies on accurate estimates of animal density, and this study compared three methods for estimating the persistence time of white-tailed deer dung piles. The results showed that differences between observers and the use of the conventional leaf-off method may affect density estimates. The study suggests incorporating interobserver variation and adopting alternative modeling approaches for density estimation.
WILDLIFE SOCIETY BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Roberto Carrera-Martinez, Daniel Jones, Sean D. Schoville, Bruce A. Snyder, Mac A. Callaham
Summary: Two new species of Bimastos Moore are described in this study, adding to the total number of Bimastos species to 14. These new species, Bimastos nanae n. sp. and Bimastos magnum n. sp., exhibit differences in morphological and molecular characteristics compared to other known species in the same genus.
Article
Geography
Charles W. Lafon, Georgina G. DeWeese, William T. Flatley, Serena R. Aldrich, Adam T. Naito
Summary: Fire-dependent yellow pine forests in eastern North America have historically experienced fires at approximately three- to eleven-year intervals before fire suppression in the early to middle 1900s. Despite land-use intensification, including industrial logging and associated wildfires, there was no long-term temporal trend in fire frequency from the middle 1700s through the early 1900s. Age-structure analyses suggest that pyrogenic pine-oak communities existed before industrial disturbances and persisted under a regime of frequent, mixed-severity fires.
ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GEOGRAPHERS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Clayton R. Traylor, Michael S. Caterino, Michael D. Ulyshen, Michael L. Ferro, Joseph McHugh
Summary: This study assessed the distribution and old-growth dependency of two low-mobility saproxylic beetles in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It found that one species was limited to lower elevations regardless of disturbance history, while the other species was restricted to inside or near old-growth forests. The study also highlighted the importance of using saproxylic invertebrates with limited dispersal ability for assessing impacts from anthropogenic forest disturbances.
INSECT SYSTEMATICS AND DIVERSITY
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
David C. Kazyak, Barbara A. Lubinski, Matt A. Kulp, Kasey C. Pregler, Andrew R. Whiteley, Eric Hallerman, Jason A. Coombs, Yoichiro Kanno, Jacob M. Rash, Raymond P. Morgan, Jim Habera, Jason Henegar, T. Casey Weathers, Matthew T. Sell, Anthony Rabern, Dan Rankin, Tim L. King
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity of Brook Trout in the southern Appalachians and revealed deep genetic structure within this region. The findings highlight the distinctiveness and vulnerability of Brook Trout populations in the southern Appalachians, emphasizing the importance of conservation management.
TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Jiaying Li, Zhifei Liu, Baozhi Lin, Yulong Zhao, Junyuan Cao, Xiaodong Zhang, Jingwen Zhang, Chen Ling, Pengfei Ma, Jiawang Wu
Summary: Zooplankton fecal pellets play an important role in the export of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the ocean. However, their characteristics and contribution to POC flux have not been well studied in the tropical marginal sea. In this study, the fecal pellet flux in the South China Sea was investigated for the first time. The results showed significant temporal and spatial variations in fecal pellet flux, with higher fluxes during the winter monsoon. The presence of extra-large pellets in the deep sea indicated in-situ repackaging of deep-dwelling zooplankton communities. Fecal pellets contributed significantly to the total POC flux, especially during the winter monsoon.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emily C. Oakman, Donald L. Hagan, Thomas A. Waldrop, Kyle Barrett
Summary: Decades of fire exclusion in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA have led to changing forest structure and species composition, prompting forest managers and scientists to implement silvicultural treatments. A study conducted in North Carolina assessed the effects of fuel-reduction methods on understory community changes, finding that fire and fire surrogate treatments did not dramatically shift understory composition after 15 years. Certain ruderal and early seral species responded positively to the most intensive treatment.