Sample records for taeda empleando variables

  1. A consensus genetic map for Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii and extent of linkage disequilibrium in two genotype-phenotype discovery populations of Pinua taeda

    Treesearch

    Jared W. Westbrook; Vikram E. Chhatre; Le-Shin Wu; Srikar Chamala; Leandro Gomide Neves; Patricio Munoz; Pedro J. Martinez-Garcia; David B. Neale; Matias Kirst; Keithanne Mockaitis; C. Dana Nelson; Gary F. Peter; John M. Davis; Craig S. Echt

    2015-01-01

    A consensus genetic map for Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) and Pinus elliottii (slash pine) was constructed by merging three previously published P. taeda maps with a map from a pseudo-backcross between P. elliottii and P. taeda. The consensus map positioned 3856 markers via...

  2. Relationships between acoustic variables and different measures of stiffness in standing Pinus taeda trees

    Treesearch

    Christian R. Mora; Laurence R. Schimleck; Fikret Isik; Jerry M. Mahon Jr.; Alexander Clark III; Richard F. Daniels

    2009-01-01

    Acoustic tools are increasingly used to estimate standing-tree (dynamic) stiffness; however, such techniques overestimate static stiffness, the standard measurement for determining modulus of elasticity (MOE) of wood. This study aimed to identify correction methods for standing-tree estimates making dynamic and static stiffness comparable. Sixty Pinus taeda L...

  3. A Consensus Genetic Map for Pinus taeda and Pinus elliottii and Extent of Linkage Disequilibrium in Two Genotype-Phenotype Discovery Populations of Pinus taeda

    PubMed Central

    Westbrook, Jared W.; Chhatre, Vikram E.; Wu, Le-Shin; Chamala, Srikar; Neves, Leandro Gomide; Muñoz, Patricio; Martínez-García, Pedro J.; Neale, David B.; Kirst, Matias; Mockaitis, Keithanne; Nelson, C. Dana; Peter, Gary F.; Echt, Craig S.

    2015-01-01

    A consensus genetic map for Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) and Pinus elliottii (slash pine) was constructed by merging three previously published P. taeda maps with a map from a pseudo-backcross between P. elliottii and P. taeda. The consensus map positioned 3856 markers via genotyping of 1251 individuals from four pedigrees. It is the densest linkage map for a conifer to date. Average marker spacing was 0.6 cM and total map length was 2305 cM. Functional predictions of mapped genes were improved by aligning expressed sequence tags used for marker discovery to full-length P. taeda transcripts. Alignments to the P. taeda genome mapped 3305 scaffold sequences onto 12 linkage groups. The consensus genetic map was used to compare the genome-wide linkage disequilibrium in a population of distantly related P. taeda individuals (ADEPT2) used for association genetic studies and a multiple-family pedigree used for genomic selection (CCLONES). The prevalence and extent of LD was greater in CCLONES as compared to ADEPT2; however, extended LD with LGs or between LGs was rare in both populations. The average squared correlations, r2, between SNP alleles less than 1 cM apart were less than 0.05 in both populations and r2 did not decay substantially with genetic distance. The consensus map and analysis of linkage disequilibrium establish a foundation for comparative association mapping and genomic selection in P. taeda and P. elliottii. PMID:26068575

  4. Thigmomorphogenesis: anatomical, morphological and mechanical analysis of genetically different sibs of Pinus taeda in response to mechanical perturbation.

    PubMed

    Telewski, F W; Jaffe, M J

    1986-01-01

    Twenty-three open pollinated families (half-sibs) and four controlled pollinated families (full-sibs) of Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) were grown in a greenhouse and analyzed for changes induced by mechanical perturbation (MP). These changes included inhibition of stem and needle elongation, bracing of branch nodes, and increased radial growth in the direction of the MP. Inhibition of stem elongation was the least variable feature measured. Leaf extension and stem diameter were highly variable between half-sibs. MP induced increased drag in greenhouse grown P. taeda in wind-tunnel tests. In P. taeda, MP induced decreased flexibility and increased elasticity and plasticity of the stem. The increased radial growth of the stems overrode the increase in elasticity, resulting in an overall decrease in flexibility. MP trees had a higher rupture point than non-MP controls. Increased radial growth is a result of more rapid cell divisions of the vascular cambium, resulting in increased numbers of tracheids. The decreased leader growth is partly due to a decreased tracheid length in response to MP.

  5. Thigmomorphogenesis: anatomical, morphological and mechanical analysis of genetically different sibs of Pinus taeda in response to mechanical perturbation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Telewski, F. W.; Jaffe, M. J.

    1986-01-01

    Twenty-three open pollinated families (half-sibs) and four controlled pollinated families (full-sibs) of Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) were grown in a greenhouse and analyzed for changes induced by mechanical perturbation (MP). These changes included inhibition of stem and needle elongation, bracing of branch nodes, and increased radial growth in the direction of the MP. Inhibition of stem elongation was the least variable feature measured. Leaf extension and stem diameter were highly variable between half-sibs. MP induced increased drag in greenhouse grown P. taeda in wind-tunnel tests. In P. taeda, MP induced decreased flexibility and increased elasticity and plasticity of the stem. The increased radial growth of the stems overrode the increase in elasticity, resulting in an overall decrease in flexibility. MP trees had a higher rupture point than non-MP controls. Increased radial growth is a result of more rapid cell divisions of the vascular cambium, resulting in increased numbers of tracheids. The decreased leader growth is partly due to a decreased tracheid length in response to MP.

  6. Seasonal monoterpene and sesquiterpene emissions from Pinus taeda and Pinus virginiana

    EPA Science Inventory

    Seasonal volatile organic compound emission data from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) were collected using branch enclosure techniques in Central North Carolina, USA. Pinus taeda monoterpene emission rates were at least ten times higher than oxyge...

  7. Multi-Season Monoterpene and Sesquiterpene Analysis of Pinus taeda Needle Tissue

    EPA Science Inventory

    Pinus taeda (Loblolly pine) is one of the worlds most important timber crop and accounts for a significant portion of the southeastern U.S. landcover. Biogenic voltile organic compound (BVOC) content was extracted from the tissue material of P. taeda needles and analyzed over a m...

  8. Cogongrass ( Imperata cylindrica ) affects above- and belowground processes in commercial loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) stands

    Treesearch

    Adam N. Trautwig; Lori G. Eckhardt; Nancy J. Loewenstein; Jason D. Hoeksema; Emily A. Carter; Ryan L. Nadel

    2017-01-01

    Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), an invasive grass species native to Asia, has been shown to reduce tree vigor in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations, which comprise more than 50% of growing stock in commercial forests of the United States. I. cylindrica produces exudates with possible allelopathic effects that may influence abundance of P. taeda symbionts, such...

  9. Complete chloroplast genome sequence and comparative analysis of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) with related species

    PubMed Central

    Khan, Abdul Latif; Khan, Muhammad Aaqil; Shahzad, Raheem; Lubna; Kang, Sang Mo; Al-Harrasi, Ahmed; Al-Rawahi, Ahmed; Lee, In-Jung

    2018-01-01

    Pinaceae, the largest family of conifers, has a diversified organization of chloroplast (cp) genomes with two typical highly reduced inverted repeats (IRs). In the current study, we determined the complete sequence of the cp genome of an economically and ecologically important conifer tree, the loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), using Illumina paired-end sequencing and compared the sequence with those of other pine species. The results revealed a genome size of 121,531 base pairs (bp) containing a pair of 830-bp IR regions, distinguished by a small single copy (42,258 bp) and large single copy (77,614 bp) region. The chloroplast genome of P. taeda encodes 120 genes, comprising 81 protein-coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes, and 35 tRNA genes, with 151 randomly distributed microsatellites. Approximately 6 palindromic, 34 forward, and 22 tandem repeats were found in the P. taeda cp genome. Whole cp genome comparison with those of other Pinus species exhibited an overall high degree of sequence similarity, with some divergence in intergenic spacers. Higher and lower numbers of indels and single-nucleotide polymorphism substitutions were observed relative to P. contorta and P. monophylla, respectively. Phylogenomic analyses based on the complete genome sequence revealed that 60 shared genes generated trees with the same topologies, and P. taeda was closely related to P. contorta in the subgenus Pinus. Thus, the complete P. taeda genome provided valuable resources for population and evolutionary studies of gymnosperms and can be used to identify related species. PMID:29596414

  10. Influence of soil porosity on water use in Pinus taeda

    Treesearch

    G. Hacke; J.S. Sperry; B.E. Ewers; D.S. Ellsworth; K.V.R. Schäfer; R. Oren

    2000-01-01

    We analyzed the hydraulic constraints imposed on water uptake from soils of different porosities in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) by comparing genetically related and even-aged plantations growing in loam versus sand soil. Water use was evaluated relative to the maximum transpiration rate (Ecrit) allowed by the soil-leaf...

  11. Reference karyotype and cytomolecular map for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    Treesearch

    M. Nurul Islam-faridi; C. Dana Nelson; Thomas L. Kubisiak

    2007-01-01

    A reference karyotype is presented for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L., subgenus Pinus , section Pinus, subsection Australes), based on fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), using 18s-28s rDNA, 5s rDNA, and Arabidopsis-type telomere repeat sequence (A-type TRS). Well...

  12. New phenolic esters from the resinous exudate of Haplopappus taeda.

    PubMed

    Faini, Francesca; Labbé, Cecilia; Torres, René; Rodilla, Jesús M; Silva, Lucía; Delle Monache, Franco

    2007-12-01

    Two new phenolic esters 9-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-alpha-terpineol (1) and 7-trans-p-coumaroyloxy-taedol (2), both endowed with free radical scavenger activity and cleroda-3,13 (E)-dien-15,18-diol (3) for which a cis stereochemistry at the decalin junction was found, were isolated from the resinous exudate from Haplopappus taeda upper parts.

  13. Changes in plant species composition along an elevation gradient in an old-growth bottomland hardwood-Pinus taeda forest in southern Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Adrian G. Grell; Michael G. Shelton; Eric Heitzman

    2005-01-01

    Old-growth bottomland hardwood-Pinus taeda L. forests are rare in Arkansas, and the complex relationships between plant communities and environmental conditions have not been well described in these forests. To investigate these relationships, a digital elevation model was developed for a 16.2 ha old-growth bottomland hardwood-Pinus taeda forest in...

  14. Quantifying and mapping spatial variability in simulated forest plots

    Treesearch

    Gavin R. Corral; Harold E. Burkhart

    2016-01-01

    We used computer simulations to test the efficacy of multivariate statistical methods to detect, quantify, and map spatial variability of forest stands. Simulated stands were developed of regularly-spaced plantations of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). We assumed no affects of competition or mortality, but random variability was added to individual tree characteristics...

  15. Fall nitrogen fertilization and the biology of Pinus taeda seedling development

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; C.C. Black; T.L. Kormanik; P.A. Counce

    1997-01-01

    In mid-September when stems and roots of nursery-grown loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings are actively accumulating dry weight (DW), an extra 10, 20, or 40 kg NH4NO3 ha-1 (10N, 20N, 4ON) was applied. Seedlings receiving no extra N (0N) were the controls. The temporal patterns...

  16. Thigmomorphogenesis: the role of ethylene in the response of Pinus taeda and Abies fraseri to mechanical perturbation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Telewski, F. W.; Jaffe, M. J.

    1986-01-01

    Ethylene production was monitored for 48 h in two half-sibs of Pinus taeda L. grown in the greenhouse and given mechanical perturbation (MP) by flexing; and for 22 h in Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. grown in the field and exposed to wind-mediated MP. Both species produced a peak of ethylene 18 h after MP. Seedlings of P. taeda exposed to MP for the duration of the growing season (preconditioned) produced less ethylene compared to non-MP controls, with a peak production at 8 h. One half-sib which responded to MP by an increase in radial growth produced 16 times more ethylene than another half-sib which had no significant change in radial growth. Preconditioned A. fraseri produced no significant quantities of ethylene after MP. The production of wound ethylene appears to be different from MP-induced ethylene. When an ethylene-generating solution was applied to P. taeda seedlings, it mimicked many of the morphological and mechanical characteristics of MP seedlings. The putative role of ethylene in the thigmomorphogenetic response is addressed.

  17. Short-term effects of fertilization on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) physiology

    Treesearch

    C.M. Gough; J.R. Seiler; Chris A. Maier

    2004-01-01

    Fertilization commonly increases biomass production in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). However, the sequence of short-term physiological adjustments allowing for the establishment of leaf area and enhanced growth is not well understood. The effects of fertilization on photosynthetic parameters, root respiration, and growth for over 200 d following...

  18. Stand-level Allometry in Pinus taeda as Affected by Irrigation and Fertilization

    Treesearch

    J.S. King; T.J. Albaugh; H.L. Allen; L.W. Kress

    1999-01-01

    Changing environmental conditions have the potential to alter allometric relationships between plant parts, possibly leading to ecosystem-level feedbacks. We quantified allometric shifts in field-grown loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in response to altered resource availability based on data from multiple harvests to correct for size-related changes...

  19. Influences of community composition on biogeochemistry of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) systems

    Treesearch

    B.G. Lockaby; J.H. Miller; R.G. Clawson

    1995-01-01

    Litterfall and decomposition processes were compared among four forest plantations that were dominated by loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L) but that differed.in terms of presence or absence of deciduous and herbaceous components. Based on aboveground litterfall, the pine-only community was the most productive but had the slowest turnover of organic...

  20. Seasonal ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass development on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; L.M. White; D.H. Marx; W.J. Otrosina

    1995-01-01

    Ergosterol, a membrane sterol found in fungi but not in plants, was used to estimate live mycelia biomass in ectomycorrhizae. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were sown in April 1993 and grown with standard nursery culture ractices. Correlations between total seedling ergosterol and visual assessment of mycorrhizal colonization were high during...

  1. Loblolly pine: the ecology and culture of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    Treesearch

    Robert P. Schultz

    1997-01-01

    Loblolly pine ranks as a highly valuable tree for its pulp, paper, and lumber products. In the South, loblolly is planted more than any other conifer. Loblolly Pine: The Ecology and Culture of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) adds to the technical foundations laid by Ashe (1915) and Wahlenberg (1960). Agriculture Handbook 713 encompasses genetics, tree...

  2. Exome genotyping, linkage disequilibrium and population structure in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    Treesearch

    Mengmeng Lu; Konstantin V. Krutovsky; C. Dana Nelson; Tomasz E. Koralewski; Thomas D. Byram; Carol A. Loopstra

    2016-01-01

    Background: Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is one of the most widely planted and commercially important foresttree species in the USA and worldwide, and is an object of intense genomic research. However, whole genomeresequencing in loblolly pine is hampered by its large size and complexity and a lack of a good...

  3. Galactoglucomannan Oligosaccharides (GGMO) from a Molasses Byproduct of Pine (Pinus taeda) Fiberboard Production

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    “Temulose” is the trade name for a water-soluble molasses produced on a large scale (300 - 400 tonnes per year) as a byproduct of the fiberboard industry. The feedstock for temulose is predominantly a single species of pine (Pinus taeda) grown and harvested in stands in southeastern Texas. Because...

  4. ECTOMYCORRHIZAL DIVERSITY IN A LOBLOLLY PINE (PINUS TAEDA L.) GENETICS PLANTATION: INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) Has co-evolved a high dependency on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) associations most likely because its natural range includes soils of varying moisture that are P- and/or N-deficient. Because of its wide geographic distrubition, we would expect its roots t...

  5. Pinus Taeda L. response to fertilization, Herbaceous plant control, and woody plant control

    Treesearch

    Allan E. Tiarks; James D. Haywood

    1986-01-01

    On an intensively prepared site, a complete fertilizer applied at planting, and control of herbaceous and woody plants for the first 4 years, increased Pinus taeda L. volume at age 5 to 25.9 m3/ha compared to 11.8 m3/ha without the treatments. The fertilizer and competition control factors affected pine...

  6. Viability of litter-stored Pinus taeda L. seeds after simulated prescribed winter burns

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; Michael G. Shelton

    1998-01-01

    Stratified loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were placed at three depths in a reconstructed forest floor and subjected to simulated prescribed winter burns. Within the forest floor, pine seeds were placed at the L/upper-F interface, upper-F/lower-F interface, and lower-F/mineral-soil interface. Wind was generated by electric box-fans. Seeds that...

  7. Water availability and genetic effects on wood properties of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

    Treesearch

    C. A. Gonzalez-Benecke; T. A. Martin; Alexander Clark; G. F. Peter

    2010-01-01

    We studied the effect of water availability on basal area growth and wood properties of 11-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees from contrasting Florida (FL) (a mix of half-sib families) and South Carolina coastal plain (SC) (a single, half-sib family) genetic material. Increasing soil water availability via irrigation increased average wholecore specific...

  8. LEAF AREA INDEX (LAI) CHANGE DETECTION ANALYSIS ON LOBLOLLY PINE (PINUS TAEDA) FOLLOWING COMPLETE UNDERSTORY REMOVAL

    EPA Science Inventory

    The confounding effect of understory vegetation contributions to satellite-derived estimates of leaf area index (LAI) was investigated on two loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest stands located in Virginia and North Carolina. In order to separate NDVI contributions of the dominantc...

  9. Vector Analysis Identify Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Phosphorus Deficiency on a Beauregard Soil

    Treesearch

    A. Bekele; W.H. Hundall; A.E. Tiarks

    1999-01-01

    We studied the response of densely stocked one-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) to N and P fertilizers on a Beauregard silt loam (fine silty, siliceous, thermic, Plinthaquic Paleudults). A continuous function" experimental design with three replications was used. Each replication consisted of 12 m X 12 m plots, with three trees planted...

  10. Growth of five families of Pinus taeda L. during three years of ozone exposure

    Treesearch

    M.B. Adams; J.M. Kelly; G.E. Taylor; N.T. Edwards

    1990-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings of five half-sib families were grown for 3 yr in the field in open-top chambers. The seedlings were fumigated during the growing seasons (approximately April-October) with ozone at the following target levels: subambient (CF), ambient (AMB), and ambient+ 60 ppb (AMB+). At the end of the three growing seasons...

  11. Carry-Over Effects of Water and Nutrient Supply on Water Use of Pinus Taeda

    Treesearch

    Brent E. Ewers; Ram Oren; Timothy J. Albaugh; Phillip M. Dougherty

    1999-01-01

    Abstract. A study of the effects of nutrients and water supply (2 X 2 factorial experiment) was conducted in a 12-yr-old stand of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) during a period in which soil moisture was not augmented by irrigation because of frequent rain events. Information on the responses of sapwood-to-leaf area ratio and...

  12. The Pinus taeda genome is characterized by diverse and highly diverged repetitive sequences

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background In today's age of genomic discovery, no attempt has been made to comprehensively sequence a gymnosperm genome. The largest genus in the coniferous family Pinaceae is Pinus, whose 110-120 species have extremely large genomes (c. 20-40 Gb, 2N = 24). The size and complexity of these genomes have prompted much speculation as to the feasibility of completing a conifer genome sequence. Conifer genomes are reputed to be highly repetitive, but there is little information available on the nature and identity of repetitive units in gymnosperms. The pines have extensive genetic resources, with approximately 329000 ESTs from eleven species and genetic maps in eight species, including a dense genetic map of the twelve linkage groups in Pinus taeda. Results We present here the Sanger sequence and annotation of ten P. taeda BAC clones and Genome Analyzer II whole genome shotgun (WGS) sequences representing 7.5% of the genome. Computational annotation of ten BACs predicts three putative protein-coding genes and at least fifteen likely pseudogenes in nearly one megabase of sequence. We found three conifer-specific LTR retroelements in the BACs, and tentatively identified at least 15 others based on evidence from the distantly related angiosperms. Alignment of WGS sequences to the BACs indicates that 80% of BAC sequences have similar copies (≥ 75% nucleotide identity) elsewhere in the genome, but only 23% have identical copies (99% identity). The three most common repetitive elements in the genome were identified and, when combined, represent less than 5% of the genome. Conclusions This study indicates that the majority of repeats in the P. taeda genome are 'novel' and will therefore require additional BAC or genomic sequencing for accurate characterization. The pine genome contains a very large number of diverged and probably defunct repetitive elements. This study also provides new evidence that sequencing a pine genome using a WGS approach is a feasible goal. PMID

  13. The effect of mid-rotation fertilization on the wood properties of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

    Treesearch

    Finto Antony; Lewis Jordan; Laurence R. Schimleck; Richard F. Daniels; Alexander Clark III

    2009-01-01

    Mid-rotation fertilization is a common practice in the management of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations, typically providing large improvements in growth. However, concerns exist about the quality of wood produced following fertilization. The objective of this study was to develop an understanding of wood property changes following fertilization. Wood...

  14. Predicting age-age genetic correlations in tree-breeding programs: a case study of Pinus taeda L.

    Treesearch

    D.P. Gwaze; F.E. Bridgwater; T.D. Byram; J.A. Woolliams; C.G. Williams

    2000-01-01

    A meta-analysis of 520 parents and 51,439 individuals was used to develop two equations for predicting age-age genetic correlations in Pinus taeda L. Genetic and phenotypic family mean correlations and heritabilities were estimated for ages ranging from 2 to 25 years on 31...

  15. Presettlement Pinus taeda in the Mississippi Valley Alluvial Plain of the Monroe County, Arkansas area

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg

    2005-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is the most dominant conifer in the southeastern United States (Baker and Langdon, 1990). However, loblolly pine was conspicuously absent from virtually the entire Mississippi Valley Alluvial Plain during presettlement times. A map (Fig. 1) of the native distribution of loblolly from Baker and Langdon (1990) identifies 2 exceptions to this...

  16. Genetic effects on early stand development of improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings

    Treesearch

    S. Sharma; Joshua P. Adams; Jamie L. Schuler; Don C. Bragg; Robert L. Ficklin

    2013-01-01

    This study was conducted to assess the effect of genotype on the early performance of improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings planted on the University of Arkansas at Monticello School Forest located in southeast Arkansas.We used a split-plot design consisting of two spacing treatments (3.05 m × 3.05 m and 3.05 m × 4.27 m) randomly...

  17. CANOPY CONDUCTANCE OF PINUS TAEDA, LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA AND QUERCUS PHELLOS UNDER VARYING ATMOSPHERIC AND SOIL WATER CONDITION

    EPA Science Inventory

    Sap flow, and atmospheric and soil water data were collected in closed-top chambers under conditions of high soil water potential for saplings of Liquidambar styraciflua L., Quercus phellos L., and Pinus taeda L., three co-occurring species in the southeastern USA. Responses of c...

  18. Monthly leaf area index estimates from point-in-time measurements and needle phenology for Pinus taeda

    Treesearch

    D.A. Sampson; T.J. Albaugh; Kurt H. Johnsen; H.L. Allen; Stanley J. Zarnoch

    2003-01-01

    Abstract: Leaf area index (LAI) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees of the southern United States varies almost twofold interannually; loblolly pine, essentially, carries two foliage cohorts at peak LAI (September) and one at minimum (March–April). Herein, we present an approach that may be site invariant to estimate monthly...

  19. Public preferences for nontimber benefits of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands regenerated by different site preparation methods

    Treesearch

    Jianbang Gan; Stephen H. Kolison; James Miller

    2000-01-01

    This study assesses public preferences for nontimber benefits of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)stands regenerated 1.5 yr earlier using different site preparation treatments at national forest and industrial forestry sites. Treatments tested on the Tuskegee National Forest were none, chainsaw felling, tree injection, and soil-active herbicide. At the...

  20. Atmospheric carbon dioxide, irrigation, and fertilization effects on phenolic and nitrogen concentrations in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) needles

    Treesearch

    Fitzgerald L. Booker; Christopher A. Maier

    2001-01-01

    Concentrations of total soluble phenolics, catechin, proanthocyanidins (PA), lignin and nitrogen (N) were measured in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) needles exposed to either ambient CO2 concentration ([CO2]), ambient plus 175 or ambient plus 350 µmol O2 mol-1 in branch chambers...

  1. Correlation between infection by ophiostomatoid fungi and the presence of subterranean termites in Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) roots

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Observations of subterranean termites feeding in pine sapwood containing ophiostomatoid fungi prompted a study to investigate the effect of infection by Leptographium fungi on the probability of encountering subterranean termites in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) roots. Root samples were collected f...

  2. Efficacy of two insecticides for protecting loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) from subcortical beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae and Cerambycidae)

    Treesearch

    Jordon L. Burke; James L. Hanula; Scott Horn; Jackson P. Audley; Kamal JK. Gandhi

    2012-01-01

    Tests were conducted on two insecticides (carbaryl and bifenthrin) for excluding subcortical beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae and Cerambycidae) from loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.). Two trap designs (single- and double-pane windows) and two trapping heights (1.5 and 4m) were also evaluated for maximizing beetle catches.

  3. The effects of drought and disturbance on the growth and developmental instability of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    Treesearch

    John H. Graham; Jeffrey J. Duda; Michelle L. Brown; Stanley Kitchen; John M. Emlen; Jagadish Malol; Elizabeth Bankstahl; Anthony J. Krzysik; Harold Balbach; D. Carl Freeman

    2012-01-01

    Ecological indicators provide early warning of adverse environmental change, helping land managers adaptively manage their resources while minimizing costly remediation. In 1999 and 2000, we studied two such indicators, growth and developmental instability, of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) influenced by mechanized infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Disturbed...

  4. Diet of southern toads (Bufo terrestris) in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands subject to coarse woody debris manipulations

    Treesearch

    Kurtis R. Moseley; Steven B. Castleberry; James L. Hanula; W. Mark Ford

    2004-01-01

    In the southeastern United States, coarse woody debris (CWD) typically harbors high densities of invertebrates. However, its importance as a foraging substrate for southeastern amphibians is relatively unknown. We examined effects of CWD manipulations on diet composition of southern toads (Bufo tmrestns) in upland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands...

  5. Wildfire mitigation strategies affect soil enzyme activity and soil organic carbon in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests

    Treesearch

    R.E.J. Boerner; T.A. Waldrop; V.B. Shelburne

    2006-01-01

    We quantified the effects of three wildfire hazard reduction treatments (prescribed fire, thinning from below, and the combination of fire and thinning), and passive management (control) on mineral soil organic C, and enzyme activity in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forests on the Piedmont of South Carolina. Soil organic C was reduced by thinning,...

  6. Nitrogen metabolism in Lignifying Pinus taeda cell cultures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    van Heerden, P. S.; Towers, G. H.; Lewis, N. G.

    1996-01-01

    The primary metabolic fate of phyenylalanine, following its deamination in plants, is conscription of its carbon skeleton for lignin, suberin, flavonoid, and related metabolite formation. Since this accounts for approximately 30-40% of all organic carbon, an effective means of recycling the liberated ammonium ion must be operative. In order to establish how this occurs, the uptake and metabolism of various 15N-labeled precursors (15N-Phe, 15NH4Cl, 15N-Gln, and 15N-Glu) in lignifying Pinus taeda cell cultures was investigated, using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography, 15N NMR, and gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry analyses. It was found that the ammonium ion released during active phenylpropanoid metabolism was not made available for general amino acid/protein synthesis. Rather it was rapidly recycled back to regenerate phenylalanine, thereby providing an effective means of maintaining active phenylpropanoid metabolism with no additional nitrogen requirement. These results strongly suggest that, in lignifying cells, ammonium ion reassimilation is tightly compartmentalized.

  7. Canopy Level Emissions of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes from a Pinus taeda Experimental Plantation

    EPA Science Inventory

    Emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) observed during 2007 from a Pinus taeda experimental plantation in Central North Carolina are compared with model estimates from MEGAN 2.1. Relaxed Eddy Accumulation (REA) estimates of 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO) fluxes are ...

  8. An 8-year field comparison of naturally seeded to planted container Pinus taeda, with and without release

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; James P. Barnett

    1996-01-01

    Abstract:A field study compared genetically improved, container loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) with naturally seeded loblolly pines through eight growing seasons on a cutover site in southern Arkansas, U.S.A. Measurement pines on 6 of 12 plots were released from woody and herbaceous competition within a 61-cm radius of each tree stem. On natural...

  9. Heterologous Array Analysis in Pinaceae: Hybridization of Pinus Taeda cDNA Arrays With cDNA From Needles and Embryogenic Cultures of P. Taeda, P. Sylvestris or Picea Abies

    PubMed Central

    van Zyl, Leonel; von Arnold, Sara; Bozhkov, Peter; Chen, Yongzhong; Egertsdotter, Ulrika; MacKay, John; Sederoff, Ronald R.; Shen, Jing; Zelena, Lyubov

    2002-01-01

    Hybridization of labelled cDNA from various cell types with high-density arrays of expressed sequence tags is a powerful technique for investigating gene expression. Few conifer cDNA libraries have been sequenced. Because of the high level of sequence conservation between Pinus and Picea we have investigated the use of arrays from one genus for studies of gene expression in the other. The partial cDNAs from 384 identifiable genes expressed in differentiating xylem of Pinus taeda were printed on nylon membranes in randomized replicates. These were hybridized with labelled cDNA from needles or embryogenic cultures of Pinus taeda, P. sylvestris and Picea abies, and with labelled cDNA from leaves of Nicotiana tabacum. The Spearman correlation of gene expression for pairs of conifer species was high for needles (r2 = 0.78 − 0.86), and somewhat lower for embryogenic cultures (r2 = 0.68 − 0.83). The correlation of gene expression for tobacco leaves and needles of each of the three conifer species was lower but sufficiently high (r2 = 0.52 − 0.63) to suggest that many partial gene sequences are conserved in angiosperms and gymnosperms. Heterologous probing was further used to identify tissue-specific gene expression over species boundaries. To evaluate the significance of differences in gene expression, conventional parametric tests were compared with permutation tests after four methods of normalization. Permutation tests after Z-normalization provide the highest degree of discrimination but may enhance the probability of type I errors. It is concluded that arrays of cDNA from loblolly pine are useful for studies of gene expression in other pines or spruces. PMID:18629264

  10. Vascular cambial sucrose metabolism and growth in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in relation to transplanting stress

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; Paul P. Kormanik; C.C. Black

    1993-01-01

    Sucrose synthase (SS) was the dominant enzyme of sucrose metabolism in both stem and root vascular cambial zone tissues of nursery-grown loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings.Acid invertase (AI) and neutral invertase (NI) activties were generally less than 10% of the SS activity in both tissues.In both cambial tissues, seasonal patterns of SS activity in stem and...

  11. Leaf-level gas-exchange uniformity and photosynthetic capacity among loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes of contrasting inherent genetic variation

    Treesearch

    Michael J. Aspinwall; John S. King; Steven E. McKeand; Jean-Christophe Domec

    2011-01-01

    Variation in leaf-level gas exchange among widely planted genetically improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes could impact stand-level water use, carbon assimilation, biomass production, C allocation, ecosystem sustainability and biogeochemical cycling under changing environmental conditions. We examined uniformity in leaf-level light-saturated photosynthesis...

  12. Soil C02 efflux across four age classes of plantation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) on the Virginia Piedmont

    Treesearch

    P. Eric Wiseman; John R. Seiler

    2004-01-01

    Soil CO2 efflux resulting from microbial and root respiration is a major component of the forest C cycle. In this investigation, we examined in detail how soil CO2 efflux differs both spatially and temporally with respect to stand age for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations on the Virginia Piedmont...

  13. Production, allocation, and stemwood growth efficiency of Pinus taeda L. stands in response to 6 years of intensive management

    Treesearch

    Lisa J. Samuelson; Kurt Johnsen; Tom Stokes

    2004-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is a highly plastic species with respect to growth responses to forest management. Loblolly pine is the most planted species across the southern United States, a region with the most expansive and intensively managed forest plantations in the world. Management intensity, using tools such as site preparation and...

  14. Effect of seedling stock on the early stand development and physiology of improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings

    Treesearch

    Shakuntala Sharma; Joshua P. Adams; Jamie L. Schuler; Robert L. Ficklin; Don C. Bragg

    2016-01-01

    This study assessed the effects of spacing and genotype on the growth and physiology of improved loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings from three distinct genotypes planted in Drew County, Arkansas (USA). Genotype had a significant effect on survival and height. Clone CF Var 1 showed greater height and survival compared to other seedlings....

  15. Association genetics of growth and adaptive traits in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) using whole-exome-discovered polymorphisms

    Treesearch

    Mengmeng Lu; Konstantin V. Krutovsky; C. Dana Nelson; Jason B. West; Nathalie A. Reilly; Carol A. Loopstra

    2017-01-01

    In the USA, forest genetics research began over 100 years ago and loblolly pine breeding programs were established in the 1950s. However, the genetics underlying complex traits of loblolly pine remains to be discovered. To address this, adaptive and growth traits were measured and analyzed in a clonally tested loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) population. Over 2.8 million...

  16. Modeling the longitudinal variation in wood specific gravity of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in the United States

    Treesearch

    F. Antony; L. R. Schimleck; R. F. Daniels; Alexander Clark; D. B. Hall

    2010-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is a major plantation species grown in the southern United States, producing wood having a multitude of uses including pulp and lumber production. Specific gravity (SG) is an important property used to measure the quality of wood produced, and it varies regionally and within the tree with height and radius. SG at different height levels...

  17. Individual-tree Green Weight Equations for Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Sawtimber in the Coastal Plain of Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Travis E. Posey; Paul F. Doruska; David W. Patterson

    2005-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) weight equations were developed to predict outside-bark, green bole weight to a 4-inch diameter-inside-bark (dib) top and an 8-inch dib top in southeast Arkansas. Trees were sampled from 8 different tracts over the first half of 2002: 4 tracts during winter and spring, respectively. The sampled trees ranged from 10 to...

  18. Propiedades del suelo y sus relaciones con el IS en plantaciones de Pinus taeda L. en la Mesopotamia Argentina

    Treesearch

    Rodolfo A. Martiarena; Jorge L. Frangi; Alejandra Von Wallis; Marcelo F. Arturi; Hugo E. Fassola; Roberto A. Fernandez

    2014-01-01

    This paper was aimed at establishing the relations between some soil properties and the growth of P. taeda on its main area of commercial plantation in Argentine Mesopotamia. It was hypothesized that main cause of productivity reduction is soil depth and effective plant- available soil volume rather than nutrient content. The study area was located in Corrientes and...

  19. Short-term impacts of soil amendments on belowground C cycling and soil nutrition in two contrasting Pinus taeda L. genotypes

    Treesearch

    Michael C Tyree; John R Seiler; Christopher Maier

    2011-01-01

    We monitored two Pinus taeda L. genotypes, planted in 170 L lysimeters, subjected to different combinations of fertilization and logging residue (LR) incorporation for 1 year. The objectives were to elucidate how soil amendments modified soil biological properties and belowground C cycling, and secondly, to determine if planting of contrasting genotypes have a...

  20. Using silvicultural practices to regulate competition, resource availability, and growing conditions for Pinus palustris seedlings underplanted in Pinus taeda forests

    Treesearch

    Benjamin O. Knapp; G. Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker; Huifeng Hu

    2016-01-01

    In the southeastern United States, many forest managers are interested in restoring longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) to upland sites that currently support loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). We quantified the effects of four canopy treatments (uncut Control; MedBA, harvest to 9 m2·ha−1...

  1. Effects of temperature and tissue nitrogen on dormant season stem and branch maintenance respiration in a young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; Stanley J. Zarnoch; P.M. Dougherty

    1998-01-01

    Summary We measured dormant season (November through February) maintenance respiration rates (Rm) in stems and branches of 9-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) growing in plots under conditions of controlled nutrient and water supply in an effort to determine the relationships between Rm...

  2. Near infrared spectroscopy for the nondestructive estimation of clear wood properties of Pinus taeda L. from the southern United States

    Treesearch

    Laurence R. Schimleck; P. David Jones; Alexander Clark; Richard F. Daniels; Gary F. Peter

    2005-01-01

    The estimation of specific gravity (SG), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and modulus of rupture (MOR) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) clear wood samples from a diverse range of sites across the southern United States was investigated using near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. NIR spectra were obtained from the radial and cross sectional (original, rough...

  3. Soil CO2 evolution and root respiration in 11 year-old Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Plantations as Affected by Moisture and Nutrient Availability

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; L.W. Kress

    2000-01-01

    We measured soil CO2 evolution rates with (Sff) and without (Sms) the forest floor litter and root respiration monthly in 11-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations during the fourth year of fertilization and irrigation treatments. Values of Sff...

  4. The effects of decreased water availability on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) productivity and the interaction between fertilizer and drought

    Treesearch

    Adam O. Maggard; Rodney E. Will; Duncan S. Wilson; Cassandra R. Meek

    2016-01-01

    As part of the regional PINEMAP (Pine Integrated Network: Education, Mitigation, and Adaptation project) funded by the NIFA - USDA, we established a factorial study in McCurtain County, OK near Broken Bow. This study examined the effects of fertilization and ~30 percent reduction in throughfall on an seven-yearold loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. The...

  5. Modified water regimes affect photosynthesis, xylem water potential, cambial growth and resistance of juvenile Pinus taeda L. to Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

    Treesearch

    James P. Dunn; Peter L. Jr. Lorio

    1993-01-01

    We modified soil water supply to two groups of juvenile loblolly pines, Pinus taeda L., by sheltering or irrigating root systems in early summer or in later summer and measured oleoresin flow (primary defense), net photosynthesis, xylem water potential, and cambial growth throughout the growing season. When consistent significant differences in...

  6. Isolation of 4-coumarate Co-A ligase gene promoter from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and characterization of tissue-specific activity in transgenic tobacco.

    PubMed

    Osakabe, Yuriko; Osakabe, Keishi; Chiang, Vincent L

    2009-01-01

    We characterized promoter activity of a phenylpropanoid biosynthetic gene encoding 4-coumarate Co-A ligase (4CL), Pta4Clalpha, from Pinus taeda. Histochemical- and quantitative assays of GUS expression in the vascular tissue were performed using transgenic tobacco plants expressing promoter-GUS reporters. Deletion analysis of the Pta4Clalpha promoter showed that the region -524 to -252, which has two AC elements, controls the high expression levels in ray-parenchyma cells of older tobacco stems. High activity level of the promoter domain of Pta4CLalpha was also detected in the xylem cells under bending stress. DNA-protein complexes were detected in the reactions of the Pta4CLalpha promoter fragments with the nuclear proteins of xylem of P. taeda. The AC elements in the Pta4CLalpha promoter appeared to have individual roles during xylem development that are activated in a coordinated manner in response to stress in transgenic tobacco.

  7. Species composition, size structure, and disturbance: History of an old growth bottomland hardwood loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest in Arkansas, USA

    Treesearch

    Eric Heitzman; Michael G. Shelton; Adrian Grell

    2004-01-01

    The Lost Forty is a 16-ha old-growth bottomland hardwood-lobtolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forest iocated in south-central Arkansas that has had little human disturbance. We established plots in the Lost Forty and collected data on species composition, tree size, age structure, and radial stem growth patterns. The overstory was dominated by species that...

  8. Branch growth and gas exchange in 13-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees in response to elevated carbon dioxide concentration and fertilization

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; Kurt H. Johnsen; John Butnor; Lance W. Kress; Peter H. Anderson

    2002-01-01

    Summary We used whole-tree, open-top chambers to expose 13-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees, growing in soil with high or low nutrient availability, to either ambient or elevated (ambient + 200 µmol mol-1 ) carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) for 28 months. Branch growth...

  9. Chapter 8 optimized test design for identification of the variation of elastic stiffness properties of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) pith to bark

    Treesearch

    David Kretschmann; John Considine; F. Pierron

    2016-01-01

    This article presents the design optimization of an un-notched Iosipescu test specimen whose goal is the characterization of the material elastic stiffnesses of a Loblolly (Pinus taeda) or Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) sample in one single test. A series of finite element (FE) and grid simulations were conducted to determine displacement and strain fields for various...

  10. A Consensus Map for Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.). I. Construction and Integration of Individual Linkage Maps From TwoOutbred Three-Generation Pedigrees

    Treesearch

    Mitchell M. Sewell; Bradley K. Sherman; David B. Neale

    1998-01-01

    A consensus map for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) was constructed from the integration of linkage data from two unrelated three-generation out bred pedigrees. The progeny segregation data from restriction fragment length polymorphism, random amplified polymorphic DNA, and isozyme genetic markers from each pedigree were recoded to reflect the two independent...

  11. Soil change and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) seedling growth following site preparation tillage in the Upper Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    Chad M. Lincoln; Rodney E. Will; Lawrence A. Morris; Emily A. Carter; Daniel Markewtiz; John R. Britt; Ben Cazell; Vic Ford

    2007-01-01

    To determine the relationship between changes in soil physical properties due to tillage and growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings, we measured soil moisture and penetration resistance for a range of tillage treatments on two Upper Coastal Plain sites in Georgia and correlated these measurements to the growth of individual seedlings. The...

  12. Soil CO2 efflux in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations on the virginia Piedmond and South Carolina coastal plain over a rotation-length chronosequence

    Treesearch

    Christopher M. Gough; John R. Seiler; P. Eric Wiseman; Christopher A. Maier

    2005-01-01

    We measured soil surface CO2 efflux (Fx) in loblolly pine stands (Pinus taeda L.) located on the Virginia Piedmont (VA) and South Carolina Coastal Plain (SC) in efforts to assess the impact climate, productivity, and cultural practices have on Fs in the managed loblolly pine...

  13. Short-term impacts of nutrient manipulations on leaf gas exchange and biomass partitioning in contrasting 2-year-old Pinus taeda clones during seedling establishment

    Treesearch

    Michael C. Tyree; John R. Seiler; Chris A. Maier

    2009-01-01

    We conducted a 1-year greenhouse experiment to assess the impact of nutrient manipulations on seedling growth, biomass partitioning, and leaf gas exchange between two fast growing Pinus taeda clones that differed in growth efficiency. After 1 year we observed significant treatment and treatment by clone effects on growth, biomass partitioning, and...

  14. A 10-Year Evaluation of Prescribed Winter Burns in Uneven-Aged Stands of Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.: Woody Understorey Vegetation Response

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1993-01-01

    Abstract.The effects of burning cycles and pine basal area levels were assessed on natural pine regeneration and hardwood development in uneven-aged stands of loblolly andshortleafpines (Pinw taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.). The treatments included an unburned control and prescribed winter burrs at 3-, 6-, and 9-yr intervals. Basal area treatments were 9, 14, 18, and...

  15. The effect of induced heat waves on Pinus taeda and Quercus rubra seedlings in ambient and elevated CO2 atmospheres.

    PubMed

    Ameye, Maarten; Wertin, Timothy M; Bauweraerts, Ingvar; McGuire, Mary Anne; Teskey, Robert O; Steppe, Kathy

    2012-10-01

    Here, we investigated the effect of different heat-wave intensities applied at two atmospheric CO2 concentrations ([CO2]) on seedlings of two tree species, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra). Seedlings were assigned to treatment combinations of two levels of [CO2] (380 or 700 μmol mol(-1)) and four levels of air temperature (ambient, ambient +3°C, or 7-d heat waves consisting of a biweekly +6°C heat wave, or a monthly +12°C heat wave). Treatments were maintained throughout the growing season, thus receiving equal heat sums. We measured gas exchange and fluorescence parameters before, during and after a mid-summer heat wave. The +12°C heat wave, significantly reduced net photosynthesis (Anet) in both species and [CO2] treatments but this effect was diminished in elevated [CO2]. The decrease in Anet was accompanied by a decrease in Fv'/Fm' in P. taeda and ΦPSII in Q. rubra. Our findings suggest that, if soil moisture is adequate, trees will experience negative effects in photosynthetic performance only with the occurrence of extreme heat waves. As elevated [CO2] diminished these negative effects, the future climate may not be as detrimental to plant communities as previously assumed. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

  16. Fertilization with urea, ammonium and nitrate produce different effects on growth, hydraulic traits and drought tolerance in Pinus taeda seedlings.

    PubMed

    Faustino, Laura I; Moretti, Ana P; Graciano, Corina

    2015-10-01

    Urea fertilization decreases Pinus taeda L. growth in clay soils of subtropical areas. The negative effect of urea is related to changes in some hydraulic traits, similar to those observed in plants growing under drought. The aims of this work were (i) to determine whether different sources of nitrogen applied as fertilizers produce similar changes in growth and hydraulic traits to those observed by urea fertilization and (ii) to analyze the impact of those changes in plant drought tolerance. Plants fertilized with urea, nitrate [Formula: see text] or ammonium [Formula: see text] were grown well watered or with reduced water supply. Urea and [Formula: see text] fertilization reduced plant growth and increased root hydraulic conductance scaled by root dry weight (DW). [Formula: see text] fertilization did not reduce plant growth and increased shoot hydraulic conductance and stem hydraulic conductivity. We conclude that [Formula: see text] is the ion involved in the changes linked to the negative effect of urea fertilization on P. taeda growth. [Formula: see text] fertilization does not change drought susceptibility and it produces changes in shoot hydraulic traits, therefore plants avoid the depressive effect of fertilization. Urea and [Formula: see text] fertilizers induce changes in DW and root hydraulic conductance and consequently plants are less affected by drought. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Estimating Stand Height and Tree Density in Pinus taeda plantations using in-situ data, airborne LiDAR and k-Nearest Neighbor Imputation.

    PubMed

    Silva, Carlos Alberto; Klauberg, Carine; Hudak, Andrew T; Vierling, Lee A; Liesenberg, Veraldo; Bernett, Luiz G; Scheraiber, Clewerson F; Schoeninger, Emerson R

    2018-01-01

    Accurate forest inventory is of great economic importance to optimize the entire supply chain management in pulp and paper companies. The aim of this study was to estimate stand dominate and mean heights (HD and HM) and tree density (TD) of Pinus taeda plantations located in South Brazil using in-situ measurements, airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data and the non- k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) imputation. Forest inventory attributes and LiDAR derived metrics were calculated at 53 regular sample plots and we used imputation models to retrieve the forest attributes at plot and landscape-levels. The best LiDAR-derived metrics to predict HD, HM and TD were H99TH, HSD, SKE and HMIN. The Imputation model using the selected metrics was more effective for retrieving height than tree density. The model coefficients of determination (adj.R2) and a root mean squared difference (RMSD) for HD, HM and TD were 0.90, 0.94, 0.38m and 6.99, 5.70, 12.92%, respectively. Our results show that LiDAR and k-NN imputation can be used to predict stand heights with high accuracy in Pinus taeda. However, furthers studies need to be realized to improve the accuracy prediction of TD and to evaluate and compare the cost of acquisition and processing of LiDAR data against the conventional inventory procedures.

  18. Multi-site modulation of flux during monolignol formation in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anterola, A. M.; van Rensburg, H.; van Heerden, P. S.; Davin, L. B.; Lewis, N. G.

    1999-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) cell suspension cultures secrete monolignols when placed in 8% sucrose/20 mM KI solution, and these were used to identify phenylpropanoid pathway flux-modulating steps. When cells were provided with increasing amounts of either phenylalanine (Phe) or cinnamic acid, cellular concentrations of immediate downstream products (cinnamic and p-coumaric acids, respectively) increased, whereas caffeic and ferulic acid pool sizes were essentially unaffected. Increasing Phe concentrations resulted in increased amounts of p-coumaryl alcohol relative to coniferyl alcohol. However, exogenously supplied cinnamic, p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids resulted only in increases in their intercellular concentrations, but not that of downstream cinnamyl aldehydes and monolignols. Supplying p-coumaryl and coniferyl aldehydes up to 40, 000-320,000-fold above the detection limits resulted in rapid, quantitative conversion into the monolignols. Only at nonphysiological concentrations was transient accumulation of intracellular aldehydes observed. These results indicate that cinnamic and p-coumaric acid hydroxylations assume important regulatory positions in phenylpropanoid metabolism, whereas cinnamyl aldehyde reduction does not serve as a control point. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  19. Structural Characterization of Lignin during Pinus taeda Wood Treatment with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora

    PubMed Central

    Guerra, Anderson; Mendonça, Régis; Ferraz, André; Lu, Fachuang; Ralph, John

    2004-01-01

    Pinus taeda wood chips were biotreated with Ceriporiopsis subvermispora under solid-state fermentation for periods varying from 15 to 90 days. Milled wood lignins extracted from sound and biotreated wood samples were characterized by wet-chemical and spectroscopic techniques. Treatment of the lignins by derivatization followed by reductive cleavage (DFRC) made it possible to detect DFRC monomers and dimers that are diagnostic of the occurrence of arylglycerol-β-O-aryl and β-β, β-5, β-1, and 4-O-5 units in the lignin structure. Quantification of these DFRC products indicated that β-O-aryl cleavage was a significant route for lignin biodegradation but that β-β, β-5, β-1, and 4-O-5 linkages were more resistant to the biological attack. The amount of aromatic hydroxyls did not increase with the split of β-O-4 linkages, suggesting that the β-O-4 cleavage products remain as quinone-type structures as detected by UV and visible spectroscopy. Nuclear magnetic resonance techniques also indicated the formation of new substructures containing nonoxygenated, saturated aliphatic carbons (CH2 and CH3) in the side chains of lignins extracted from biotreated wood samples. PMID:15240285

  20. Fine root responses to temporal nutrient heterogeneity and competition in seedlings of two tree species with different rooting strategies.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peng; Shu, Meng; Mou, Pu; Weiner, Jacob

    2018-03-01

    There is little direct evidence for effects of soil heterogeneity and root plasticity on the competitive interactions among plants. In this study, we experimentally examined the impacts of temporal nutrient heterogeneity on root growth and interactions between two plant species with very different rooting strategies: Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum), which shows high root plasticity in response to soil nutrient heterogeneity, and Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), a species with less plastic roots. Seedlings of the two species were grown in sandboxes in inter- and intraspecific combinations. Nutrients were applied in a patch either in a stable (slow-release) or in a variable (pulse) manner. Plant aboveground biomass, fine root mass, root allocation between nutrient patch and outside the patch, and root vertical distribution were measured. L. styraciflua grew more aboveground (40% and 27% in stable and variable nutrient treatment, respectively) and fine roots (41% and 8% in stable and variable nutrient treatment, respectively) when competing with P. taeda than when competing with a conspecific individual, but the growth of P. taeda was not changed by competition from L. styraciflua . Temporal variation in patch nutrient level had little effect on the species' competitive interactions. The more flexible L. styraciflua changed its vertical distribution of fine roots in response to competition from P. taeda , growing more roots in deeper soil layers compared to its roots in conspecific competition, leading to niche differentiation between the species, while the fine root distribution of P. taeda remained unchanged across all treatments. Synthesis . L. styraciflua showed greater flexibility in root growth by changing its root vertical distribution and occupying space of not occupied by P. taeda . This flexibility gave L. styraciflua an advantage in interspecific competition.

  1. Point of no return: experimental determination of the lethal hydraulic threshold during drought for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hammond, W.; Yu, K.; Wilson, L. A.; Will, R.; Anderegg, W.; Adams, H. D.

    2017-12-01

    The strength of the terrestrial carbon sink—dominated by forests—remains one of the greatest uncertainties in climate change modelling. How forests will respond to increased variability in temperature and precipitation is poorly understood, and experimental study to better inform global vegetation models in this area is needed. Necessary for achieving­­­­ this goal is an understanding of how increased temperatures and drought will affect landscape level distributions of plant species. Quantifying physiological thresholds representing a point of no return from drought stress, including thresholds in hydraulic function, is critical to this end. Recent theoretical, observational, and modelling research has converged upon a threshold of 60 percent loss of hydraulic conductivity at mortality (PLClethal). However, direct experimental determination of lethal points in conductivity and cavitation during drought is lacking. We quantified thresholds in hydraulic function in Loblolly pine, Pinus taeda, a commercially important timber species. In a greenhouse experiment, we exposed saplings (n = 96 total) to drought and rewatered treatment groups at variable levels of increasing water stress determined by pre-selected targets in pre-dawn water potential. Treatments also included a watered control with no drought, and drought with no rewatering. We measured physiological responses to water stress, including hydraulic conductivity, native PLC, water potential, foliar color, canopy die-back, and dark-adapted chlorophyll fluorescence. Following the rewatering treatment, we observed saplings for at least two months to determine which survived and which died. Using these data we calculated lethal physiological thresholds in water potential, directly measured PLC, and PLC inferred from water potential using a hydraulic vulnerability curve. We found that PLClethal inferred from water potential agreed with the 60% threshold suggested by previous research. However, directly

  2. Impacts of harvesting and postharvest treatments on soil bulk density, soil strength, and ealry growth of Pinus taeda in the Gulf Coastal Plain: a long-term soil productivity affiliated study

    Treesearch

    Mason C. Carter; Thomas J. Dean; Ziyin Wang; Ray A. Newbold

    2006-01-01

    At four sites in the Gulf Coastal Plain, mechanical whole-tree harvesting (MWT) removed from biomass and nutrients than hand-fell bole-only harvesting (HFBO). Soil compaction and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) regeneration growth varied among sites. At one location, MWT increased soil bulk density by 0.1 Mgm-3, from 1.14 to 1....

  3. Transcriptional control of monolignol biosynthesis in Pinus taeda: factors affecting monolignol ratios and carbon allocation in phenylpropanoid metabolism

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Anterola, Aldwin M.; Jeon, Jae-Heung; Davin, Laurence B.; Lewis, Norman G.

    2002-01-01

    Transcriptional profiling of the phenylpropanoid pathway in Pinus taeda cell suspension cultures was carried out using quantitative real time PCR analyses of all known genes involved in the biosynthesis of the two monolignols, p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols (lignin/lignan precursors). When the cells were transferred to a medium containing 8% sucrose and 20 mm potassium iodide, the monolignol/phenylpropanoid pathway was induced, and transcript levels for phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase were coordinately up-regulated. Provision of increasing levels of exogenously supplied Phe to saturating levels (40 mm) to the induction medium resulted in further up-regulation of their transcript levels in the P. taeda cell cultures; this in turn was accompanied by considerable increases in both p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohol formation and excretion. By contrast, transcript levels for both cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase were only slightly up-regulated. These data, when considered together with metabolic profiling results and genetic manipulation of various plant species, reveal that carbon allocation to the pathway and its differential distribution into the two monolignols is controlled by Phe supply and differential modulation of cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase activities, respectively. The coordinated up-regulation of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase in the presence of increasing concentrations of Phe also indicates that these steps are not truly rate-limiting, because they are modulated according to metabolic demand. Finally, the transcript profile of a putative acid/ester O-methyltransferase, proposed as an alternative catalyst for O-methylation leading

  4. Transcriptional control of monolignol biosynthesis in Pinus taeda: factors affecting monolignol ratios and carbon allocation in phenylpropanoid metabolism.

    PubMed

    Anterola, Aldwin M; Jeon, Jae-Heung; Davin, Laurence B; Lewis, Norman G

    2002-05-24

    Transcriptional profiling of the phenylpropanoid pathway in Pinus taeda cell suspension cultures was carried out using quantitative real time PCR analyses of all known genes involved in the biosynthesis of the two monolignols, p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohols (lignin/lignan precursors). When the cells were transferred to a medium containing 8% sucrose and 20 mm potassium iodide, the monolignol/phenylpropanoid pathway was induced, and transcript levels for phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase were coordinately up-regulated. Provision of increasing levels of exogenously supplied Phe to saturating levels (40 mm) to the induction medium resulted in further up-regulation of their transcript levels in the P. taeda cell cultures; this in turn was accompanied by considerable increases in both p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohol formation and excretion. By contrast, transcript levels for both cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase were only slightly up-regulated. These data, when considered together with metabolic profiling results and genetic manipulation of various plant species, reveal that carbon allocation to the pathway and its differential distribution into the two monolignols is controlled by Phe supply and differential modulation of cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase activities, respectively. The coordinated up-regulation of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-coumarate:CoA ligase, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase in the presence of increasing concentrations of Phe also indicates that these steps are not truly rate-limiting, because they are modulated according to metabolic demand. Finally, the transcript profile of a putative acid/ester O-methyltransferase, proposed as an alternative catalyst for O-methylation leading

  5. Exploring the loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genome by BAC sequencing and Cot analysis.

    PubMed

    Perera, Dinum; Magbanua, Zenaida V; Thummasuwan, Supaphan; Mukherjee, Dipaloke; Arick, Mark; Chouvarine, Philippe; Nairn, Campbell J; Schmutz, Jeremy; Grimwood, Jane; Dean, Jeffrey F D; Peterson, Daniel G

    2018-07-15

    Loblolly pine (LP; Pinus taeda L.) is an economically and ecologically important tree in the southeastern U.S. To advance understanding of the loblolly pine (LP; Pinus taeda L.) genome, we sequenced and analyzed 100 BAC clones and performed a Cot analysis. The Cot analysis indicates that the genome is composed of 57, 24, and 10% highly-repetitive, moderately-repetitive, and single/low-copy sequences, respectively (the remaining 9% of the genome is a combination of fold back and damaged DNA). Although single/low-copy DNA only accounts for 10% of the LP genome, the amount of single/low-copy DNA in LP is still 14 times the size of the Arabidopsis genome. Since gene numbers in LP are similar to those in Arabidopsis, much of the single/low-copy DNA of LP would appear to be composed of DNA that is both gene- and repeat-poor. Macroarrays prepared from a LP bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library were hybridized with probes designed from cell wall synthesis/wood development cDNAs, and 50 of the "targeted" clones were selected for further analysis. An additional 25 clones were selected because they contained few repeats, while 25 more clones were selected at random. The 100 BAC clones were Sanger sequenced and assembled. Of the targeted BACs, 80% contained all or part of the cDNA used to target them. One targeted BAC was found to contain fungal DNA and was eliminated from further analysis. Combinations of similarity-based and ab initio gene prediction approaches were utilized to identify and characterize potential coding regions in the 99 BACs containing LP DNA. From this analysis, we identified 154 gene models (GMs) representing both putative protein-coding genes and likely pseudogenes. Ten of the GMs (all of which were specifically targeted) had enough support to be classified as intact genes. Interestingly, the 154 GMs had statistically indistinguishable (α = 0.05) distributions in the targeted and random BAC clones (15.18 and 12.61 GM/Mb, respectively

  6. Unique Features of the Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Megagenome Revealed Through Sequence Annotation

    PubMed Central

    Wegrzyn, Jill L.; Liechty, John D.; Stevens, Kristian A.; Wu, Le-Shin; Loopstra, Carol A.; Vasquez-Gross, Hans A.; Dougherty, William M.; Lin, Brian Y.; Zieve, Jacob J.; Martínez-García, Pedro J.; Holt, Carson; Yandell, Mark; Zimin, Aleksey V.; Yorke, James A.; Crepeau, Marc W.; Puiu, Daniela; Salzberg, Steven L.; de Jong, Pieter J.; Mockaitis, Keithanne; Main, Doreen; Langley, Charles H.; Neale, David B.

    2014-01-01

    The largest genus in the conifer family Pinaceae is Pinus, with over 100 species. The size and complexity of their genomes (∼20–40 Gb, 2n = 24) have delayed the arrival of a well-annotated reference sequence. In this study, we present the annotation of the first whole-genome shotgun assembly of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), which comprises 20.1 Gb of sequence. The MAKER-P annotation pipeline combined evidence-based alignments and ab initio predictions to generate 50,172 gene models, of which 15,653 are classified as high confidence. Clustering these gene models with 13 other plant species resulted in 20,646 gene families, of which 1554 are predicted to be unique to conifers. Among the conifer gene families, 159 are composed exclusively of loblolly pine members. The gene models for loblolly pine have the highest median and mean intron lengths of 24 fully sequenced plant genomes. Conifer genomes are full of repetitive DNA, with the most significant contributions from long-terminal-repeat retrotransposons. In depth analysis of the tandem and interspersed repetitive content yielded a combined estimate of 82%. PMID:24653211

  7. Characterization of yields for Pinus taeda genotypes at the half-sib, full-sib, and varietal levels of genetic improvement at two planting densities at age 5 in the upper coastal plain of Georgia

    Treesearch

    Derek Dougherty; Michael Kane; Robert Teskey; Richard Daniels; Jeff Wright

    2012-01-01

    Seedling deployment options for the establishment of operational Pinus taeda plantations in the Southeastern U.S. now include half-sib families, full-sib crosses, and varietals. In 2005, a study to evaluate the effects of genotype and density on yield and quality was established on a moderately well-drained upland site in the Upper Coastal Plain in...

  8. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Intercropping within Managed Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Does Not Affect Wild Bee Communities.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Joshua W; Miller, Darren A; Martin, James A

    2016-11-04

    Intensively-managed pine ( Pinus spp.) have been shown to support diverse vertebrate communities, but their ability to support invertebrate communities, such as wild bees, has not been well-studied. Recently, researchers have examined intercropping switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ), a native perennial, within intensively managed loblolly pine ( P. taeda ) plantations as a potential source for cellulosic biofuels. To better understand potential effects of intercropping on bee communities, we investigated visitation of bees within three replicates of four treatments of loblolly pine in Mississippi, U.S.A.: 3-4 year old pine plantations and 9-10 year old pine plantations with and without intercropped switchgrass. We used colored pan traps to capture bees during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014. We captured 2507 bees comprised of 18 different genera during the two-year study, with Lasioglossum and Ceratina being the most common genera captured. Overall, bee abundances were dependent on plantation age and not presence of intercropping. Our data suggests that switchgrass does not negatively impact or promote bee communities within intensively-managed loblolly pine plantations.

  9. Natural mycorrhizal colonization of pines on reclaimed surface mines in Virginia. [Pinus strobus; Pinus taeda; Pinus virginiana

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schoenholtz, S.H.; Burger, J.A.; Torbert, J.L.

    The effects of spoil type, slow-release fertilization, and weed control using glyphosate on the degree of ectomycorrhizal colonization of container-grown white (Pinus strobus L.), loblolly (P. taeda L.), and Virginia (P. virginiana Mill.) pines were studied on two strip mined sites (sandstone vs. siltstone overburden material) in southwestern Virginia. Although some seedlings were successfully colonized at both sites, the number of seedlings colonized and the proportion of short-root colonization per seedling were consistently higher on the sandstone spoil. On both sites, loblolly and Virginia pines had more ectomycorrhizal formation than white pine. Foliar P levels of all three species onmore » the sandstone spoil and of loblolly pine on the siltstone spoil were significantly correlated with ectomycorrhizal development. The degree of ectomycorrhizal formation for any of the species on either spoil was not decreased by slow-release fertilization or glyphosate applications. These results indicate that natural mycorrhizal colonization is compatible with these cultural treatments, and that colonization from indigenous fungal species may be adequate, eliminating the need for artificial inoculation.« less

  10. Optimal traits of plant hydraulic capacitance as an adaptation to hydroclimatic variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hartzell, S. R.; Bartlett, M. S., Jr.; Porporato, A. M.

    2016-12-01

    Hydraulic capacitance allows plants to uptake and store water when it is abundant. This stored water is utilized during periods of water stress, decreasing tissue damage and increasing carbon assimilation. By providing a more consistent and readily accessible water supply, it buffers water stress variability across daily and seasonal timescales. The rate of plant water storage and withdrawal varies widely between plant species and is principally governed by several plant hydraulic parameters, principally the hydraulic capacitance, the total water storage capacity, and the conductance between xylem and water storage tissue. The timescale of the plant response to changes in environmental conditions may be related to the timescale of relevant environmental variability. For example, the Baobab tree (Adansonia), which grows in an environment with very strong seasonal rainfall variability, has a relatively long timescale of hydraulic response, while an evergreen tree such as Pinus taeda, which mainly contends with daily and inter-rainfall moisture variability, has a much shorter timescale of hydraulic response. Here a model of hydraulic capacitance is coupled to a resistance model of soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. We force this model with stochastic rainfall and examine plant responses to moisture variability at various timescales. Optimal plant hydraulic properties are examined as a function of mean soil moisture (daily variability), mean period between rainfall events (inter-rainfall variability), and seasonal rainfall variability, and the relative importance of each type of variability in shaping plant water use strategies is assessed. Results are compared to typical hydraulic parameters of plants growing under specific environmental conditions. Values of hydraulic traits which optimize carbon assimilation and water use efficiency are found; these values are dependent on mean environmental conditions as well as the timescale of environmental variability.

  11. Physico-Chemical Properties and Biodegradability of Genetically Modified Populus trichocarpa and Pinus taeda

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Edmunds, Charles Warren

    Increasing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and the finite supply of fossil fuels lead to the goal of utilizing lignocellulosic feedstocks for biofuels, platform chemicals, and biocomposites. Lignin is responsible for the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass and is a major barrier to its deconstruction. Great progress has been made in mapping and modifying the lignin biosynthetic pathway. However, the link between the genetic modification, resulting chemical and physical properties of the wood, and how these properties influence the thermomechanical and recalcitrance to biological and chemical degradation needs further investigation. In this dissertation, the study of modified Populus trichocarpa and Pinus taeda were utilized to accomplish this goal. Thermo-mechanical properties of genetically modified P. trichocarpa with altered lignin content and/or lignin structure were measured with a series of tools including; dynamic mechanical analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, and wet chemistry techniques. Results demonstrated lignin content and lignin structure likely influence the glass transition temperature (Tg), and that decreased lignin content and the corresponding higher proportion of cell wall carbohydrates may contribute to increased molecular mobility in the wood polymer structure. The effect of lignin biosynthetic pathway modification on biological degradation of these transgenic wood specimens was of interest. However, experimental methods for fungal treatment on small young greenhouse-grown wood specimens are not well established. Therefore, a project was undertaken to develop a method for fungal inoculation and incubation for these unique specimens. Several parameters were tested, and a fungal treatment method was identified with sufficient weight loss after decay and significant reduction in variation of weight loss between replicates compared to previous experiments by direct inoculation of wood with liquid malt extract fungal culture

  12. Genetic and phenotypic variability for constitutive oleoresin flow in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    James H. Roberds; Brian L. Strom; F.P. Hain

    2003-01-01

    In loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., flow of oleoresin at penetration sites is considered to be a major component of defense against attack by the southern pine beetle (SPB) Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm. Trees with copious amounts of constitutive or preformed oleoresin appear to be most able to prevent or impede colonization by this...

  13. Characterization and enzymatic hydrolysis of wood from transgenic Pinus taeda engineered with syringyl lignin or reduced lignin content

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Edmunds, Charles W.; Peralta, Perry; Kelley, Stephen S.

    Softwood is an abundant resource; however, currently its utilization for bioconversion to obtain platform sugars is limited. Pinus taeda trees which were genetically modified to either produce S lignin or to decrease lignin content were characterized with a suite of analytic techniques. Syringyl lignin was visualized in the secondary xylem of one genetic line with Maule staining. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance identified the S lignin units were coupled into the lignin through β-O-4 linkages, and thioacidolysis measured approximately 13% S lignin content in the same sample. Reductions of the lignin of as much as 33% were observed in the transgenics.more » To better understand how these modifications affect bioconversion, their amenability to hot water and dilute acid pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis was evaluated. Lignin reductions resulted in 1.9-3.2-fold increases in glucose release compared to the control. However, no apparent benefit was observed by S lignin incorporation at the concentrations reported in this study. Finally, these results highlight the potential for softwood cell wall properties to be improved for bioenergy/biochemical applications.« less

  14. Characterization and enzymatic hydrolysis of wood from transgenic Pinus taeda engineered with syringyl lignin or reduced lignin content

    DOE PAGES

    Edmunds, Charles W.; Peralta, Perry; Kelley, Stephen S.; ...

    2017-02-22

    Softwood is an abundant resource; however, currently its utilization for bioconversion to obtain platform sugars is limited. Pinus taeda trees which were genetically modified to either produce S lignin or to decrease lignin content were characterized with a suite of analytic techniques. Syringyl lignin was visualized in the secondary xylem of one genetic line with Maule staining. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance identified the S lignin units were coupled into the lignin through β-O-4 linkages, and thioacidolysis measured approximately 13% S lignin content in the same sample. Reductions of the lignin of as much as 33% were observed in the transgenics.more » To better understand how these modifications affect bioconversion, their amenability to hot water and dilute acid pretreatments and enzymatic hydrolysis was evaluated. Lignin reductions resulted in 1.9-3.2-fold increases in glucose release compared to the control. However, no apparent benefit was observed by S lignin incorporation at the concentrations reported in this study. Finally, these results highlight the potential for softwood cell wall properties to be improved for bioenergy/biochemical applications.« less

  15. Purification, Characterization, and Cloning of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.).

    PubMed

    O'malley, D M; Porter, S; Sederoff, R R

    1992-04-01

    Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD, EC 1.1.1. 195) has been purified to homogeneity from differentiating xylem tissue and developing seeds of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The enzyme is a dimer with a native molecular weight of 82,000 and a subunit molecular weight of 44,000, and is the only form of CAD involved in lignification in differentiating xylem. High levels of loblolly pine CAD enzyme were found in nonlignifying seed tissue. Characterization of the enzyme from both seeds and xylem demonstrated that the enzyme is the same in both tissues. The enzyme has a high affinity for coniferaldehyde (K(m) = 1.7 micromolar) compared with sinapaldehyde (K(m) in excess of 100 micromolar). Kinetic data strongly suggest that coniferin is a noncompetitive inhibitor of CAD enzyme activity. Protein sequences were obtained for the N-terminus (28 amino acids) and for two other peptides. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers based on the protein sequences were used to amplify by polymerase chain reaction a 1050 base pair DNA fragment from xylem cDNA. Nucleotide sequence from the cloned DNA fragment coded for the N-terminal protein sequence and an internal peptide of CAD. The N-terminal protein sequence has little similarity with the lambdaCAD4 clone isolated from bean (MH Walter, J Grima-Pettenati, C Grand, AM Boudet, CJ Lamb [1988] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:5546-5550), which has homology with malic enzyme.

  16. Association Mapping of Quantitative Disease Resistance in a Natural Population of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    PubMed Central

    Quesada, Tania; Gopal, Vikneswaran; Cumbie, W. Patrick; Eckert, Andrew J.; Wegrzyn, Jill L.; Neale, David B.; Goldfarb, Barry; Huber, Dudley A.; Casella, George; Davis, John M.

    2010-01-01

    Genetic resistance to disease incited by necrotrophic pathogens is not well understood in plants. Whereas resistance is often quantitative, there is limited information on the genes that underpin quantitative variation in disease resistance. We used a population genomic approach to identify genes in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) that are associated with resistance to pitch canker, a disease incited by the necrotrophic pathogen Fusarium circinatum. A set of 498 largely unrelated, clonally propagated genotypes were inoculated with F. circinatum microconidia and lesion length, a measure of disease resistance, data were collected 4, 8, and 12 weeks after inoculation. Best linear unbiased prediction was used to adjust for imbalance in number of observations and to identify highly susceptible and highly resistant genotypes (“tails”). The tails were reinoculated to validate the results of the full population screen. Significant associations were detected in 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (out of 3938 tested). As hypothesized for genes involved in quantitative resistance, the 10 SNPs had small effects and proposed roles in basal resistance, direct defense, and signal transduction. We also discovered associated genes with unknown function, which would have remained undetected in a candidate gene approach constrained by annotation for disease resistance or stress response. PMID:20628037

  17. Measurement of transpiration in Pinus taeda L. and Liquidambar styraciflua L. in an environmental chamber using tritiated water

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Levy, G. F.; Sonenshine, D. E.; Czoch, J. K.

    1976-01-01

    Transpiration rates of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) were measured at two different atmospheric water vapor pressure deficits (V.P.D.) in a controlled environment growth chamber using tritiated water as a tracer. The trees were maintained in a sealed plant bed containing a hydroponic nutrient solution into which labeled water (spike) was introduced. Samples of leaves, chamber air, spiked nutrient solution and control water were assayed for ratio-activity using liquid scintillation techniques to determine transpiration rates. The transpiration rate of sweetgum in ml./hr./gm. (4.95) was found to be 5 times greater than that of loblolly pine (1.03) at 1.84 V.P.D. and 8 times greater at 6.74 V.P.D. (15.99 for sweetgum vs. 2.19 for pine). Transpiration (based on measurements of leaf radioactivity) in both species rose with increasing deficit; however sweetgum increased its output by 3 times while pine only doubled its rate. Cyclical changes in transpiration rates were noted in both species; the sweetgum cycle required a 6 hour interval whereas the pine cycle required a 9 hour interval.

  18. The role of the megagametophyte in maintaining loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling arginase gene expression in vitro.

    PubMed

    Todd, Christopher D; Gifford, David J

    2002-05-01

    Following loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seed germination, storage-protein breakdown in the megagametophyte and in the seedling results in a large increase in the seedling's free amino acid pool. A substantial portion of both the storage proteins and the amino acid pool is arginine, a very efficient nitrogen-storage compound. Free arginine is hydrolyzed in the seedling by the enzyme arginase (EC 3.5.3.1), which is under strong developmental control. At present, regulation of arginase in conifers is not well understood. Here we report the utilization of an in vitro culture system to address the separate impacts of the seedling and megagametophyte tissues on arginase enzyme activity, protein levels and patterns of gene expression. We also describe the generation of an anti-arginase antibody prepared from a histidine-tagged loblolly pine arginase fusion protein expressed in Escherichia coli. Our results indicate that arginase gene expression in the seedling is initiated by the seedling itself and then maintained or up-regulated by the megagametophyte. The contribution of storage-protein breakdown and the free amino acid pool, particularly arginine, in this regulation is also addressed.

  19. Relationship between herbaceous layer, stand, and site variables in the Bankhead National Forest, Alabama

    Treesearch

    Joel C. Zak; Luben D. Dimov; Callie Jo Schweitzer; Stacy L. Clark

    2010-01-01

    We studied herbaceous layer richness, diversity and cover in stands on the southern Cumberland Plateau. The stands are mixed pine-hardwoods dominated by 25-40-year-old planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Scheduled future treatments combining thinning and fire are designed to restore the hardwood component, particularly oak (Quercus...

  20. Purification, Characterization, and Cloning of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) 1

    PubMed Central

    O'Malley, David M.; Porter, Stephanie; Sederoff, Ronald R.

    1992-01-01

    Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD, EC 1.1.1. 195) has been purified to homogeneity from differentiating xylem tissue and developing seeds of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The enzyme is a dimer with a native molecular weight of 82,000 and a subunit molecular weight of 44,000, and is the only form of CAD involved in lignification in differentiating xylem. High levels of loblolly pine CAD enzyme were found in nonlignifying seed tissue. Characterization of the enzyme from both seeds and xylem demonstrated that the enzyme is the same in both tissues. The enzyme has a high affinity for coniferaldehyde (Km = 1.7 micromolar) compared with sinapaldehyde (Km in excess of 100 micromolar). Kinetic data strongly suggest that coniferin is a noncompetitive inhibitor of CAD enzyme activity. Protein sequences were obtained for the N-terminus (28 amino acids) and for two other peptides. Degenerate oligonucleotide primers based on the protein sequences were used to amplify by polymerase chain reaction a 1050 base pair DNA fragment from xylem cDNA. Nucleotide sequence from the cloned DNA fragment coded for the N-terminal protein sequence and an internal peptide of CAD. The N-terminal protein sequence has little similarity with the λCAD4 clone isolated from bean (MH Walter, J Grima-Pettenati, C Grand, AM Boudet, CJ Lamb [1988] Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:5546-5550), which has homology with malic enzyme. ImagesFigure 2Figure 3 PMID:16668801

  1. Weighted linear regression using D2H and D2 as the independent variables

    Treesearch

    Hans T. Schreuder; Michael S. Williams

    1998-01-01

    Several error structures for weighted regression equations used for predicting volume were examined for 2 large data sets of felled and standing loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.). The generally accepted model with variance of error proportional to the value of the covariate squared ( D2H = diameter squared times height or D...

  2. Revisiting the relationship between common weather variables and loblolly-shortleaf pine seed crops in natural stands

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; Michael G Shelton

    2000-01-01

    Seed production was monitored during 24 years using seed-collection traps in loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L.-P. echinata Mill.) stands located in southeast Arkansas, north-central Louisiana, and southwest Mississippi on the southeastern Coastal Plain, USA. Sound seed production was correlated with mean monthly precipitation...

  3. A comparison of the community diversity of foliar fungal endophytes between seedling and adult loblolly pines (Pinus taeda)

    PubMed Central

    Oono, Ryoko; Lefèvre, Emilie; Simha, Anita; Lutzoni, François

    2015-01-01

    Fungal endophytes represent one of the most ubiquitous plant symbionts on Earth and are phylogenetically diverse. The structure and diversity of endophyte communities have been shown to depend on host taxa and climate, but there have been relatively few studies exploring endophyte communities throughout host maturity. We compared foliar fungal endophyte communities between seedlings and adult trees of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) at the same seasons and locations by culturing and culture-independent methods. We sequenced the internal transcribed spacer region and adjacent partial large subunit nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (ITS–LSU amplicon) to delimit operational taxonomic units and phylogenetically characterize the communities. Despite the lower infection frequency in seedlings compared to adult trees, seedling needles were receptive to a more diverse community of fungal endophytes. Culture-free method confirmed the presence of commonly cultured OTUs from adult needles but revealed several new OTUs from seedling needles that were not found with culturing methods. The two most commonly cultured OTUs in adults were rarely cultured from seedlings, suggesting that host age is correlated with a selective enrichment for specific endophytes. This shift in endophyte species dominance may be indicative of a functional change between these fungi and their loblolly pine hosts. PMID:26399186

  4. The effects of drought and disturbance on the growth and developmental instability of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Graham, John H.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Brown, Michelle L.; Kitchen, Stanley G.; Emlen, John M.; Malol, Jagadish; Bankstahl, Elizabeth; Krzysik, Anthony J.; Balbach, Harold E.; Freeman, D. Carl

    2012-01-01

    Ecological indicators provide early warning of adverse environmental change, helping land managers adaptively manage their resources while minimizing costly remediation. In 1999 and 2000, we studied two such indicators, growth and developmental instability, of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) influenced by mechanized infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Disturbed areas were used for military training; tracked and wheeled vehicles damaged vegetation and soils. Highly disturbed sites had fewer trees, diminished ground cover, warmer soils in the summer, and more compacted soils with a shallower A-horizon. We hypothesized that disturbance would decrease the growth of needles, branches, and tree rings, increase the complexity of tree rings, and increase the developmental instability of needles. Contrary to our expectations, however, disturbance enhanced growth in the first year of the study, possibly by reducing competition. In the second year, a drought reduced growth of branches and needles, eliminating the stimulatory effect of disturbance. Growth-ring widths increased with growing-season precipitation, and decreased with growing-season temperature over the last 40 years. Disturbance had no effect on tree-ring complexity, as measured by the Hurst exponent. Within-fascicle variation of current-year needle length, a measure of developmental instability, differed among the study populations, but appeared unrelated to mechanical disturbance or drought.

  5. Patterns of Population Structure and Environmental Associations to Aridity Across the Range of Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L., Pinaceae)

    PubMed Central

    Eckert, Andrew J.; van Heerwaarden, Joost; Wegrzyn, Jill L.; Nelson, C. Dana; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey; González-Martínez, Santíago C.; Neale, David. B.

    2010-01-01

    Natural populations of forest trees exhibit striking phenotypic adaptations to diverse environmental gradients, thereby making them appealing subjects for the study of genes underlying ecologically relevant phenotypes. Here, we use a genome-wide data set of single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped across 3059 functional genes to study patterns of population structure and identify loci associated with aridity across the natural range of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Overall patterns of population structure, as inferred using principal components and Bayesian cluster analyses, were consistent with three genetic clusters likely resulting from expansions out of Pleistocene refugia located in Mexico and Florida. A novel application of association analysis, which removes the confounding effects of shared ancestry on correlations between genetic and environmental variation, identified five loci correlated with aridity. These loci were primarily involved with abiotic stress response to temperature and drought. A unique set of 24 loci was identified as FST outliers on the basis of the genetic clusters identified previously and after accounting for expansions out of Pleistocene refugia. These loci were involved with a diversity of physiological processes. Identification of nonoverlapping sets of loci highlights the fundamental differences implicit in the use of either method and suggests a pluralistic, yet complementary, approach to the identification of genes underlying ecologically relevant phenotypes. PMID:20439779

  6. Patterns of population structure and environmental associations to aridity across the range of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L., Pinaceae).

    PubMed

    Eckert, Andrew J; van Heerwaarden, Joost; Wegrzyn, Jill L; Nelson, C Dana; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey; González-Martínez, Santíago C; Neale, David B

    2010-07-01

    Natural populations of forest trees exhibit striking phenotypic adaptations to diverse environmental gradients, thereby making them appealing subjects for the study of genes underlying ecologically relevant phenotypes. Here, we use a genome-wide data set of single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped across 3059 functional genes to study patterns of population structure and identify loci associated with aridity across the natural range of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Overall patterns of population structure, as inferred using principal components and Bayesian cluster analyses, were consistent with three genetic clusters likely resulting from expansions out of Pleistocene refugia located in Mexico and Florida. A novel application of association analysis, which removes the confounding effects of shared ancestry on correlations between genetic and environmental variation, identified five loci correlated with aridity. These loci were primarily involved with abiotic stress response to temperature and drought. A unique set of 24 loci was identified as F(ST) outliers on the basis of the genetic clusters identified previously and after accounting for expansions out of Pleistocene refugia. These loci were involved with a diversity of physiological processes. Identification of nonoverlapping sets of loci highlights the fundamental differences implicit in the use of either method and suggests a pluralistic, yet complementary, approach to the identification of genes underlying ecologically relevant phenotypes.

  7. Effects of stand and site variables on the lumber value of uneven-aged loblolly pine stands

    Treesearch

    David W. Patterson; Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

    2000-01-01

    Uneven-aged silviculture using single-tree selection provides the landowner with periodic income from a continuous forest which has a varied canopy. Data were collected from 24 plots of a larger study to determine if site index, basal area, and maximum dbh affected volume and value of lumber from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees in uneven-aged...

  8. Diet of southern toads (Bufo terrestris) in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands subject to coarse woody debris manipulations.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moseley, Kurtis R.; Steven B. Castleberry; James L. Hanula

    2005-04-01

    ABSTRACT In the southeastern United States, coarse woody debris (CWD) typically harbors high densities of invertebrates. However, its importance as a foraging substrate for southeastern amphibians is relatively unknown. We examined effects of CWD manipulations on diet composition of southern toads (Bufo terrestris) in upland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Twelve 9.3-ha plots were assigned one of the following treatments: removal- all CWD _10 cm in diameter and _60 cm long removed; downed- five-fold increase in volume of down CWD; and unmanipulated control stands. We collected southern toads _4 cm snout-vent length (SVL)more » during 14 d sampling periods in June and October 2002, June 2003 and during a 28 d sampling period in April 2003. We collected 80, 36 and 35 southern toads in control, downed and removal treatments, respectively. We found no difference in relative abundance or frequency of invertebrate groups consumed among treatments (P.0.05). Average body weight (g), SVL (cm) and stomach content weight (g wet) of individuals also were similar among treatments (P . 0.05). The role of CWD as a foraging substrate for southern toads in loblolly pine stands of the southeastern Coastal Plain may be negligible, at least in the early stages of decay.« less

  9. Osmotic measurements in whole megagametophytes and embryos of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) during seed development.

    PubMed

    Pullman, Gerald S; Johnson, Shannon

    2009-06-01

    Water potential (Psi) and osmotic potential (Psis) were measured weekly through the sequence of seed development in megagametophytes of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). A Wescor 5500XRS vapor pressure osmometer, modified with a cycle hold switch, was used to measure Psi for whole megagametophytes containing embryos. The Psi measurements for megagametophytes with embryos removed were also attempted but readings were distorted due to cell lysates from the cut surfaces. Six seasonal sets of megagametophyte Psi profiles were generated. Megagametophytes from most of the trees examined showed a consistent Psi pattern: low measurements of -1.0 to -0.75 MPa during early embryo development in late June to early July when embryo Stages 1-2 occur; an increase for one to several weeks to levels of -0.5 to -0.75 MPa, beginning at Stages 3-5 when apical dome formation occurs; followed by a steady drop from -0.85 to -1.7 to -2.0 MPa from Stage 6 onward from late August until just before cone seed release. The Psis was measured for supernatant from centrifuged frozen-thawed megagametophyte tissue (embryos removed). Megagametophyte Psis profiles were similar for seeds analyzed from two trees and resembled Psi observations starting low, rising around Stages 4-7 and then undergoing a major reduction indicating a strong solute accumulation beginning at Stages 7-9.1. Somatic embryos stop growth prematurely in vitro at Stages 8-9.1. The major change in the accumulation of megagametophyte solutes at Stages 8-9.1 correlates with the halt in somatic embryo maturation and suggests that identifying, quantifying and using the major natural soluble compounds that accumulate during mid- to late-stage seed development may be important to improve conifer somatic embryo maturation.

  10. Involvement of Pinus taeda MYB1 and MYB8 in phenylpropanoid metabolism and secondary cell wall biogenesis: a comparative in planta analysis

    PubMed Central

    Bomal, Claude; Bedon, Frank; Caron, Sébastien; Mansfield, Shawn D.; Levasseur, Caroline; Cooke, Janice E. K.; Blais, Sylvie; Tremblay, Laurence; Morency, Marie-Josée; Pavy, Nathalie; Grima-Pettenati, Jacqueline; Séguin, Armand; MacKay, John

    2008-01-01

    The involvement of two R2R3-MYB genes from Pinus taeda L., PtMYB1 and PtMYB8, in phenylpropanoid metabolism and secondary cell wall biogenesis was investigated in planta. These pine MYBs were constitutively overexpressed (OE) in Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, used as a heterologous conifer expression system. Morphological, histological, chemical (lignin and soluble phenols), and transcriptional analyses, i.e. microarray and reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were used for extensive phenotyping of MYB-overexpressing spruce plantlets. Upon germination of somatic embryos, root growth was reduced in both transgenics. Enhanced lignin deposition was also a common feature but ectopic secondary cell wall deposition was more strongly associated with PtMYB8-OE. Microarray and RT-qPCR data showed that overexpression of each MYB led to an overlapping up-regulation of many genes encoding phenylpropanoid enzymes involved in lignin monomer synthesis, while misregulation of several cell wall-related genes and other MYB transcription factors was specifically associated with PtMYB8-OE. Together, the results suggest that MYB1 and MYB8 may be part of a conserved transcriptional network involved in secondary cell wall deposition in conifers. PMID:18805909

  11. Electromagnetic Treatment of Loblolly Pine Seeds

    Treesearch

    James P. Barnett; Stanley L. Krugman

    1989-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seeds were exposed to an electromagnetic radiation treatment (Energy Transfer Process, marketed by the Energy Transfer Corporation), and the effects of the treatments on seed germination, seedling development, disease resistance, and field performance of seedlings were evaluated. None of the evaluated variables showed...

  12. Allozyme diversity of selected and natural loblolly pine populations

    Treesearch

    Ronald C. Schmidtling; E. Carroll; T. LaFarge

    1999-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) megagametophytes and embryos were examined electrophoretically to compare the extent and distribution of genetic variability in allozymes of selected and wild populations. Range-wide collections of three different types were investigated in this study. These consisted of seed sampled from (1) a provenance test...

  13. Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities and Enzymatic Activities Vary across an Ecotone between a Forest and Field.

    PubMed

    Rúa, Megan A; Moore, Becky; Hergott, Nicole; Van, Lily; Jackson, Colin R; Hoeksema, Jason D

    2015-08-28

    Extracellular enzymes degrade macromolecules into soluble substrates and are important for nutrient cycling in soils, where microorganisms, such as ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, produce these enzymes to obtain nutrients. Ecotones between forests and fields represent intriguing arenas for examining the effect of the environment on ECM community structure and enzyme activity because tree maturity, ECM composition, and environmental variables may all be changing simultaneously. We studied the composition and enzymatic activity of ECM associated with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) across an ecotone between a forest where P. taeda is established and an old field where P. taeda saplings had been growing for <5 years. ECM community and environmental characteristics influenced enzyme activity in the field, indicating that controls on enzyme activity may be intricately linked to the ECM community, but this was not true in the forest. Members of the Russulaceae were associated with increased phenol oxidase activity and decreased peroxidase activity in the field. Members of the Atheliaceae were particularly susceptible to changes in their abiotic environment, but this did not mediate differences in enzyme activity. These results emphasize the complex nature of factors that dictate the distribution of ECM and activity of their enzymes across a habitat boundary.

  14. Detecting Responses of Loblolly Pine Stand Development to Site-Preparation Intensity: A Modeling Approach

    Treesearch

    Mingguang Xu; Timothy B. Harrington; M. Boyd Edwards

    1997-01-01

    Data from an existing site preparation experiment in the Georgia Piedmont were subjected to a modeling approach to analyze effects of site preparation intensity on stand development of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) 5 to 12 years since treatment. An average stand height model that incorporated indicator variables for treatment provided an accurate...

  15. Mechanized Symmetrical Sowing

    Treesearch

    Kirk D. Howell

    2005-01-01

    With hundreds of variables to investigate, and thousands of combinations, seldom is there found such appeal to the investigator as an organism’s response to density. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) was grown at several levels of seedbed density and sowing configurations in order to display unique contrasts between consequent morphological traits,...

  16. Determinants of tree quality and lumber value in natural uneven-aged southern pine stands

    Treesearch

    Jeffrey P. Prestemon; Joseph Buongiorno

    2000-01-01

    An ordered-probit model was developed to predict tree grade from tree- and stand-level variables, some of which could be changed by management. Applied to uneven-aged mixed loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) - shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) stands, the model showed that the grade of pine trees was highly correlated with tree diameter...

  17. Erosion response of a harvested piedmont loblolly pine plantation in Alabama: preliminary results

    Treesearch

    Emily A. Carter

    2013-01-01

    The erosion impact of typical forest management operations in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in the Piedmont region of Alabama was investigated. Soil loss and runoff were highly variable throughout postharvest and first year after site preparation and planting. Under postharvest conditions, the annual rate of soil loss was 106.5 and 274....

  18. Hydraulic redistribution of soil water by roots affects whole-stand evapotranspiration and net ecosystem carbon exchange

    Treesearch

    J.-C. Domec; J.S. King; A. Noormets; E. Treasure; M.J. Gavazzi; G. Sun; S.G. McNulty

    2010-01-01

    Hydraulic redistribution (HR) of water via roots from moist to drier portions of the soil occurs in many ecosystems, potentially influencing both water use and carbon assimilation. By measuring soil water content, sap flow and eddy covariance, we investigated the temporal variability of HR in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation during months of...

  19. Linking growth and yield and process models to estimate impact of environmental changes on growth of loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    V. Clark Baldwin; Harold E. Burkhart; James A. Westfall; Kelly D. Peterson

    2001-01-01

    PTAEDA2 is a distance-dependent, individual tree model that simulates the growth and yield of a plantation of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)on an annual basis. The MAESTRO model utilizes an array of trees in a stand to calculate and integrate the effects of biological and physical variables on the photosynthesis and respiration processes of a target...

  20. Use of isoenzyme techniques in forest genetics research

    Treesearch

    M. Thompson Conkle; W. T. Adams

    1977-01-01

    Genetic variation among loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) samples from a natural stand and among clones in seed orchards was analyzed using simply inherited isozyme markers. Alleles for eleven enzyme loci were found useful for genotyping trees in a natural stand in North Carolina. The pines were highly variable with as many as seven alleles per isozyme...

  1. Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities and Enzymatic Activities Vary across an Ecotone between a Forest and Field

    PubMed Central

    Rúa, Megan A.; Moore, Becky; Hergott, Nicole; Van, Lily; Jackson, Colin R.; Hoeksema, Jason D.

    2015-01-01

    Extracellular enzymes degrade macromolecules into soluble substrates and are important for nutrient cycling in soils, where microorganisms, such as ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, produce these enzymes to obtain nutrients. Ecotones between forests and fields represent intriguing arenas for examining the effect of the environment on ECM community structure and enzyme activity because tree maturity, ECM composition, and environmental variables may all be changing simultaneously. We studied the composition and enzymatic activity of ECM associated with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) across an ecotone between a forest where P. taeda is established and an old field where P. taeda saplings had been growing for <5 years. ECM community and environmental characteristics influenced enzyme activity in the field, indicating that controls on enzyme activity may be intricately linked to the ECM community, but this was not true in the forest. Members of the Russulaceae were associated with increased phenol oxidase activity and decreased peroxidase activity in the field. Members of the Atheliaceae were particularly susceptible to changes in their abiotic environment, but this did not mediate differences in enzyme activity. These results emphasize the complex nature of factors that dictate the distribution of ECM and activity of their enzymes across a habitat boundary. PMID:29376908

  2. Weight and Volume Determination for Planted Loblolly Pine in North Louisiana

    Treesearch

    Ray A. Newbold; V. Clark Baldwin; Gary Hill

    2001-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the variability in weight-to-volume relationships in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations and to determine predictability based on stand age, site quality, and/or tree size. Trees ages ranged from 11 to 40 years, with diameters to 2 1 inches and heights to 9 1 feet. Measured site indices ranged from 45...

  3. Loblolly Pruning and Growth Characteristics at Different Planting Spacings

    Treesearch

    J.C. Adams; T.R. Clason

    2002-01-01

    In 1990, an abandoned farm pasture located on the Calhoun Research Station, Calhoun, Louisiana was planted in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) at five different spacings. The spacings were 12X6, 12X8, 10X6, 16X6 and 24X6. Variables measured were DBH, height, branch diameter, height to first branch and first branch whorl, fusiform occurrence, and...

  4. Changes in water, nitrogen and carbon cycling in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) during a mortality event

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Renninger, H. J.; Hornslein, N.; Siegert, C. M.

    2017-12-01

    Depending on the type of disturbance, the mortality process of an individual tree may occur over an extended period leading to changes in tree and ecosystem functioning throughout this time period and before ultimate tree death is evident. Therefore, the goals of this research were to quantify physiological changes occurring in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) during an extended mortality event. In July 2015, ten trees were girdled to simulate a Southern pine beetle disturbance and trees were monitored until their eventual mortality which occurred from Aug. to Dec. of 2016. Sapflow rates and litterfall were monitored throughout the mortality process and photosynthetic rates and leaf nitrogen concentrations were measured at the height of the 2016 growing season. Girdled pines had significantly higher sapflow compared with control pines in the first month following girdling, then sapflow did not differ significantly for the remainder of the 2015 growing season. From Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2016, control trees had about 25% higher sapflow compared with girdled pines, but both groups maintained a similar relationship between sapflow and soil moisture. Extensive litterfall occurred throughout the 2016 growing season and litter had 50% higher N concentration than the prior growing season. N concentration of fresh leaves collected in 2016 did not differ in girdled vs. control pines but control pines had 64% higher maximum Rubisco-limited carboxylation rates (Vcmax) and 68% higher electron transport-limited carboxylation rates (Jmax) compared to girdled pines. Control pines also had 66% higher foliage densities and 44% larger growth ring widths than girdled pines at the end of the 2016 growing season. Taken together, these results highlight the physiological changes that occur in pines undergoing mortality before needles completely discolor and drop. Compared with control pines, girdled pines exhibited greater changes in carbon and nitrogen compared with water use suggesting that

  5. Pinus taeda forest growth predictions in the 21st century vary with site mean annual temperature and site quality.

    PubMed

    Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos A; Teskey, Robert O; Dinon-Aldridge, Heather; Martin, Timothy A

    2017-11-01

    Climate projections from 20 downscaled global climate models (GCMs) were used with the 3-PG model to predict the future productivity and water use of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growing across the southeastern United States. Predictions were made using Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. These represent scenarios in which total radiative forcing stabilizes before 2100 (RCP 4.5) or continues increasing throughout the century (RCP 8.5). Thirty-six sites evenly distributed across the native range of the species were used in the analysis. These sites represent a range in current mean annual temperature (14.9-21.6°C) and precipitation (1,120-1,680 mm/year). The site index of each site, which is a measure of growth potential, was varied to represent different levels of management. The 3-PG model predicted that aboveground biomass growth and net primary productivity will increase by 10%-40% in many parts of the region in the future. At cooler sites, the relative growth increase was greater than at warmer sites. By running the model with the baseline [CO 2 ] or the anticipated elevated [CO 2 ], the effect of CO 2 on growth was separated from that of other climate factors. The growth increase at warmer sites was due almost entirely to elevated [CO 2 ]. The growth increase at cooler sites was due to a combination of elevated [CO 2 ] and increased air temperature. Low site index stands had a greater relative increase in growth under the climate change scenarios than those with a high site index. Water use increased in proportion to increases in leaf area and productivity but precipitation was still adequate, based on the downscaled GCM climate projections. We conclude that an increase in productivity can be expected for a large majority of the planted loblolly pine stands in the southeastern United States during this century. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. DNA sequence variation and selection of tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms at candidate genes for drought-stress response in Pinus taeda L.

    PubMed

    González-Martínez, Santiago C; Ersoz, Elhan; Brown, Garth R; Wheeler, Nicholas C; Neale, David B

    2006-03-01

    Genetic association studies are rapidly becoming the experimental approach of choice to dissect complex traits, including tolerance to drought stress, which is the most common cause of mortality and yield losses in forest trees. Optimization of association mapping requires knowledge of the patterns of nucleotide diversity and linkage disequilibrium and the selection of suitable polymorphisms for genotyping. Moreover, standard neutrality tests applied to DNA sequence variation data can be used to select candidate genes or amino acid sites that are putatively under selection for association mapping. In this article, we study the pattern of polymorphism of 18 candidate genes for drought-stress response in Pinus taeda L., an important tree crop. Data analyses based on a set of 21 putatively neutral nuclear microsatellites did not show population genetic structure or genomewide departures from neutrality. Candidate genes had moderate average nucleotide diversity at silent sites (pi(sil) = 0.00853), varying 100-fold among single genes. The level of within-gene LD was low, with an average pairwise r2 of 0.30, decaying rapidly from approximately 0.50 to approximately 0.20 at 800 bp. No apparent LD among genes was found. A selective sweep may have occurred at the early-response-to-drought-3 (erd3) gene, although population expansion can also explain our results and evidence for selection was not conclusive. One other gene, ccoaomt-1, a methylating enzyme involved in lignification, showed dimorphism (i.e., two highly divergent haplotype lineages at equal frequency), which is commonly associated with the long-term action of balancing selection. Finally, a set of haplotype-tagging SNPs (htSNPs) was selected. Using htSNPs, a reduction of genotyping effort of approximately 30-40%, while sampling most common allelic variants, can be gained in our ongoing association studies for drought tolerance in pine.

  7. Genetic effects on total phenolics, condensed tannins and non-structural carbohydrates in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) needles.

    PubMed

    Aspinwall, Michael J; King, John S; Booker, Fitzgerald L; McKeand, Steven E

    2011-08-01

    Carbon allocation to soluble phenolics (total phenolics, proanthocyanidins (PA)) and total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC; starch and soluble sugars) in needles of widely planted, highly productive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes could impact stand resistance to herbivory, and biogeochemical cycling in the southeastern USA. However, genetic and growth-related effects on loblolly pine needle chemistry are not well characterized. Therefore, we investigated genetic and growth-related effects on foliar concentrations of total phenolics, PA and TNC in two different field studies. The first study contained nine different genotypes representing a range of genetic homogeneity, growing in a 2-year-old plantation on the coastal plain of North Carolina (NC), USA. The second study contained eight clones with different growth potentials planted in a 9-year-old clonal trial replicated at two sites (Georgia (GA) and South Carolina (SC), USA). In the first study (NC), we found no genetic effects on total phenolics, PA and TNC, and there was no relationship between genotype size and foliar biochemistry. In the second study, there were no differences in height growth between sites, but the SC site showed greater diameter (diameter at breast height (DBH)) and volume, most likely due to greater tree mortality (lower stocking) which reduced competition for resources and increased growth of remaining trees. We found a significant site × clone effect for total phenolics with lower productivity clones showing 27-30% higher total phenolic concentrations at the GA site where DBH and volume were lower. In contrast to the predictions of growth-defense theory, clone volume was positively associated with total phenolic concentrations at the higher volume SC site, and PA concentrations at the lower volume GA site. Overall, we found no evidence of a trade-off between genotype size and defense, and genetic potential for improved growth may include increased allocation to some

  8. Biology and management of Longidorus americanus in a southern USA nursery

    Treesearch

    M.M. Cram; S.W. Fraedrich

    2007-01-01

    A recently discovered nematode, Longidorus americanus, caused stunting of Pinus taeda seedlings at a forest-tree nursery in Georgia, USA. In growth chamber experiments, L. americanus significantly reduced the root size of I? taeda and P elliottii seedlings. Although the root systems of L. palustris...

  9. An annotated genetic map of loblolly pine based on microsatellite and cDNA markers

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Previous loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genetic linkage maps have been based on a variety of DNA polymorphisms, such as AFLPs, RAPDs, RFLPs, and ESTPs, but only a few SSRs (simple sequence repeats), also known as simple tandem repeats or microsatellites, have been mapped in P. taeda. The objective o...

  10. Nondestructive estimation of wood chemical composition of sections of radial wood strips by diffuse reflectance near infrared spectroscopy

    Treesearch

    P. David Jones; Laurence R. Schimleck; Gary F. Peter; Richard F. Daniels; Alexander Clark

    2006-01-01

    The use of calibrated near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for predicting the chemical composition of Pirus taeda L. (loblolly pine) wood samples is investigated. Seventeen P. taeda radial strips, representing seven different sites were selected and NlR spectra were obtained from the radial longitudinal face of each strip. The spectra...

  11. Nondestructive estimation of tracheid length from sections of radial wood strips by near infrared spectroscopy

    Treesearch

    Laurence R. Schimleck; P. David Jones; Gary F. Peter; F. Daniels; Alexander Clarklll

    2004-01-01

    The use of calibrated near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for predicting tracheid length of Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) wood samples is described. Ten-mm sections of 14 P. taeda radial strips were selected and NIR spectra obtained from the radial longitudinal face of each section. The fibers in these sections were characterized in terms of arithmetic and length-...

  12. Phenotypic analysis of first-year traits in a pseudo-backcross {(slash x loblolly) x slash} and the ope-pollinated families of the pure-species progenitors

    Treesearch

    Patricio R. Munoz Del Valle; Dudley A. Huber; John R. Butnor

    2011-01-01

    A single test, including one pseudo-backcross (Pinus elliottii x Pinus taeda) x P. elliottii and openpollinated families of the pure species progenitors, was established in North Central Florida in December 2007 to study the transfer of the fast-growing characteristics from a P. taeda L. (loblolly pine) parent into the P. elliottii Engelm. (slash pine) background....

  13. The impact of integrating WorldView-2 sensor and environmental variables in estimating plantation forest species aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in uMgeni Catchment, South Africa

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dube, Timothy; Mutanga, Onisimo

    2016-09-01

    Reliable and accurate mapping and extraction of key forest indicators of ecosystem development and health, such as aboveground biomass (AGB) and aboveground carbon stocks (AGCS) is critical in understanding forests contribution to the local, regional and global carbon cycle. This information is critical in assessing forest contribution towards ecosystem functioning and services, as well as their conservation status. This work aimed at assessing the applicability of the high resolution 8-band WorldView-2 multispectral dataset together with environmental variables in quantifying AGB and aboveground carbon stocks for three forest plantation species i.e. Eucalyptus dunii (ED), Eucalyptus grandis (EG) and Pinus taeda (PT) in uMgeni Catchment, South Africa. Specifically, the strength of the Worldview-2 sensor in terms of its improved imaging agilities is examined as an independent dataset and in conjunction with selected environmental variables. The results have demonstrated that the integration of high resolution 8-band Worldview-2 multispectral data with environmental variables provide improved AGB and AGCS estimates, when compared to the use of spectral data as an independent dataset. The use of integrated datasets yielded a high R2 value of 0.88 and RMSEs of 10.05 t ha-1 and 5.03 t C ha-1 for E. dunii AGB and carbon stocks; whereas the use of spectral data as an independent dataset yielded slightly weaker results, producing an R2 value of 0.73 and an RMSE of 18.57 t ha-1 and 09.29 t C ha-1. Similarly, high accurate results (R2 value of 0.73 and RMSE values of 27.30 t ha-1 and 13.65 t C ha-1) were observed from the estimation of inter-species AGB and carbon stocks. Overall, the findings of this work have shown that the integration of new generation multispectral datasets with environmental variables provide a robust toolset required for the accurate and reliable retrieval of forest aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in densely forested terrestrial ecosystems.

  14. Transgenic loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plants expressing a modified delta-endotoxin gene of Bacillus thuringiensis with enhanced resistance to Dendrolimus punctatus Walker and Crypyothelea formosicola Staud.

    PubMed

    Tang, Wei; Tian, Yingchuan

    2003-02-01

    A synthetic version of the CRY1Ac gene of Bacillus thuringiensis has been used for the transformation of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) using particle bombardment. Mature zygotic embryos were used to be bombarded and to generate organogenic callus and transgenic regenerated plants. Expression vector pB48.215 DNA contained a synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) CRY1Ac coding sequence flanked by the double cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter and nopaline synthase (NOS) terminator sequences, and the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) gene controlled by the promoter of the nopaline synthase gene was introduced into loblolly pine tissues by particle bombardment. The transformed tissues were proliferated and selected on media with kanamycin. Shoot regeneration was induced from the kanamycin-resistant calli, and transgenic plantlets were then produced. More than 60 transformed plants from independent transformation events were obtained for each loblolly pine genotype tested. The integration and expression of the introduced genes in the transgenic loblolly pine plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reactions (PCR) analysis, by Southern hybridization, by Northern blot analysis, and by Western blot analysis. Effective resistance of transgenic plants against Dendrolimus punctatus Walker and Crypyothelea formosicola Staud was verified in feeding bioassays with the insects. The transgenic plants recovered could represent a good opportunity to analyse the impact of genetic engineering of pine for sustainable resistance to pests using a B. thuringiensis insecticidal protein. This protocol enabled the routine transformation of loblolly pine plants that were previously difficult to transform.

  15. On the complementary relationship between marginal nitrogen and water-use efficiencies among Pinus taeda leaves grown under ambient and CO2-enriched environments

    PubMed Central

    Palmroth, Sari; Katul, Gabriel G.; Maier, Chris A.; Ward, Eric; Manzoni, Stefano; Vico, Giulia

    2013-01-01

    Background and Aims Water and nitrogen (N) are two limiting resources for biomass production of terrestrial vegetation. Water losses in transpiration (E) can be decreased by reducing leaf stomatal conductance (gs) at the expense of lowering CO2 uptake (A), resulting in increased water-use efficiency. However, with more N available, higher allocation of N to photosynthetic proteins improves A so that N-use efficiency is reduced when gs declines. Hence, a trade-off is expected between these two resource-use efficiencies. In this study it is hypothesized that when foliar concentration (N) varies on time scales much longer than gs, an explicit complementary relationship between the marginal water- and N-use efficiency emerges. Furthermore, a shift in this relationship is anticipated with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration (ca). Methods Optimization theory is employed to quantify interactions between resource-use efficiencies under elevated ca and soil N amendments. The analyses are based on marginal water- and N-use efficiencies, λ = (∂A/∂gs)/(∂E/∂gs) and η = ∂A/∂N, respectively. The relationship between the two efficiencies and related variation in intercellular CO2 concentration (ci) were examined using A/ci curves and foliar N measured on Pinus taeda needles collected at various canopy locations at the Duke Forest Free Air CO2 Enrichment experiment (North Carolina, USA). Key Results Optimality theory allowed the definition of a novel, explicit relationship between two intrinsic leaf-scale properties where η is complementary to the square-root of λ. The data support the model predictions that elevated ca increased η and λ, and at given ca and needle age-class, the two quantities varied among needles in an approximately complementary manner. Conclusions The derived analytical expressions can be employed in scaling-up carbon, water and N fluxes from leaf to ecosystem, but also to derive transpiration estimates from those of η, and assist in

  16. An annotated genetic map of loblolly pine based on microsatellite and cDNA markers

    Treesearch

    Craig S. Echt; Surya Saha; Konstantin V. Krutovsky; Kokulapalan Wimalanathan; John E. Erpelding; Chun Liang; C Dana Nelson

    2011-01-01

    Previous loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genetic linkage maps have been based on a variety of DNA polymorphisms, such as AFLPs, RAPDs, RFLPs, and ESTPs, but only a few SSRs (simple sequence repeats), also known as simple tandem repeats or microsatellites, have been mapped in P. taeda. The objective of this study was to integrate a large set of SSR markers from a variety...

  17. Microarray analysis and scale-free gene networks identify candidate regulators in drought-stressed roots of loblolly pine (P. taeda L.)

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Global transcriptional analysis of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is challenging due to limited molecular tools. PtGen2, a 26,496 feature cDNA microarray, was fabricated and used to assess drought-induced gene expression in loblolly pine propagule roots. Statistical analysis of differential expression and weighted gene correlation network analysis were used to identify drought-responsive genes and further characterize the molecular basis of drought tolerance in loblolly pine. Results Microarrays were used to interrogate root cDNA populations obtained from 12 genotype × treatment combinations (four genotypes, three watering regimes). Comparison of drought-stressed roots with roots from the control treatment identified 2445 genes displaying at least a 1.5-fold expression difference (false discovery rate = 0.01). Genes commonly associated with drought response in pine and other plant species, as well as a number of abiotic and biotic stress-related genes, were up-regulated in drought-stressed roots. Only 76 genes were identified as differentially expressed in drought-recovered roots, indicating that the transcript population can return to the pre-drought state within 48 hours. Gene correlation analysis predicts a scale-free network topology and identifies eleven co-expression modules that ranged in size from 34 to 938 members. Network topological parameters identified a number of central nodes (hubs) including those with significant homology (E-values ≤ 2 × 10-30) to 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, zeatin O-glucosyltransferase, and ABA-responsive protein. Identified hubs also include genes that have been associated previously with osmotic stress, phytohormones, enzymes that detoxify reactive oxygen species, and several genes of unknown function. Conclusion PtGen2 was used to evaluate transcriptome responses in loblolly pine and was leveraged to identify 2445 differentially expressed genes responding to severe drought stress in roots. Many of the

  18. Timing and magnitude of C partitioning through a young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand using 13C labeling and shade treatments.

    PubMed

    Warren, J M; Iversen, C M; Garten, C T; Norby, R J; Childs, J; Brice, D; Evans, R M; Gu, L; Thornton, P; Weston, D J

    2012-06-01

    The dynamics of rapid changes in carbon (C) partitioning within forest ecosystems are not well understood, which limits improvement of mechanistic models of C cycling. Our objective was to inform model processes by describing relationships between C partitioning and accessible environmental or physiological measurements, with a special emphasis on short-term C flux through a forest ecosystem. We exposed eight 7-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees to air enriched with (13)CO(2) and then implemented adjacent light shade (LS) and heavy shade (HS) treatments in order to manipulate C uptake and flux. The impacts of shading on photosynthesis, plant water potential, sap flow, basal area growth, root growth and soil CO(2) efflux rate (CER) were assessed for each tree over a 3-week period. The progression of the (13)C label was concurrently tracked from the atmosphere through foliage, phloem, roots and surface soil CO(2) efflux. The HS treatment significantly reduced C uptake, sap flow, stem growth and fine root standing crop, and resulted in greater residual soil water content to 1 m depth. Soil CER was strongly correlated with sap flow on the previous day, but not the current day, with no apparent treatment effect on the relationship. Although there were apparent reductions in new C flux belowground, the HS treatment did not noticeably reduce the magnitude of belowground autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration based on surface soil CER, which was overwhelmingly driven by soil temperature and moisture. The (13)C label was immediately detected in foliage on label day (half-life = 0.5 day), progressed through phloem by Day 2 (half-life = 4.7 days), roots by Days 2-4, and subsequently was evident as respiratory release from soil which peaked between Days 3 and 6. The δ(13)C of soil CO(2) efflux was strongly correlated with phloem δ(13)C on the previous day, or 2 days earlier. While the (13)C label was readily tracked through the ecosystem, the fate of root C

  19. Interactions Between Pinus taeda (loblolly) Fine Roots and Soil Fungi: Impacts of Elevated CO2, N Availability, and Spatial Distribution of Fungi on Fine Root Persistence and Turnover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Strand, A.; Beidler, K.; McGlinn, D.; Pritchard, S. G.

    2016-12-01

    Fine root turnover represents the most significant mode of flux from plants into soil C pools. Unfortunately fine root senescence and decomposition, processes critical in turnover, are particularly understudied. For example, little is known about either the factors that influence fine-root decomposition or the fate of compounds they contain during root death. Better understanding fine root senescence and decomposition should reduce uncertainty associated with global climate models; including re-uptake of materials in dying leaves into these models has already been shown to increase their accuracy. Over 4400 individual fine-roots and 4734 rhizomorphs were tracked from initiation until disintegration over 12 years using minirhizotrons at the Duke FACE site. Image-based approaches such as minirhizotrons cannot directly assess fine-root physiological status. To assess fine-root function directly, we are now conducting manipulative experiments in P. taeda in which fine-root senescence is induced through two treatments, steam- and direct hand-girdling. Physiological status is then assessed by examining gene-expression, root anatomy and chemical composition of manipulated roots. Changing [CO2] did not change persistence times for roots, but did impact rhizomorph persistence. Both roots and rhizomorphs showed interactions between effects of N and CO2 on persistence. Most interesting is the interaction between fine-roots and rhizomorphs: fine root persistence times are reduced in the presence of rhizomorphs, but this effect depends on the amount of N available. Finally, we found experimentally inducing senescence via steam girdling to be very effective relative to hand-girdling. These results provide evidence of the importance of priming on function of soil fungi and the role of N availability on fine-root turnover. The ability to stimulate fine-root senescence provides a powerful experimental tool to examine the fates of resources contained in fine-root pools as these

  20. Timing and magnitude of C partitioning through a young loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) stand using 13C labeling and shade treatments

    DOE PAGES

    Warren, Jeffrey M.; Iversen, Colleen M.; Garten, Jr., Charles T.; ...

    2011-12-30

    The dynamics of rapid changes in carbon (C) partitioning within forest ecosystems are not well understood, which limits improvement of mechanistic models of C cycling. Our objective was to inform model processes by describing relationships between C partitioning and accessible environmental or physiological measurements, with a special emphasis on short-term C flux through a forest ecosystem. We exposed eight 7-year-old loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) trees to air enriched with 13CO 2 and then implemented adjacent light shade (LS) and heavy shade (HS) treatments in order to manipulate C uptake and flux. The impacts of shading on photosynthesis, plantmore » water potential, sap flow, basal area growth, root growth, and soil CO 2 efflux rate (CER) were assessed for each tree over a three-week period. The progression of the 13C label was concurrently tracked from the atmosphere through foliage, phloem, roots, and surface soil CO 2 efflux. The HS treatment significantly reduced C uptake, sap flow, stem growth and fine root standing crop, and resulted in greater residual soil water content to 1 m depth. Sap flow was strongly correlated with CER on the previous day, but not the current day, with no apparent treatment effect on the relationship. Although there were apparent reductions in new C flux belowground, the heavy shade treatment did not noticeably reduce the magnitude of belowground autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration based on surface soil CO 2 efflux rate (CER), which was overwhelmingly driven by soil temperature and moisture. The 13C label was immediately detected in foliage on label day (half-life = 0.5 d), progressed through phloem by day 2 (half-life = 4.7 d), roots by day 2-4, and subsequently was evident as respiratory release from soil which peaked between days 3-6. The δ 13C of soil CO 2 efflux was strongly correlated with phloem 13C on the previous day, or two days earlier. While the 13C label was readily tracked through the ecosystem, the fate

  1. Conformational behaviour of humic substances at different depths along a profile of a Lithosol under loblolly (Pinus taeda) plantation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Conte, P.; Maia, C. M. B. F.; de Pasquale, C.; Alonzo, G.

    2009-04-01

    The conformation of natural organic matter (NOM) plays a key role in many physical and chemical processes including interactions with organic and inorganic pollutants and soil aggregates stability thus directly influencing soil quality. NOM conformation can be studied by solid state NMR spectroscopy with cross polarization and magic angle spinning (CPMAS NMR). In the present study we applied CPMAS 13C NMR spectroscopy on three humic acid fractions (HA) each extracted from a different horizon in a Lithosol profile under Pinus taeda. Results showed that the most superficial HA was also the most aliphatic in character. Amount of aromatic moieties and hydrophilic HA constituents increased along the profile. Cross polarization (TCH) and longitudinal relaxation protons times in the rotating frame (T1rho(H)) were measured and compared only for the NMR signals generated by carboxyls and alkyls. This because the signal intensity for the aromatic, C-O and C-N systems was very low, thereby preventing suitable evaluation of TCH and T1rho(H) values for such systems. The cross polarization times of carboxyls decreased, whereas those of the alkyl moieties increased with depth. Conversely, T1rho(H) values increased for both COOH and alkyl groups along the profile. Polarization transfer from protons to carbons is affected by the dipolar interactions among the nuclei. The stronger the H-C dipolar interaction, the faster is the rate of the energy exchange. All the factors affecting the dipolar interaction strength also influence the rate of magnetization transfer. Among the others, fast molecular tumbling and poor proton density around the carbons are responsible for long TCH values. Molecular tumbling and proton density also affect T1rho(H) values. Namely, the larger the molecular tumbling and the proton density, the faster is the proton longitudinal relaxation rate in the rotating frame (shorter T1rho(H) values). The decrease of TCH values of COOH groups along the profile was

  2. The effects of elevated CO2 and nitrogen fertilization on stomatal conductance estimated from 11 years of scaled sap flux measurements at Duke FACE.

    PubMed

    Ward, Eric J; Oren, Ram; Bell, David M; Clark, James S; McCarthy, Heather R; Kim, Hyun-Seok; Domec, Jean-Christophe

    2013-02-01

    In this study, we employ a network of thermal dissipation probes (TDPs) monitoring sap flux density to estimate leaf-specific transpiration (E(L)) and stomatal conductance (G(S)) in Pinus taeda (L.) and Liquidambar styraciflua L. exposed to +200 ppm atmospheric CO(2) levels (eCO(2)) and nitrogen fertilization. Scaling half-hourly measurements from hundreds of sensors over 11 years, we found that P. taeda in eCO(2) intermittently (49% of monthly values) decreased stomatal conductance (G(S)) relative to the control, with a mean reduction of 13% in both total E(L) and mean daytime G(S). This intermittent response was related to changes in a hydraulic allometry index (A(H)), defined as sapwood area per unit leaf area per unit canopy height, which decreased a mean of 15% with eCO(2) over the course of the study, due mostly to a mean 19% increase in leaf area (A(L)). In contrast, L. styraciflua showed a consistent (76% of monthly values) reduction in G(S) with eCO(2) with a total reduction of 32% E(L), 31% G(S) and 23% A(H) (due to increased A(L) per sapwood area). For L. styraciflua, like P. taeda, the relationship between A(H) and G(S) at reference conditions suggested a decrease in G(S) across the range of A(H). Our findings suggest an indirect structural effect of eCO(2) on G(S) in P. taeda and a direct leaf level effect in L. styraciflua. In the initial year of fertilization, P. taeda in both CO(2) treatments, as well as L. styraciflua in eCO(2), exhibited higher G(S) with N(F) than expected from shifts in A(H), suggesting a transient direct effect on G(S). Whether treatment effects on mean leaf-specific G(S) are direct or indirect, this paper highlights that long-term treatment effects on G(S) are generally reflected in A(H) as well.

  3. Individual Movement Variability Magnitudes Are Explained by Cortical Neural Variability.

    PubMed

    Haar, Shlomi; Donchin, Opher; Dinstein, Ilan

    2017-09-13

    Humans exhibit considerable motor variability even across trivial reaching movements. This variability can be separated into specific kinematic components such as extent and direction that are thought to be governed by distinct neural processes. Here, we report that individual subjects (males and females) exhibit different magnitudes of kinematic variability, which are consistent (within individual) across movements to different targets and regardless of which arm (right or left) was used to perform the movements. Simultaneous fMRI recordings revealed that the same subjects also exhibited different magnitudes of fMRI variability across movements in a variety of motor system areas. These fMRI variability magnitudes were also consistent across movements to different targets when performed with either arm. Cortical fMRI variability in the posterior-parietal cortex of individual subjects explained their movement-extent variability. This relationship was apparent only in posterior-parietal cortex and not in other motor system areas, thereby suggesting that individuals with more variable movement preparation exhibit larger kinematic variability. We therefore propose that neural and kinematic variability are reliable and interrelated individual characteristics that may predispose individual subjects to exhibit distinct motor capabilities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neural activity and movement kinematics are remarkably variable. Although intertrial variability is rarely studied, here, we demonstrate that individual human subjects exhibit distinct magnitudes of neural and kinematic variability that are reproducible across movements to different targets and when performing these movements with either arm. Furthermore, when examining the relationship between cortical variability and movement variability, we find that cortical fMRI variability in parietal cortex of individual subjects explained their movement extent variability. This enabled us to explain why some subjects

  4. Stomatal conductance at Duke FACE: Leveraging the lessons from 11 years of scaled sap flux measurements for region-wide analyses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ward, E. J.; Bell, D.; Clark, J. S.; McCarthy, H. R.; Kim, H.; domec, J.; Noormets, A.; McNulty, D.; Sun, G.; Oren, R.

    2013-12-01

    A network of thermal dissipation probes (TDPs) monitoring sap flux density was used to estimate leaf-specific transpiration (EL) and canopy-averaged stomatal conductance (GS) in Pinus taeda (L.) exposed to +200 ppm atmospheric CO2 levels (eCO2) and nitrogen fertilization as part of the Duke FACE study. Data from scaling half-hourly measurements from hundreds of sensors over 11 years indicated that P. taeda in eCO2 intermittently (49% of monthly values) decreased stomatal conductance relative to the control, with a mean reduction of 13% in both total EL and mean daytime GS. This intermittent response was related to changes in a hydraulic allometry index (AH), defined as sapwood area per unit leaf area per unit canopy height, which was linearly related to GS at reference conditions (GSR) during the growing season across years (R2=0.67). Overall, AH decreased a mean of 15% with eCO2 over the course of the study, due mostly to a mean 19% increase in leaf area. Throughout the southeastern U.S., other P. taeda stands have been monitored with TDPs, such as the US-NC2 Ameriflux site and four fertilizer × throughfall displacement studies recently begun as part of the PINEMAP research network in VA, GA, FL and OK. We will also discuss the challenges and benefits of using a common modeling platform to combine FACE TDP data with that from a diversity of sites and treatments to draw inferences about EL and GS responses to environmental drivers and climate change, as well as their relation to AH, across the range of P. taeda.

  5. No clustering for linkage map based on low-copy and undermethylated microsatellites.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Yi; Gwaze, David P; Reyes-Valdés, M Humberto; Bui, Thomas; Williams, Claire G

    2003-10-01

    Clustering has been reported for conifer genetic maps based on hypomethylated or low-copy molecular markers, resulting in uneven marker distribution. To test this, a framework genetic map was constructed from three types of microsatellites: low-copy, undermethylated, and genomic. These Pinus taeda L. microsatellites were mapped using a three-generation pedigree with 118 progeny. The microsatellites were highly informative; of the 32 markers in intercross configuration, 29 were segregating for three or four alleles in the progeny. The sex-averaged map placed 51 of the 95 markers in 15 linkage groups at LOD > 4.0. No clustering or uneven distribution across the genome was observed. The three types of P. taeda microsatellites were randomly dispersed within each linkage group. The 51 microsatellites covered a map distance of 795 cM, an average distance of 21.8 cM between markers, roughly half of the estimated total map length. The minimum and maximum distances between any two bins was 4.4 and 45.3 cM, respectively. These microsatellites provided anchor points for framework mapping for polymorphism in P. taeda and other closely related hard pines.

  6. Interresponse Time Structures in Variable-Ratio and Variable-Interval Schedules

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bowers, Matthew T.; Hill, Jade; Palya, William L.

    2008-01-01

    The interresponse-time structures of pigeon key pecking were examined under variable-ratio, variable-interval, and variable-interval plus linear feedback schedules. Whereas the variable-ratio and variable-interval plus linear feedback schedules generally resulted in a distinct group of short interresponse times and a broad distribution of longer…

  7. Efficient Variable Selection Method for Exposure Variables on Binary Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohno, Manabu; Tarumi, Tomoyuki

    In this paper, we propose a new variable selection method for "robust" exposure variables. We define "robust" as property that the same variable can select among original data and perturbed data. There are few studies of effective for the selection method. The problem that selects exposure variables is almost the same as a problem that extracts correlation rules without robustness. [Brin 97] is suggested that correlation rules are possible to extract efficiently using chi-squared statistic of contingency table having monotone property on binary data. But the chi-squared value does not have monotone property, so it's is easy to judge the method to be not independent with an increase in the dimension though the variable set is completely independent, and the method is not usable in variable selection for robust exposure variables. We assume anti-monotone property for independent variables to select robust independent variables and use the apriori algorithm for it. The apriori algorithm is one of the algorithms which find association rules from the market basket data. The algorithm use anti-monotone property on the support which is defined by association rules. But independent property does not completely have anti-monotone property on the AIC of independent probability model, but the tendency to have anti-monotone property is strong. Therefore, selected variables with anti-monotone property on the AIC have robustness. Our method judges whether a certain variable is exposure variable for the independent variable using previous comparison of the AIC. Our numerical experiments show that our method can select robust exposure variables efficiently and precisely.

  8. All varieties of encoding variability are not created equal: Separating variable processing from variable tasks

    PubMed Central

    Huff, Mark J.; Bodner, Glen E.

    2014-01-01

    Whether encoding variability facilitates memory is shown to depend on whether item-specific and relational processing are both performed across study blocks, and whether study items are weakly versus strongly related. Variable-processing groups studied a word list once using an item-specific task and once using a relational task. Variable-task groups’ two different study tasks recruited the same type of processing each block. Repeated-task groups performed the same study task each block. Recall and recognition were greatest in the variable-processing group, but only with weakly related lists. A variable-processing benefit was also found when task-based processing and list-type processing were complementary (e.g., item-specific processing of a related list) rather than redundant (e.g., relational processing of a related list). That performing both item-specific and relational processing across trials, or within a trial, yields encoding-variability benefits may help reconcile decades of contradictory findings in this area. PMID:25018583

  9. Mapping Variables.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stone, Mark H.; Wright, Benjamin D.; Stenner, A. Jackson

    1999-01-01

    Describes mapping variables, the principal technique for planning and constructing a test or rating instrument. A variable map is also useful for interpreting results. Provides several maps to show the importance and value of mapping a variable by person and item data. (Author/SLD)

  10. Quantifying Variability of Avian Colours: Are Signalling Traits More Variable?

    PubMed Central

    Delhey, Kaspar; Peters, Anne

    2008-01-01

    Background Increased variability in sexually selected ornaments, a key assumption of evolutionary theory, is thought to be maintained through condition-dependence. Condition-dependent handicap models of sexual selection predict that (a) sexually selected traits show amplified variability compared to equivalent non-sexually selected traits, and since males are usually the sexually selected sex, that (b) males are more variable than females, and (c) sexually dimorphic traits more variable than monomorphic ones. So far these predictions have only been tested for metric traits. Surprisingly, they have not been examined for bright coloration, one of the most prominent sexual traits. This omission stems from computational difficulties: different types of colours are quantified on different scales precluding the use of coefficients of variation. Methodology/Principal Findings Based on physiological models of avian colour vision we develop an index to quantify the degree of discriminable colour variation as it can be perceived by conspecifics. A comparison of variability in ornamental and non-ornamental colours in six bird species confirmed (a) that those coloured patches that are sexually selected or act as indicators of quality show increased chromatic variability. However, we found no support for (b) that males generally show higher levels of variability than females, or (c) that sexual dichromatism per se is associated with increased variability. Conclusions/Significance We show that it is currently possible to realistically estimate variability of animal colours as perceived by them, something difficult to achieve with other traits. Increased variability of known sexually-selected/quality-indicating colours in the studied species, provides support to the predictions borne from sexual selection theory but the lack of increased overall variability in males or dimorphic colours in general indicates that sexual differences might not always be shaped by similar selective

  11. How Variables Uncorrelated with the Dependent Variable Can Actually Make Excellent Predictors: The Important Suppressor Variable Case.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Woolley, Kristin K.

    Many researchers are unfamiliar with suppressor variables and how they operate in multiple regression analyses. This paper describes the role suppressor variables play in a multiple regression model and provides practical examples that explain how they can change research results. A variable that when added as another predictor increases the total…

  12. Variable Pitch Propellers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1920-01-01

    In this report are described four different types of propellers which appeared at widely separated dates, but which were exhibited together at the last Salon de l'Aeronautique. The four propellers are the Chaviere variable pitch propeller, the variable pitch propeller used on the Clement Bayard dirigible, the variable pitch propeller used on Italian dirigibles, and the Levasseur variable pitch propeller.

  13. Variable mechanical ventilation

    PubMed Central

    Fontela, Paula Caitano; Prestes, Renata Bernardy; Forgiarini Jr., Luiz Alberto; Friedman, Gilberto

    2017-01-01

    Objective To review the literature on the use of variable mechanical ventilation and the main outcomes of this technique. Methods Search, selection, and analysis of all original articles on variable ventilation, without restriction on the period of publication and language, available in the electronic databases LILACS, MEDLINE®, and PubMed, by searching the terms "variable ventilation" OR "noisy ventilation" OR "biologically variable ventilation". Results A total of 36 studies were selected. Of these, 24 were original studies, including 21 experimental studies and three clinical studies. Conclusion Several experimental studies reported the beneficial effects of distinct variable ventilation strategies on lung function using different models of lung injury and healthy lungs. Variable ventilation seems to be a viable strategy for improving gas exchange and respiratory mechanics and preventing lung injury associated with mechanical ventilation. However, further clinical studies are necessary to assess the potential of variable ventilation strategies for the clinical improvement of patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. PMID:28444076

  14. Low-Frequency Temporal Variability in Mira and Semiregular Variables

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Templeton, Matthew R.; Karovska, M.; Waagen, E. O.

    2012-01-01

    We investigate low-frequency variability in a large sample of Mira and semiregular variables with long-term visual light curves from the AAVSO International Database. Our aim is to determine whether we can detect and measure long-timescale variable phenomena in these stars, for example photometric variations that might be associated with supergranular convection. We analyzed the long-term light curves of 522 variable stars of the Mira and SRa, b, c, and d classes. We calculated their low-frequency time-series spectra to characterize rednoise with the power density spectrum index, and then correlate this index with other observable characteristics such as spectral type and primary pulsation period. In our initial analysis of the sample, we see that the semiregular variables have a much broader range of spectral index than the Mira types, with the SRb subtype having the broadest range. Among Mira variables we see that the M- and S-type Miras have similarly wide ranges of index, while the C-types have the narrowest with generally shallower slopes. There is also a trend of steeper slope with larger amplitude, but at a given amplitude, a wide range of slopes are seen. The ultimate goal of the project is to identify stars with strong intrinsic red noise components as possible targets for resolved surface imaging with interferometry.

  15. Soricid response to coarse woody debris manipulations in Coastal Plain loblolly pine forests.

    Treesearch

    Kurtis R. Moseley; Audrey K. Owens; Steven B. Castleberry; W. Mark Ford; John C. Kilgo; Timothy S. McCay

    2009-01-01

    We assessed shrew (soricids) response to coarse woody debris (CWD) manipulations in managed upland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina over multiple years and...

  16. Cataclysmic Variable Stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hellier, Coel

    2001-01-01

    Cataclysmic variable stars are the most variable stars in the night sky, fluctuating in brightness continually on timescales from seconds to hours to weeks to years. The changes can be recorded using amateur telescopes, yet are also the subject of intensive study by professional astronomers. That study has led to an understanding of cataclysmic variables as binary stars, orbiting so closely that material transfers from one star to the other. The resulting process of accretion is one of the most important in astrophysics. This book presents the first account of cataclysmic variables at an introductory level. Assuming no previous knowledge of the field, it explains the basic principles underlying the variability, while providing an extensive compilation of cataclysmic variable light curves. Aimed at amateur astronomers, undergraduates, and researchers, the main text is accessible to those with no mathematical background, while supplementary boxes present technical details and equations.

  17. Impact of Subsurface Temperature Variability on Meteorological Variability: An AGCM Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mahanama, S. P.; Koster, R. D.; Liu, P.

    2006-05-01

    Anomalous atmospheric conditions can lead to surface temperature anomalies, which in turn can lead to temperature anomalies deep in the soil. The deep soil temperature (and the associated ground heat content) has significant memory -- the dissipation of a temperature anomaly may take weeks to months -- and thus deep soil temperature may contribute to the low frequency variability of energy and water variables elsewhere in the system. The memory may even provide some skill to subseasonal and seasonal forecasts. This study uses two long-term AGCM experiments to isolate the contribution of deep soil temperature variability to variability elsewhere in the climate system. The first experiment consists of a standard ensemble of AMIP-type simulations, simulations in which the deep soil temperature variable is allowed to interact with the rest of the system. In the second experiment, the coupling of the deep soil temperature to the rest of the climate system is disabled -- at each grid cell, the local climatological seasonal cycle of deep soil temperature (as determined from the first experiment) is prescribed. By comparing the variability of various atmospheric quantities as generated in the two experiments, we isolate the contribution of interactive deep soil temperature to that variability. The results show that interactive deep soil temperature contributes significantly to surface temperature variability. Interactive deep soil temperature, however, reduces the variability of the hydrological cycle (evaporation and precipitation), largely because it allows for a negative feedback between evaporation and temperature.

  18. Effects of competing vegetation on growth of loblolly pine plantations in the West Gulf Coastal Plain

    Treesearch

    Dean W. Coble

    2015-01-01

    Competing woody vegetation negatively affects the growth of planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees by seizing site resources that otherwise would be used by the planted trees (Burkhart and Sprinz 1984).

  19. Singly applied herbicides for site preparation and release of loblolly pine in central Georgia

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; M. Boyd Edwards

    1995-01-01

    Abstract.Separate studies were installed to evaluate site-preparation and release herbicide treatments for loblolly pine.(Pinus taeda L.).Tests were at four locations each on the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of central Georgia.

  20. The effect of modeled absolute timing variability and relative timing variability on observational learning.

    PubMed

    Grierson, Lawrence E M; Roberts, James W; Welsher, Arthur M

    2017-05-01

    There is much evidence to suggest that skill learning is enhanced by skill observation. Recent research on this phenomenon indicates a benefit of observing variable/erred demonstrations. In this study, we explore whether it is variability within the relative organization or absolute parameterization of a movement that facilitates skill learning through observation. To do so, participants were randomly allocated into groups that observed a model with no variability, absolute timing variability, relative timing variability, or variability in both absolute and relative timing. All participants performed a four-segment movement pattern with specific absolute and relative timing goals prior to and following the observational intervention, as well as in a 24h retention test and transfers tests that featured new relative and absolute timing goals. Absolute timing error indicated that all groups initially acquired the absolute timing, maintained their performance at 24h retention, and exhibited performance deterioration in both transfer tests. Relative timing error revealed that the observation of no variability and relative timing variability produced greater performance at the post-test, 24h retention and relative timing transfer tests, but for the no variability group, deteriorated at absolute timing transfer test. The results suggest that the learning of absolute timing following observation unfolds irrespective of model variability. However, the learning of relative timing benefits from holding the absolute features constant, while the observation of no variability partially fails in transfer. We suggest learning by observing no variability and variable/erred models unfolds via similar neural mechanisms, although the latter benefits from the additional coding of information pertaining to movements that require a correction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. A Polychoric Instrumental Variable (PIV) Estimator for Structural Equation Models with Categorical Variables

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bollen, Kenneth A.; Maydeu-Olivares, Albert

    2007-01-01

    This paper presents a new polychoric instrumental variable (PIV) estimator to use in structural equation models (SEMs) with categorical observed variables. The PIV estimator is a generalization of Bollen's (Psychometrika 61:109-121, 1996) 2SLS/IV estimator for continuous variables to categorical endogenous variables. We derive the PIV estimator…

  2. Pinus taeda L. wood property calibrations based on variable numbers of near infrared spectra per core and cores per plantation

    Treesearch

    Laurence R. Schimleck; Justin A. Tyson; David Jones; Gary F. Peter; Richard F. Daniels; Alexander III Clark

    2007-01-01

    Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a rapid, non-destructive method for the estimation of several wood properties of increment cores. MR spectra are collected from adjacent sections of the same core; however, not all spectra are required for calibration purposes as spectra from the same core are autocorrelated. Previously, we showed that wood property...

  3. Operator’s Manual for Variable Weight, Variable C.G. Helmet Simulator

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-09-01

    fdoestify by block nufber) - A variable weight, variable CG helmet simulator has been designed to measure the effect of US Army headgear on muscle...any variable weights in the boxes, is 2.5 lb, slightly less than the weight of most quality crash helmets made by reputable manufacturers. The addition...of variable weights to the boxes can alter the center of gravity to simulate the effect of equipment attached to the out- side of a helmet. The

  4. Body temperature variability (Part 2): masking influences of body temperature variability and a review of body temperature variability in disease.

    PubMed

    Kelly, Gregory S

    2007-03-01

    This is the second of a two-part review on body temperature variability. Part 1 discussed historical and modern findings on average body temperatures. It also discussed endogenous sources of temperature variability, including variations caused by site of measurement; circadian, menstrual, and annual biological rhythms; fitness; and aging. Part 2 reviews the effects of exogenous masking agents - external factors in the environment, diet, or lifestyle that can be a significant source of body temperature variability. Body temperature variability findings in disease states are also reviewed.

  5. Effects of short-term variability of meteorological variables on soil temperature in permafrost regions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Beer, Christian; Porada, Philipp; Ekici, Altug; Brakebusch, Matthias

    2018-03-01

    Effects of the short-term temporal variability of meteorological variables on soil temperature in northern high-latitude regions have been investigated. For this, a process-oriented land surface model has been driven using an artificially manipulated climate dataset. Short-term climate variability mainly impacts snow depth, and the thermal diffusivity of lichens and bryophytes. These impacts of climate variability on insulating surface layers together substantially alter the heat exchange between atmosphere and soil. As a result, soil temperature is 0.1 to 0.8 °C higher when climate variability is reduced. Earth system models project warming of the Arctic region but also increasing variability of meteorological variables and more often extreme meteorological events. Therefore, our results show that projected future increases in permafrost temperature and active-layer thickness in response to climate change will be lower (i) when taking into account future changes in short-term variability of meteorological variables and (ii) when representing dynamic snow and lichen and bryophyte functions in land surface models.

  6. A prospectus for a theory of variable variability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Childress, S.; Spiegel, E. A.

    1981-01-01

    It is proposed that the kind of stellar variability exhibited by the Sun in its magnetic activity cycle should be considered as a prototype of a class of stellar variability. The signature includes long 'periods' (compared to that of the radial fundamental model), erratic behavior, and intermittency. As other phenomena in the same variability class we nominate the liminosity fluctuations of ZZ Ceti stars and the solar 160 m oscillation. We discuss the possibility that analogous physical mechanisms are at work in all these cases, namely instabilities driven in a thin layer. These instabilities should be favorable to grave modes (in angle) and should arise in conditions that may allow more than one kind of instability to occur at once. The interaction of these competing instabilities produces complicated temporal variations. Given suitable idealizations, it is shown how to begin to compute solutions of small, but finite, amplitude.

  7. Variability in large-scale wind power generation: Variability in large-scale wind power generation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kiviluoma, Juha; Holttinen, Hannele; Weir, David

    2015-10-25

    The paper demonstrates the characteristics of wind power variability and net load variability in multiple power systems based on real data from multiple years. Demonstrated characteristics include probability distribution for different ramp durations, seasonal and diurnal variability and low net load events. The comparison shows regions with low variability (Sweden, Spain and Germany), medium variability (Portugal, Ireland, Finland and Denmark) and regions with higher variability (Quebec, Bonneville Power Administration and Electric Reliability Council of Texas in North America; Gansu, Jilin and Liaoning in China; and Norway and offshore wind power in Denmark). For regions with low variability, the maximum 1more » h wind ramps are below 10% of nominal capacity, and for regions with high variability, they may be close to 30%. Wind power variability is mainly explained by the extent of geographical spread, but also higher capacity factor causes higher variability. It was also shown how wind power ramps are autocorrelated and dependent on the operating output level. When wind power was concentrated in smaller area, there were outliers with high changes in wind output, which were not present in large areas with well-dispersed wind power.« less

  8. Acoustic evaluation of loblolly pine tree- and lumber-length logs allows for segregation of lumber modulus of elasticity, not for modulus of rupture

    Treesearch

    Mark Alexander Butler; Joseph Dahlen; Thomas L. Eberhardt; Cristian Montes; Finto Antony; Richard F. Daniels

    2017-01-01

    Key message Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) logs can be evaluated using acoustic velocity whereby threshold acoustic velocity values can be set to ensure lumber meets specified mechanical property design values for modulus of elasticity. Context...

  9. Final Environmental Assessment of Military Housing Privatization Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-01-01

    loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), pecan ( Carya illinoensis ), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), water oak (Quercus nigra), red oak (Quercus sp...blackjack oak (Q. marilandica), mockernut hickory ( Carya tomentosa), pignut hickory (C. glabra), blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica), winged elm (Ulmus alata

  10. Variable rate irrigation (VRI)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology is now offered by all major manufacturers of moving irrigation systems, mostly on center pivot irrigation systems. Variable irrigation depths may be controlled by sector only, in which case only the speed of the irrigation lateral is regulated. Or, variable ...

  11. Solar variability datalogger

    DOE PAGES

    Lave, Matthew; Stein, Joshua; Smith, Ryan

    2016-07-28

    To address the lack of knowledge of local solar variability, we have developed and deployed a low-cost solar variability datalogger (SVD). While most currently used solar irradiance sensors are expensive pyranometers with high accuracy (relevant for annual energy estimates), low-cost sensors display similar precision (relevant for solar variability) as high-cost pyranometers, even if they are not as accurate. In this work, we present evaluation of various low-cost irradiance sensor types, describe the SVD, and present validation and comparison of the SVD collected data. In conclusion, the low cost and ease of use of the SVD will enable a greater understandingmore » of local solar variability, which will reduce developer and utility uncertainty about the impact of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations and thus will encourage greater penetrations of solar energy.« less

  12. VARIABLE TIME-INTERVAL GENERATOR

    DOEpatents

    Gross, J.E.

    1959-10-31

    This patent relates to a pulse generator and more particularly to a time interval generator wherein the time interval between pulses is precisely determined. The variable time generator comprises two oscillators with one having a variable frequency output and the other a fixed frequency output. A frequency divider is connected to the variable oscillator for dividing its frequency by a selected factor and a counter is used for counting the periods of the fixed oscillator occurring during a cycle of the divided frequency of the variable oscillator. This defines the period of the variable oscillator in terms of that of the fixed oscillator. A circuit is provided for selecting as a time interval a predetermined number of periods of the variable oscillator. The output of the generator consists of a first pulse produced by a trigger circuit at the start of the time interval and a second pulse marking the end of the time interval produced by the same trigger circuit.

  13. Shortleaf pine hybrids: growth and tip moth damage in southeast Mississippi

    Treesearch

    Larry H. Lott; Maxine T. Highsmith; C. Dana Nelson

    2007-01-01

    It is well known that shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) sustain significantly more Nantucket pine tip moth (Rhyacionia frustrana Comst.) damage than do slash pine (Pinus elliotti var. ...

  14. Variable flexure-based fluid filter

    DOEpatents

    Brown, Steve B.; Colston, Jr., Billy W.; Marshall, Graham; Wolcott, Duane

    2007-03-13

    An apparatus and method for filtering particles from a fluid comprises a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a variable size passage between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, and means for adjusting the size of the variable size passage for filtering the particles from the fluid. An inlet fluid flow stream is introduced to a fixture with a variable size passage. The size of the variable size passage is set so that the fluid passes through the variable size passage but the particles do not pass through the variable size passage.

  15. Effect of moisture, charge size, and chlorine concentration on PCDD/F emissions from simulated open burning of forest biomass

    EPA Science Inventory

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) was combusted at different charge sizes, fuel moisture, and chlorine content to determine the effect on emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated diberizofurans (PCDDslFs) as well as co-pollutants CO, PM, and total hydrocarbons...

  16. Volatiles associated with preferred and nonpreferred hosts of the nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana

    Treesearch

    Christopher Asaro; Brian T. Sullivan; M.J. Dalusky; C. Wayne Berisford

    2004-01-01

    Ovipositing female Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana, prefer loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., to slash pine, Pinus elliottii Englem. except during the first spring following planting of seedlings. Host discrimination by R. frustrana increases as seedlings develop, suggesting that...

  17. LEAF AREA INDEX (LAI) CHANGE DETECTION ON LOBLOLLY PINE FOREST STANDS WITH COMPLETE UNDERSTORY REMOVAL

    EPA Science Inventory

    The confounding effect of understory vegetation contributions to satellite derived
    estimates of leaf area index (LAI) was investigated on two loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest stands located in the southeastern United States. Previous studies have shown that understory can a...

  18. Interactions of Hylastes Species (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) with Leptographium Species Associated with Loblolly Pine Decline

    Treesearch

    Lori G. Eckhardt; Richard A. Goyer; Kier Klepzig; John P. Jones

    2004-01-01

    Abstract Hylastes spp. (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)were evaluated as potential vectors of Leptographium spp. fungi. Bark beetles were trapped from stands of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., exhibiting a range of decline symptoms in central Alabama. Under controlled conditions, field-collected adult...

  19. Exploring genetic diversity, physiologic expression and carbon dynamics in longleaf pine: a new study installation at the Harrison Experimental Forest

    Treesearch

    John R. Butnor; Kurt H. Johnsen; C. Dana Nelson

    2012-01-01

    In 1960, an experiment was established on the Harrison Experimental Forest in southeast Mississippi to compare productivity and wood properties of planted longleaf (Pinus palustris), loblolly (Pinus taeda), and slash (Pinus elliotii) pines under different management intensities: cultivation, cultivation plus...

  20. Semiochemicals From Fungal Associates of Bark Beetles May Mediate Host Location Behavior of Parasitoids

    Treesearch

    Brian T. Sullivan; C. Wayne Berisford

    2004-01-01

    In laboratory olfactometer bioassays, females of two hymenopteran parasitoid species, Roptrocerus xylophagorum (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Spathius pallidus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), were attracted to odors from bark or bolts of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., colonized by bluestain fungi (genus ...

  1. Reassessment of Loblolly Pine Decline on the Oakmulgee Ranger District, Talladega National Forest, Alabama

    Treesearch

    Nolan J. Hess; William J. Otroana; John P. Jones; Arthur J. Goddard; Charles H. Walkinshaw

    1999-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) decline has been a management concern on the Oakmulgee Ranger District since the 1960's. The symptoms include sparse crowns, reduced radial growth, deterioration of fine roots, decline, and mortality of loblolly pine by age 50.

  2. Variable Selection through Correlation Sifting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jim C.; Jojic, Nebojsa

    Many applications of computational biology require a variable selection procedure to sift through a large number of input variables and select some smaller number that influence a target variable of interest. For example, in virology, only some small number of viral protein fragments influence the nature of the immune response during viral infection. Due to the large number of variables to be considered, a brute-force search for the subset of variables is in general intractable. To approximate this, methods based on ℓ1-regularized linear regression have been proposed and have been found to be particularly successful. It is well understood however that such methods fail to choose the correct subset of variables if these are highly correlated with other "decoy" variables. We present a method for sifting through sets of highly correlated variables which leads to higher accuracy in selecting the correct variables. The main innovation is a filtering step that reduces correlations among variables to be selected, making the ℓ1-regularization effective for datasets on which many methods for variable selection fail. The filtering step changes both the values of the predictor variables and output values by projections onto components obtained through a computationally-inexpensive principal components analysis. In this paper we demonstrate the usefulness of our method on synthetic datasets and on novel applications in virology. These include HIV viral load analysis based on patients' HIV sequences and immune types, as well as the analysis of seasonal variation in influenza death rates based on the regions of the influenza genome that undergo diversifying selection in the previous season.

  3. A novel variable selection approach that iteratively optimizes variable space using weighted binary matrix sampling.

    PubMed

    Deng, Bai-chuan; Yun, Yong-huan; Liang, Yi-zeng; Yi, Lun-zhao

    2014-10-07

    In this study, a new optimization algorithm called the Variable Iterative Space Shrinkage Approach (VISSA) that is based on the idea of model population analysis (MPA) is proposed for variable selection. Unlike most of the existing optimization methods for variable selection, VISSA statistically evaluates the performance of variable space in each step of optimization. Weighted binary matrix sampling (WBMS) is proposed to generate sub-models that span the variable subspace. Two rules are highlighted during the optimization procedure. First, the variable space shrinks in each step. Second, the new variable space outperforms the previous one. The second rule, which is rarely satisfied in most of the existing methods, is the core of the VISSA strategy. Compared with some promising variable selection methods such as competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination (MCUVE) and iteratively retaining informative variables (IRIV), VISSA showed better prediction ability for the calibration of NIR data. In addition, VISSA is user-friendly; only a few insensitive parameters are needed, and the program terminates automatically without any additional conditions. The Matlab codes for implementing VISSA are freely available on the website: https://sourceforge.net/projects/multivariateanalysis/files/VISSA/.

  4. Partitioning neuronal variability

    PubMed Central

    Goris, Robbe L.T.; Movshon, J. Anthony; Simoncelli, Eero P.

    2014-01-01

    Responses of sensory neurons differ across repeated measurements. This variability is usually treated as stochasticity arising within neurons or neural circuits. However, some portion of the variability arises from fluctuations in excitability due to factors that are not purely sensory, such as arousal, attention, and adaptation. To isolate these fluctuations, we developed a model in which spikes are generated by a Poisson process whose rate is the product of a drive that is sensory in origin, and a gain summarizing stimulus-independent modulatory influences on excitability. This model provides an accurate account of response distributions of visual neurons in macaque LGN, V1, V2, and MT, revealing that variability originates in large part from excitability fluctuations which are correlated over time and between neurons, and which increase in strength along the visual pathway. The model provides a parsimonious explanation for observed systematic dependencies of response variability and covariability on firing rate. PMID:24777419

  5. Genetic variability in krill.

    PubMed

    Valentine, J W; Ayala, F J

    1976-02-01

    We have estimated genetic variability by gel electrophoresis in three species of krill, genus Euphausia (Arthropoda: Crustacea). Genetic variability is low where trophic resources are most seasonal, and high where trophic resources are most stable. Simlar trends have been found in benthic marine invertebrates. The observed trends of genetic variability do not correlate with trends in the stability of physical environment parameters.

  6. Variable volume combustor

    DOEpatents

    Ostebee, Heath Michael; Ziminsky, Willy Steve; Johnson, Thomas Edward; Keener, Christopher Paul

    2017-01-17

    The present application provides a variable volume combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The variable volume combustor may include a liner, a number of micro-mixer fuel nozzles positioned within the liner, and a linear actuator so as to maneuver the micro-mixer fuel nozzles axially along the liner.

  7. Parenting Behaviors, Parent Heart Rate Variability, and Their Associations with Adolescent Heart Rate Variability.

    PubMed

    Graham, Rebecca A; Scott, Brandon G; Weems, Carl F

    2017-05-01

    Adolescence is a potentially important time in the development of emotion regulation and parenting behaviors may play a role. We examined associations among parenting behaviors, parent resting heart rate variability, adolescent resting heart rate variability and parenting behaviors as moderators of the association between parent and adolescent resting heart rate variability. Ninety-seven youth (11-17 years; 49.5 % female; 34 % African American, 37.1 % Euro-American, 22.6 % other/mixed ethnic background, and 7.2 % Hispanic) and their parents (n = 81) completed a physiological assessment and questionnaires assessing parenting behaviors. Inconsistent discipline and corporal punishment were negatively associated with adolescent resting heart rate variability, while positive parenting and parental involvement were positively associated. Inconsistent discipline and parental involvement moderated the relationship between parent and adolescent resting heart rate variability. The findings provide evidence for a role of parenting behaviors in shaping the development of adolescent resting heart rate variability with inconsistent discipline and parental involvement potentially influencing the entrainment of resting heart rate variability in parents and their children.

  8. IRAS variables as galactic structure tracers - Classification of the bright variables

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Allen, L. E.; Kleinmann, S. G.; Weinberg, M. D.

    1993-01-01

    The characteristics of the 'bright infrared variables' (BIRVs), a sample consisting of the 300 brightest stars in the IRAS Point Source Catalog with IRAS variability index VAR of 98 or greater, are investigated with the purpose of establishing which of IRAS variables are AGB stars (e.g., oxygen-rich Miras and carbon stars, as was assumed by Weinberg (1992)). Results of the analysis of optical, infrared, and microwave spectroscopy of these stars indicate that, out of 88 stars in the BIRV sample identified with cataloged variables, 86 can be classified as Miras. Results of a similar analysis performed for a color-selected sample of stars, using the color limits employed by Habing (1988) to select AGB stars, showed that, out of 52 percent of classified stars, 38 percent are non-AGB stars, including H II regions, planetary nebulae, supergiants, and young stellar objects, indicating that studies using color-selected samples are subject to misinterpretation.

  9. Basic properties and variability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Querci, Francois R.

    1987-01-01

    Giant and supergiant M, S, and C stars are discussed in this survey of research. Basic properties as determined by spectra, chemical composition, photometry, or variability type are discussed. Space motions and space distributions of cool giants are described. Distribution of these stars in our galaxy and those nearby is discussed. Mira variables in particular are surveyed with emphasis on the following topics: (1) phase lag phenomenon; (2) Mira light curves; (3) variations in color indices; (4) determination of multiple periods; (5) correlations between quantities such as period length, light-curve shape, infrared (IR) excess, and visible and IR color diagram; (6) semiregular (SR) variables and different time scales in SR light variations; (7) irregular variable Lb and Lc stars; (8) different time-scale light variations; (9) hydrogen-deficient carbon (HdC) stars, in particular RCB stars; and (10) irreversible changes and rapid evolution in red variable stars.

  10. VARIABLE TIME DELAY MEANS

    DOEpatents

    Clemensen, R.E.

    1959-11-01

    An electrically variable time delay line is described which may be readily controlled simuitaneously with variable impedance matching means coupied thereto such that reflections are prevented. Broadly, the delay line includes a signal winding about a magnetic core whose permeability is electrically variable. Inasmuch as the inductance of the line varies directly with the permeability, the time delay and characteristic impedance of the line both vary as the square root of the permeability. Consequently, impedance matching means may be varied similariy and simultaneously w:th the electrically variable permeability to match the line impedance over the entire range of time delay whereby reflections are prevented.

  11. Use of near infared spectroscopy to predict the mechanical properties of six softwoods

    Treesearch

    Stephen S. Jelley; Timothy G. Rials; Leslie H. Groom; Chi-Leung So

    2004-01-01

    The visible and near infrared (NIR)(500-2400 nm) spectra and mechanical properties of almost 1000 small clear-wood samples from six softwood species: Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine), Pinus palustris, Mill. (longleaf pine), Pinus elliottii Engelm. (slash pine), Pinus echinata Mill. (shortleaf...

  12. Piedmont community tree guide: benefits, costs, and strategic planting

    Treesearch

    E. Gregory McPherson; James R. Simpson; Paula J. Peper; Shelley L. Gardner; Kelaine E. Vargas; Scott E. Maco; Qingfu Xiao

    2006-01-01

    This report quantifies benefits and costs for small, medium, and large broadleaf trees and one coniferous tree in the Piedmont region: the species chosen as representative are dogwood (Cornus florida), Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), red maple (Acer rubrum), and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda...

  13. Effect of Harvest Residue Management on Tree Productivity and Carbon Pools during Early Stand Development in a Loblolly Pine Plantation

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; Kurt H. Johnsen; Phillip Dougherty; Daniel McInnis; Pete Anderson; Steve Patterson

    2012-01-01

    Soil incorporation of postharvest forest floor or logging residues during site preparation increased mineral soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentration and had a differential effect on early stand growth in a clonal loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. Incorporating 25 Mg ha

  14. AN EVALUATION OF TWO GROUND-BASED CROWN CLOSURE ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES COMPARED TO CROWN CLOSURE ESTIMATES DERIVED FROM HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Two ground-based canopy closure estimation techniques, the Spherical Densitometer (SD) and the Vertical Tube (VT), were compared for the effect of deciduous understory on dominant/co-dominant crown closure estimates in even-aged loblolly (Pinus taeda) pine stands located in the N...

  15. Southern Pine Seed Sources

    Treesearch

    Ronald C. Schmidtling

    2001-01-01

    The selection of an appropriate seed source is critical for successful southern pine plantations. Guidelines for selection of seed sources are presented for loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), slash (P. elliottii Engelm.), longleaf (P. palustris Mill.), Virginia (P. virginiana Mill.), shortleaf (P. echinata...

  16. Fungal carbon sources in a pine forest: evidence from a 13C-labeled global change experiment

    Treesearch

    Erik A. Hobbie; Kirsten S. Hofmockel; Linda T.A. Van Diepen; Erik A. Lilleskov; Andrew P. Oiumette; Adrien C. Finzi

    2014-01-01

    We used natural abundance 13C:12C (δ13C) and 8 yr of labeling with 13C-depleted CO2 in a Pinus taeda Free Air CO2 Enrichment (FACE) experiment to investigate carbon sources of saprotrophic fungi, ectomycorrhizal...

  17. Bulked fusiform rust inocula and Fr gene interactions in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Fikret Isik; Henry Amerson; Saul Garcia; Ross Whetten; Steve. McKeand

    2012-01-01

    Fusiform rust disease in loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var elliottii) pine plantations in the southern United States causes multi-million dollar annual losses. The disease is endemic to the region. The fusiform rust fungus (Cronartium quercuum sp.

  18. Composition of mixed-species foraging flocks associated with red-cockaded woodpeckers

    Treesearch

    Richard R. Schaefer; D. Craig Rudolph; Richard N. Conner; Daniel Saenz

    2004-01-01

    Red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis are known to be regular members of mixed species foraging flocks. We censused avian species associated with foraging red-cockaded woodpeckers in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) habitat and in mixed loblolly pine (P. taeda)-shortleaf pine (P. echinata...

  19. Greenhouse gas fluxes and root productivity in a switchgrass and loblolly pine intercropping system for bioenergy production

    Treesearch

    Paliza Shrestha; John R. Seiler; Brian D. Strahm; Eric B. Sucre; Zakiya H. Leggett

    2015-01-01

    This study is part of a larger collaborative effort to determine the overall environmental sustainability of intercropping pine (Pinus taeda L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), both of which are promising feedstock for bioenergy production in the Lower Coastal Plain in North Carolina.

  20. Pine growth and plant community response to chemical vs. mechanical site preparation for establishing loblolly and slash pine

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; Zhijuan Qiu

    1995-01-01

    Chemical and mechanical site preparation methods were studied for establishing loblolly (Pinus taeda L) and slash (P. elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.) pine following both integrated fuelwood-pulpwood harvesting and conventional whole-tree harvesting of pines and hardwoods in southem Alabama's Middle Coastal...

  1. Species Diversity in Planted Pine and Natural Hardwoods 24 years After Sharing and Chipping on the Cumberland Plateau, TN

    Treesearch

    Karen Kuers

    2002-01-01

    Plant species richness in 24 year-old planted lobiolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.), naturally regenerated hardwoods, and mature hardwoods was compared using the North Carolina Vegetation Survey protocol. Comparisons were made in...

  2. Effect of Calcium, Magnesium, and Aluminum-Iron on the Susceptibility of Loblolly Pine Seedlings to Fusiform Rust

    Treesearch

    S.J. Rowan

    1979-01-01

    The susceptibility (percentage of seedlings infected) of Pinus taeda seedlings to infection by Cronartium quercuum f. sp. fusiforme was not affected by fertilization with calcium, magnesium, or aluminum-iron. Fertilization with Al as Al2(SO4)2,and Fe as FeCl

  3. The effects of sodium erythorbate and ethylenediurea on photosynthetic function of ozone-exposed loblolly pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    Eric A. Kuehler; R.B. Flagler

    1998-01-01

    In an open-top chamber study in east Texas, ozone-sensitive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings were treated with either the antioxidant Ozoban (74.5 percent sodium erythorbate active ingredient (a.i.)) at 0, 1030, or 2060 mg liter- 1 or...

  4. Red-cockaded woodpecker nestling provisioning and reproduction in two different pine habitats

    Treesearch

    Richard R. Schaefer; Richard N. Conner; D. Craig Rudolph; Daniel Saenz

    2004-01-01

    We obtained nestling provisioning and rcpntductive data from 24 Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) groups occupying two different pine habitats-longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and a mixture of loblolly (P. taeda) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata)--in eastern Texas during 1990 and 1901....

  5. Estimating leaf area and above-ground biomass of forest regeneration areas using a corrected normalized difference vegetation index

    Treesearch

    Tommy L. Coleman; James H. Miller; Bruce R. Zutter

    1992-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the regression relations between vegetation indices derived from remotely-sensed data of single and mixed forest regeneration plots. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings, sweelgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) seedlings and broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus L.)...

  6. AN EVALUATION OF TWO GROUND-BASED CROWN CLOSURE ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES COMPARED TO CROWN CLOSURE ESTIMATES DERIVED FROM HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGERY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Two ground-based canopy closure estimation techniques, the Spherical Densitometer (SD) and the Vertical Tube (VT), were compared for the effect of deciduous understory on dominantlco-dominant crown closure estimates in even-aged loblolly (Pinus taeda) pine stands located in the N...

  7. Irrigation and Fertilization Effects on Nantucket Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Damage Levels and Pupal Weight in an Intensively-Managed Pine Plantation

    Treesearch

    David R. Coyle; John T. Nowak; Christopher J. Fettig

    2003-01-01

    The widespread application of intensive forest management practices throughout the southeastern U.S. has increased loblolly pine, pinus taeda L., yields and shortened conventional rotation lengths. Fluctuations in Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), population density and subsequent damage levels have been...

  8. Genetic variability in krill.

    PubMed Central

    Valentine, J W; Ayala, F J

    1976-01-01

    We have estimated genetic variability by gel electrophoresis in three species of krill, genus Euphausia (Arthropoda: Crustacea). Genetic variability is low where trophic resources are most seasonal, and high where trophic resources are most stable. Simlar trends have been found in benthic marine invertebrates. The observed trends of genetic variability do not correlate with trends in the stability of physical environment parameters. Images PMID:1061166

  9. AmeriFlux US-Dk3 Duke Forest - loblolly pine

    DOE Data Explorer

    Novick, Kim [Indiana University; Oishi, Chris [USDA Forest Service; Stoy, Paul [Montana State University

    2016-01-01

    This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Dk3 Duke Forest - loblolly pine. Site Description - The site was established in 1983 following a clear cut and a burn. Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) seedlings were planted at 2.4m by 2.4m spacing and ecosystem development has not been managed after planting. Canopy height increased from 16m in 2001 to 18m in 2004. The canopy is comprised primarily of P. taeda with some emergent Liquidambar styraciflua L. and a diverse and growing understory with 26 different woody species of diameter breast height 42.5 cm. The flux tower lies upwind of the CO2-enriched components of the free atmosphere carbon enrichment (FACE) facility located in the same pine forest. EC instrumentation is at 20.2m on a 22m tower.

  10. Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis Microhabitat Characteristics and Reproductive Success in a Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Forest

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wood, Douglas R.; Burger, L. Wesley; Vilella, Francisco

    2014-01-01

    We investigated the relationship between red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) reproductive success and microhabitat characteristics in a southeastern loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (P. echinata) pine forest. From 1997 to 1999, we recorded reproductive success parameters of 41 red-cockaded woodpecker groups at the Bienville National Forest, Mississippi. Microhabitat characteristics were measured for each group during the nesting season. Logistic regression identified understory vegetation height and small nesting season home range size as predictors of red-cockaded woodpecker nest attempts. Linear regression models identified several variables as predictors of red-cockaded woodpecker reproductive success including group density, reduced hardwood component, small nesting season home range size, and shorter foraging distances. Red-cockaded woodpecker reproductive success was correlated with habitat and behavioral characteristics that emphasize high quality habitat. By providing high quality foraging habitat during the nesting season, red-cockaded woodpeckers can successfully reproduce within small home ranges.

  11. Examining Impulse-Variability in Kicking.

    PubMed

    Chappell, Andrew; Molina, Sergio L; McKibben, Jonathon; Stodden, David F

    2016-07-01

    This study examined variability in kicking speed and spatial accuracy to test the impulse-variability theory prediction of an inverted-U function and the speed-accuracy trade-off. Twenty-eight 18- to 25-year-old adults kicked a playground ball at various percentages (50-100%) of their maximum speed at a wall target. Speed variability and spatial error were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA with built-in polynomial contrasts. Results indicated a significant inverse linear trajectory for speed variability (p < .001, η2= .345) where 50% and 60% maximum speed had significantly higher variability than the 100% condition. A significant quadratic fit was found for spatial error scores of mean radial error (p < .0001, η2 = .474) and subject-centroid radial error (p < .0001, η2 = .453). Findings suggest variability and accuracy of multijoint, ballistic skill performance may not follow the general principles of impulse-variability theory or the speed-accuracy trade-off.

  12. Exploratory Spectroscopy of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables Candidates and Other Variable Objects

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Oliveira, A. S.; Palhares, M. S.; Rodrigues, C. V.

    2017-04-01

    The increasing number of synoptic surveys made by small robotic telescopes, such as the photometric Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS), provides a unique opportunity to discover variable sources and improves the statistical samples of such classes of objects. Our goal is the discovery of magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (mCVs). These are rare objects that probe interesting accretion scenarios controlled by the white-dwarf magnetic field. In particular, improved statistics of mCVs would help to address open questions on their formation and evolution. We performed an optical spectroscopy survey to search for signatures of magnetic accretion in 45 variable objects selected mostly from themore » CRTS. In this sample, we found 32 CVs, 22 being mCV candidates, 13 of which were previously unreported as such. If the proposed classifications are confirmed, it would represent an increase of 4% in the number of known polars and 12% in the number of known IPs. A fraction of our initial sample was classified as extragalactic sources or other types of variable stars by the inspection of the identification spectra. Despite the inherent complexity in identifying a source as an mCV, variability-based selection, followed by spectroscopic snapshot observations, has proved to be an efficient strategy for their discoveries, being a relatively inexpensive approach in terms of telescope time.« less

  13. Investigating Factorial Invariance of Latent Variables Across Populations When Manifest Variables Are Missing Completely

    PubMed Central

    Widaman, Keith F.; Grimm, Kevin J.; Early, Dawnté R.; Robins, Richard W.; Conger, Rand D.

    2013-01-01

    Difficulties arise in multiple-group evaluations of factorial invariance if particular manifest variables are missing completely in certain groups. Ad hoc analytic alternatives can be used in such situations (e.g., deleting manifest variables), but some common approaches, such as multiple imputation, are not viable. At least 3 solutions to this problem are viable: analyzing differing sets of variables across groups, using pattern mixture approaches, and a new method using random number generation. The latter solution, proposed in this article, is to generate pseudo-random normal deviates for all observations for manifest variables that are missing completely in a given sample and then to specify multiple-group models in a way that respects the random nature of these values. An empirical example is presented in detail comparing the 3 approaches. The proposed solution can enable quantitative comparisons at the latent variable level between groups using programs that require the same number of manifest variables in each group. PMID:24019738

  14. Baseline element concentrations in soils and plants, Bull Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gough, L.P.; Severson, R.C.; Jackson, L.L.

    1994-01-01

    Baseline element concentrations are given for Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), and associated soils. Baseline and variability data for ash, Al, Ba, C, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sc, Sr, Th, Ti, V, Y, and Zn are reported; however, not all variables are reported for all media because, in some media, certain elements were below the analytical detection limit. Spatial variation in element concentration among and within 0.5 km grid cells are given for each of the media. In general, only a few elements in Spanish moss showed statistically significant landscape patterns, whereas several elements in loblolly pine and in soils exhibited differences among sampling grids. Significant differences in the concentration of three elements in Spanish moss and eight elements (including total S) in loblolly pine were observed between two sampling dates (November and June); however, the absolute amount of these differences was small. Except for perhaps Ni and Pb concentrations in Spanish moss, element levels in all sample media exhibited ranges that indicate natural rather than anthropogenic additions of trace elements.

  15. Variable Star Observing in Hungary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mizser, Attila

    1986-12-01

    Astronomy and variable star observing has a long history in Hungary, dating back to the private observatories erected by the Hungarian nobility in the late 19th Century. The first organized network of amateur variable star observers, the Variable Star Section of the new Hungarian Astronomical Association, was organized around the Urania Observatory in Budapest in 1948. Other groups, dedicated to various types of variables, have since been organized.

  16. Prescribed burning and mastication effects on surface fuels in southern pine beetle-killed loblolly pine plantations

    Treesearch

    Aaron D. Stottlemyer; Thomas A. Waldrop; G. Geoff Wang

    2015-01-01

    Surface fuels were characterized in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations severely impacted by southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Ehrh.) (SPB) outbreaks in the upper South Carolina Piedmont. Prescribed burning and mastication were then tested as fuel reduction treatments in these areas. Prescribed burning reduced...

  17. Pathogenic Microorganisms Associated With the Southern Pine Coneworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Attacking Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Nenad Mihelcic; James L. Hanula; Gary L. DeBarr

    2003-01-01

    Larvae of the Southern pine coneworm, Diorycha amateella (Hulst) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), were collected monthly during the growing seasons of 1996 and 1997 from loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., seed orchards in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, and examined for pathogenic microorganisms. One fungus,

  18. Tandem selection for fusiform rust sisease resistance to develop a clonal elite breeding population of loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Steve McKeand; Saul Garcia; Josh Steiger; Jim Grissom; Ross Whetten; Fikret Isik

    2012-01-01

    The elite breeding populations of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the North Carolina State University Cooperative Tree Improvement Program are intensively managed for short-term genetic gain. Fusiform rust disease, caused by the fungus Cronartium quercuum f. sp. fusiforme, is the most economically...

  19. Do Red-cockaded Woodpeckers Select Cavity Trees Based on Chemical Composition of Pine Resin?

    Treesearch

    Richard N. Conner; Robert H. Johnson; D. Craig Rudolph; Daniel Saenz

    2003-01-01

    We examined resin chemistry of loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (P. echinata) pines selected as cavity trees by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) in eastern Texas. We sampled resin from (1) pines selected by Red-cockaded Woodpeckers that contained naturally excavated active cavities, (2) pines...

  20. Nitrogen availability alters macrofungal basidiomycete Blackwell Publishing, Ltd. community structure in optimally fertilized loblolly pine forests

    Treesearch

    Ivan P. Edwards; Jennifer L. Cripliver; Andrew R. Gillespie; Kurt H. Johnsen; M. Scholler; Ronald F. Turco

    2004-01-01

    We investigated the effect of an optimal nutrition strategy designed to maximize loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) growth on the rank abundance structure and diversity of associated basidiomycete communities.We conducted both small- and large-scale below-ground surveys 10 years after the initiation of optimal...

  1. Oleoresin characteristics of progeny of loblolly pines that escaped attack by southern pine beetle

    Treesearch

    B.L. Strom; R.A. Goyer; L.L. Ingram; G.D.L. Boyd; L.H. Lott

    2002-01-01

    Oleoresin characteristics of first-generation (F1) progeny of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) that escaped mortality from the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), despite heavy mortality of neighbors, were evaluated and compared to trees from a general (i.e., trees...

  2. Modeling the Differential Sensitivity of Loblolly Pine to Climatic Change Using Tree Rings

    Treesearch

    Edward R. Cook; Warren L. Nance; Paul J. Krusic; James Grissom

    1998-01-01

    The Southwide Pine Seed Source Study (SPSSS) was undertaken in 1951 to determine to what extent inherent geographic variation in four southern pine species (loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L.; slash pine, P. elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii; longleaf pine, P. palutris Mill.; and shortleaf pine,

  3. Mid-rotation silviculture timing influences nitrogen mineralization of loblolly pine plantations in the mid-south USA

    Treesearch

    Michael A. Blazier; D. Andrew Scott; Ryan Coleman

    2015-01-01

    Intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations often develop nutrient deficiencies near mid-rotation. Common silvicultural treatments for improving stand nutrition at this stage include thinning, fertilization, and vegetation control. It is important to better understand the influence of timing fertilization and vegetation control...

  4. Responses of loblolly pine, sweetgum and crab grass roots to localized increases in nitrogen in two watering regimes

    Treesearch

    Kim H. Ludovici; L.A. Morris

    1995-01-01

    Root responses to differences in availability of nitrogen and soil water were studied in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings grown in monoculture and in competition with sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) or crab grass (Digitaria spp.). Rhizotron cells were maintained at high soil water availability (...

  5. Impacts of pine species, stump removal, cultivation, and fertilization on soil properties half a century after planting

    Treesearch

    John R. Butnor; Kurt H. Johnsen; Felipe G Sanchez; C. Dana Nelson

    2012-01-01

    To better understand the long-term effects of species selection and forest management practices on soil quality and soil C retention, we analyzed soil samples from an experimental planting of loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf ((Pinus palustris Mill.), and slash ((Pinus elliottii Engelm.) pines under...

  6. Copper Deficiency in Pine Plantations in the Georgia Coastal Plain

    Treesearch

    David B. South; William A. Carey; Donald A. Johnson

    2004-01-01

    Copper deficiencies have been observed on several intensively managed pine plantations in the Georgia Coastal Plain. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. elliottii Engelm.) displayed plagiotropic growth within a year after planting on very acid, sandy soils. Typically, symptoms show...

  7. Polymeric proanthocyanidins: Interflavanoid linkage isomerism in (epicatechin-4)-(epicatechin-4)-catechin procyanidins

    Treesearch

    Richard W. Hemingway; L. Yeap Foo; L. J. Porter

    1981-01-01

    Procyanidin trimers have been isolated from a variety of plants,1-3 but their structures remain unresolved. We have now isolated three configurational isomers of (epicatechin-4)-(epicatechin-4)-catechin from Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) phloem which exhibit isomerism of the interflavanoid linkages.

  8. Estimating timber losses from a town ant colony with aerial photographs

    Treesearch

    John C. Moser

    1986-01-01

    Aerial photographs were used to locate an individual nest of Atta texana (Buckley) and to estimate the area of damage in a plantation of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Stumpage loss from the nest over a period of 30 years was estimated to be $653.

  9. Root and stem partitioning of Pinus taeda

    Treesearch

    Timothy J. Albaugh; H. Lee Allen; Lance W. Kress

    2006-01-01

    We measured root and stem mass at three sites (Piedmont (P), Coastal Plain (C), and Sandhills (S)) in the southeastern United States. Stand density, soil texture and drainage, genetic makeup and environmental conditions varied with site while differences in tree size at each site were induced with fertilizer additions. Across sites, root mass was about one half of stem...

  10. Examining the causes of memory strength variability: Recollection, attention failure, or encoding variability?

    PubMed Central

    Koen, Joshua D.; Aly, Mariam; Wang, Wei-Chun; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2013-01-01

    A prominent finding in recognition memory is that studied items are associated with more variability in memory strength than new items. Here, we test three competing theories for why this occurs - the encoding variability, attention failure, and recollection accounts. Distinguishing amongst these theories is critical because each provides a fundamentally different account of the processes underlying recognition memory. The encoding variability and attention failure accounts propose that old item variance will be unaffected by retrieval manipulations because the processes producing this effect are ascribed to encoding. The recollection account predicts that both encoding and retrieval manipulations that preferentially affect recollection will affect memory variability. These contrasting predictions were tested by examining the effect of response speeding (Experiment 1), dividing attention at retrieval (Experiment 2), context reinstatement (Experiment 3), and increased test delay (Experiment 4) on recognition performance. The results of all four experiments confirmed the predictions of the recollection account, and were inconsistent with the encoding variability account. The evidence supporting the attention failure account was mixed, with two of the four experiments confirming the account and two disconfirming the account. These results indicate that encoding variability and attention failure are insufficient accounts of memory variance, and provide support for the recollection account. Several alternative theoretical accounts of the results are also considered. PMID:23834057

  11. Validity of a Residualized Dependent Variable after Pretest Covariance Adjustments: Still the Same Variable?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nimon, Kim; Henson, Robin K.

    2015-01-01

    The authors empirically examined whether the validity of a residualized dependent variable after covariance adjustment is comparable to that of the original variable of interest. When variance of a dependent variable is removed as a result of one or more covariates, the residual variance may not reflect the same meaning. Using the pretest-posttest…

  12. Variable-spot ion beam figuring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Lixiang; Qiu, Keqiang; Fu, Shaojun

    2016-03-01

    This paper introduces a new scheme of ion beam figuring (IBF), or rather variable-spot IBF, which is conducted at a constant scanning velocity with variable-spot ion beam collimated by a variable diaphragm. It aims at improving the reachability and adaptation of the figuring process within the limits of machine dynamics by varying the ion beam spot size instead of the scanning velocity. In contrast to the dwell time algorithm in the conventional IBF, the variable-spot IBF adopts a new algorithm, which consists of the scan path programming and the trajectory optimization using pattern search. In this algorithm, instead of the dwell time, a new concept, integral etching time, is proposed to interpret the process of variable-spot IBF. We conducted simulations to verify its feasibility and practicality. The simulation results indicate the variable-spot IBF is a promising alternative to the conventional approach.

  13. Magnetically Controlled Variable Transformer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kleiner, Charles T.

    1994-01-01

    Improved variable-transformer circuit, output voltage and current of which controlled by use of relatively small current supplied at relatively low power to control windings on its magnetic cores. Transformer circuits of this type called "magnetic amplifiers" because ratio between controlled output power and power driving control current of such circuit large. This ratio - power gain - can be as large as 100 in present circuit. Variable-transformer circuit offers advantages of efficiency, safety, and controllability over some prior variable-transformer circuits.

  14. A study of variable thrust, variable specific impulse trajectories for solar system exploration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sakai, Tadashi

    A study has been performed to determine the advantages and disadvantages of variable thrust and variable Isp (specific impulse) trajectories for solar system exploration. There have been several numerical research efforts for variable thrust, variable Isp, power-limited trajectory optimization problems. All of these results conclude that variable thrust, variable Isp (variable specific impulse, or VSI) engines are superior to constant thrust, constant Isp (constant specific impulse; or CSI) engines. However, most of these research efforts assume a mission from Earth to Mars, and some of them further assume that these planets are circular and coplanar. Hence they still lack the generality. This research has been conducted to answer the following questions: (1) Is a VSI engine always better than a CSI engine or a high thrust engine for any mission to any planet with any time of flight considering lower propellant mass as the sole criterion? (2) If a planetary swing-by is used for a VSI trajectory, is the fuel savings of a VSI swing-by trajectory better than that of a CSI swing-by or high thrust swing-by trajectory? To support this research, an unique, new computer-based interplanetary trajectory calculation program has been created. This program utilizes a calculus of variations algorithm to perform overall optimization of thrust, Isp, and thrust vector direction along a trajectory that minimizes fuel consumption for interplanetary travel. It is assumed that the propulsion system is power-limited, and thus the compromise between thrust and Isp is a variable to be optimized along the flight path. This program is capable of optimizing not only variable thrust trajectories but also constant thrust trajectories in 3-D space using a planetary ephemeris database. It is also capable of conducting planetary swing-bys. Using this program, various Earth-originating trajectories have been investigated and the optimized results have been compared to traditional CSI and high

  15. Continuous-variable quantum homomorphic signature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Ke; Shang, Tao; Liu, Jian-wei

    2017-10-01

    Quantum cryptography is believed to be unconditionally secure because its security is ensured by physical laws rather than computational complexity. According to spectrum characteristic, quantum information can be classified into two categories, namely discrete variables and continuous variables. Continuous-variable quantum protocols have gained much attention for their ability to transmit more information with lower cost. To verify the identities of different data sources in a quantum network, we propose a continuous-variable quantum homomorphic signature scheme. It is based on continuous-variable entanglement swapping and provides additive and subtractive homomorphism. Security analysis shows the proposed scheme is secure against replay, forgery and repudiation. Even under nonideal conditions, it supports effective verification within a certain verification threshold.

  16. Imaging Variable Stars with HST

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karovska, Margarita

    2011-05-01

    The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of astronomical sources, ranging from objects in our solar system to objects in the early Universe, have revolutionized our knowledge of the Universe its origins and contents.I will highlight results from HST observations of variable stars obtained during the past twenty or so years. Multiwavelength observations of numerous variable stars and stellar systems were obtained using the superb HST imaging capabilities and its unprecedented angular resolution, especially in the UV and optical. The HST provided the first detailed images probing the structure of variable stars including their atmospheres and circumstellar environments. AAVSO observations and light curves have been critical for scheduling of many of these observations and provided important information and context for understanding of the imaging results of many variable sources. I will describe the scientific results from the imaging observations of variable stars including AGBs, Miras, Cepheids, semi-regular variables (including supergiants and giants), YSOs and interacting stellar systems with a variable stellar components. These results have led to an unprecedented understanding of the spatial and temporal characteristics of these objects and their place in the stellar evolutionary chains, and in the larger context of the dynamic evolving Universe.

  17. Imaging Variable Stars with HST

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karovska, M.

    2012-06-01

    (Abstract only) The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of astronomical sources, ranging from objects in our solar system to objects in the early Universe, have revolutionized our knowledge of the Universe its origins and contents. I highlight results from HST observations of variable stars obtained during the past twenty or so years. Multiwavelength observations of numerous variable stars and stellar systems were obtained using the superb HST imaging capabilities and its unprecedented angular resolution, especially in the UV and optical. The HST provided the first detailed images probing the structure of variable stars including their atmospheres and circumstellar environments. AAVSO observations and light curves have been critical for scheduling of many of these observations and provided important information and context for understanding of the imaging results of many variable sources. I describe the scientific results from the imaging observations of variable stars including AGBs, Miras, Cepheids, semiregular variables (including supergiants and giants), YSOs and interacting stellar systems with a variable stellar components. These results have led to an unprecedented understanding of the spatial and temporal characteristics of these objects and their place in the stellar evolutionary chains, and in the larger context of the dynamic evolving Universe.

  18. Reward-Dependent Modulation of Movement Variability

    PubMed Central

    Izawa, Jun; Shadmehr, Reza

    2015-01-01

    Movement variability is often considered an unwanted byproduct of a noisy nervous system. However, variability can signal a form of implicit exploration, indicating that the nervous system is intentionally varying the motor commands in search of actions that yield the greatest success. Here, we investigated the role of the human basal ganglia in controlling reward-dependent motor variability as measured by trial-to-trial changes in performance during a reaching task. We designed an experiment in which the only performance feedback was success or failure and quantified how reach variability was modulated as a function of the probability of reward. In healthy controls, reach variability increased as the probability of reward decreased. Control of variability depended on the history of past rewards, with the largest trial-to-trial changes occurring immediately after an unrewarded trial. In contrast, in participants with Parkinson's disease, a known example of basal ganglia dysfunction, reward was a poor modulator of variability; that is, the patients showed an impaired ability to increase variability in response to decreases in the probability of reward. This was despite the fact that, after rewarded trials, reach variability in the patients was comparable to healthy controls. In summary, we found that movement variability is partially a form of exploration driven by the recent history of rewards. When the function of the human basal ganglia is compromised, the reward-dependent control of movement variability is impaired, particularly affecting the ability to increase variability after unsuccessful outcomes. PMID:25740529

  19. The cataclysmic variable AE Aquarii: orbital variability in V band

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zamanov, R.; Latev, G.

    2017-07-01

    We present 62.7 hours observations of the cataclysmic variable AE Aqr in Johnson V band. These are non-published archive electro-photometric data obtained during the time period 1993 to 1999. We construct the orbital variability in V band and obtain a Fourier fit to the double-wave quiescent light curve. The strongest flares in our data set are in phase interval 0.6 - 0.8. The data can be downloaded from http://www.astro.bas.bg/~rz/DATA/AEAqr.elphot.dat.

  20. Examining the causes of memory strength variability: recollection, attention failure, or encoding variability?

    PubMed

    Koen, Joshua D; Aly, Mariam; Wang, Wei-Chun; Yonelinas, Andrew P

    2013-11-01

    A prominent finding in recognition memory is that studied items are associated with more variability in memory strength than new items. Here, we test 3 competing theories for why this occurs-the encoding variability, attention failure, and recollection accounts. Distinguishing among these theories is critical because each provides a fundamentally different account of the processes underlying recognition memory. The encoding variability and attention failure accounts propose that old item variance will be unaffected by retrieval manipulations because the processes producing this effect are ascribed to encoding. The recollection account predicts that both encoding and retrieval manipulations that preferentially affect recollection will affect memory variability. These contrasting predictions were tested by examining the effect of response speeding (Experiment 1), dividing attention at retrieval (Experiment 2), context reinstatement (Experiment 3), and increased test delay (Experiment 4) on recognition performance. The results of all 4 experiments confirm the predictions of the recollection account and are inconsistent with the encoding variability account. The evidence supporting the attention failure account is mixed, with 2 of the 4 experiments confirming the account and 2 disconfirming the account. These results indicate that encoding variability and attention failure are insufficient accounts of memory variance and provide support for the recollection account. Several alternative theoretical accounts of the results are also considered. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

  1. The variability puzzle in human memory.

    PubMed

    Kahana, Michael J; Aggarwal, Eash V; Phan, Tung D

    2018-04-26

    Memory performance exhibits a high level of variability from moment to moment. Much of this variability may reflect inadequately controlled experimental variables, such as word memorability, past practice and subject fatigue. Alternatively, stochastic variability in performance may largely reflect the efficiency of endogenous neural processes that govern memory function. To help adjudicate between these competing views, the authors conducted a multisession study in which subjects completed 552 trials of a delayed free-recall task. Applying a statistical model to predict variability in each subject's recall performance uncovered modest effects of word memorability, proactive interference, and other variables. In contrast to the limited explanatory power of these experimental variables, performance on the prior list strongly predicted current list recall. These findings suggest that endogenous factors underlying successful encoding and retrieval drive variability in performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Variable

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Sue; Bergman, Judy

    2013-01-01

    This study examines the research on middle school students' understanding of variables and explores preservice elementary and middle school teachers' knowledge of variables. According to research studies, middle school students have limited understanding of variables. Many studies have examined the performance of middle school students and offered…

  3. Autosomal Dominant Cataract: Intrafamilial Phenotypic Variability, Interocular Asymmetry, and Variable Progression in Four Chilean Families

    PubMed Central

    Shafie, Suraiya M.; Barria von-Bischhoffshausen, Fernando R.; Bateman, J. Bronwyn

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE To document intrafamilial and interocular phenotypic variability of autosomal dominant cataract (ADC). DESIGN Prospective observational case series. METHODS We performed ophthalmologic examination in four Chilean ADC families. RESULTS The families exhibited variability with respect to morphology, location with the lens, color and density of cataracts among affected members. We documented asymmetry between eyes in the morphology, location within the lens, color and density of cataracts, and a variable rate of progression. CONCLUSIONS The cataracts in these families exhibit wide intrafamilial and interocular phenotypic variability, supporting the premise that the mutated genes are expressed differentially in individuals and between eyes; other genes or environmental factors may be the bases for this variability. Marked progression among some family members underscores the variable clinical course of a common mutation within a family. Like retinitis pigmentosa, classification of ADC will be most useful if based on the gene and specific mutation. PMID:16564818

  4. Variable Screening for Cluster Analysis.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Donoghue, John R.

    Inclusion of irrelevant variables in a cluster analysis adversely affects subgroup recovery. This paper examines using moment-based statistics to screen variables; only variables that pass the screening are then used in clustering. Normal mixtures are analytically shown often to possess negative kurtosis. Two related measures, "m" and…

  5. Hurricane Katrina winds damaged longleaf pine less than loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Kurt H. Johnsen; John R. Butnor; John S. Kush; Ronald C. Schmidtling; C. Dana Nelson

    2009-01-01

    Some evidence suggests that longleaf pine might be more tolerant of high winds than either slash pine (Pinus elliotii Englem.) or loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). We studied wind damage to these three pine species in a common garden experiment in southeast Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina,...

  6. Using Google SketchUp to simulate tree row azimuth effects on alley shading

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Effect of row azimuth on alley crop illumination is difficult to determine empirically. Our objective was to determine if Google SketchUp (Trimble Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) could be used to simulate effect of azimuth orientation on illumination of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) alleys. Simulations were...

  7. Evaluation of Inundative Releases of Trichogramma exigum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) for Suppression of Nantucket Pine Tip Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Pine (Pinaceae) Plantations

    Treesearch

    David B. Orr; Charles P-C Suh; Kenneth W. McCravy; C. Wayne Berisford; Gary L. Debarr

    2000-01-01

    Inundative releases of Trichogramma exiguum Pinto and Platner were evaluated for suppression of the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Cornstock), in first-year loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., plantations. Three releases, spaced 7 d apart were made in three 0.4-ha plots during second-generation

  8. The Crossett Experimental Forest's contributions to southern pine improvement programs

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg; Jess Riddle; Joshua Adams; James M. Guldin

    2016-01-01

    Long renowned for its contributions to silvicultural practices in naturally regenerated loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata) pine, the Crossett Experimental Forest (CEF) has also played an important, if much less well known, role in southern pine tree improvement. A decades-long program centered at Crossett...

  9. New species of mites from pine (Acarina: Tarsochelidae, Eupalopsellidae, Caligonellidae, Cryptognathidae, Raphignathidae, and Neophyllobiidae)

    Treesearch

    Robert L. Smiley; John C. Moser

    1968-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe several new species of mites, most of which were found in the outer bark of Pinus taeda L. at Elizabeth, in central Louisiana. They were discovered in the course of research on the seasonal ecology of Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman

  10. The health of loblolly pine stands at Fort Benning, GA

    Treesearch

    Soung-Ryoul Ryu; G. Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker

    2013-01-01

    Approximately two-thirds of the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW) groups at Fort Benning, GA, depend on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands for nesting or foraging. However, loblolly pine stands are suspected to decline. Forest managers want to replace loblolly pine with longleaf pine (P. palustris...

  11. Interactive effects of fertilization and throughfall exclusion on the physiological responses and whole-tree carbon uptake of mature loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Zhenmin Tang; Mary A. Sword Sayer; Jim L. Chambers; James P. Barnett

    2004-01-01

    Few studies have examined the combined effects of nutrition and water exclusion on the canopy physiology of mature loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Understanding the impacts of forest management on plantation productivity requires extensive research on the relationship between silvicultural treatments and environmental constraints to growth. We...

  12. Response of Second-Rotation Southern Pines to Fertilizer and Planting on Old Beds--Fifteenth-Year Results

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Allan E. Tiarks

    2002-01-01

    Two replicated site preparation studies were used to examine the effects of management on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (P. elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii) growth-and-yield in a second rotation on silt loam soils. Treatments included no tillage, flat disking, bedding, and fertilization....

  13. High-resolution analysis of stem increment and sap flow for loblolly pine trees attacked by southern pine beetle

    Treesearch

    Stan D. Wullschleger; Samuel B. McLaughlin; Matthew P. Ayres

    2004-01-01

    Manual and automated dendrometers, and thermal dissipation probes were used to measure stem increment and sap flow for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees attacked by southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.) in east Tennessee, USA. Seasonal-long measurements with manual dendrometers indicated linear increases in stem...

  14. Species comparison of the physical properties of loblolly and slash pine wood and bark

    Treesearch

    Thomas L. Eberhardt; Joseph Dahlen; Laurence Schimleck

    2017-01-01

    Composition of the southern pine forest is now predominated by two species, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.), owing to fire suppression activities, natural regeneration on abandoned agricultural lands, and extensive planting. Comparison of the wood and bark physical properties of these...

  15. Predicting Soil CO2 Efflux Rates in the Loblolly Pine Ecosystem Across the Region

    Treesearch

    Christopher Gough; John Seiler; Eric Wiseman

    2004-01-01

    Patterns in soil CO2 efflux (Ec) over a short rotation were examined using a chronosequence approach on South Carolina Coastal Plain and Virginia Piedmont loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands. Ec was measured over an entire year in four separate age classes at both measurement...

  16. Heat Accumulation: An Easy Way Anticipate the Flowering of Southern Pines

    Treesearch

    William D. Boyer

    1978-01-01

    Accumulation of degree-day heat sums accounts for most of the year-to-year variation in dates of peak pollen shed by slush (Pinus etliottii Engelm.), longleaf (P. palustris Mill.), loblolly (P. taeda L.), and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pines. During 19 years of observation for...

  17. Irrigation, fertilization and initial substrate quality effects on decomposing Loblolly pine litter chemistry

    Treesearch

    Felipe G. Sanchez

    2004-01-01

    Changes in carbon chemistry (i.e., carbon compound classes such as aromatics, phenolics, etc.) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) litter were examined during three years of decomposition under factorial combinations of irrigation and fertilization treatments. Cross polarization magic angle spinning 13C nuclear magnetic resonance...

  18. Examination of water phase transitions in Loblolly pine and cell wall components by differential scanning calorimetry

    Treesearch

    Samuel L. Zelinka; Michael J. Lambrecht; Samuel V. Glass; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft; Daniel J. Yelle

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines phase transformations of water in wood and isolated wood cell wall components using differential scanning calorimetry with the purpose of better understanding "Type II water" or "freezable bound water" that has been reported for cellulose and other hydrophilic polymers. Solid loblolly pine (Pinus taeda...

  19. Termites and flooding affect microbial communities in decomposing wood

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Ulyshen; Susan V. Diehl; Dragica Jeremic

    2016-01-01

    Wood properties and microbial community characteristics were compared between loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) logs protected or unprotected from termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae: Reticulitermes spp.) and other arthropods for two years in seasonally flooded and unflooded forests in the southeastern United States. Significant compositional differences were observed...

  20. Hardwoods on pine sites: competition or antagonistic symbiosis

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1990-01-01

    Early development of natural loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) regeneration was monitored in two research studies and two research demonstrations between 1980 and I989 in southern Arkansas. Site preparation and hardwood control incorporated the use of herbicides, mechanical treatments, or...

  1. From loblolly to longleaf: fifth-year results of a longleaf pine restoration study at two ecologically distinct sites

    Treesearch

    Benjamin O. Knapp; G. Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker; Huifeng Hu

    2015-01-01

    Historical land-use and management practices in the southeastern United States have resulted in the widespread conversion of many upland sites from dominance of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) to loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) in the time following European settlement. Given the ecological, economic, and cultural...

  2. Evaluation of fumigants, EPTC herbicide, and Paenibacillus macerans in the production of loblolly pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    Michelle M. Cram; Scott A. Enebak; Stephen W. Fraedrich; Lew D. Dwinell; Stanley J. Zarnoch

    2007-01-01

    Chloropicrin fumigation, Eptam 7-E (EPTC) herbicide, and Paenibacillus macerans seed treatments were evaluated as alternatives to fumigation with methyl bromide/chloropicrin for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling production at three nurseries in the southern United States. A treatment of metam sodium/chloropicrin was also...

  3. Can Hardwoods Be Eradicated From Pine Sites?

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; D.A. Yaussy

    1984-01-01

    Intensive mechanical and chemical treatments were used annually for 12 years to eradicate hardwoods from a selectively managed loblolly (pinus taeda L.) shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pine stand in south Arkansas.Although temporarily effective, a succession of indigenous shrubs and trees followed the cessation of eradication...

  4. Seventeen-Year Growth of Cherrybark Oak and Loblolly Pine on a Previously Farmed Bottomland Site

    Treesearch

    Warren D. Devine; John C. Rennie; Allan E. Houston; Donald D. Tyler; Vernon H. Reich

    2002-01-01

    This study documents the effects of cultural treatments on 17-year growth of cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda Raf.) and lobiolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) planted on a previously farmed bottomland site in southwestern Tennessee. Yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) was part of the original study, but was...

  5. Effects of site preparation for pine forest/switchgrass Intercropping on water quality

    Treesearch

    A. Muwamba; D. M. Amatya; H. Ssegane; G.M. Chescheir; T. Appelboom; E.W. Tollner; J. E. Nettles; M. A. Youssef; F. Birgand; R. W. Skaggs; S. Tian

    2015-01-01

    A study was initiated to investigate the sustainability effects of intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. This forest-based biofuel system could possibly provide biomass from the perennial energy grass while maintaining the economics and environmental benefits of a forest...

  6. The sprouting potential of loblolly and shortleaf pines: Implications for seedling recovery from top damage

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    2002-01-01

    Loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pine seedlings are frequently top damaged during their first few years by browsing animals, insects, or forestry operations, but little quantitative information exists on the factors affecting recovery. Thus, we conducted two separate studies to evaluate potential recovery...

  7. Microsatellite DNA suggests regional structure in the fusiform rust fungus Cronartium quercuum f. sp fusiforme

    Treesearch

    T.L Kubisiak; J.H. Roberds; P.C. Spaine; R.L. Doudrick

    2004-01-01

    This paper reports results obtained from microsatellite DNA analysis of genetic structure for populations of the native fungus Cronartium quercuum f. sp fusiforme infecting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) over much of this host's natural range. Mostly all fusiform rust galls formed under field conditions are...

  8. An economic comparison of slash and loblolly pine under various levels of management in the lower Atlantic and gulf coastal plain

    Treesearch

    E. David Dickens; Coleman W. Dangerfield; David J. Moorhead

    2006-01-01

    Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners have perceived reduced product market availability and increased price uncertainty since late 1997 in the southeastern United States. Lower Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain NIPF landowners seek management options utilizing two commonly available pine species, loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (...

  9. Silvicultural treatments for converting loblolly pine to longleaf pine dominance: Effects on planted longleaf pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    Huifeng Hu; G.Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker; Benjamin O. Knapp

    2012-01-01

    A field study was installed to test silvicultural treatments for establishing longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill) in loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) stands. Harvesting was used to create seven canopy treatments, four with uniformly distributed canopies at different residual basal areas [Control (16.2 m2/ha),...

  10. Impact of vegetation control and annual fertilization on properties of loblolly pine wood at age 12

    Treesearch

    Alexander Clark; Bruce E. Borders; Richard F. Daniels

    2004-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of Georgia were subjected to four intensive silvicultural regimes to monitor and record relative tree growth. Treatments included: intensive mechanical site preparation, complete vegetation control with multiple applications of herbicides, annual high rates of nitrogen...

  11. Competition Impacts on Growth of Naturally Regenerated Loblolly Pine Seedlings

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1988-01-01

    Intrusive competition control was used for 3 years in a nuturally regenerated, even-aged stand of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.) in southern Arkansas. Treatments included: no competition control, woody competition control, herbaceous competition control, and total control of nonpine vegetation...

  12. Deconstructed transverse mass variables

    DOE PAGES

    Ismail, Ahmed; Schwienhorst, Reinhard; Virzi, Joseph S.; ...

    2015-04-02

    Traditional searches for R-parity conserving natural supersymmetry (SUSY) require large transverse mass and missing energy cuts to separate the signal from large backgrounds. SUSY models with compressed spectra inherently produce signal events with small amounts of missing energy that are hard to explore. We use this difficulty to motivate the construction of "deconstructed" transverse mass variables which are designed preserve information on both the norm and direction of the missing momentum. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these variables in searches for the pair production of supersymmetric top-quark partners which subsequently decay into a final state with an isolated lepton,more » jets and missing energy. We show that the use of deconstructed transverse mass variables extends the accessible compressed spectra parameter space beyond the region probed by traditional methods. The parameter space can further be expanded to neutralino masses that are larger than the difference between the stop and top masses. In addition, we also discuss how these variables allow for novel searches of single stop production, in order to directly probe unconstrained stealth stops in the small stop-and neutralino-mass regime. We also demonstrate the utility of these variables for generic gluino and stop searches in all-hadronic final states. Overall, we demonstrate that deconstructed transverse variables are essential to any search wanting to maximize signal separation from the background when the signal has undetected particles in the final state.« less

  13. Combining Genotype, Phenotype, and Environment to Infer Potential Candidate Genes.

    PubMed

    Talbot, Benoit; Chen, Ting-Wen; Zimmerman, Shawna; Joost, Stéphane; Eckert, Andrew J; Crow, Taylor M; Semizer-Cuming, Devrim; Seshadri, Chitra; Manel, Stéphanie

    2017-03-01

    Population genomic analysis can be an important tool in understanding local adaptation. Identification of potential adaptive loci in such analyses is usually based on the survey of a large genomic dataset in combination with environmental variables. Phenotypic data are less commonly incorporated into such studies, although combining a genome scan analysis with a phenotypic trait analysis can greatly improve the insights obtained from each analysis individually. Here, we aimed to identify loci potentially involved in adaptation to climate in 283 Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) samples from throughout the species' range in the southeastern United States. We analyzed associations between phenotypic, molecular, and environmental variables from datasets of 3082 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci and 3 categories of phenotypic traits (gene expression, metabolites, and whole-plant traits). We found only 6 SNP loci that displayed potential signals of local adaptation. Five of the 6 identified SNPs are linked to gene expression traits for lignin development, and 1 is linked with whole-plant traits. We subsequently compared the 6 candidate genes with environmental variables and found a high correlation in only 3 of them (R2 > 0.2). Our study highlights the need for a combination of genotypes, phenotypes, and environmental variables, and for an appropriate sampling scheme and study design, to improve confidence in the identification of potential candidate genes. © The American Genetic Association 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Rapidly variable relatvistic absorption

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parker, M.; Pinto, C.; Fabian, A.; Lohfink, A.; Buisson, D.; Alston, W.; Jiang, J.

    2017-10-01

    I will present results from the 1.5Ms XMM-Newton observing campaign on the most X-ray variable AGN, IRAS 13224-3809. We find a series of nine absorption lines with a velocity of 0.24c from an ultra-fast outflow. For the first time, we are able to see extremely rapid variability of the UFO features, and can link this to the X-ray variability from the inner accretion disk. We find a clear flux dependence of the outflow features, suggesting that the wind is ionized by increasing X-ray emission.

  15. Machine learning search for variable stars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pashchenko, Ilya N.; Sokolovsky, Kirill V.; Gavras, Panagiotis

    2018-04-01

    Photometric variability detection is often considered as a hypothesis testing problem: an object is variable if the null hypothesis that its brightness is constant can be ruled out given the measurements and their uncertainties. The practical applicability of this approach is limited by uncorrected systematic errors. We propose a new variability detection technique sensitive to a wide range of variability types while being robust to outliers and underestimated measurement uncertainties. We consider variability detection as a classification problem that can be approached with machine learning. Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machines (SVM), k Nearest Neighbours (kNN), Neural Nets (NN), Random Forests (RF), and Stochastic Gradient Boosting classifier (SGB) are applied to 18 features (variability indices) quantifying scatter and/or correlation between points in a light curve. We use a subset of Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment phase two (OGLE-II) Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) photometry (30 265 light curves) that was searched for variability using traditional methods (168 known variable objects) as the training set and then apply the NN to a new test set of 31 798 OGLE-II LMC light curves. Among 205 candidates selected in the test set, 178 are real variables, while 13 low-amplitude variables are new discoveries. The machine learning classifiers considered are found to be more efficient (select more variables and fewer false candidates) compared to traditional techniques using individual variability indices or their linear combination. The NN, SGB, SVM, and RF show a higher efficiency compared to LR and kNN.

  16. THE COLOR VARIABILITY OF QUASARS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmidt, Kasper B.; Rix, Hans-Walter; Knecht, Matthias

    2012-01-10

    We quantify quasar color variability using an unprecedented variability database-ugriz photometry of 9093 quasars from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82, observed over 8 years at {approx}60 epochs each. We confirm previous reports that quasars become bluer when brightening. We find a redshift dependence of this blueing in a given set of bands (e.g., g and r), but show that it is the result of the flux contribution from less-variable or delayed emission lines in the different SDSS bands at different redshifts. After correcting for this effect, quasar color variability is remarkably uniform, and independent not only of redshift,more » but also of quasar luminosity and black hole mass. The color variations of individual quasars, as they vary in brightness on year timescales, are much more pronounced than the ranges in color seen in samples of quasars across many orders of magnitude in luminosity. This indicates distinct physical mechanisms behind quasar variability and the observed range of quasar luminosities at a given black hole mass-quasar variations cannot be explained by changes in the mean accretion rate. We do find some dependence of the color variability on the characteristics of the flux variations themselves, with fast, low-amplitude, brightness variations producing more color variability. The observed behavior could arise if quasar variability results from flares or ephemeral hot spots in an accretion disk.« less

  17. An improved assembly of the loblolly pine mega-genome using long-read single-molecule sequencing.

    PubMed

    Zimin, Aleksey V; Stevens, Kristian A; Crepeau, Marc W; Puiu, Daniela; Wegrzyn, Jill L; Yorke, James A; Langley, Charles H; Neale, David B; Salzberg, Steven L

    2017-01-01

    The 22-gigabase genome of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is one of the largest ever sequenced. The draft assembly published in 2014 was built entirely from short Illumina reads, with lengths ranging from 100 to 250 base pairs (bp). The assembly was quite fragmented, containing over 11 million contigs whose weighted average (N50) size was 8206 bp. To improve this result, we generated approximately 12-fold coverage in long reads using the Single Molecule Real Time sequencing technology developed at Pacific Biosciences. We assembled the long and short reads together using the MaSuRCA mega-reads assembly algorithm, which produced a substantially better assembly, P. taeda version 2.0. The new assembly has an N50 contig size of 25 361, more than three times as large as achieved in the original assembly, and an N50 scaffold size of 107 821, 61% larger than the previous assembly. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  18. Erratum to: An improved assembly of the loblolly pine mega-genome using long-read single-molecule sequencing.

    PubMed

    Zimin, Aleksey V; Stevens, Kristian A; Crepeau, Marc W; Puiu, Daniela; Wegrzyn, Jill L; Yorke, James A; Langley, Charles H; Neale, David B; Salzberg, Steven L

    2017-10-01

    The 22-gigabase genome of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is one of the largest ever sequenced. The draft assembly published in 2014 was built entirely from short Illumina reads, with lengths ranging from 100 to 250 base pairs (bp). The assembly was quite fragmented, containing over 11 million contigs whose weighted average (N50) size was 8206 bp. To improve this result, we generated approximately 12-fold coverage in long reads using the Single Molecule Real Time sequencing technology developed at Pacific Biosciences. We assembled the long and short reads together using the MaSuRCA mega-reads assembly algorithm, which produced a substantially better assembly, P. taeda version 2.0. The new assembly has an N50 contig size of 25 361, more than three times as large as achieved in the original assembly, and an N50 scaffold size of 107 821, 61% larger than the previous assembly. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

  19. Children's Use of Variables and Variable Notation to Represent Their Algebraic Ideas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brizuela, Bárbara M.; Blanton, Maria; Sawrey, Katharine; Newman-Owens, Ashley; Murphy Gardiner, Angela

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we analyze a first grade classroom episode and individual interviews with students who participated in that classroom event to provide evidence of the variety of understandings about variable and variable notation held by first grade children approximately six years of age. Our findings illustrate that given the opportunity,…

  20. Clustering of Variables for Mixed Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saracco, J.; Chavent, M.

    2016-05-01

    This chapter presents clustering of variables which aim is to lump together strongly related variables. The proposed approach works on a mixed data set, i.e. on a data set which contains numerical variables and categorical variables. Two algorithms of clustering of variables are described: a hierarchical clustering and a k-means type clustering. A brief description of PCAmix method (that is a principal component analysis for mixed data) is provided, since the calculus of the synthetic variables summarizing the obtained clusters of variables is based on this multivariate method. Finally, the R packages ClustOfVar and PCAmixdata are illustrated on real mixed data. The PCAmix and ClustOfVar approaches are first used for dimension reduction (step 1) before applying in step 2 a standard clustering method to obtain groups of individuals.

  1. Variable Lifting Index (VLI): A New Method for Evaluating Variable Lifting Tasks.

    PubMed

    Waters, Thomas; Occhipinti, Enrico; Colombini, Daniela; Alvarez-Casado, Enrique; Fox, Robert

    2016-08-01

    We seek to develop a new approach for analyzing the physical demands of highly variable lifting tasks through an adaptation of the Revised NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Lifting Equation (RNLE) into a Variable Lifting Index (VLI). There are many jobs that contain individual lifts that vary from lift to lift due to the task requirements. The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable in its present form to analyze variable lifting tasks. In extending the prior work on the VLI, two procedures are presented to allow users to analyze variable lifting tasks. One approach involves the sampling of lifting tasks performed by a worker over a shift and the calculation of the Frequency Independent Lift Index (FILI) for each sampled lift and the aggregation of the FILI values into six categories. The Composite Lift Index (CLI) equation is used with lifting index (LI) category frequency data to calculate the VLI. The second approach employs a detailed systematic collection of lifting task data from production and/or organizational sources. The data are organized into simplified task parameter categories and further aggregated into six FILI categories, which also use the CLI equation to calculate the VLI. The two procedures will allow practitioners to systematically employ the VLI method to a variety of work situations where highly variable lifting tasks are performed. The scientific basis for the VLI procedure is similar to that for the CLI originally presented by NIOSH; however, the VLI method remains to be validated. The VLI method allows an analyst to assess highly variable manual lifting jobs in which the task characteristics vary from lift to lift during a shift. © 2015, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

  2. VARIABLE-THROW CAM

    DOEpatents

    Godsil, E.C.; Robinson, E.Y.

    1963-07-16

    A variable-throw cam comprising inner and outer eccentric sleeves which are adjustably locked together is described. The cam throw is varied by unlocking the inner and outer sleeves, rotating the outer sleeve relative to the inner one until the desired throw is obtained, and locking the sleeves together again. The cam is useful in applications wherein a continuously-variable throw is required, e.g., ram-and-die pressing operations, cyclic fatigue testing of materials, etc. (AEC)

  3. Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

    DOE PAGES

    Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie; ...

    2016-10-18

    In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and

  4. Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie

    In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and

  5. The Hubble Catalog of Variables

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gavras, P.; Bonanos, A. Z.; Bellas-Velidis, I.; Charmandaris, V.; Georgantopoulos, I.; Hatzidimitriou, D.; Kakaletris, G.; Karampelas, A.; Laskaris, N.; Lennon, D. J.; Moretti, M. I.; Pouliasis, E.; Sokolovsky, K.; Spetsieri, Z. T.; Tsinganos, K.; Whitmore, B. C.; Yang, M.

    2017-06-01

    The Hubble Catalog of Variables (HCV) is a 3 year ESA funded project that aims to develop a set of algorithms to identify variables among the sources included in the Hubble Source Catalog (HSC) and produce the HCV. We will process all HSC sources with more than a predefined number of measurements in a single filter/instrument combination and compute a range of lightcurve features to determine the variability status of each source. At the end of the project, the first release of the Hubble Catalog of Variables will be made available at the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) and the ESA Science Archives. The variability detection pipeline will be implemented at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) so that updated versions of the HCV may be created following the future releases of the HSC.

  6. Characterizing the Optical Variability of Bright Blazars: Variability-based Selection of Fermi Active Galactic Nuclei

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruan, John J.; Anderson, Scott F.; MacLeod, Chelsea L.; Becker, Andrew C.; Burnett, T. H.; Davenport, James R. A.; Ivezić, Željko; Kochanek, Christopher S.; Plotkin, Richard M.; Sesar, Branimir; Stuart, J. Scott

    2012-11-01

    We investigate the use of optical photometric variability to select and identify blazars in large-scale time-domain surveys, in part to aid in the identification of blazar counterparts to the ~30% of γ-ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog still lacking reliable associations. Using data from the optical LINEAR asteroid survey, we characterize the optical variability of blazars by fitting a damped random walk model to individual light curves with two main model parameters, the characteristic timescales of variability τ, and driving amplitudes on short timescales \\hat{\\sigma }. Imposing cuts on minimum τ and \\hat{\\sigma } allows for blazar selection with high efficiency E and completeness C. To test the efficacy of this approach, we apply this method to optically variable LINEAR objects that fall within the several-arcminute error ellipses of γ-ray sources in the Fermi 2FGL catalog. Despite the extreme stellar contamination at the shallow depth of the LINEAR survey, we are able to recover previously associated optical counterparts to Fermi active galactic nuclei with E >= 88% and C = 88% in Fermi 95% confidence error ellipses having semimajor axis r < 8'. We find that the suggested radio counterpart to Fermi source 2FGL J1649.6+5238 has optical variability consistent with other γ-ray blazars and is likely to be the γ-ray source. Our results suggest that the variability of the non-thermal jet emission in blazars is stochastic in nature, with unique variability properties due to the effects of relativistic beaming. After correcting for beaming, we estimate that the characteristic timescale of blazar variability is ~3 years in the rest frame of the jet, in contrast with the ~320 day disk flux timescale observed in quasars. The variability-based selection method presented will be useful for blazar identification in time-domain optical surveys and is also a probe of jet physics.

  7. Soil CO2 Efflux Trends Following the Thinning of a 22-Year-Old Loblolly Pine Plantation on the Piedmont of Virginia

    Treesearch

    M.F. Selig; J.R. Seiler

    2004-01-01

    Due to the growing concern over increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, it has become increasingly important to understand the influence forest practices have on the global carbon cycle. The thinning of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in the Southeastern United States is a common silvicultural practice and has great...

  8. Management intensity and genetics affect loblolly pine crown characteristics

    Treesearch

    B. Landis Herrin; Scott D. Roberts; Randall J. Rousseau

    2012-01-01

    The development of elite loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L) genotypes may lead to reduced planting densities as a means of reducing establishment costs. However, this can lead to undesirable crown and branch characteristics in some genotypes. Selecting appropriate genetic material, combined with appropriate silvicultural management, is essential to...

  9. Top Grafting Loblolly Pine in the Western Gulf Region

    Treesearch

    Geoffrey D. Goading; Floyd E. Bridgwater; David L. Bramlett; William J. Lowe

    1999-01-01

    Flowering data were collected from top grafts made in 1996 and 1997 at the Mississippi Forestry Commission's Craig Seed Orchard near Lumberton, MS. Scion material from twenty loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) second-generation selections was grafted onto five loblolly pine and five slash pine (P. elliottii) interstocks. All...

  10. Comparative mapping in the Pinaceae

    Treesearch

    Konstantin V. Krutovsky; Michela Troggio; Garth R. Brown; Kathleen D. Jermstad; David B. Neale

    2004-01-01

    A comparative genetic map was constructed between two important genera of the family Pinaceae. Ten homologous linkage groups in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) were identified using orthologous expressed sequence tag polymorphism (ESTP) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers. The comparative...

  11. Intensive straw harvesting, fertilization, and fertilizer source affect nitrogen mineralization and soil labile carbon of a loblolly pine plantation

    Treesearch

    K. Ellum; H.O. Liechty; M.A. Blazier

    2013-01-01

    Straw harvesting can supplement traditional revenues generated by loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation management. However, repeated raking may alter soil properties and nutrition. In northcentral Louisiana, a study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of intensive straw raking and fertilizer source (inorganic or organic) on nitrogen...

  12. Growth expectations from alternative thinning regimes and prescribed burning in naturally regenerated loblolly-shortleaf pine stands through age 20

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1996-01-01

    Pine growth was monitored for 14 years after mechanically strip-thinning a dense, naturally regenerated, even-aged stand of 6-year-old loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (Pinus echinata Mill.) that averaged 41 000 trees per hectare in southeastern Arkansas, USA. Prescribed winter bums were conducted...

  13. Seasonal trends of light-saturated net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of loblolly pine trees grown in contrasting environments of nutrition, water and carbon dioxide

    Treesearch

    Ramesh Murthy; Stanley J. Zarnoch; P.M. Dougherty

    1997-01-01

    Repeated measures analysis was used to evaluate the effect of long-term CO2 enhancement on seasonal trends of light-saturated rates of net photosynthesis (Asat) and stomatal conductance to water vapour (gsat) of 9-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.; trees grown in a 2x2...

  14. Restoring Upland Forests to Longleaf Pine: Initial Effects on Fuel Load, Fire Danger, Forest Vegetation, and Beetle Populations

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Tessa A. Bauman; Richard A. Goyer; Finis L. Harris

    2004-01-01

    Without fire in the Southeastern United States, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) often becomes the overstory dominant on sites historically dominated by longleaf pine (P. palustris Mill.). Beneath the loblolly pine canopy a mature midstory and understory develops of woody vegetation supporting draped fuels. The resulting deep shade...

  15. Fusiform Rust Trends in East Texas: 1969 to 2002

    Treesearch

    Dean W. Coble; Young-Jin Lee

    2004-01-01

    Fusiform rust [Cronartium quercuum (Berk.) Miyabe ex Shirai f. sp. Fusiforme] infection rates in east Texas increased to nearly 50 percent in slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) and about 15 percent in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations during the 18-year period from 1969 to 1987. New...

  16. Aquatic Turtles Of Diversely Managed Watersheds in the Ouachita Mountains, Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Joseph P. Phelps

    2004-01-01

    Abstract - Aquatic turtles were trapped using hoop nets in creeks and ponds located in four Ouachita Mountain water-sheds (Little Glazypeau, North Alum, Bread, and South Alum Creeks). These watersheds range in management from one dominated by industrial loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations to one having virtually no...

  17. Yield and financial performance estimates of four elite loblolly pine seed sources planted in the Western Gulf Region

    Treesearch

    Michael A. Blazier; A. Gordon Holley

    2015-01-01

    Eastern seed sources of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) have been planted in the Western Gulf region for nearly three decades because they often have higher growth rates than local seed sources. However, productivity gains for eastern families are sometimes offset by poorer survival rates relative to local families.

  18. Synthetic pheromones disrupt male Dioryctria spp. moths in a loblolly pine seed orchard

    Treesearch

    Gary L. DeBarr; James L. Hanula; Christine G. Niwa; John C Nord

    2000-01-01

    Synthetic sex pheromones released in a loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L. (Pinaceae), seed orchard interfered with the ability of male coneworm moths, Dioryctria Zeller spp. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), to locate traps baited with sex pheromones or live females. Pherocon 1 C® traps baited with synthetic pheromones or live conspecific...

  19. Biomass, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Accumulation in 4-Year-Old Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine and Sweetgum Plantations

    Treesearch

    Charles A. Gresham; Thomas M. William

    2002-01-01

    Knowing the nutrient uptake potential of plantations of fast-growing species is essential to designing land-based tertiary water treatment facilities. This study was conducted to estimate the biomass of 4-year-old, intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) plantations and to estimate the...

  20. Intensive management of loblolly pine during establishment influences nutrition and productivity through 15 growing seasons

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Mary Anne Sword Sayer; Allan E. Tiarks

    2006-01-01

    Three cultural treatments in a 23 (yes or no) factorial combination were applied during establishment of a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation: phosphorus and nitrogen fertilization at planting, herbicide applications in the first 3 years, and litter application in the first year. Both the herbicide and litter treatments...

  1. Genetic effects on transpiration, canopy conductance, stomatal sensitivity to vapour pressure deficit, and cavitation resistance in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Michael J Aspinwall; John S King; Jean-Christophe Domec; Steven E McKeand; Isik Fikret

    2011-01-01

    Physiological uniformity and genetic effects on canopy-level gas-exchange and hydraulic function could impact loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation sustainability and ecosystem dynamics under projected changes in climate. Over a 1-year period, we examined genetic effects on mean and maximum mid-day canopy conductance (Gs, Gsmax...

  2. Shading reduces growth of longleaf and loblolly pine seedlings in containers

    Treesearch

    James P. Barnett

    1989-01-01

    Development of longleaf (Pinus palustris Mill.) and loblolly (P. taeda L.) pine seediings growing under three light conditions--full sunlight, 30% shade, and 50% shade--was evaluated. Although there was little difference between development of seedlings in 30% and 50% shade, those grown is full sunlight were signiticantly larger...

  3. Modeling the effect of initial planting density on within tree variation of stiffness in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Finto Antony; Laurence R. Schimleck; Lewis Jordan; Richard F. Daniels; Alex Clark

    2012-01-01

    Context Modulus of elasticity (MOE) is an important mechanical property determining the end-use and value of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) lumber. Aim In this study, a model was developed to predict the within tree variation of MOE, from pith-to-bark and stumpto- tip, using data collected...

  4. Durability of selected mulches, their ability to control weeds, and influence growth of loblolly pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood

    1999-01-01

    Several mulc hes of natural, synthetic, or blends of natural and synthetic fibers were tested around newly planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings on a sheared and windrowed site in central Louisiana, U.S.A. The vegetation was primarily winter annuals, some residual grasses and forbs, and...

  5. Distinguishing features of loblolly and shortleaf pine seeds: implications for monitoring seed production in mixed stands

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    1996-01-01

    Monitoring seed production in mixed loblolly pine - shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L. and Pinus echinata Mill. respectively) stands may require identifying individual seeds by species. Although loblolly pine seeds are on average heavier and larger than those of shortleaf pine, there is considerable overlap in these properties for...

  6. Structural characteristics of late-sucessional pine-hardwood forest following recent infestation by southern pine beetle in the Georgia Piedmont, USA

    Treesearch

    Timothy B. Harrington; Mingguang Xu; M. Boyd Edwards

    2000-01-01

    At Murder Creek Research Natural Area, Georgia, USA, we compared structural characteristics of late-successional pine-hardwood stands two to three years after infestation by southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmerman) to those of adjacent noninfested stands. Death of up to eight Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata...

  7. Morphological characteristics of loblolly pine wood as related to specific gravity, growth rate and distance from pith

    Treesearch

    Charles W. McMillin

    1968-01-01

    Earlywood and latewood tracheid length and transverse cellular dimensions of wood removed from stems of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and factorially aegregated by specific gravity, rings from the pith, and growth rate were determined from sample chips. The independent relationships of each factor with fiber morphology are described.

  8. Mechanical pulping with a sequential velocity refiner- a new concept

    Treesearch

    C.W. McMillin

    1978-01-01

    In previous research with refiner mechanical pulps, a theoretical stress analysis indicated that longitudinal tracheids of Pinus taeda L. fail while under torsional stress and unwind into ribbonlike elements that provide the coherence necessary for strength development. When macerated tracheids of loblolly pine were individually stressed in torsion...

  9. Lightning Strike Simula tion for Studying Southern Pine Bark and Engraver Beetle Attacks

    Treesearch

    Mitchel C. Miller

    1983-01-01

    Endemic populations of the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.) and Ips spp. attacked loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) on which lightning strikes were simulated with detonating cord in the field. Southern pine beetles were reared in successive generations in these trees from fall 1981 through spring 1982; only

  10. Ecological, political and social challenges of prescribed fire restoration in east Texas pineywoods ecosystems: a case study

    Treesearch

    Sandra Rideout; Brian P. Oswald; Michael H. Legg

    2003-01-01

    The effectiveness of prescribed fire restoration of forested sites in three state parks in east Texas, USA was studied. Two sites consisted of mixed shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.) or loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and broadleaf overstoreys. The third site was a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.)/little...

  11. Survey of microsatellite DNA in pine

    Treesearch

    C. S. Echt; P. May-Marquardt

    1997-01-01

    A large insert genomic library from eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) was probed for the microsatellite motifs (AC)n and (AG)n, all 10 trinucleotide motifs, and 22 of the 33 possible tetranucleotide motifs. For comparison with a species from a different subgenus, a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda...

  12. Survey of microsatellite DNA in pine

    Treesearch

    Craig S. Echt; P. May-Marquardt

    1997-01-01

    A large insert genomic library from eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) was probed for the microsatellite motifs (AC)n and (AG)n, all 10 trinucleotide motifs, and 22 of the 33 possible tetranucleotide motifs. For comparison with a species from a different subgenus, a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) genomic...

  13. Synthesis of knowledge of hazardous fuels management in loblolly pine forests

    Treesearch

    Douglas J. Marshall; Michael Wimberly; Bettinger Pete; John Stanturf

    2008-01-01

    This synthesis provides an overview of hazardous fuels management in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests, as well as a reference guide on prescribed burning and alternative fuel management treatments. Available information is presented on treatment feasibility, approximate costs, and effects on soil, water quality, and wildlife. The objectives of...

  14. Quantifying root lateral distribution and turnover using pine trees with a distinct stable carbon isotope signature

    Treesearch

    Kurt H. Johnsen; Chris A. Maier; Lance W. Kress

    2005-01-01

    In order to help assess spatial competition for below-ground resources, we quantified the effects of fertilization on root biomass quantity and lateral root distribution of midrotation Pinus taeda trees. Open-top chambers exposed trees to ambient or ambient plus 200 µmol mol-1 atmospheric CO2...

  15. Defoliation effects on growth and mortality of three young southern pine species

    Treesearch

    David R. Weise; Dale D. Wade; Ragnar W. Johansen; Haiganoush K. Preisler; David C. Combs; Edward E. Ach

    2016-01-01

    Foliage from loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), slash (P. elliottii Engelm.), and longleaf (P. palustris Mill.) pines was hand plucked to isolate the effects of level and timing of foliage removal on growth and mortality. Slash and loblolly pine received one of five defoliation treatments during one of four months...

  16. Does Prescribed Burning Have a Place in Regenerating Uneven-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands?

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; Michael G. Shelton

    2002-01-01

    Before the 1981 growing season, a study was installed in southeastern Arkansas to examine the effects of three dormant-season burn intervals (low, moderate, and high frequency) and an unburned treatment on natural regeneration in uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda and P. echinata, respectively)....

  17. Temporal and spacial aspects of root and stem sucrose metabolism in loblolly pine trees

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; Paul P. Kormanik; C.C. Black

    1996-01-01

    We studied root and stem sucrose metabolism in trees excavated from a 9-year-old artificially regenerated loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. Sucrose synthase (SS) activities in stem and taproot vascular cambial tissues followed similar seasonal patterns until they peaked during September. After September, stem SS activity disappeared...

  18. Regenerating uneven-aged stands of loblolly and shortleaf pines: the current state of knowledge

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    2000-01-01

    Periodic regeneration is crucial to creating or sustaining uneven-aged (UEA) stands of loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (P. echinata Mill.) pines. Although both species are shade intolerant, they have silvical characteristics that are conducive to natural regeneration in UEA stands. Their seed production is fairly consistent...

  19. The effect of fallow on Longidorus americanus, a nematode associated with stunting of loblolly pine seedlings in Georgia, USA

    Treesearch

    Stephen W. Fraedrich; Michelle M. Cram; Stanley J. Zarnoch

    2005-01-01

    Stunting of loblolly pine (Pinue taeda L.) seedlings, caused by Longidorus americanus, has been a problem at a Georgia (USA) nursery. Field and growth chamber studies were conducted to determine the survivability of the nematode in a fallow nursery soil. The population density of L. americanus decreased rapidly...

  20. Restoring old-growth southern pine ecosystems: strategic lessons from long-term silvicultural research

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg; Michael G. Shelton; James M. Guldin

    2008-01-01

    The successful restoration of old-growth-like loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata) pine-dominated forests requires the integration of ecological information with long-term silvicultural research from places such as the Crossett Experimental Forest (CEF). Conventional management practices such as timber harvesting or competition control have supplied...

  1. Stem growth and respiration in loblolly pine plantations differing in soil resource availability

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier

    2001-01-01

    Stem respiration and growth in 10-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations were measured monthly during the third year of fertilization and irrigation treatments to determine whether soil resource availability differentially altered growth and respiration in stem tissue. Fertilized trees had significantly greater stem biomass, stem...

  2. Short-term carbon partitioning fertilizer responses vary among two full-sib loblolly pine clones

    Treesearch

    Jeremy P. Stovall; John R. Seiler; Thomas R. Fox

    2012-01-01

    We investigated the effects of fertilizer application on the partitioning of gross primary productivity (GPP) between contrasting full-sib clones of Pinus taeda (L.). Our objective was to determine if fertilizer growth responses resulted from similar short-term changes to partitioning. A modeling approach incorporating respiratory carbon (C) fluxes,...

  3. The effects of soil fumigation on pine seedling production, weeds, foliar and soil nutrients, a soilborne microorganisms at a south Georgia (U.S.A.) forest tree nursery

    Treesearch

    Stephen W. Fraedrich; L. David Dwinell

    2003-01-01

    Pine seedling production and pest problems were evaluated in plots fumigated with methyl bromide and nonfumigated plots over a 6-year period at a Georgia nursery. Fumigation increased bed densities for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in 1996 and slash pine (Pinus elliotii Engelm. var. elliottii) in 1998;...

  4. Identification of a host compound and its practical applications: 4-allylanisole as a bark beetle repellent

    Treesearch

    J.L. Hayes; L.L. Ingram; B.L. Strom; L.M. Roton; M.W. Boyette; M.T. Walsh

    1994-01-01

    Gas chromatography/mass spectometry analysis of resin collected before and after injections of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) with a fungicide mixture known to make pines more "attractive" to southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm., resulted in the identification of 4-allylanisole as a likely candidate for repellent effects....

  5. Seed Treatment with Systemic Fungicides for the Control of Fusiform Rust in Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    John G. Mexal; Glenn A. Snow

    1978-01-01

    A new systemic fungicide, Bayleton, may economically control fusiform rust in southern pine nurseries. Stratified seeds of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were imbibed with Bayleton and two other systemic fungicides, and the seedlings were inoculated at three stages of emergence with spores of Cronartium quercuum (Berk.) Miyabe ex...

  6. Characterization of Optimum Physiological Responses of Field-Grown Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Zhenmin Tang; Jim L. Chambers; James P. Barnett

    1999-01-01

    Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), air temperature (Ta), needle net photosynthesis (Pn), vapor pressure difference (VPD), stomata1 conductance (gw), transpiration (E), and predawn and daytime xylem pressure potentials (XPP) were measured in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in 1995 and 1996. Boundary-line analyses were conducted...

  7. Woody and herbaceous competition effects on stand dynamics and growth of 13-year-old natural, precommercially thinned loblolly and shortleaf pines

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1999-01-01

    Stand dynamics of naturally regenerated, even-aged, loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (P. echinata Mill.) were examined on the Upper Coastal Plain of southeastern Arkansas, U.S.A., following four levels of competition control. Treatments included a check (Ck) with no competition control, woody control (WC),...

  8. Eleventh-year results of fertilization, herbaceous, and woody plant control in a loblolly pine plantation

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Allan E. Tiarks

    1990-01-01

    Through 11 years, fertilization at planting significantly increased the stemwood volume (outside bark) per loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) on an intensively prepared moderately well-drained fine sandy loam site in northern Louisiana. Four years of herbaceous plant control significantly increased pine survival, and because herbaceous plant control...

  9. Survival and growth of trees and shrubs on different lignite minesoils in Louisiana

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Allan E. Tiarks; James P. Barnett

    1993-01-01

    In 1980, an experimental opencast lignite mine was developed to compare redistributed A horizon with three minesoil mixtures as growth media for woody plants. The three minesoil mixtures contained different amounts and types of overburden materials, and normal reclamation practices were followed. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda, L.), sawtooth oak (

  10. Clustering and variable selection in the presence of mixed variable types and missing data.

    PubMed

    Storlie, C B; Myers, S M; Katusic, S K; Weaver, A L; Voigt, R G; Croarkin, P E; Stoeckel, R E; Port, J D

    2018-05-17

    We consider the problem of model-based clustering in the presence of many correlated, mixed continuous, and discrete variables, some of which may have missing values. Discrete variables are treated with a latent continuous variable approach, and the Dirichlet process is used to construct a mixture model with an unknown number of components. Variable selection is also performed to identify the variables that are most influential for determining cluster membership. The work is motivated by the need to cluster patients thought to potentially have autism spectrum disorder on the basis of many cognitive and/or behavioral test scores. There are a modest number of patients (486) in the data set along with many (55) test score variables (many of which are discrete valued and/or missing). The goal of the work is to (1) cluster these patients into similar groups to help identify those with similar clinical presentation and (2) identify a sparse subset of tests that inform the clusters in order to eliminate unnecessary testing. The proposed approach compares very favorably with other methods via simulation of problems of this type. The results of the autism spectrum disorder analysis suggested 3 clusters to be most likely, while only 4 test scores had high (>0.5) posterior probability of being informative. This will result in much more efficient and informative testing. The need to cluster observations on the basis of many correlated, continuous/discrete variables with missing values is a common problem in the health sciences as well as in many other disciplines. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Examining the Causes of Memory Strength Variability: Recollection, Attention Failure, or Encoding Variability?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koen, Joshua D.; Aly, Mariam; Wang, Wei-Chun; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

    2013-01-01

    A prominent finding in recognition memory is that studied items are associated with more variability in memory strength than new items. Here, we test 3 competing theories for why this occurs--the "encoding variability," "attention failure", and "recollection" accounts. Distinguishing among these theories is critical…

  12. The Chandra Source Catalog: Source Variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, Michael; Rots, A. H.; McCollough, M. L.; Primini, F. A.; Glotfelty, K. J.; Bonaventura, N. R.; Chen, J. C.; Davis, J. E.; Doe, S. M.; Evans, J. D.; Fabbiano, G.; Galle, E.; Gibbs, D. G.; Grier, J. D.; Hain, R.; Hall, D. M.; Harbo, P. N.; He, X.; Houck, J. C.; Karovska, M.; Lauer, J.; McDowell, J. C.; Miller, J. B.; Mitschang, A. W.; Morgan, D. L.; Nichols, J. S.; Plummer, D. A.; Refsdal, B. L.; Siemiginowska, A. L.; Sundheim, B. A.; Tibbetts, M. S.; Van Stone, D. W.; Winkelman, S. L.; Zografou, P.

    2009-01-01

    The Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) contains fields of view that have been studied with individual, uninterrupted observations that span integration times ranging from 1 ksec to 160 ksec, and a large number of which have received (multiple) repeat observations days to years later. The CSC thus offers an unprecedented look at the variability of the X-ray sky over a broad range of time scales, and across a wide diversity of variable X-ray sources: stars in the local galactic neighborhood, galactic and extragalactic X-ray binaries, Active Galactic Nuclei, etc. Here we describe the methods used to identify and quantify source variability within a single observation, and the methods used to assess the variability of a source when detected in multiple, individual observations. Three tests are used to detect source variability within a single observation: the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and its variant, the Kuiper test, and a Bayesian approach originally suggested by Gregory and Loredo. The latter test not only provides an indicator of variability, but is also used to create a best estimate of the variable lightcurve shape. We assess the performance of these tests via simulation of statistically stationary, variable processes with arbitrary input power spectral densities (here we concentrate on results of red noise simulations) at variety of mean count rates and fractional root mean square variabilities relevant to CSC sources. We also assess the false positive rate via simulations of constant sources whose sole source of fluctuation is Poisson noise. We compare these simulations to a preliminary assessment of the variability found in real CSC sources, and estimate the variability sensitivities of the CSC.

  13. The Chandra Source Catalog: Source Variability

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, Michael; Rots, A. H.; McCollough, M. L.; Primini, F. A.; Glotfelty, K. J.; Bonaventura, N. R.; Chen, J. C.; Davis, J. E.; Doe, S. M.; Evans, J. D.; Evans, I.; Fabbiano, G.; Galle, E. C.; Gibbs, D. G., II; Grier, J. D.; Hain, R.; Hall, D. M.; Harbo, P. N.; He, X.; Houck, J. C.; Karovska, M.; Lauer, J.; McDowell, J. C.; Miller, J. B.; Mitschang, A. W.; Morgan, D. L.; Nichols, J. S.; Plummer, D. A.; Refsdal, B. L.; Siemiginowska, A. L.; Sundheim, B. A.; Tibbetts, M. S.; van Stone, D. W.; Winkelman, S. L.; Zografou, P.

    2009-09-01

    The Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) contains fields of view that have been studied with individual, uninterrupted observations that span integration times ranging from 1 ksec to 160 ksec, and a large number of which have received (multiple) repeat observations days to years later. The CSC thus offers an unprecedented look at the variability of the X-ray sky over a broad range of time scales, and across a wide diversity of variable X-ray sources: stars in the local galactic neighborhood, galactic and extragalactic X-ray binaries, Active Galactic Nuclei, etc. Here we describe the methods used to identify and quantify source variability within a single observation, and the methods used to assess the variability of a source when detected in multiple, individual observations. Three tests are used to detect source variability within a single observation: the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and its variant, the Kuiper test, and a Bayesian approach originally suggested by Gregory and Loredo. The latter test not only provides an indicator of variability, but is also used to create a best estimate of the variable lightcurve shape. We assess the performance of these tests via simulation of statistically stationary, variable processes with arbitrary input power spectral densities (here we concentrate on results of red noise simulations) at variety of mean count rates and fractional root mean square variabilities relevant to CSC sources. We also assess the false positive rate via simulations of constant sources whose sole source of fluctuation is Poisson noise. We compare these simulations to an assessment of the variability found in real CSC sources, and estimate the variability sensitivities of the CSC.

  14. Neural variability, or lack thereof

    PubMed Central

    Masquelier, Timothée

    2013-01-01

    We do not claim that the brain is completely deterministic, and we agree that noise may be beneficial in some cases. But we suggest that neuronal variability may be often overestimated, due to uncontrolled internal variables, and/or the use of inappropriate reference times. These ideas are not new, but should be re-examined in the light of recent experimental findings: trial-to-trial variability is often correlated across neurons, across trials, greater for higher-order neurons, and reduced by attention, suggesting that “intrinsic” sources of noise can only account for a minimal part of it. While it is obviously difficult to control for all internal variables, the problem of reference time can be largely avoided by recording multiple neurons at the same time, and looking at statistical structures in relative latencies. These relative latencies have another major advantage: they are insensitive to the variability that is shared across neurons, which is often a significant part of the total variability. Thus, we suggest that signal-to-noise ratios in the brain may be much higher than usually thought, leading to reactive systems, economic in terms of number of neurons, and energy efficient. PMID:23444270

  15. Metacognitive judgments of repetition and variability effects in natural concept learning: evidence for variability neglect.

    PubMed

    Wahlheim, Christopher N; Finn, Bridgid; Jacoby, Larry L

    2012-07-01

    In four experiments, we examined the effects of repetitions and variability on the learning of bird families and metacognitive awareness of such effects. Of particular interest was the accuracy of, and bases for, predictions regarding classification of novel bird species, referred to as category learning judgments (CLJs). Participants studied birds in high repetitions and high variability conditions. These conditions differed in the number of presentations of each bird (repetitions) and the number of unique species from each family (variability). After study, participants made CLJs for each family and were then tested. Results from a classification test revealed repetition benefits for studied species and variability benefits for novel species. In contrast with performance, CLJs did not reflect the benefits of variability. Results showed that CLJs were susceptible to accessibility-based metacognitive illusions produced by additional repetitions of studied items.

  16. Exploratory Spectroscopy of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables Candidates and Other Variable Objects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oliveira, A. S.; Rodrigues, C. V.; Cieslinski, D.; Jablonski, F. J.; Silva, K. M. G.; Almeida, L. A.; Rodríguez-Ardila, A.; Palhares, M. S.

    2017-04-01

    The increasing number of synoptic surveys made by small robotic telescopes, such as the photometric Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey (CRTS), provides a unique opportunity to discover variable sources and improves the statistical samples of such classes of objects. Our goal is the discovery of magnetic Cataclysmic Variables (mCVs). These are rare objects that probe interesting accretion scenarios controlled by the white-dwarf magnetic field. In particular, improved statistics of mCVs would help to address open questions on their formation and evolution. We performed an optical spectroscopy survey to search for signatures of magnetic accretion in 45 variable objects selected mostly from the CRTS. In this sample, we found 32 CVs, 22 being mCV candidates, 13 of which were previously unreported as such. If the proposed classifications are confirmed, it would represent an increase of 4% in the number of known polars and 12% in the number of known IPs. A fraction of our initial sample was classified as extragalactic sources or other types of variable stars by the inspection of the identification spectra. Despite the inherent complexity in identifying a source as an mCV, variability-based selection, followed by spectroscopic snapshot observations, has proved to be an efficient strategy for their discoveries, being a relatively inexpensive approach in terms of telescope time. Based on observations obtained at the Observatório do Pico dos Dias/LNA, and at the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope, which is a joint project of the Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, e Inovação (MCTI) da República Federativa do Brasil, the U.S. National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), and Michigan State University (MSU).

  17. New Variable Stars in the KP2001 Catalog from the Data Base of the Northern Sky Variability Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Petrosyan, G. V.

    2018-03-01

    The optical variability of stars in the KP2001 catalog is studied. Monitor data from the automatic Northern Sky Variability Survey (NSVS) are used for this purpose. Of the 257 objects that were studied, 5 are Mira Ceti variables (mirids), 33 are semiregular (SR), and 108 are irregular variables (Ir). The light curves of the other objects show no noticeable signs of variability. For the first time, 11 stars are assigned to the semiregular and 105 stars to the irregular variables. Of the irregular variables, the light curves of two, No. 8 and No. 194, are distinct and are similar to the curves for eclipsing variables. The periods and amplitudes of the mirids and semiregular variables are determined using the "VStar" program package from AAVSO. The absolute stellar magnitudes M K and distances are also estimated, along with the mass loss for the mirids. The behavior of stars from KP2001 in 2MASS and WISE color diagrams is examined.

  18. Variable pixel size ionospheric tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Dunyong; Zheng, Hongwei; Wang, Yanjun; Nie, Wenfeng; Li, Chaokui; Ao, Minsi; Hu, Wusheng; Zhou, Wei

    2017-06-01

    A novel ionospheric tomography technique based on variable pixel size was developed for the tomographic reconstruction of the ionospheric electron density (IED) distribution. In variable pixel size computerized ionospheric tomography (VPSCIT) model, the IED distribution is parameterized by a decomposition of the lower and upper ionosphere with different pixel sizes. Thus, the lower and upper IED distribution may be very differently determined by the available data. The variable pixel size ionospheric tomography and constant pixel size tomography are similar in most other aspects. There are some differences between two kinds of models with constant and variable pixel size respectively, one is that the segments of GPS signal pay should be assigned to the different kinds of pixel in inversion; the other is smoothness constraint factor need to make the appropriate modified where the pixel change in size. For a real dataset, the variable pixel size method distinguishes different electron density distribution zones better than the constant pixel size method. Furthermore, it can be non-chided that when the effort is spent to identify the regions in a model with best data coverage. The variable pixel size method can not only greatly improve the efficiency of inversion, but also produce IED images with high fidelity which are the same as a used uniform pixel size method. In addition, variable pixel size tomography can reduce the underdetermined problem in an ill-posed inverse problem when the data coverage is irregular or less by adjusting quantitative proportion of pixels with different sizes. In comparison with constant pixel size tomography models, the variable pixel size ionospheric tomography technique achieved relatively good results in a numerical simulation. A careful validation of the reliability and superiority of variable pixel size ionospheric tomography was performed. Finally, according to the results of the statistical analysis and quantitative comparison, the

  19. Blood Pressure Variability and Cognitive Function Among Older African Americans: Introducing a New Blood Pressure Variability Measure.

    PubMed

    Tsang, Siny; Sperling, Scott A; Park, Moon Ho; Helenius, Ira M; Williams, Ishan C; Manning, Carol

    2017-09-01

    Although blood pressure (BP) variability has been reported to be associated with cognitive impairment, whether this relationship affects African Americans has been unclear. We sought correlations between systolic and diastolic BP variability and cognitive function in community-dwelling older African Americans, and introduced a new BP variability measure that can be applied to BP data collected in clinical practice. We assessed cognitive function in 94 cognitively normal older African Americans using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Computer Assessment of Mild Cognitive Impairment (CAMCI). We used BP measurements taken at the patients' three most recent primary care clinic visits to generate three traditional BP variability indices, range, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation, plus a new index, random slope, which accounts for unequal BP measurement intervals within and across patients. MMSE scores did not correlate with any of the BP variability indices. Patients with greater diastolic BP variability were less accurate on the CAMCI verbal memory and incidental memory tasks. Results were similar across the four BP variability indices. In a sample of cognitively intact older African American adults, BP variability did not correlate with global cognitive function, as measured by the MMSE. However, higher diastolic BP variability correlated with poorer verbal and incidental memory. By accounting for differences in BP measurement intervals, our new BP variability index may help alert primary care physicians to patients at particular risk for cognitive decline.

  20. Variable Stars in M13. II.The Red Variables and the Globular Cluster Period-Luminosity Relation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Osborn, W.; Layden, A.; Kopacki, G.; Smith, H.; Anderson, M.; Kelly, A.; McBride, K.; Pritzl, B.

    2017-06-01

    New CCD observations have been combined with archival data to investigate the nature of the red variables in the globular cluster M13. Mean magnitudes, colors and variation ranges on the UBVIC system have been determined for the 17 cataloged red variables. 15 of the stars are irregular or semi-regular variables that lie at the top of the red giant branch in the color-magnitude diagram. Two stars are not, including one with a well-defined period and a light curve shape indicating it is an ellipsoidal or eclipsing variable. All stars redder than (V-IC)0=1.38 mag vary, with the amplitudes being larger with increased stellar luminosity and with bluer filter passband. Searches of the data for periodicities yielded typical variability cycle times ranging from 30 d up to 92 d for the most luminous star. Several stars have evidence of multiple periods. The stars' period-luminosity diagram compared to those from microlensing survey data shows that most M13 red variables are overtone pulsators. Comparison with the diagrams for other globular clusters shows a correlation between red variable luminosity and cluster metallicity.

  1. Role Variables VS. Contextual Variables in the Theory of Didactic Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alberti, Monica; Cirina, Lucia; Paoli, Francesco

    Partisans of the constructivist approach to mathematics education, such as Brousseau or Chevallard, developed an accurate theoretical framework in which didactical systems are viewed in a systemic perspective. What they somewhat fail to draw, however, is a sharp distinction between role variables - concerning the roles played in the didactical interaction by the individual elements of the system (Student-Teacher-Knowledge) - and contextual variables - concerning the action on the learning process of the system as a whole. Our research in progress on 2nd graders' word problem solving strategies applies the previous dichotomy to class management strategies adopted by teachers. Partial evidence collected so far points to the tentative conclusion according to which, contextual variables being equal, differences in teaching styles and methods may deeply reshape the role component of didactical systems. If we take into careful account this distinction, we can shed additional light into some hitherto unexplained phenomena observed in the literature.

  2. Silvicultural treatments for converting loblolly pine to longleaf pine dominance: Effects on resource availability and their relationships with planted longleaf pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    Huifeng Hu; G.Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker; Benjamin O. Knapp

    2012-01-01

    Throughout the southeastern United States, land managers are currently interested in converting loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations to species rich longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems. In a 3-year study on moderately well- to well-drained soils of the Lower Coastal Plain in North Carolina, we examined the...

  3. Competition-Induced Reductions in Soil Water Availability Reduced Pine Root Extension Rates

    Treesearch

    K.H. Ludovici; L.A. Morris

    1997-01-01

    The relationship between soil water availability, root extension, and shoot growth of loblolly pine seedlings (Pinus taeda L.) was evaluated in a rhizotron sand mixture in the absence and presence of crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) competition. Heights and diameters of seedlings grown with crabgrass were reduced 33 and SO%, respectively, compared with...

  4. Short-term changes in loblolly pine water conductance and photosynthetic capacity from fertilizer source and straw harvesting

    Treesearch

    Michael A. Blazier; Keith Ellum; Hal O. Liechty

    2012-01-01

    Organic matter removal associated with intensive straw harvesting in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations has the potential to alter tree water regimes and photosynthetic capacity. Fertilization done to remedy nutrient removals from straw harvesting, as well as the type of fertilizer, likewise has potential to change water regimes and...

  5. Estimates of genetic parameters for oleoresin and growth traits in juvenile loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    James H. Roberds; Brian L. Strom; Fred P. Hain; David P. Gwaze; Steven E. McKeand; Larry H. Lott

    2003-01-01

    In southern pines of the United States, resistance to attack by southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann, is believed to principally involve flow of oleoresin to beetle attack sites. Both environmental and genetic factors are known to affect the quantity of oleoresin flow in loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., but little...

  6. Specific heat of ovendry loblolly pine wood

    Treesearch

    Charles W. McMillin

    1969-01-01

    In the range of 333 K to 413 K, the specific heat of ovendry loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) wood was expressed by a linear function of temperature. No relationship was detected with specific gravity, growth rate, or distance from the pith; nor were differences found between earlywood and latewood.

  7. Yield comparisons from even-aged and uneven-aged loblolly-shortleaf pine stands

    Treesearch

    James M. Guldin; James B. Baker

    1988-01-01

    Empirical yields for a 36-year management period are presented for seven long-term studies on similar sites in loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L.-P. echinata Mill.) stands on the upper southern coastal plain of southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. Total merchantable cubic-fooy yields are highest for conventionally...

  8. Oustar: A Premixed Blend of Velpar DF+Oust XP For Herbaceous Weed Control and Enhanced Loblolly Pine Seedling Performance

    Treesearch

    Jimmie L. Yeiser; Andrew W. Ezell

    2004-01-01

    Six tests were established comparing the herbaceous weed control (HWC) and resultant loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling performance from treatments of Oustar (0, 10, 13, 16, 19 ounces product acre-1), and industry standards (Velpar L+Oust 32+2; Arsenal+Oust 4+2 both in ounces product acre-1). Sites...

  9. Efficacy tests and determination of optimal spray timing values to control nantucket pine tip moth - (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) infestation

    Treesearch

    John T. Nowak; Christopher J. Fettig; Kenneth W. McCravy; C. Wayne Berisford

    2000-01-01

    The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyaciona frustrana (Comstock), a common regeneration pest of loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., has been shown to reduce tree volume yields through larval feeding. Chemical applications can be effective in protecting trees from the growth losses associated with this feeding and optimum spray timing values...

  10. Phenol-formaldehyde reactivity with lignin in the wood cell wall

    Treesearch

    Daniel J. Yelle; John Ralph

    2016-01-01

    Latewood from Pinus taeda was reacted with alkaline phenol–formaldehyde (PF) adhesive and characterised using two-dimensional 1H–13C solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy so that chemical modification of the wood cell wall polymers, after PF resol curing, could be elucidated. The...

  11. The silvicultural implications of age patterns in two southern pine stands after 72 years of uneven-aged management

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg; James M. Guldin

    2015-01-01

    A randomized sample of 250 loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata Mill.) pine ring counts was collected from the Good and Poor Farm Forestry compartments on the Crossett Experimental Forest. These mature, pine-dominated stands have been managed using uneven-aged silviculture since 1937. Our sample shows that both...

  12. Evaluation of weighted regression and sample size in developing a taper model for loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Kenneth L. Cormier; Robin M. Reich; Raymond L. Czaplewski; William A. Bechtold

    1992-01-01

    A stem profile model, fit using pseudo-likelihood weighted regression, was used to estimate merchantable volume of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the southeast. The weighted regression increased model fit marginally, but did not substantially increase model performance. In all cases, the unweighted regression models performed as well as the...

  13. Fungal functioning in a pine forest: evidence from a 15N-labeled global change experiment

    Treesearch

    Erik A. Hobbie; Linda T.A. van Diepen; Erik A. Lilleskov; Andrew P. Oiumette; Adrien C. Finzi; Kirsten S. Hofmockel

    2014-01-01

    We used natural and tracer nitrogen (N) isotopes in a Pinus taeda free air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment to investigate functioning of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi in N cycling. Fungal sporocarps were sampled in 2004 (natural abundance and 15N tracer) and 2010 (tracer) and δ15...

  14. Susceptibility of parent and interspecific Fl hybrid pine trees to tip moth damage in a coastal North Carolina planting

    Treesearch

    Maxine T. Highsmith; John Frampton; David 0' Malley; James Richmond; Martesa Webb

    2001-01-01

    Tip moth damage arnong families of parent pine species and their interspecific F1 hybrids was quantitatively assessed in a coastal planting in North Carolina. Three slash pine (Pinus elliotti var. elliotti Engelm.), two loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), and four interspecific F1 hybrid pine families were used. The...

  15. Small mammal distributions relative to corridor edges within intensively managed southern pine plantations.

    Treesearch

    Nicole L. Constantine; Tyler A. Campbell; William M. Baughman; Timothy B. Harrington; Brian R. Chapman; Karl V. Miller

    2005-01-01

    We characterized small mammal communities in three loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands in the Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina during June 1998-Aug. 2000 to investigate influence of corridor edges on small mammal distribution. We live-trapped small mammals in three regenerating stands following clearcutting. Harvested stands were bisected by...

  16. Use of Woody Debris by Cotton Mice (Peromyscus Gossypinus) in a Southeastern Pine Forest

    Treesearch

    Timothy S. McCay

    2000-01-01

    Coarse woody debris, which includes fallen logs, snags, and stumps, may be an important habitat component for many mammals. I examined use of woody debris by the cotton mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) with radiotelemetry and fluorescent-powder tracking in a managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest. Most day refuges of cotton mice...

  17. Effects of canopy treatments on early growth of planted longleaf pine seedlings and ground vegetation in North Carolina: a preliminary study

    Treesearch

    Huifeng Hu; Benjamin O. Knapp; G. Geoff Wang; Joan L. Walker

    2013-01-01

    We installed a field experiment to support the development of protocols to restore longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) to existing mature loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) stands at Camp Lejeune, NC. Seven canopy treatments included four uniform and three gap treatments. The four uniform treatments were defined by target residual basal...

  18. Sucrose metabolism and growth in transplanted loblolly pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    Shi-Jean S. Sung; C.C. Black; Paul P. Kormanik

    1993-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedling height, root collar diameter, and the specific activities of three sucrose metabolizing enzymes, namely, sucrose synthase (SS), acid invertase, and neutral invertase, were measured to assess seedling responses to transplant stress. It was concluded that i) SS was the dominant enzyme for sucrose metabolism in...

  19. Whole-canopy gas exchange among four elite loblolly pine seed sources planted in the western gulf region

    Treesearch

    Bradley S. Osbon; Michael A. Blazier; Michael C. Tyree; Mary Anne Sword-Sayer

    2012-01-01

    Planting of artificially selected, improved seedlings has led to large increases in productivity of intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forests in the southeastern United States. However, more data are needed to give a deeper understanding of how physiology and crown architecture affect productivity of diverse genotypes. The objective...

  20. Composites from southern pine juvenile wood. Part 3. Juvenile and mature wood furnish mixtures

    Treesearch

    A.D. Pugel; E.W. Price; Chung-Yun Hse; T.F. Shupe

    2004-01-01

    Composite panelsmade from mixtures ofmature andjuvenile southern pine (Pinus taeda L.) were evaluated for initial mechanical properties and dimensional stability. The effect that the proportion of juvenile wood had on panel properties was analyzed by regression and rule-of-mixtures models. The mixed furnish data: 1) highlighted the degree to which...

  1. Controlling Herbaceous Competition in Pasture Planted with Loblolly Pine Seedlings

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood

    1995-01-01

    Three treatments designed to control herbaceous vegetation competing with loblolly pine(Pinus taeda L.) seedlings planted in grazed and ungrazed pasture were tested. Effects of the treatments on seedling survival and growth during the first 3 years after planting were determined. The treatments were directed application of herbicides (glyphosate in...

  2. Estimating long-term carbon sequestration patterns in even- and uneven-aged southern pine stands

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg; James M. Guldin

    2010-01-01

    Carbon (C) sequestration has become an increasingly important consideration for forest management in North America, and has particular potential in pine-dominated forests of the southern United States. Using existing literature on plantations and long-term studies of naturally regenerated loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (Pinus echinata) pine-dominated stands on...

  3. Quantity-based versus quality-based pricing: Developing the niche pine seedling

    Treesearch

    Kirk D. Howell

    2002-01-01

    Demands placed on pine production in the southeastern part of the United States prompt managers to research and employ intensive cultural practices. Bareroot conifer seedling culture, like loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), is highly preferred in moderate regions of the South, since bareroot stock is relatively inexpensive to purchase, transporting and...

  4. A Compatible Stem Taper-Volume-Weight System For Intensively Managed Fast Growing Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Yugia Zhang; Bruce E. Borders; Robert L Bailey

    2002-01-01

    eometry-oriented methodology yielded a compatible taper-volume-weight system of models whose parameters were estimated using data from intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the lower coastal plain of Georgia. Data analysis showed that fertilization has significantly reduced taper (inside and outside bark) on the upper...

  5. Seasonal Photosynthesis in Fertilized and Nonfertilized Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Christopher M. Gough; John R. Seiler; Kurt H. Johnsen; David Arthur Sampson

    2004-01-01

    Net photosynthesis (Pn) of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) foliage was monitored monthly in 14 yr old stands under near-ambient conditions over an entire year in upper and lower crowns and in both nonfertilized stands and stands receiving nutrient amendments for six consecutive years. Air temperature, humidity, vapor pressure...

  6. Herbaceous Weed Control Trials with a Planting Machine Sprayer and a Crawler-Tractor Sprayer--Fourth Year Pine Response.

    Treesearch

    James Miller

    1990-01-01

    Operational trials of herbaceous weed control treatments by machine application were studied at two southern alabama locations for establishing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). The first study tested the feasibility of a spray attachment for planting machines to apply banded treatments while planting in February and March. Two rates of sulfometuron (Oust...

  7. Biomass of first and second rotation loblolly pine plantations in the South Carolina Coastal Plain

    Treesearch

    Charles A. Gresham

    2006-01-01

    In the South Carolina Coastal Plain, intensive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation management, without fertilization, was sustainable through two rotations as measured by biomass accumulation. Fixed plot tree inventories and destructive tree sampling of first and second rotation sections of the same plantations were used to produce area based...

  8. Adjusting site index and age to account for genetic effects in yield equations for loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Steven A. Knowe; G. Sam Foster

    2010-01-01

    Nine combinations of site index curves and age adjustments methods were evaluated for incorporating genetic effects for open-pollinated loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families. An explicit yield system consisting of dominant height, basal area, and merchantable green weight functions was used to compare the accuracy of predictions associated with...

  9. Field assessment of wood stake decomposition in forest soil

    Treesearch

    Xiping Wang; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Martin F. Jurgensen; Robert J. Ross

    2007-01-01

    A pulse-echo acoustic method was investigated for evaluating wood stake decomposition in the field. A total of 58 wood stakes (29 loblolly pine, Pinus taeda, and 29 aspen, Populus tremuloides) that were vertically installed (full length) in forest soils were non-destructively tested by means of a laboratory-type acoustic...

  10. Genetic dissection of fusiform rust and pitch canker disease traits in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Gogce C. Kayihan; Dudley A. Huber; Alison M. Morse; Timothy L. White; John M. Davis

    2005-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) exhibits genetic resistance to fusiforrn rust disease (incited by the biotrophic fungus, Cronartiurn quercuum f. sp. fusifom) and pitch canker disease (incited by the necrotrophic fungus, Fusarium circinatum). In this study, a total of 14,015 loblolly pine cuttings from 1,065 clones were screened in...

  11. Southern pine beetle-induced mortality of pines with natural and artificial red-cockaded woodpecker cavities in Texas

    Treesearch

    Richard N. Conner; Daniel Saenz; D. Craig Rudolph; Robert N. Coulson

    1998-01-01

    Southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) infestation is the major cause of mortality for red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) cavity trees in loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (P. echinata) pines. Recent intensive management for red-cockaded woodpeckers includes the use of artificial cavity inserts. Between 1991 and 1996 the authors examined southern...

  12. Comparison of planted loblolly, longleaf, and slash pine development through 10 growing seasons in central Louisiana--an argument for longleaf pine

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Mary Anne S. Sayer; Shi-Jean Susana Sung

    2015-01-01

    Two studies were established in central Louisiana to compare development of planted loblolly (Pinus taeda L.), longleaf (P. palustris Mill.), and slash (P. elliottii Engelm.) pine. Study 1 was on a Beauregard silt loam, and Study 2 was on Ruston and McKamie fine sandy loams. After 10 growing seasons,...

  13. Documentation and user guides for SPBLOB: a computer simulation model of the join population dynamics for loblolly pine and the southern pine beetle

    Treesearch

    John Bishir; James Roberds; Brian Strom; Xiaohai Wan

    2009-01-01

    SPLOB is a computer simulation model for the interaction between loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), the economically most important forest crop in the United States, and the southern pine beetle (SPB: Dendroctonus frontalis Zimm.), the major insect pest for this species. The model simulates loblolly pine stands from time of planting...

  14. Overstory tree status following thinning and burning treatments in mixed pine-hardwood stands on the William B. Bankhead National Forest, Alabama

    Treesearch

    Callie Jo Schweitzer; Yong Wang

    2013-01-01

    Prescribed burning and thinning are intermediate stand treatments whose consequences when applied in mixed pine-hardwood stands are unknown. The William B. Bankhead National Forest in northcentral Alabama has undertaken these two options to move unmanaged, 20- to 50-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations towards upland hardwood-dominated...

  15. Assessing potential genetic gains from varietal planting stock in loblolly pine plantations

    Treesearch

    Scott D. Roberts; Randall J. Rousseau; B. Landis Herrin

    2013-01-01

    Forest landowners have increasingly more options when it comes to loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) planting stock. The majority of plantations in recent decades have been established with seedlings produced from second-generation open-pollinated (second-Gen OP) seed. However, foresters have begun recognizing the increased gains obtainable from full-sib...

  16. Below-ground carbon input to soil is controlled by nutrient availability and fine root dynamics in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    John S. King; Timothy J. Albaugh; H. Lee Allen; Boyd R. Strain; Phillip Dougherty

    2002-01-01

    Availability of growth limiting resources may alter root dynamics in forest ecosystems, possibly affecting the land-atmosphere exchange of carbon. This was evaluated for a commercially important southern timber species by installing a factorial experiment of fertilization and irrigation treatments in an 8-yr-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantation...

  17. Effectiveness of Glyphosate Mixed With Soil-Active Herbicides

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Thomas W. Melder

    1991-01-01

    Broadcasting mixtures of glyphosate and soil-active herbicides over loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings may control established weeds and emerging weed seedlings better than either glyphosate or soil-active herbicides alone. However, herbicides will injure young pines if applied improperly. To examine seedling injury, we broadcast two rates of...

  18. Tolerance of loblolly pine seedlings to glyphosate

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Thomas W. Melder

    1990-01-01

    Broadcasting glyphosate herbicide over loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) may provide enough early-season weed control to allow seedlings to establish themselves more rapidly, but glyphosate can, injure young trees. To examine the question of seedling injury, four rates of glyphosate were broadcast evenly over planted loblolly pine seedlings, competing...

  19. Repellent properties of the host compound 4-allylanisole to the southern pine beetle

    Treesearch

    Jane Leslie Hayes; Brian L. Strom; Larry M. Roton; Leonard L. Ingram

    1994-01-01

    The phenylpropanoid 4-allylanisole is a compound produced by loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.), an abundant species in southern pine forests and a preferred host of southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann).Repellency of individual beetles was demonstrated in laboratory behavioral assays of D. frontalis and other scolytids.Inhibition was...

  20. Carbon Sequestration in loblolly pine plantations: Methods, limitations, and research needs for estimating storage pools

    Treesearch

    Kurt Johnsen; Bob Teskey; Lisa Samuelson; John Butnor; David Sampson; Felipe Sanchez; Chris Maier; Steve McKeand

    2004-01-01

    Globally, the species most widely used for plantation forestry is loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Because loblolly pine plantations are so extensive and grow so rapidly, they provide a great potential for sequestering atmospheric carbon (C). Because loblolly pine plantations are relatively simple ecosystems and because such a great volume of...

  1. Aluminum fractions in root tips of slash pine and loblolly pine families differing in Al resistance

    Treesearch

    Jaroslaw Nowak; Alexander L. Friend

    2005-01-01

    Aluminum (Al) distribution among several cellular fractions was investigated in root tips of seedlings of one Al-resistant and one Al-sensitive family of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) grown in nutrient solution containing 100 M AlCl3 (pH 4) for 167 h....

  2. Vegetation composition five years after silvicultural treatments to control competition in a natural stand of loblolly-shortleaf pines

    Treesearch

    M.D. Cain

    2000-01-01

    Woody nonpine vegetation, averaging over 6,000 rootstocksiac, was controlled by chain-saw felling, chain-saw felling plus prescribed burning,orby a broadcast herbicide spray to release even-aged loblolly and shortleafpine (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.) saplings that became established from natural seedfall on a cutover area...

  3. Ice damage in loblolly pine: understanding the factors that influence susceptibility

    Treesearch

    Doug P. Aubrey; Mark D. Coleman; David R. Coyle

    2007-01-01

    Winter ice storms frequently occur in the southeastern United States and can severely damage softwood plantations. In January 2004, a severe storm deposited approximately 2 cm of ice on an intensively managed 4-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation in South Carolina. Existing irrigation and fertilization treatments presented an...

  4. Growth Results From 20-Year-Old Low Density Pine Plantations

    Treesearch

    A. Gordon Holley; Charles T. Stiff

    2004-01-01

    In 1994, under a cooperative effort between Temple-Inland Forest Products Corporation and Stephen F. Austin State University, 84 permanent research plots were established in two loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in eastern Texas. The study was designed to evaluate the effects of heavy thinning, pruning, fertilization, and competition control on...

  5. Twenty years of natural loblolly and shortleaf pine seed production on the Crossett Experimental Forest in southeastern Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; Michael G. Shelton

    2001-01-01

    Loblolly and shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L. and P. chinata Mill., respectively) seed crops were monitored for 20 consecutive years (1980-1981 through 1999-2000) using seed-collection traps in natural stands on the Upper Coastal Plain of southeastern Arkansas. Each seed-collection period began on October 1 and continued...

  6. Comparing methods of artificially regenerating loblolly and slash pines: container planting, bareroot planting, and spot seeding

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; James P Barnett

    1994-01-01

    In central Louisiana, loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (P. elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii,) pines were artificially regenerated by three methods: (1)planting 14-week-old container stock, (2)planting 1+0 bareroot stock, and (3)spot seeding. A common seed source was use for each species for all regeneration...

  7. Mortality of trees in loblolly pine plantations

    Treesearch

    Boris Zeide; Yujia Zhang

    2006-01-01

    The annual probability of mortality for planted loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees was estimated using a set of permanent plots covering the entire native range of the species. The recorded causes of death were infestation by the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) and other insects, lightning, and unknown...

  8. Variable Lifting Index (VLI)

    PubMed Central

    Waters, Thomas; Occhipinti, Enrico; Colombini, Daniela; Alvarez-Casado, Enrique; Fox, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Objective: We seek to develop a new approach for analyzing the physical demands of highly variable lifting tasks through an adaptation of the Revised NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Lifting Equation (RNLE) into a Variable Lifting Index (VLI). Background: There are many jobs that contain individual lifts that vary from lift to lift due to the task requirements. The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable in its present form to analyze variable lifting tasks. Method: In extending the prior work on the VLI, two procedures are presented to allow users to analyze variable lifting tasks. One approach involves the sampling of lifting tasks performed by a worker over a shift and the calculation of the Frequency Independent Lift Index (FILI) for each sampled lift and the aggregation of the FILI values into six categories. The Composite Lift Index (CLI) equation is used with lifting index (LI) category frequency data to calculate the VLI. The second approach employs a detailed systematic collection of lifting task data from production and/or organizational sources. The data are organized into simplified task parameter categories and further aggregated into six FILI categories, which also use the CLI equation to calculate the VLI. Results: The two procedures will allow practitioners to systematically employ the VLI method to a variety of work situations where highly variable lifting tasks are performed. Conclusions: The scientific basis for the VLI procedure is similar to that for the CLI originally presented by NIOSH; however, the VLI method remains to be validated. Application: The VLI method allows an analyst to assess highly variable manual lifting jobs in which the task characteristics vary from lift to lift during a shift. PMID:26646300

  9. Risk assessment of groundwater level variability using variable Kriging methods

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spanoudaki, Katerina; Kampanis, Nikolaos A.

    2015-04-01

    Assessment of the water table level spatial variability in aquifers provides useful information regarding optimal groundwater management. This information becomes more important in basins where the water table level has fallen significantly. The spatial variability of the water table level in this work is estimated based on hydraulic head measured during the wet period of the hydrological year 2007-2008, in a sparsely monitored basin in Crete, Greece, which is of high socioeconomic and agricultural interest. Three Kriging-based methodologies are elaborated in Matlab environment to estimate the spatial variability of the water table level in the basin. The first methodology is based on the Ordinary Kriging approach, the second involves auxiliary information from a Digital Elevation Model in terms of Residual Kriging and the third methodology calculates the probability of the groundwater level to fall below a predefined minimum value that could cause significant problems in groundwater resources availability, by means of Indicator Kriging. The Box-Cox methodology is applied to normalize both the data and the residuals for improved prediction results. In addition, various classical variogram models are applied to determine the spatial dependence of the measurements. The Matérn model proves to be the optimal, which in combination with Kriging methodologies provides the most accurate cross validation estimations. Groundwater level and probability maps are constructed to examine the spatial variability of the groundwater level in the basin and the associated risk that certain locations exhibit regarding a predefined minimum value that has been set for the sustainability of the basin's groundwater resources. Acknowledgement The work presented in this paper has been funded by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (IKY), Fellowships of Excellence for Postdoctoral Studies (Siemens Program), 'A simulation-optimization model for assessing the best practices for the

  10. Brain Signal Variability is Parametrically Modifiable

    PubMed Central

    Garrett, Douglas D.; McIntosh, Anthony R.; Grady, Cheryl L.

    2014-01-01

    Moment-to-moment brain signal variability is a ubiquitous neural characteristic, yet remains poorly understood. Evidence indicates that heightened signal variability can index and aid efficient neural function, but it is not known whether signal variability responds to precise levels of environmental demand, or instead whether variability is relatively static. Using multivariate modeling of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based parametric face processing data, we show here that within-person signal variability level responds to incremental adjustments in task difficulty, in a manner entirely distinct from results produced by examining mean brain signals. Using mixed modeling, we also linked parametric modulations in signal variability with modulations in task performance. We found that difficulty-related reductions in signal variability predicted reduced accuracy and longer reaction times within-person; mean signal changes were not predictive. We further probed the various differences between signal variance and signal means by examining all voxels, subjects, and conditions; this analysis of over 2 million data points failed to reveal any notable relations between voxel variances and means. Our results suggest that brain signal variability provides a systematic task-driven signal of interest from which we can understand the dynamic function of the human brain, and in a way that mean signals cannot capture. PMID:23749875

  11. Adapting to variable prismatic displacement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Welch, Robert B.; Cohen, Malcolm M.

    1989-01-01

    In each of two studies, subjects were exposed to a continuously changing prismatic displacement with a mean value of 19 prism diopters (variable displacement) and to a fixed 19-diopter displacement (fixed displacement). In Experiment 1, significant adaptation (post-pre shifts in hand-eye coordination) was found for fixed, but not for variable, displacement. Experiment 2 demonstrated that adaptation was obtained for variable displacement, but it was very fragile and is lost if the measures of adaptation are preceded by even a very brief exposure of the hand to normal or near-normal vision. Contrary to the results of some previous studies, an increase in within-S dispersion was not found of target pointing responses as a result of exposure to variable displacement.

  12. Symbolic dynamics marker of heart rate variability combined with clinical variables enhance obstructive sleep apnea screening

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ravelo-García, A. G.; Saavedra-Santana, P.; Juliá-Serdá, G.; Navarro-Mesa, J. L.; Navarro-Esteva, J.; Álvarez-López, X.; Gapelyuk, A.; Penzel, T.; Wessel, N.

    2014-06-01

    Many sleep centres try to perform a reduced portable test in order to decrease the number of overnight polysomnographies that are expensive, time-consuming, and disturbing. With some limitations, heart rate variability (HRV) has been useful in this task. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate if inclusion of symbolic dynamics variables to a logistic regression model integrating clinical and physical variables, can improve the detection of subjects for further polysomnographies. To our knowledge, this is the first contribution that innovates in that strategy. A group of 133 patients has been referred to the sleep center for suspected sleep apnea. Clinical assessment of the patients consisted of a sleep related questionnaire and a physical examination. The clinical variables related to apnea and selected in the statistical model were age (p < 10-3), neck circumference (p < 10-3), score on a questionnaire scale intended to quantify daytime sleepiness (p < 10-3), and intensity of snoring (p < 10-3). The validation of this model demonstrated an increase in classification performance when a variable based on non-linear dynamics of HRV (p < 0.01) was used additionally to the other variables. For diagnostic rule based only on clinical and physical variables, the corresponding area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.907 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.848, 0.967), (sensitivity 87.10% and specificity 80%). For the model including the average of a symbolic dynamic variable, the area under the ROC curve was increased to 0.941 (95% = 0.897, 0.985), (sensitivity 88.71% and specificity 82.86%). In conclusion, symbolic dynamics, coupled with significant clinical and physical variables can help to prioritize polysomnographies in patients with a high probability of apnea. In addition, the processing of the HRV is a well established low cost and robust technique.

  13. Variable sensory perception in autism.

    PubMed

    Haigh, Sarah M

    2018-03-01

    Autism is associated with sensory and cognitive abnormalities. Individuals with autism generally show normal or superior early sensory processing abilities compared to healthy controls, but deficits in complex sensory processing. In the current opinion paper, it will be argued that sensory abnormalities impact cognition by limiting the amount of signal that can be used to interpret and interact with environment. There is a growing body of literature showing that individuals with autism exhibit greater trial-to-trial variability in behavioural and cortical sensory responses. If multiple sensory signals that are highly variable are added together to process more complex sensory stimuli, then this might destabilise later perception and impair cognition. Methods to improve sensory processing have shown improvements in more general cognition. Studies that specifically investigate differences in sensory trial-to-trial variability in autism, and the potential changes in variability before and after treatment, could ascertain if trial-to-trial variability is a good mechanism to target for treatment in autism. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. A variety of variables.

    PubMed

    Jupiter, Daniel C

    2014-01-01

    In designing studies and developing plans for analyses, we must consider which tests are appropriate for the types of variables we are using. Here I describe the types of variables available to us, and I briefly consider the appropriate tools to use in their analysis. Copyright © 2014 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Brain signal variability is parametrically modifiable.

    PubMed

    Garrett, Douglas D; McIntosh, Anthony R; Grady, Cheryl L

    2014-11-01

    Moment-to-moment brain signal variability is a ubiquitous neural characteristic, yet remains poorly understood. Evidence indicates that heightened signal variability can index and aid efficient neural function, but it is not known whether signal variability responds to precise levels of environmental demand, or instead whether variability is relatively static. Using multivariate modeling of functional magnetic resonance imaging-based parametric face processing data, we show here that within-person signal variability level responds to incremental adjustments in task difficulty, in a manner entirely distinct from results produced by examining mean brain signals. Using mixed modeling, we also linked parametric modulations in signal variability with modulations in task performance. We found that difficulty-related reductions in signal variability predicted reduced accuracy and longer reaction times within-person; mean signal changes were not predictive. We further probed the various differences between signal variance and signal means by examining all voxels, subjects, and conditions; this analysis of over 2 million data points failed to reveal any notable relations between voxel variances and means. Our results suggest that brain signal variability provides a systematic task-driven signal of interest from which we can understand the dynamic function of the human brain, and in a way that mean signals cannot capture. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. The nantucket pine tip moth (Lepidoptera: Torticidae): a literature review with management implications

    Treesearch

    Christopher Asaro; Christopher J. Fettig; Kenneth W. McCravy; John T. Nowak; C. Wayne Berisford

    2003-01-01

    The Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), an important pest of intensively-managed loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., was first noted in the scientific literature in 1879. This pest gained notoriety with the establishment of loblolly pine monocultures throughout the southeastern United States during the 1950s. Current intensive forest management...

  17. Within and Between Canopy Variabilit of Foliar Nitrogen Concentration for Loblolly and Slash Pine Stands Planted at Different Densities

    Treesearch

    Rodney E. Will; Greg Barron-Gafford; Robert O. Teskey; Barry D. Shiver

    2004-01-01

    Mid-summer foliar nitrogen concentrations (N) were measured at three canopy positions (upper, middle, lower), two foliage ages per canopy position (current-year and 1-year-old), and two flushes per age class (first flush and second flush) in 4-year-old loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) stands...

  18. Thermal Conversion of Pine Wood Char to Carbon Nanomaterials in the Presence of Iron Nanoparticles

    Treesearch

    Sung Phil Mun; Zhiyong Cai; Fumiya Watanabe; Umesh P. Agarwal; Jilei Zhang

    2012-01-01

    Southern yellow pine (Pinus taeda) wood char powder was thermally treated at 1,000:C in the presence of a 25-nm-size Fe nanoparticle catalyst. The thermally treated carbon materials were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Well-aligned graphitic carbon structures with 15 to 17 layers on...

  19. Dynamic torsional unwinding of southern pine tracheids as observed in the scanning electron microscope

    Treesearch

    C.W. McMillin

    1974-01-01

    In previous research on the process for making groundwood in a double-disk refiner, a theoretical stress analysis indicated that tracheids of Pinus taeda L. may fail while under torsional stress and unwind into ribbonlike elements. Such elements provide the coherence necessary for strength development in these pulps. Depending upon their physical...

  20. Flavanoid biocides: Wood preservatives based on condensed tannins

    Treesearch

    Peter Laks; Peggy A. McKaig; Richard W. Hemingway

    1988-01-01

    The condensed tannins are natural wood preservatives found in high concentrations in the bark and wood of some tree species. Condensed tannin-containing bark extracts from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) were evaluated as wood preservatives using standard methods. Bark extracts by themselves did not cause any reduction in weight loss of pressure-treated...

  1. Effects of a Commercial Chitosan Formulation on Bark Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Resistance Parameters in Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    K. D. Klepzig; B. L. Strom

    2011-01-01

    A commercially available chitosan product, Beyond™, was evaluated for its effects on loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., responses believed related to bark beetle resistance. Treatments were applied 4 times at approx. 6-wk intervals between May and November 2008. Five treatments were evaluated: ground application (soil drench), foliar application, ground...

  2. A comparison of sampling methods for a standing tree acoustic device

    Treesearch

    Jerry M. Mahon, Jr.; Lewis Jordan; Lawrence R. Schimleck; Alexander Clark, III; Richard F. Daniels

    2009-01-01

    One method of evaluating potential product performance is the use of acoustic tools for identifying trees with high stiffness. Acoustic velocities for 100 standing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees, obtained with the transmitting and receiving probes placed on the same face and opposite faces, were compared. Significant differences in velocity between the two...

  3. Utility of Ground-Penetrating Radar as a Root Biomass Survey Tool in Forest Systems

    Treesearch

    John R. Butnor; J.A. Doolittle; Kurt H. Johnsen; L. Samuelson; T. Stokes; L. Kress

    2003-01-01

    Traditional methods of measuring tree root biomass are labor intensive and destructive in nature. We studied the utility of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to measure tree root biomass in situ within a replicated, intensive culture forestry experiment planted with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The study site was located in Decatur County, Georgia,...

  4. Mismatch between herbivore behavior and demographics contributes to scale-dependence of host susceptibility in two pine species

    Treesearch

    Tiina Ylioja; Daniel H. Slone; Matthew P. Ayres

    2005-01-01

    The impacts on forests of tree-killing bark beetles can depend on the species composition of potential host trees. Host susceptibility might be an intrinsic property of tree species, or it might depend on spatial patterning of alternative host species. We compared the susceptibility of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and Virginia pine (P. ...

  5. Prescribed Winter Burns Can Reduce the Growth of Nine-Year-Old Loblolly Pines

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain

    1985-01-01

    Prescribed winter burning was done in a precommercially thinned, 9-year-old, natural stand of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.). Growth and survival of 174 loblolly pines were monitored one growing season after this burning. Mortality was highest for pines with less than 2 inches groundline...

  6. Loblolly pine growth following operational vegetation management treatments compares favorably to that achieved in complete vegetation control research trials

    Treesearch

    Dwight K. Lauer; Harold E. Quicke

    2010-01-01

    Different combinations of chemical site prep and post-plant herbaceous weed control installed at three Upper Coastal Plain locations were compared in terms of year 3 loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) pine response to determine the better vegetation management regimes. Site prep treatments were different herbicide rates applied in either July or October. Site...

  7. Response of Soil Bulk Density and Mineral Nitrogen to Harvesting and Cultural Treatments

    Treesearch

    Minyi Zhou; Mason C. Carter; Thomas J. Dean

    1998-01-01

    The interactive effects of harvest intensity, site preparation, and fertilization on soil compaction and nitrogen mineralization were examined in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand growing on a sandy, well-drained soil in eastern Texas. The experimental design was 2 by 2 by 2 factorial, consisting of two harvesting treatments (mechanical whole-...

  8. Seasonal Fine-Root Carbohydrate and Growth Relations of Plantation Loblolly Pine After Thinning and Fertilization

    Treesearch

    Eric A. Kuehler; Mary Anne Sword; C. Dan Andries

    1999-01-01

    In 1989, two levels each of stand density and fertilization were established in an 8-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. In March 1995, treatments were reapplied, and root elongation and carbohydrate concentrations were monitored for 2 years. Our objective was to evaluate relationships between seasonal root growth and carbohydrate...

  9. Fertilization, weed control, and pine litter influence loblolly pine stem productivity and root development

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; Allan E. Tiarks; Mary A. Sword

    1997-01-01

    Following site preparation, three cultural treatments and three open-pollinated loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families were studied on a gently sloping Beauregard silt loam in central Louisiana. The treatments were: (1) fertilization (either broadcast application of 177 kg N and 151 kg P/ha or none); (2) herbicide application (either broadcast...

  10. Fertilizer responses of longleaf pine trees within a loblolly pine plantation: separating direct effects from competition effects

    Treesearch

    Peter H Anderson; Kurt H. Johnsen

    2009-01-01

    Evidence is mixed on how well longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) responds to increased soil nitrogen via fertilization. We examined growth and physiological responses of volunteer longleaf pine trees within an intensive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) fertilization experiment. Fertilizer was applied annually following thinning at age 8 years (late 1992) at rates...

  11. Thinning Guidelines For Loblolly Pine Plantations in Eastern Texas Based on Alternative Management Criteria

    Treesearch

    Charles T. Stiff; William F. Stansfield

    2004-01-01

    Separate thinning guidelines were developed for maximizing land expectation value (LEV), present net worth (PNW), and total sawlog yield (TSY) of existing and future loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in eastern Texas. The guidelines were created using data from simulated stands which were thinned one time during their rotation using a...

  12. Visual Basic Growth-and-Yield Models With A Merchandising Optimizer For Planted Slash and Loblolly Pine in the West Gulf Region

    Treesearch

    R.L. Busby; S.J. Chang; P.R. Pasala; J.C.G. Goelz

    2004-01-01

    We developed two growth-and-yield models for thinned and unthinned plantations of slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var elliottii) and loblolly pine (P. taeda L.). The models, VB Merch-Slash and VB Merch-Lob, can be used to forecast product volumes and stand values for stands partitioned into 1-inch diameter-at...

  13. The effectiveness of streamside management zones in controlling nutrient fluxes following an industrial fertilizer application

    Treesearch

    Joseph M. Secoges; W. Michael Aust; John R. Seiler

    2013-01-01

    Many State best management practice programs recommend streamside management zone (SMZ) widths based on limited or inadequate data with regard to nutrient fluxes from silvicultural activities. Diammonium phosphate and urea were applied to subwatersheds of 2- to 3-year-old loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) upslope from 12 SMZ study areas in Buckingham...

  14. Effects of Alternative Thinning Regimes and Prescribed Burning in Natural, Even-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands: 25 Year Results

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; Michael G. Shelton

    2003-01-01

    In southeastern Arkansas, pine growth was monitored for 19 yr after mechanically strip thinning a dense, naturally regenerated, even-aged stand of 6-yr-old loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (P. echinata Mill.) that averaged 16,600 stems/UC. Prescribed winter burns were conducted biennially between ages 9 and 20...

  15. Guying to prevent wind sway influences loblolly pine growth and wood properties

    Treesearch

    James D. Burton; Diana M. Smith

    1972-01-01

    Restraining young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees from normal swaying in the wind markedly reduced radial growth in the immobilized portion of the bole and accelerated it in the upper, free-swaying portion. Guying also reduced specific gravity, number of earlywood and latewood tracheids, latewood tracheid diameter, and amount of compression wood...

  16. Impacts of switchgrass intercropping in traditional pine forests on hydrology and water quality in the southeastern United States.

    Treesearch

    Devendra Amatya; G.M. Chescheir; J.E. Nettles

    2016-01-01

    Preliminary results indicate that switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), grown as a cellulosic biofuel between managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) beds on the Atlantic Coastal Plain forests has no significant effect on shallow ground water table and stream outflows. Although management operations (e.g. harvesting, shearing between pine rows, raking, and bedding)...

  17. Changes in site productivity and the recovery of soil properties following wet- and dry-weather harvesting disturbances in the Atlantic Coastal Plain for a stand of age 10 years

    Treesearch

    Mark H. Eisenbies; James A. Burger; Aust W. Michael; Patterson Steven C.

    2007-01-01

    Wet-weather logging can cause severe soil physical disturbances and redistribute residues. Although some research indicates negative effects of such disturbances on individual tree growth, the long-tenn resilience and resistance of soils and the ameliorative effects of site preparation are not fully understood. Three 20 ha loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L....

  18. Seasonal Fine Root Carbohydrate Relations of Plantation Loblolly Pine After Thinning

    Treesearch

    Mary A. Sword; Eric A. Kuehler; Zhenmin Tang

    2000-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) occurs naturally on soils that are frequently low in fertility and water availability (Allen et al., 1990; Schultz 1997). Despite these limitations, this species maintains a high level of productivity on most sites (Schultz, 1997). Knowledge of plantation loblolly pine root system growth and physiology is needed to...

  19. Loblolly pine and slash pine responses to acute aluminum and acid exposures

    Treesearch

    Jaroslaw Nowak; Alexander L. Friend

    2006-01-01

    In response to concerns about aluminum and HCl exposure associated with rocket motor testing and launches, survival and growth of full-sib families of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) were evaluated in a nursery bed experiment. Each species was exposed to a single soil application of aluminum...

  20. Financial performance of loblolly and longleaf pine plantations

    Treesearch

    Steven D. Mills; Charles T. Stiff

    2013-01-01

    The financial performance of selected management regimes for loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and longleaf pine (P. palustris Mill.) plantations were compared for four cases, each with low- and high-site productivity levels and each evaluated using 5 and 7 percent real discount rates. In all cases, longleaf pine was considered both with...

  1. Managing Leaf Area for Maximum Volume Production in a Loblolly Pine Plantation

    Treesearch

    Shufang Yu; Quang V. Cao; Jim L. Chambers; Zhenmin Tang; James D. Haywood

    1999-01-01

    To manage loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands for maximum volume growth, the relationships between volume growth and leaf area at the tree and stand level under different cultural practices (thinning and fertilization) were examined. Forty-eight trees were harvested in 1995, six years after treatment, for individual tree measurements, and 336...

  2. Release of nitrogen and phosphorus from loblolly pine forest floor in a post-harvest microclimate

    Treesearch

    L. Chris Kiser; Thomas R. Fox

    2012-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations grown on nutrient deficient soils in the southeastern U.S. require nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilization to increase growth (Albaugh et al., 2007; Fox et al., 2007). Fertilization increases growth by increasing foliar nutrients and leaf area (Albaugh et al., 1998) which also results in higher...

  3. Post-fertilization physiology and growth performance of loblolly pine clones

    Treesearch

    N.T. King; J.R. Seiler; T.R. Fox; KurtH Johnsen

    2008-01-01

    The physiological processes leading to enhanced growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) following fertilization are not clearly understood. Part of the debate revolves around the temporal response of net photosynthetic rate (An) to fertilization and whether the An response is always positive. We measured light-saturated photosynthetic rate (Asat), dark respiration...

  4. Growth and physiology of loblolly pine in response to long-term resource management: defining growth potential in the southern United States

    Treesearch

    Lisa J. Samuelson; John Butnor; Chris Maier; Tom A. Stokes; Kurt Johnsen; Michael Kane

    2008-01-01

    Leaf physiology and stem growth were assessed in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in response to 10 to 11 years of treatment with weed control (W), weed control plus irrigation (WI), weed control plus irrigation and fertigation (WIF), or weed control plus irrigation, fertigation, and pest control (WIFP) to determine whether increased resource...

  5. Seasonal photosynthesis and water relations of juvenile loblolly pine relative to stand density and canopy position

    Treesearch

    Zhenmin Tang; Jim L. Chambers; Mary A. Sword Sayer; James P. Barnett

    2003-01-01

    To assess the effects of stand density and canopy environment on tree physiology, we measured gas exchange responses of the same needle age class of 16-year-old loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) in thinned (512 trees ha-1) and non-thinned treatment plots (2,863 trees ha-1) in central Louisiana....

  6. Short-term effects of fertilization on photosynthesis and leaf morphology of field-grown loblolly pine following long-term exposure to elevated CO2 concentration

    Treesearch

    Chris A. Maier; Sari Palmroth; Eric Ward

    2008-01-01

    We examined effects of a first nitrogen (N) fertilizer application on upper-canopy needle morphology and gas exchange in ~20-m-tall loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) exposed to elevated carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) for 9 years. Duke Forest free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) plots were split and half of...

  7. Heart Rot and Cavity Tree Selection by Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers

    Treesearch

    Robert G. Hooper; Michael R. Lennartz; H. David Muse

    1991-01-01

    Previous studies implied that decayed heartwood was important to cavity tree selection by red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealfs), but the results were inconclusive because they either lacked a control or were limited to 1 age class of trees. We compared the incidence of heart rot in loblolly and longleaf pines (Pinus taeda...

  8. Effects of a controlled release fertilizer on the nitrogen dynamics of mid-rotation loblolly pine plantation in the Piedmont, Virginia

    Treesearch

    J. Rob Elliot; Thomas R. Fox

    2006-01-01

    Nitrogen deficiency is characteristic of many mid-rotation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the Piedmont region of the Southeast. Fertilization with urea is the most common method used to correct this deficiency. Previous studies show that urea fertilization produces a rapid pulse of available nitrogen (N) with only a portion being...

  9. Use of a generalized sigmoid growth function to predict site index for unmanaged loblolly and slash pine plantations in East Texas

    Treesearch

    Dean W. Coble; Young-Jin Lee

    2006-01-01

    A generalized sigmoid growth function was used in this study to model site index (SI) for unmanaged or lowintensity managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda, L.) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii, Engelm.) plantations in east Texas. Schnute's growth function was fit to 11,367 and 5,040 height-age observations of loblolly and slash...

  10. Irrigation and fertilization effects on foliar and soil carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in a loblolly pine stand

    Treesearch

    Woo-Jung Choi; Scott X. Chang; H. Lee Allen; Daniel L. Kelting; Hee-Myong Ro

    2005-01-01

    We examined 813C and 815N in needle (current and 1-year-old) and soil samples collected on two occasions (July and September 1999) from a 15-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand in an irrigation and fertilization experiment to investigate whether these treatments leave specific isotope signals in...

  11. Fiberboards from loblolly pine refiner groundwood: aspects of fiber morphology

    Treesearch

    Charles W. McMillin

    1969-01-01

    In tests with Pinus taeda L., most properties of wet formed hardboard were improved by using fiber refined from wood having short, slender tracheids with thin walls. A theoretical analysis suggested that the fibers fail in bending while under stress induced by the pressing operation. Sush bending failures improve conditions from hydrogen bonding,...

  12. Genetic variation in the microfibril angle of loblolly pine from two test sites

    Treesearch

    Jennifer H. Myszewski; Floyd E. Bridgwater; William J. Lowe; Thomas D. Byram; Robert A. Megraw

    2004-01-01

    In recent years, several studies have examined the effect of microfibril angle (MFA) on wood quality. However, little research has been conducted upon the genetic mechanisms controlling MFA. In this study, we examined the heritability of MFA in loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., and its genetic relationships with height, diameter, volume, and specific...

  13. Is there a morphological or physiological explanation for the dramatic increase in hybridization between loblolly and shortleaf pine?

    Treesearch

    Rodney E. Will; Curtis J. Lilly; John F. Stewart; C. Dana Nelson; Charles G. Taue

    2015-01-01

    Hybrids between shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) and loblolly pine (P. taeda L.) have dramatically increased since the 1950s (Stewart and others 2012). Fire suppression, planting nonnative seed sources, and other anthropogenic activities have the potential to break down ecological barriers that previously kept these species from interbreeding (Tauer and others...

  14. The Effect of Large Applications of Nutrients From Organic Waste on Biomass Allocation and Allometric Relations in Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Scott D. Roberts; Patrick D. Gerard

    2004-01-01

    We applied broiler litter to an 8-year-old precommercially thinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stand at 0, 5.6, and 23 Mg ha-1 , supplying 0, 200, and 800 kg N ha-1. A destructive harvest was implemented two growing seasons following litter application to evaluate treatment impacts on patterns of...

  15. Potential carry-over of seeds from 11 common shrub and vine competitors of loblolly and shortleaf pines

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    2002-01-01

    Many of the competitors of the regeneration of loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda, L. and Pinus echinata Mill., respectively) develop from seed disseminated on the site after reproduction cutting or from the seed bank. To evaluate the potential carry-over of the seeds from 11 shrub and vine competitors of these two...

  16. Composition, structure, and dynamics of a mature, unmanaged, pine-dominated old-field stand in southeastern Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg; Eric Heitzman

    2009-01-01

    This study describes the composition and structure of a mature, second-growthPinus taeda (Loblolly Pine) and Pinus echinata (Shortleaf Pine)-dominatedold-field stand. Now owned by the University of Arkansas, this 22.5-ha parcel justoutside of the city of Monticello, AR, has been protected as a de facto natural area

  17. Inheritance of RFLP loci in a loblolly pine three-generation pedigree

    Treesearch

    M.D. Devey; K.D. Jermstad; C.G. Tauer; D.B. Neale

    1991-01-01

    A high-density restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) linkage map is being constructed for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Loblolly pine cDNA and genomic DNA clones were used as probes in hybridizations to genomic DNAs prepared from grandparents, parents, and progeny of a three-generation outbred pedigree. Approximately 200 probes were...

  18. The Influence of Corridors on the Movement Behavior of Individual Peromyscus polionotus in Experimental Landscapes

    Treesearch

    Breant Danielson; Michael W. Hubbard

    2000-01-01

    To assess corridor effects on movement in Peromyscus polionotus (old-held mice), we used a set of three experimental landscapes that contained multiple patches (1.64 ha) of usable, open habitat embedded in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forest matrix. Some patches were connected by corridors and others were isolated (unconnected). We introduced...

  19. Effects of opening size and site preparation method on vegetation development after implementing group selection in a pine-hardwood stand

    Treesearch

    M.D. Cain; M.G. Shelton

    2001-01-01

    Three opening sizes (0.25, 0.625, and 1.0 ac) and three site preparation methods (herbicides, mechanical, and an untreated control) were tested in a pine-hardwood stand dominated by loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.) and mixed oaks (Quercus spp.) that was being converted to uneven...

  20. Dispersal and viability of seeds from cones in tops of harvested loblolly pines

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    2001-01-01

    Seed supply is one of the most important determinants of successful natural regeneration. We conducted a study to determine the potential contribution of cones in the tops of harvested loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) to the stand's seed supply if trees were felled after seed maturation but before dispersal. Closed cones, collected in...

  1. Comparison of high performance liquid chromatography and enzymatic analysis of soluble carbohydrates in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    Patricia L. Faulkner; Michele M. Schoeneberger; Kim H. Ludovici

    1993-01-01

    Foliar tissue was collected from a field study designed to test impacts of atmospheric pollutants on loblolIy pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings. Standard enzymatic (ENZ) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were used to analyze the tissue for soluble sugars. A comparison of the methods revealed no significant diffennces in accuracy...

  2. Environmental sustainability of intercropping switchgrass in a loblolly pine forest

    Treesearch

    George Chescheir; Francois Birgand; Mohamed Youssef; Jami Nettles; Devendra Amatya

    2016-01-01

    A multi-institutional watershed study has been conducted since 2010 to quantify the environmental sustainability of planting switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) between wide rows of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). The hypothesized advantage of this intercropping system is the production of biofuel feedstock to provide additional...

  3. Long term growth responses of loblolly pine to optimal nutrient and water resource availability

    Treesearch

    Timothy J. Albaugh; H. Lee Allen; Phillip M. Dougherty; Kurt H. Johnsen

    2004-01-01

    A factorial combination of four treatments (control (CW), optimal growing season water availability (IW), optimum nutrient availability (FW), and combined optimum water and nutrient availability (FIW)) in four replications were initiated in an 8-year- old Pinus taeda stand growing on a droughty, nutrient-poor, sandy site in Scotland County, NC and...

  4. Loblolly Pine Responds to Mechanical Wounding with Increased Resin Flow

    Treesearch

    Jonathan J. Ruel; Matthew P. Ayres; Peter L. Lorio

    1998-01-01

    The oleoresin produced by many conifers has a deleterious effect on numerous associated herbivores, including bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), and may have evolved as a plant defense mechanism. Three experiments with juvenile loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) used mechanical wounding to drain resin reserves and assess the effects of prior bark wounding on...

  5. Biology of a Pine Needle Sheath Midge, Contarinia Acuta Gagne (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), on Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Julie C. Weatherby; John C. Moser; Raymond J. Gagné; Huey N. Wallace

    1989-01-01

    The biology of a pine needle sheath midge, Contarinia acuta Gagné is described for a new host in Louisiana. This midge was found feeding within the needle sheath on elongating needles of loblolly pine, P. taeda L. Needle droop and partial defoliation were evident on heavily infested trees. Overwintering C. acuta...

  6. Foliage Sampling Guides for Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Carol G. Wells

    1969-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees were sampled to determine the effect of growth flush, crown position of pole trees, and winter temperature extremes upon the nutrient content of needles. Winter temperatures did not have an important influence upon elemental content. Because concentrations of several elements differed for Ihe first, second, and...

  7. Regeneration of southern pine stands under ecosystem management in the Piedmont

    Treesearch

    James W. McMinn; Alexander Clark

    1999-01-01

    Ecosystem-oriented management is being used on southern National Forests to conserve biodiversity, improve the balance among forest values, and achieve sustainable conditions. This paper reports on the regeneration phase of a study to identify the implications of ecosystem management practices on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf (I? echinata Mill) pine...

  8. Are we over-managing longleaf pine?

    Treesearch

    John S. Kush; Rebecca J. Barlow; John C. Gilbert

    2012-01-01

    Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is not loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) or slash pine (Pinus elliottii L.). There is the need for a paradigmatic shift in our thinking about longleaf pine. All too often we think of longleaf as an intolerant species, slow-grower, difficult to regenerate, and yet it dominated the pre...

  9. Fascicle Nutrient and Biomass Responses of Young Loblolly Pine to Control of Woody and Herbaceous Competitors

    Treesearch

    Bruce R. Zutter; James H. Miller; H.L. Allen; S.M. Xedaker; M.B. Edwards; R.A. Newbold

    1999-01-01

    Individual fascicle mass and foliar nutrient content and concentration of young loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) wen evaluated on 13 locations of a regionwide competition study in the southeastern United States. The study included a factorial combination of two levels of weed control txatmalt (none, treated) and two levels of woody treatment (none,...

  10. Compacting coastal plain soils changes midrotation loblolly pine allometry by reducing root biomass

    Treesearch

    Kim H. Ludovici

    2008-01-01

    Factorial combinations of soil compaction and organic matter removal were replicated at the Long Term Site Productivity study in the Croatan National Forest, near New Bern, North Carolina, USA. Ten years after planting, 18 preselected loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees were destructively harvested to quantify treatment effects on total above- and...

  11. A region-wide study of lobolly pine seedlings growth relative to four competition levels after two growing seasons

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; Bruce Zutter

    1987-01-01

    A common study design was simultaneously established at 13 locations in the Southern United States to examine the scope of regional variation in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) growth relative to four competition levels. The following competitoin levels were created and maintained for 2 years using selective herbicides: (a) complete control of all...

  12. Composition, structure, and dynamics of a pine-hardwood old-growth remnant in southern Arkansas

    Treesearch

    Don C. Bragg

    2004-01-01

    The Levi Wilcoxon Demonstration Forest (LWDF) was originally established by the Crossett Lumber Company in 1939 to promote forestry research and demonstration in the Upper West Gulf Coastal Plain of southern Arkansas. The reser ve currently has at least 27 different overstory tree species, with loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), shortleaf pine (

  13. Biomass estimates of small diameter planted and natural-origin loblolly pines show major departures from the National Biomass Estimator equations

    Treesearch

    Jamie Schuler; Don C. Bragg; Kristin McElligott

    2017-01-01

    As southern pine forests (both planted and naturally regenerated) are more heavily used to provide biomass for the developing energy sectors and carbon sequestration, a better understanding of models used to characterize regional biomass estimates is needed. We harvested loblolly pines (Pinus taeda L.) between 0.5 and 15 cm dbh from several...

  14. Effect of silvicultural practice and wood type on loblolly pine particleboard and medium density fiberboard properties

    Treesearch

    Todd F. Shupe; Chung Y. Hse; Elvin T. Choong; Leslie H. Groom

    1999-01-01

    he objective of this study was to determine the effect of five different silvicultural strategies and wood type on mechanical and physical properties of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) particleboard and fiberboard. The furnish was prepared in an unconventional manner from innerwood and outerwood veneer for each stand. Modulus of rupture (MOR)...

  15. Tip moth control and loblolly pine growth in intensive pine culture: four year results

    Treesearch

    David L. Kulhavy; Jimmie L. Yeiser; L. Allen Smith

    2006-01-01

    Twenty-two treatments replicated four times were applied to planted loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L., on bedded industrial forest land in east Texas for measurement of growth impact of Nantucket pine tip moth (NPTM), Rhyacionia frustrana Comstock, and effects on pine growth over 2 years. Treatments were combinations of Velpar®,...

  16. Nantucket Pine Tip Moth Control and Loblolly Pine Growth in Intensive Pine Culture: Two-Year Results

    Treesearch

    David L. Kulhavy; Jimmie L. Yeiser; L. Allen Smith

    2004-01-01

    Twenty-two treatments replicated four times were applied to planted loblolly pine, Pinus taeda L. on bedded industrial forest land in east Texas for measurement of growth impact of Nantucket pine tip moth (NPTM), Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock), and effects on pine growth over 2 years. Treatments were combinations of Velpar, Oust, and Arsenal...

  17. Site-specific forest management: matching genotypes and silviculture to optimize carbon sequestration

    Treesearch

    Michael Tyree; John Seiler; Chris Maier

    2013-01-01

    The use of improved genotypes as well an increased understanding of the role of intensive silviculture have made southeastern pine forests some of the most productive forests in the world. The objectives of this research were to determine how two superior loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) genotypes, representing two distinct ideotypes, respond to...

  18. Silvicultural systems and red-cockaded woodpecker management: another perspective

    Treesearch

    Larry D. Hedrick; Robert G. Hooper; Dennis L. Krusac; Joseph M. Dabney

    1998-01-01

    In 1996 Rudolph and Conner maintained that a modified even-aged silvicultural system using irregular shelterwood as the method of regenerating new stands provides greater benefits for red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) than uneven-aged systems. Their argument was confined to loblolly (Pinus taeda) and shortleaf (P. ecbinata) pine forest types and emphasized...

  19. Reapplication of Silvicultural Treatments Impacts Phenology and Photosynthetic Gas Exchange of Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Zhenmin Tang; Jim L. Chambers; Mary A. Sword; Shufang Yu; James P. Barnett

    2004-01-01

    A loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation, established in 1981, was thinned and fertilized in 1988. Thinning and fertilization treatments were applied again in early 1995. The morphology of current flushes and needles were measured between March and October in 1995 through 1997. Physiological responses were monitored in the upper and lower crowns....

  20. Water quality effects of switchgrass intercropping on pine forest in Coastal North Carolina.

    Treesearch

    Augustine Muwamba; Devendra Amatya; George M Chescheir; Jamie Nettles; Timothy Appelboom; Herbert Ssegane; Ernest Tollner; Mohamed Youssef; Francois Birgand; R. Wayne Skaggs; Shiying Tian

    2017-01-01

    Interplanting a cellulosic bioenergy crop (switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L.) between loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) rows could potentially provide a sustainable source of bio-feedstock without competing for land currently in food production. The objectives of this study were to: (1) quantify the concentrations and loads of drainage water nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (...

  1. Early plant succession in loblolly pine plantations as affected by vegetation management

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; B.R. Zutter; S.M. Zedaker; M. Boyd Edwards; Ray A. Newbold

    1995-01-01

    A common study design has been used at 13 locations across the South to examine loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations established using four vegetation control treatments after mechanical site preparation: (a) No Control, (b) Woody Control, (c) Herbaceous Controlfor 4 yr, and (d) Total Control. This research, the Competition Omission Monitoring...

  2. Soil organic matter fractions in loblolly pine forests of Coastal North Carolina managed for bioenergy production

    Treesearch

    Kevan J. Minick; Brian D. Strahm; Thomas R. Fox; Eric B. Surce; Zakiya H. Leggett

    2015-01-01

    Dependence on foreign oil continues to increase, and concern over rising atmospheric CO2 and other greenhouse gases has intensified research into sustainable biofuel production. Intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) between planted rows of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) offers an opportunity to utilize inter-row space that typically contains herbaceous and...

  3. Recovery of l-year-old loblolly pine seedlings from simulated browse damage

    Treesearch

    Michael G. Shelton; Michael D. Cain

    2002-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings are frequently browsed by a wide variety of animals during the first few years of their development. Although anecdotal observations indicate that the potential for seedling recovery is good, there is little quantitative information on the factors affecting the recovery process. Thus, we conducted a study to...

  4. Loblolly Pine Growth 16 Years After Four Site Preparation Treatments

    Treesearch

    John C. Adams; Clyde Vidrine

    2002-01-01

    Thirteen-year growth results of 1-0 planted loblolly pine seedlings (Pinus taeda L.) on differently prepared upland mixed pine-hardwood sites located in north western Louisiana are presented. The study was designed as a randomized complete block consisting of three blocks of four site preparation treatments, which included: chop and burn, windrow,...

  5. Mulching effects of plant fiber and plant fiber-polyester mats combined with fertilizer on loblslly pine seedlings

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood; John A. Youngquist

    1991-01-01

    In this preliminary study, several mattings, combined with and without fertilizer application, were tested around newly planted loblolly, pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings. After 9 months in the field, jute- polyester and jute mats had similar survival rates relitive to controls, but hemlock-po1yvester mats had depressed survival when used in...

  6. Soil and Nutrient Loss Following Site Preparation Burning

    Treesearch

    J.P. Field; E.A. Carter

    2000-01-01

    Sediment loss and nutrient cpncentrations in runoff were evaluated to determine the effects of site preparation burning on a recently harvested loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) site in east Texas. Sediment and nutrient losses prior to treatment were approximately the same from control plots and pretreatment burn plots. Nutrient analysis of runoff...

  7. Soil and nutrient loss following site preparation burning

    Treesearch

    J.P. Field; K.W. Farrish; E.A. Carter

    2000-01-01

    Sediment loss and nutrient cpncentrations in runoff were evaluated to determine the effects of site preparation burning on a recently harvested loblolly pine (Pinur taeda L.) site in east Texas. Sediment and nutrient losses prior to treatment were approximately the same from control plots and pretreatment burn plots. Nutrient analysis of runoff...

  8. Height Response to Harvesting Intensity and Site Preparation in Four Young Loblolly Pine Plantations

    Treesearch

    Thomas J. Dean; Ray A. Newbold

    2002-01-01

    A study was conducted to analyze the general effects of harvesting intensity and postharvest treatments on the average, three-year height of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). This was accomplished by analyzing treatment effects across four study sites by treating the locations as random effects in the statistical model. Whole-tree harvesting using...

  9. Effect of Decay on Ultrasonic Velocity and Attenuation Measurements in Wood

    Treesearch

    Megan McGovern; Adam Senalik; George Chen; Frank C. Beall; Henrique Reis

    2013-01-01

    The percentage mass loss of loblolly pine (pinus taeda) wood cube specimens exposed to Gloeophyllum fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) for increasing periods of time ranging from 1 to 12 weeks was recorded after being subjected to controlled decay following ASTM International standard ASTM D 1423-99. The specimens’ corresponding volume...

  10. Long-term changes in fusiform rust incidence in the southeastern United States

    Treesearch

    KaDonna C. Randolph; Ellis B. Cowling; Dale A. Starkey

    2015-01-01

    Fusiform rust is the most devastating disease of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) and loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) in the southeastern United States. Since the 1970s, the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program has assessed fusiform rust incidence on its network of ground plots in 13 states across the...

  11. Susceptibility of loblolly x slash pine interspecific F1 hybrids to tip moth infestation and fusiform rust infection in a south Mississippi planting

    Treesearch

    M.T. Highsmith; L.H. Lott; C.D. Nelson

    2005-01-01

    Tip moth damage and fusiform rust incidence among families of three loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) parent trees from Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas that were selected for southern pine bark beetle resistance and three slash pines (Pinus elliotti var. elliotti) selected for different levels of fusiform rust resistance, and five of their interspecific...

  12. Longleaf and loblolly pine seedlings respond differently to soil compaction, water content, and fertilization

    Treesearch

    D. Andrew Scott; James A. Burger

    2014-01-01

    Aims Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is being restored across the U.S. South for a multitude of ecological and economic reasons, but our understanding of longleaf pine’s response to soil physical conditions is poor. On the contrary, our understanding of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) root and...

  13. Effects of Early Release on Natural Versus Container Loblolly Pines 12 Years After Field Establishment

    Treesearch

    Michael D. Cain; James P. Barnett

    2002-01-01

    Genetically improved, container loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings were compared to naturally established loblolly seedlings on a cutoverpine site. Crop pines on 6 of 12 plots were releasedfrom woody and herbaceous competition within a 2 ft radius of each stem. On release plots, woody competition was controlled by hand-cutting for 5...

  14. Contrasting effects of insect exclusion on wood loss in a temperate forest

    Treesearch

    Michael Ulyshen; Terry Wagner; Joseph E. Mulrooney

    2014-01-01

    Experimental efforts to determine how insects influence terrestrial wood decomposition are few, especially in temperate regions. To address this need, a five-year exclusion study was conducted in northern Mississippi, U.S.A., to quantify insect contributions to wood decay using one-meter loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) bolts. The study included three...

  15. A Regional Framework of Early Growth Response for Loblolly Pine Relative to Herbaceous, Woody, and Complete Competition Control: The COMProject

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; Bruce R. Zutter; Shepard M. Zedaker; M. Boyd Edwards; Ray A. Newbold

    1995-01-01

    A common study design has been installed at 13 locations throughout the South to track the growth of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations established with 4 different competition control treatments: no control (only chopping-burning), woody control for 5 years, herbaceous control for 4 years, and total control after site preparation. This...

  16. Growth and Yield Relative to Competition for Loblolly Pine Plantations to Midrotation- A Southeastern United States Regional Study

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; Bruce R. Zutter; Shepard M. Zedaker; M. Boyd Edwards; Ray A. Newbold

    2003-01-01

    Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations were studied across 13 southeastern sites grown for 1.5 yr with near-complete control of woody, herbaceous, and woody plus herbaceous components during the first 3-5 yr. This multiple objective experiment (the COMProject) documents stand dynamics at the extreme corners of the response surface that...

  17. The Influence of Woody and Herbaceous Competition on Early Growth of Naturally Regenerated Loblolly and Shortleaf Pines

    Treesearch

    M. D. Cain

    1991-01-01

    Four levels of competition control were used to study the response of naturally regenerated loblolly and shortleaf pines (Pinus taeda L. and P. echinata Mill.) in southern Arkansas. Treatments included: (1) Check (no competition control), (2) woody competition control, herbaceous competition control, and (4) total control of nonpine vegetation. Herbaceous plants were...

  18. Response of loblolly pine to complete woody and herbaceous control: projected yields and economic outcomes - the COMProject

    Treesearch

    James H. Miller; R.L. Busby; B.R. Zutter; S.M. Zedaker; M.B. Edwards; R.A. Newbold

    1995-01-01

    Abstract.Age-8 and -9 data from the 13 study plantations of the Competition Omission Monitoring Project (COMP) were used to project yields and derive economic outcomes for loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). COMP treatments were chop-burn, complete woody plant control, complete herbaceous plant control for 4 years, and complete woody...

  19. Tip moth parasitoids and pesticides: Are they compatible?

    Treesearch

    Kenneth W. McCravy; Mark J. Dalusky; C. Wayne Berisford

    1999-01-01

    Effects of herbicide and insecticide applications on parasitism of the Nantucket pine tip moth, Rhyacionia frustrana (Comstock) were examined in 2-yr-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in Georgia. Total parasitism rates varied significantly among tip moth generations, but there were no differences in parasitism rates between herbicide-treated and untreated...

  20. Influence of hardwood midstory and pine species on pine bole arthropods

    Treesearch

    Christopher S. Collins; Richard N. Conner; Daniel Saenz

    2002-01-01

    Arthropod density on the boles of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) was compared between a stand with and stand without hardwood midstory and between a stand of loblolly and shortleaf pines (P. echinata) in the Stephen E Austin Experimental Forest, Nacogdoches Co., Texas, USA from September 1993 through July 1994. Arthropod density was...

  1. Dynamics of planted cherrybark oak seedlings and yellow-poplar from seed following a regeneration clearcut

    Treesearch

    Wayne K. Clatterbuck

    2011-01-01

    A bottomland loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stand originating from an early 1940s planting on a minor stream bottom of the Coastal Plain in west Tennessee was harvested in 1992 and allowed to regenerate to hardwoods. Although the pines had been planted, a few naturally regenerated yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) and sweetgum...

  2. Stripping of Soil-Applied Hexazione, Picloram, and Tebuthiuron for Loblolly Pine Site Preperation

    Treesearch

    James D. Haywood

    1993-01-01

    Herbicides were applied to prepare two upland sites for planting of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) after clearcut harvesting: (1) picloram pellets, (2) hexazinone liquid, (3) a slurry of tebuthiuron soluble powder, and (4) following underplanting, a liquid formulation of picloram + 2,4-D was injected into residual hardwoods. The herbicides in...

  3. Performance of Loblolly Pine Seed Sources in Argentina

    Treesearch

    Timothy La Farge; Floyd E. Bridgwater; Mirta N. Baez

    1999-01-01

    Four test series of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) were evaluated to determine the performance in northeastern Argentina of seed sources from three breeding populations in the southeastern United States. Three half-sib progeny tests of seed sources from Florida and Louisiana demonstrated strong genetic gains for height, dbh, and volume growth....

  4. Effect of initial planting spacing on wood properties of unthinned loblolly pine at age 21

    Treesearch

    Alexander III Clark; Lewis Jordan; Laurie Schimleck; Richard F. Daniels

    2008-01-01

    Young, fast growing, intensively managed plantation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) contains a large proportion of juvenile wood that may not have the stiffness required to meet the design requirements for southern pine dimension lumber. An unthinned loblolly pine spacing study was sampled to determine the effect of initial spacing on wood stiffness,...

  5. Old-Field Thinned Loblolly Pine Plantation Fertilization With Diammonium Phosphate Plus Urea and Poultry Litter -- 4 Year Growth and Product Class Distribution Results

    Treesearch

    E. David Dickens; Beth W. Richardson; Bryan C. McElvany

    2004-01-01

    A study area was installed in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina to determine the effects of diammonium phosphate (DAP) plus urea and poultry litter fertilization on growth, yield, diameter distributions, and product class distribu-tions in an old-field (Norfolk soil) thinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation. Treatments included: (1)...

  6. The influence of nutrient and water availability on carbohydrate storage in loblolly pine

    Treesearch

    K.H. Ludovici; H.L. Allen; T.J. Albaugh; P.M. Dougherty

    2002-01-01

    We quantified the effects of nutrient and water availability on monthly whole-tree carbohydrate budgets and determined allocation patterns of storage carbohydrates in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) to test site resource impacts on internal carbon (C) storage. A factorial combination of two nutrient and two irrigation treatments were imposed on a 7-year...

  7. Research related to variable sweep aircraft development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Polhamus, E. C.; Toll, T. A.

    1981-01-01

    Development in high speed, variable sweep aircraft research is reviewed. The 1946 Langley wind tunnel studies related to variable oblique and variable sweep wings and results from the X-5 and the XF1OF variable sweep aircraft are discussed. A joint program with the British, evaluation of the British "Swallow", development of the outboard pivot wing/aft tail configuration concept by Langley, and the applied research program that followed and which provided the technology for the current, variable sweep military aircraft is outlined. The relative state of variable sweep as a design option is also covered.

  8. Operator’s Manual for Variable Weight, Variable C. G. Helmet Simulator,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-09-01

    A variabh weight, variable CG helmet simulator has been designed to measure the effect of US Army headgear on muscle loading and fatigue. The helmet...less than the weight of most quality crash helmets made by reputable manufacturers. The addition of variable weights to the boxes can alter the center...of gravity to simulate the effect of equipment attached to the out- side of a helmet. The helmet simulator has been calibrated for weights of 3.2, 4.0

  9. Relating brain signal variability to knowledge representation.

    PubMed

    Heisz, Jennifer J; Shedden, Judith M; McIntosh, Anthony R

    2012-11-15

    We assessed the hypothesis that brain signal variability is a reflection of functional network reconfiguration during memory processing. In the present experiments, we use multiscale entropy to capture the variability of human electroencephalogram (EEG) while manipulating the knowledge representation associated with faces stored in memory. Across two experiments, we observed increased variability as a function of greater knowledge representation. In Experiment 1, individuals with greater familiarity for a group of famous faces displayed more brain signal variability. In Experiment 2, brain signal variability increased with learning after multiple experimental exposures to previously unfamiliar faces. The results demonstrate that variability increases with face familiarity; cognitive processes during the perception of familiar stimuli may engage a broader network of regions, which manifests as higher complexity/variability in spatial and temporal domains. In addition, effects of repetition suppression on brain signal variability were observed, and the pattern of results is consistent with a selectivity model of neural adaptation. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. AGN Variability in the GOODS Fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarajedini, Vicki

    2007-07-01

    Variability is a proven method to identify intrinsically faint active nuclei in galaxies found in deep HST surveys. We propose to extend our short-term variability study of the GOODS fields to include the more recent epochs obtained via supernovae searchers, increasing the overall time baseline from 6 months to 2.5 years. Based on typical AGN lightcurves, we expect to detect 70% more AGN by including these more recent epochs. Variable-detected AGN samples complement current X-ray and mid-IR surveys for AGN by providing unambigous evidence of nuclear activity. Additionallty, a significant number of variable nuclei are not associated with X-ray or mid-IR sources and would thus go undetected. With the increased time baseline, we will be able to construct the structure function {variability amplitude vs. time} for low-luminosity AGN to z 1. The inclusion of the longer time interval will allow for better descrimination among the various models describing the nature of AGN variability. The variability survey will be compared against spectroscopically selected AGN from the Team Keck Redshift Survey of the GOODS-N and the upcoming Flamingos-II NIR survey of the GOODS-S. The high-resolution ACS images will be used to separate the AGN from the host galaxy light and study the morphology, size and environment of the host galaxy. These studies will address questions concerning the nature of low-luminosity AGN evolution and variability at z 1.

  11. Physical attraction to reliable, low variability nervous systems: Reaction time variability predicts attractiveness.

    PubMed

    Butler, Emily E; Saville, Christopher W N; Ward, Robert; Ramsey, Richard

    2017-01-01

    The human face cues a range of important fitness information, which guides mate selection towards desirable others. Given humans' high investment in the central nervous system (CNS), cues to CNS function should be especially important in social selection. We tested if facial attractiveness preferences are sensitive to the reliability of human nervous system function. Several decades of research suggest an operational measure for CNS reliability is reaction time variability, which is measured by standard deviation of reaction times across trials. Across two experiments, we show that low reaction time variability is associated with facial attractiveness. Moreover, variability in performance made a unique contribution to attractiveness judgements above and beyond both physical health and sex-typicality judgements, which have previously been associated with perceptions of attractiveness. In a third experiment, we empirically estimated the distribution of attractiveness preferences expected by chance and show that the size and direction of our results in Experiments 1 and 2 are statistically unlikely without reference to reaction time variability. We conclude that an operating characteristic of the human nervous system, reliability of information processing, is signalled to others through facial appearance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Climate Impact of Solar Variability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schatten, Kenneth H. (Editor); Arking, Albert (Editor)

    1990-01-01

    The conference on The Climate Impact of Solar Variability, was held at Goddard Space Flight Center from April 24 to 27, 1990. In recent years they developed a renewed interest in the potential effects of increasing greenhouse gases on climate. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and the chlorofluorocarbons have been increasing at rates that could significantly change climate. There is considerable uncertainty over the magnitude of this anthropogenic change. The climate system is very complex, with feedback processes that are not fully understood. Moreover, there are two sources of natural climate variability (volcanic aerosols and solar variability) added to the anthropogenic changes which may confuse our interpretation of the observed temperature record. Thus, if we could understand the climatic impact of the natural variability, it would aid our interpretation and understanding of man-made climate changes.

  13. Redundant variables and Granger causality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Angelini, L.; de Tommaso, M.; Marinazzo, D.; Nitti, L.; Pellicoro, M.; Stramaglia, S.

    2010-03-01

    We discuss the use of multivariate Granger causality in presence of redundant variables: the application of the standard analysis, in this case, leads to under estimation of causalities. Using the un-normalized version of the causality index, we quantitatively develop the notions of redundancy and synergy in the frame of causality and propose two approaches to group redundant variables: (i) for a given target, the remaining variables are grouped so as to maximize the total causality and (ii) the whole set of variables is partitioned to maximize the sum of the causalities between subsets. We show the application to a real neurological experiment, aiming to a deeper understanding of the physiological basis of abnormal neuronal oscillations in the migraine brain. The outcome by our approach reveals the change in the informational pattern due to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulations.

  14. Movement variability in the golf swing.

    PubMed

    Langdown, Ben L; Bridge, Matt; Li, Francois-Xavier

    2012-06-01

    Traditionally, golf biomechanics has focused upon achieving consistency in swing kinematics and kinetics, whilst variability was considered to be noise and dysfunctional. There has been a growing argument that variability is an intrinsic aspect of skilled motor performance and plays a functional role. Two types of variability are described: 'strategic shot selection' and 'movement variability'. In 'strategic shot selection', the outcome remains consistent, but the swing kinematics/kinetics (resulting in the desired ball flight) are free to vary; 'movement variability' is the changes in swing kinematics and kinetics from trial to trial when the golfer attempts to hit the same shot. These changes will emerge due to constraints of the golfer's body, the environment, and the task. Biomechanical research has focused upon aspects of technique such as elite versus non-elite kinematics, kinetics, kinematic sequencing, peak angular velocities of body segments, wrist function, ground reaction forces, and electromyography, mainly in the search for greater distance and clubhead velocity. To date very little is known about the impact of variability on this complex motor skill, and it has yet to be fully researched to determine where the trade-off between functional and detrimental variability lies when in pursuit of enhanced performance outcomes.

  15. Solar variability: Implications for global change

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lean, Judith; Rind, David

    1994-01-01

    Solar variability is examined in search of implications for global change. The topics covered include the following: solar variation modification of global surface temperature; the significance of solar variability with respect to future climate change; and methods of reducing the uncertainty of the potential amplitude of solar variability on longer time scales.

  16. On the variability of Vega

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Butkovskaya, V. V.

    2014-06-01

    For 60 years Vega has been accepted as a standard star in the near infrared, optical, and ultraviolet ranges. However, a 21-year spectral and spectrophotometric variability of Vega has been revealed. Vega also demonstrates short-term unexplained variability. Recent spectropolarimetric studies have revealed a weak magnetic field on Vega. We analyze the results of 15-year observations performed at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory and we hypothesize that the magnetic field variation is caused by stellar rotation. In the present work we summarize the results of investigations on the variability of Vega.

  17. Energy density and variability in abundance of pigeon guillemot prey: Support for the quality-variability trade-off hypothesis

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Litzow, Michael A.; Piatt, John F.; Abookire, Alisa A.; Robards, Martin D.

    2004-01-01

    1. The quality-variability trade-off hypothesis predicts that (i) energy density (kJ g-1) and spatial-temporal variability in abundance are positively correlated in nearshore marine fishes; and (ii) prey selection by a nearshore piscivore, the pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba Pallas), is negatively affected by variability in abundance. 2. We tested these predictions with data from a 4-year study that measured fish abundance with beach seines and pigeon guillemot prey utilization with visual identification of chick meals. 3. The first prediction was supported. Pearson's correlation showed that fishes with higher energy density were more variable on seasonal (r = 0.71) and annual (r = 0.66) time scales. Higher energy density fishes were also more abundant overall (r = 0.85) and more patchy at a scale of 10s of km (r = 0.77). 4. Prey utilization by pigeon guillemots was strongly non-random. Relative preference, defined as the difference between log-ratio transformed proportions of individual prey taxa in chick diets and beach seine catches, was significantly different from zero for seven of the eight main prey categories. 5. The second prediction was also supported. We used principal component analysis (PCA) to summarize variability in correlated prey characteristics (energy density, availability and variability in abundance). Two PCA scores explained 32% of observed variability in pigeon guillemot prey utilization. Seasonal variability in abundance was negatively weighted by these PCA scores, providing evidence of risk-averse selection. Prey availability, energy density and km-scale variability in abundance were positively weighted. 6. Trophic interactions are known to create variability in resource distribution in other systems. We propose that links between resource quality and the strength of trophic interactions may produce resource quality-variability trade-offs.

  18. The Challenges of Measuring Glycemic Variability

    PubMed Central

    Rodbard, David

    2012-01-01

    This commentary reviews several of the challenges encountered when attempting to quantify glycemic variability and correlate it with risk of diabetes complications. These challenges include (1) immaturity of the field, including problems of data accuracy, precision, reliability, cost, and availability; (2) larger relative error in the estimates of glycemic variability than in the estimates of the mean glucose; (3) high correlation between glycemic variability and mean glucose level; (4) multiplicity of measures; (5) correlation of the multiple measures; (6) duplication or reinvention of methods; (7) confusion of measures of glycemic variability with measures of quality of glycemic control; (8) the problem of multiple comparisons when assessing relationships among multiple measures of variability and multiple clinical end points; and (9) differing needs for routine clinical practice and clinical research applications. PMID:22768904

  19. Adaptive Variability in Skilled Human Movements

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kudo, Kazutoshi; Ohtsuki, Tatsuyuki

    Human movements are produced in variable external/internal environments. Because of this variability, the same motor command can result in quite different movement patterns. Therefore, to produce skilled movements humans must coordinate the variability, not try to exclude it. In addition, because human movements are produced in redundant and complex systems, a combination of variability should be observed in different anatomical/physiological levels. In this paper, we introduce our research about human movement variability that shows remarkable coordination among components, and between organism and environment. We also introduce nonlinear dynamical models that can describe a variety of movements as a self-organization of a dynamical system, because the dynamical systems approach is a major candidate to understand the principle underlying organization of varying systems with huge degrees-of-freedom.

  20. An evaluation of FIA's stand age variable

    Treesearch

    John D. Shaw

    2015-01-01

    The Forest Inventory and Analysis Database (FIADB) includes a large number of measured and computed variables. The definitions of measured variables are usually well-documented in FIA field and database manuals. Some computed variables, such as live basal area of the condition, are equally straightforward. Other computed variables, such as individual tree volume,...