Conflict and agriculture have a long, shared history. The purpose of this research is to look at the relationships between agriculture, agricultural technologies, and conflict during current and recent conflicts, large scale and localized. Agriculture and its related technologies are often affected by conflict, but rarely acknowledged as a cause or solution to conflict. Literature reviews in six topic areas illustrate various facets of the relationship between agriculture and conflict. Research conducted in Santa Cruz del Quiché, Guatemala illustrates the ways farmers were impacted by the country’s civil war. It also examines farmer survival strategies during the war, and reveals the presence of minor localized conflict over water resources. Conflict over land is not a major concern at present. Market access for inputs and outputs are shown to have been a problem for a number of farmers during the civil war. The poverty of Santa Cruz farmers indicates that much could be gained by rural development. Research is unable to support the hypotheses that agricultural technologies have prevented or caused conflict in Santa Cruz del Quiché, or that they have played a large role in recovery from the country’s civil war. The author recommends that future research be undertaken in regions with a diverse set of agricultural technologies, and/or a recent history of significant technological change in agriculture. Policy recommendations include providing secure access to markets during war time, increasing capacity for home-based rural production, and continuing research into resilient crops. Finally, the author suggests that the responsible decision to develop, adopt, or introduce an agricultural technology must take into account the social consequences of that decision, including how the new technology may alleviate or contribute to conflict.

Oak savannas are among the most imperiled ecosystems in the United States as a result of habitat degradation and consequently, associated vegetation and wildlife communities have also declined. I evaluated savanna restoration strategies on twelve case studies in Tennessee and Kentucky. These case studies represented a broad range of disturbances and the most advanced savanna restoration sites within the region. I evaluated vegetation and breeding bird responses to landscape and overstory conditions across sites through a meta-analysis. Total grass and forb cover were influenced by overstory metrics but not by topography (P >0.05). Oak regeneration density was influenced by canopy cover, while oak competitor regeneration density was influenced by percent slope and sapling density (P <0.05). With respect to breeding birds, I found forest species persisted within case studies despite substantial disturbance; shrub/scrub birds were common on disturbed sites. Only three obligate grassland bird species, Tyrannus tyrannus, Aimophila aestivalis, Spiza americana, were observed on my sites. Relative abundance of Passerina cyanea was positively related to the groundlayer development; whereas that of Melanerpes erythrocephalus was positively related to basal area of dead trees (P <0.05). Based on my results, canopy reduction and growing-season burns may both be critical for the restoration of savannas within the region. Drum-chopping is a tool that may expedite oak savanna restoration through improved woody competition control, however, its effectiveness has not been investigated. Therefore, I evaluated drum-chopping effects on vegetative structure at Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, Tennessee, during 2008 and 2009 using two adjacent sites with similar fire and overstory removal histories. One site was subjected to drum-chopping in September of 2007, while an adjacent site (control) was not chopped. Drum-chopping reduced grass and forb cover, and oak seedling density, but increased bare ground and density of vines and shrubs versus the control (P <0.05). Except for bare ground, differences were no longer apparent in the second year. Based on my results, drum chopping may reduce midstory vegetation too thick to be effectively controlled by fire, but otherwise has limited utility as a restoration tool. Although wildlife managers have tried to restore savannas using prescribed fire and overstory canopy removal, use of other tools may be warranted. One such method is drum-chopping, which has been used elsewhere to reduce woody competition. However, the effectiveness of this method in restoring oak savannas has not been evaluated. Therefore, I evaluated drum-chopping effects on plant composition at Catoosa Wildlife Management Area on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. Two adjacent sites with similar fire and overstory removal histories were selected for this study. One of these sites was subjected to drum-chopping (CHOP) in September of 2007, the adjacent site was not chopped (NOCHOP). Grass cover differed by treatment (P <0.01) and year*treatment (P = 0.03). Forb cover differed by treatment (P <0.01) and legume cover differed by year (P <0.01), treatment (P <0.01), and year*treatment (P = 0.01). Exposed bare ground differed by year (P <0.01) and treatment (P <0.01). Exposed leaf litter differed by year (P <0.01). Vines and shrubs (<1.37m tall) differed by treatment (P <0.01). Oak seedling (0-30.48 cm tall) densities differed by treatment (P = 0.05). Based on my results, drum chopping may be a valuable tool where woody encroachment has become too thick for fire to be effective or herbicides are not a viable option, but otherwise has limited utility as a tool for oak savanna restoration.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 214-218). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2001. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 225-231). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (M. App. Sc.)--University of Queensland, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources." Includes bibliographical references (p. 41-47).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Robert E. Deyle, Florida State University, College of Social Sciences, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 16, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.) in Marine Policy--University of Maine, 2009. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 170-181).

Thesis (M.L. Arch.)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-157).