Old Hickory (1926), a yearbook published by the students of East Tennessee State University, known then as East Tennessee State Teachers College. / https://dc.etsu.edu/yearbooks/1007/thumbnail.jpg

Old Hickory (1929), a yearbook published by the students of East Tennessee State University, known then as East Tennessee State Teachers College. / https://dc.etsu.edu/yearbooks/1010/thumbnail.jpg

Hickory Tree Cave, also known as Big Spring Cave, is located in the southern Appalachians and is known for fossils that are considered to be Quaternary in age. Fossil mammals were identified and assigned to the lowest taxonomical level possible. Most remains are fragmented or digested and it seems likely that various taphonomic processes are responsible for the resulting assemblage. The site lacks the extreme boreal component of Pleistocene cave faunas in the region (e.g. Baker Bluff Cave), with most reported taxa inhabiting Appalachian deciduous forest environments in North America today. While the presence of tapir (Tapirus sp.) suggests a pre-Holocene component for the deposit, the lack of boreal taxa may indicate that deposition occurred during a relatively warm interval.

Six sites within the Denton and Hickory Creek watersheds were sampled over three years to assess the impact of seasonal intermittent stream conditions on the ichthyofauna. An integrated approach using field and laboratory techniques was employed to evaluate the responses of the fishes.

No description available.

Evaluation of the effect of particle cementation on the stiffness of uniform sand was carried out by measuring compression wave velocities (VP) and shear wave velocities (VS) on both clean and artificially cemented specimens. Piezoelectric transducers (PT) were used to perform the majority of the measurements. Shear wave velocity (VS), shear moduli (G) and material damping ratio (D) of clean and artificially cemented specimens were also determined using resonant column (RC) testing. Linear (shearing strains ≤ 0.001%) and nonlinear (shearing strains > 0.001%) behavior of the specimens were evaluated in the resonant column tests. The sand selected for this investigation is commonly known as Hickory sand, from the Hickory formation, western Llano uplift, Texas. This material was selected for its grain geometry and gradation; it consists of uniformly graded sand with rounded particles. The sand specimens were artificially cemented with a solution of hydrated sodium silicate and water. Sodium silicate is an alkaline compound obtained from the reaction of sodium hydroxide and silica. All artificially cemented specimens and uncemented hickory sand specimens were formed by pluviation through air. The microstructure of the specimens was visually assessed with images obtained from both optical and scanning electron (SEM) microscopes. These images confirmed that the procedure used to form artificially cemented specimens provides cementation around the contacts while some grain-to-grain contact appears to be preserved. Seismic and drained strength measurements on Hickory sand specimens were obtained from different cement concentrations and compared with results from clean sand specimens. Among the findings of this investigation are: (1) the procedure to artificially cement sand specimens in the laboratory was successful, (2) the slopes (nP and nS) obtained from the relationships between compression and shear wave velocities with effective isotropic confining pressure in log-log scale decrease as the cement content increases, and (3) as increasing amounts of cement are added to the sand particles, the nonlinearity of the specimens increases up to certain amount of cement, after which the nonlinearity of the specimen decreases and tends towards rock-like behavior. / text

Several reports of widespread establishment of mesophytic vegetation within oak-hickory upland forests have been documented throughout the Central Hardwoods Region. Previous studies suggest deviations from historic disturbance regimes may be a primary driver of vegetation change, necessitating the use of Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) guidelines to measure changes in forest structure. Current parameters of forest structure and fuel loading were assessed within mature oak-hickory uplands throughout the ecological subsections of the Shawnee National Forest, including the Greater Shawnee Hills, Lesser Shawnee Hills, Cretaceous Hills, and the Illinois Ozarks. Present species importance values and forest structure were compared with reference conditions developed from General Land Office records(Fralish et al. 2002). Current uplands contained an average 214.72 ± 16.52 SE trees/ac and 103.37 ± 2.16 SE ft2 BA/ac, while reference stands harbored less than 90 trees/ac with a range of 16 and 120 ft2 BA/ac. Due to the high levels of fragmentation and a lack of large contiguous upland stands within the Shawnee National Forest, stand level criteria for FRCC values were developed as opposed to landscape level FRCC values which are commonly used. FRCC values determined during initial surveys were compared with plot level ratios of forest structure parameters regarding oaks:mesophytes and xerophytes:mesophytes, yielding clear relationships between species composition and FRCC values. Fuel loading (tons/ac) was assessed as a determinant of FRCC values, however a significant relationship between FRCC values and fuel loading was not discovered. Since widespread deviations from the historic fire regime have taken place since the early 20th century, Fire Regime Condition Class values were found to fall into the FRCC 2 and 3 categories without any stands representing FRCC 1. This determination requires future management practices to follow Fire Regime Condition Class guidelines. The study proved that mesophytic species have become established within all canopy strata, with a strong probability of gaining future dominance without active forest management. Although it is clear that forest structure has deviated from reference conditions, a strong oak-hickory overstory component found throughout the study area provides a potential resource to sustain future oak-hickory upland ecosystems.

Oak-dominated forest has declined in the eastern United States as shade-tolerant species (e.g., maple [Acer spp.]) replace oaks (Quercus spp.), sparking concern among ecologists regarding species that consume acorns. My goal was to describe how increasing mesophication of oak forests may affect consumers in higher trophic levels. I investigated relationships among forest composition, mast production, small-mammal density, and carnivore occurrence in 8 stands representing 4 forest types (upland oak, mixed-mesophytic, non-oak, and bottomland oak) in southern Illinois. I calculated tree-species richness, basal area, and other measures of forest composition using 3 0.04-ha plots/stand. In June-August 2009 and 2010, I live-trapped small mammals for 16,236 trap-nights with trapping webs to estimate population density of mice (Peromyscus spp.). I collected mast seeds during October-November 2009 and 2010 and calculated average dry biomass (g/m2) for each species and stand. During winter 2009-2011, I photographed carnivores using baited camera traps and combined these data with those from stands used in a concomitant large-scale carnivore survey. I regressed mast biomass, Peromyscus density, Peromyscus survival, and carnivore occurrence on measures of forest composition and hard-mast biomass. Peromyscus summer density was not related to % hard-mast basal area, nor to hard-mast biomass from the previous autumn. Survival of Peromyscus in 2010 displayed a significant positive relationship with hard-mast biomass in 2009 (F1,6 = 7.85, P = 0.04, r2 = 0.61). Logistic regressions of carnivore occurrence on Peromyscus density were not significant. Coyote (Canis latrans) occurrence at my sites and additional sites during January-April 2010 decreased with increasing % hard-mast basal area (x2 = 4.64, df = 1, P = 0.03). Bobcat (Lynx rufus) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) occurrence showed no relationship with % hard-mast basal area. Many other studies have demonstrated links of several species to oak forest, but the scale of this study may have been too small to detect effects of mesophication. Alternatively, small-mammal density may be influenced by invertebrate prey abundance or weather conditions. The landscape matrix of oak-hickory forest may also act to homogenize Peromyscus density across my study sites. Longer-term research could help clarify relationships among trophic levels. It is important for managers to consider techniques that may conserve oak forest.

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have considerable impacts on woody and herbaceous vegetation. Many oak-hickory forests in the eastern U.S. are experiencing a lack of oak (Quercus) and hickory (Carya) regeneration, with deer being a likely culprit. Furthermore, few have studied deer use of different herbaceous food plot mixtures. I addressed these gaps in the literature by assessing deer impacts on forest and herbaceous vegetation in southern Illinois. I established 150 paired plots (enclosed and control) in June 2015 and measured 25 habitat variables to assess impacts of deer herbivory from August 2015 to August 2016. Oak seedlings were present more often and in higher numbers within enclosed plots (F1,299 = 6.25, P < 0.050 and F1,387 = 4.50, P < 0.050, respectively). There were no differences in the height of oak seedlings or the presence, number, or height of hickory seedlings in enclosed versus control plots (F1,53 = 0.010, P = 0.938; F1,299 = 0.850, P = 0.357; F1,267 = 1.16, P = 0.282; and F1,15 = 0.030, P = 0.855; respectively). During September-November 2015, I counted and marked fallen acorns within 50 random paired plots; the number of acorns discovered or lost did not differ between enclosed and control plots (F1,94 = 0.310, P = 0.578 and F1,8 = 0.120, P = 0.736, respectively). I suggest managers incorporate potential deer impacts when designing management plans to best encourage oak regeneration. During September-November 2015, I established 16 food plots (half tilled; each 0.05 ha in size), planted to 4 food plot types. I compared Big Tine Buck Brunch, Evolved Harvest Throw & Gro, Antler King No Sweat, and a food plot mixture that I created. I measured deer use via 2 methods: vegetation growth in exclosures versus control (i.e., unfenced) areas and camera traps. Deer used all 4 food plot mixtures (n = 292 – 2,522 pictures/plot over 9 weeks), having a negative impact on mean vegetation height outside of exclosures (F3,1148 = 6.71, P < 0.001). Analysis of camera data indicated that deer did not preferentially use any one food plot mixture over the others (F3,12 = 0.090, P > 0.050). There also was no difference in the proportion of deer pictured in the process of eating within each food plot mixture (F3,12 = 0.592, P > 0.050). I suggest any of these 4 food plot varieties could be planted by a hunter or wildlife manager in the Midwest and observe similar use by deer.

For the last 9,000-10,000 years the Central Hardwood Region (CHR) has been primarily composed of a mosaic of mesophytic communities in climax and communities of successional forest types dominated by oak (Quercus Linnaeus) and hickory (Carya Nuttall). Shade intolerant oak/hickory dominated forest types have been maintained by natural disturbance processes in synergy with anthropogenic causes, resulting in a large composition of communities which are neither at climatic nor edaphic climax. Reduction in fire events, thinning, forest grazing, and other disturbance processes over the last 80-100 years have coincided with decreased regeneration of shade intolerant species due to lack of adequate light availability and recruitment of shade tolerant species of communities dominated by American beech (Fagus grandifolia L.) and maple (Acer saccharum L.) into the overstory of forests typically dominated by oak/hickory. Forest inventory data at Trail of Tears State Forest was analyzed across two separate time events (1980 and 2014) to determine compositional and structural changes which have occurred. Density, basal area, and community patterns via ordination were compared across six Ecological Land Types (ELTs) to determine topography’s effect on composition. Community trends were analyzed via NMS Ordination and between ELTs by a Mantel Test. A Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRRP) was also used as a nonparametric method for assessing differences between ELTs examined in the NMS. Density and basal area between years for species, ELT, and species*ELT interactions were compared. Across all ELTs, between 1980 and 2014, overstory density decreased from 218 trees/ac in 1980 to 180 trees/ac in 2014 and basal area increased from 98 ft2/ac in 1980 to 106 ft2/ac in 2014. Maple basal area increased from 5 ft2/ac to 12 ft2/ac while beech increased from 1 ft2/ac to 8ft2/ac, signifying progression of these species from the understory up into the canopy. The component of soft masting species within the forest has also decreased sharply in the last 34 years. MRPP analysis of overstory compositional gradients reported distinct species compositions between ELTs, however the trend was weak (MRPP: p < 0.001, A = 0.038). NMDS ordination graphs confirmed MRPP showing little separation among ELTs. The final stress was 18.71146 and instability was < 0.01 after 212 iterations (Table 6). Our research at TTSF is a clear example of oak/hickory succession to beech maple on an upland site among species community types as delineated by topographic moisture gradient (ELTs) within the CHR. Expansion of beech and maple onto xeric ELTs suggests a breakdown of edaphic barriers that have previously been thought to be resistant to encroachment from mesophytic species. Currently oak decline induced by lack of management is likely the number one forest health issue resulting in loss of oak/hickory and other soft masting species.