SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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An Analysis of Runoff Ratios Across Urbanizing Gradients
Get PDFThis study examines precipitation and streamflow patterns in watersheds in the Bronx, New York and Baltimore, Maryland to analyze runoff ratios, the ratio of runoff to precipitation, across varying levels of urbanization. i-Tree Hydro was also utilized to assess its effectiveness at modeling urban hydrology. NEXRAD precipitation data and USGS streamflow measurements were used to calculate monthly average runoff ratios for five watersheds of varying land cover characteristics. This data, supplemented by weather station data from BWI Airport, was also used to run the i-Tree Hydro model. Streamflow predictions from this model were used to calculate average monthly runoff ratios for comparison to the above estimates. Both the watershed-specific NEXRAD precipitation data and the BWI Airport precipitation data were used to calculate runoff ratios and run i-Tree Hydro. With both datasets, differences were shown between the runoff ratios of the watersheds with the greatest and least percentages of tree cover during summer months, indicating the importance of tree cover as a valuable resource for reducing runoff during high warmer months when evapotranspiration is high. This could be particularly valuable in cities susceptible to heavy precipitation in the summer months, such as Baltimore. At these sites, the i-Tree Hydro model was shown to take into account land cover, while underestimating the effect of seasonal changes on ET and subsequent runoff ratios
Assessing the Socioecological Restoration Potential of Successional Lacandon Maya Agroforestry in the Lacandon Rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico
No full textAlthough it covers less than 1% of Mexico’s land area, the Lacandon rainforest of Chiapas contains approximately a quarter of the plant and animal species found in the country, making the area a global biodiversity hotspot. Despite its diversity, almost half of the historic rainforest area has been deforested and 7% of the remaining forest cover is lost annually. Ecosystem restoration can help curtail these trends, but many restoration projects organized in the region fail in the long term because they do not involve the participation of local people or consider their socio-economic needs. Socioecological restoration that jointly addresses disruption of both social and ecological systems offers a potential alternative to ecologically-focused restoration. The Lacandon Maya are an indigenous group who have lived in the Lacandon rainforest for hundreds of years. Over this time, they have developed a sustainable agroforestry system which has provided them with the subsistence they need to survive without degrading local ecosystems. My research assesses whether the Lacandon Maya agroforestry system can serve as a framework for effective socioecological restoration in the tropical rainforest ecosystems in the Lacandon region of Chiapas, Mexico. To meet these objectives, I performed a holistic assessment of the diversity, structure, functions, and services of traditional, successional, swidden, Lacandon agroforests. My results indicate that several tree species planted by Lacandon farmers augment soil fertility and suppress the populations of pests that would hamper vegetation growth. Lacandon agroforests support diverse avian communities that became increasingly similar to those of mature forest. Lacandon milpa management can meet the nutritional needs of rural smallholder families by providing a diverse diet. Secondary agroforest management facilitates aboveground vegetation and organic matter structure succession to levels similar to mature forest. These results demonstrate that Lacandon agroforestry management principles can be incorporated into socioecological restoration plans that can address the ultimate causes of rainforest degradation in the Lacandon region of Chiapas. In so doing, they can enhance the resilience of local socioecological systems by ensuring ecosystem structures and processes, as well as the livelihoods, cultural integrity, and sovereignty of rural smallholders are sustained. This underscores the importance of maintaining Lacandon traditional ecological knowledge
Beaver Foraging Preferences and Impacts on Forest Structure in New York’s Adirondack Mountains
Get PDFBeavers (Castor canadensis) are ecosystem engineers, causing changes at the landscape level due to a combination of their damming and foraging activities. As beaver dam streams, create ponds, and maintain canopy openings, the comprehensive impacts of beaver constitute a rare source of ongoing disturbance in the forests of northeastern North America. Though the behaviors and impacts of beaver on riparian communities have been well studied in several forest regions, they are poorly understood within forests of the northeastern United States, where beaver populations are still rebounding following regional extirpation, and beaver impacts to the forest potentially represent an important source of disturbance in a region where other drivers such as fire and timber cutting have been greatly reduced over the last century. Given the unique composition, management history, and disturbance regimes of forests within this region, there is a need for new research to quantify impacts in this region and to compare beaver foraging preferences and disturbance impacts to other regions. In this context, I conducted field surveys throughout New York’s Adirondack State Park in summer 2018 to assess beaver foraging preferences and the impacts of beaver activity on forest structure and composition. Across 19 sites distributed broadly across the Park, beavers preferentially harvested stems between 2 and 10 centimeters, with the 2 to 5 centimeter size class most preferred overall. Deciduous tree species were preferentially harvested, with typically disfavored species such as American beech (Fagus grandifolia) harvested at higher rates than in studies from other regions. Logistic regression models showed clear foraging preferences for stems closer to the impoundment of intermediate sizes for all modeled groupings and species. Impacts on forest structure generally resembled those found in other regions, while preferred species differed greatly. Understanding the impacts beavers will have on forests in the Northeast is crucially important as beaver continue to recolonize their historic range, creating new management challenges and opportunities in years to come
BROOK TROUT SALVELINUS FONTINALIS DISTRIBUTION, GENETIC DIVERSITY, AND HABITAT USE IN AN ADIRONDACK RIVER SYSTEM, NEW YORK
Get PDFThis study examined population dynamics, ecology, genetic diversity, and habitat use of wild Brook Trout in tributaries of the East Branch Ausable River, NY from headwaters to mouth. Brook Trout population abundance was estimated and fish community composition was documented along the longitudinal gradient of the East Branch Ausable River. Brook Trout were found throughout this watershed, and multivariate analysis demonstrates that habitat variables influence community assemblage. In addition to elevation, gradients of forest cover, temperature, and percent impervious surfaces explained variation of fish distribution in this watershed. Population genetic analyses demonstrated that natural reproduction of wild and hatchery fish is occurring in the headwaters. Brook Trout in the headwaters of the Ausable River are an admixed population of wild and domestic-Temiscamie fish, and results show lasting effects of fish stocking on the genetic diversity and population status of this system
Hopanoids and lipid biomarkers as indicators of microbial communities in modern microbialites from Fayetteville Green Lake, NY and Great Salt Lake, UT
Get PDFMicrobialites are composed of a complex community of microbes whose net metabolic activity results in the deposition of carbonate rock. Modern microbialite structures actively grow in a variety of environments and are similar to the oldest preserved form of life on Earth. This research used lipid biomarkers to study the microbial composition of microbialites from a freshwater meromictic lake (Fayetteville Green Lake, NY) and a hypersaline shallow lake (Great Salt Lake, UT). Lipid biomarkers are useful for tracking similarities and differences in the autotrophic and heterotrophic community with variable growth conditions. This work focused on the hopanoid biomarkers, bacterial cellular membrane components preserved in ancient microbial carbonates. Hopanoid biomarkers including diploptene, hop-21-ene, diplopterol, tetrahymanol, bacteriohopanetetrol, and 2-methyl forms were present in microbialite samples, indicating similarities in microbial communities. The microbialites in New York and Utah are valuable for their broad applicability to studying past microbial life
Students in the coating lab 202 Walters with Supercalendar Machine in foreground Coater in background
No full textA group of five male students working with a Supercalendar Machine and Coater in the coating lab, room 202, of Walters Hall
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Applying plastic finish to paper
No full textAn unknown male student applying plastic finish to paper in a lab
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Handsheets conditioning in the temperature humidity controlled lab
No full textUnknown students placing handsheets up for conditioning in the temperature humidity controlled lab
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Student inspecting chipper blades with protective coil removed
No full textAn unknown male student inspecting chipper blades with the protective coil removed. The chipper is still in use circa 2017.
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Three males looking at document
No full textThree unknown males standing together reviewing a document
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