A simple method of testing the statistical significance of the summary response function derived by Pilcher and Gray is given and applied to European oak data.

Five modern Nothofagus menziesii tree-ring chronologies, developed from sites near the alpine timberline, South Island, New Zealand, are presented. The properties of the chronologies are described; as a group they have high mean sensitivity values (mean of 0.31), moderate autocorrelation values (mean of 0.42) and moderate common variance values (mean of 31 %). One site, lying some 200 km distant from the others, is the least similar of the five chronologies. It is concluded that both the long length of N. menziesii chronologies and the proximity of trees to the alpine timberline present considerable potential for reconstructing palaeotemperatures.

Populus balsamifera grows farther north than any other tree in North America. In northern Alaska, these trees have clear annual growth rings, and reach ages over 230 years. High year-to-year variability in ring widths permitted ready crossdating. A chronology prepared using paired cores from 16 trees exhibits mean sensitivity (0.48) and standard deviation (0.50) values much higher than those obtained from most conifer species in the Arctic. First order autocorrelation (0.43) is also lower than most Arctic species. A strong correlation (r =0.47) with June temperature suggests balsam poplar may provide a good record of growing season temperature.

Dendrochronological problems in dating tropical tree species are responsible for a large gap in global dendroclimatic reconstructions. Study of Cedrela and Juglans in the low-latitude forests of northern Argentina and Bolivia has resulted in development of four chronologies. These genera have good tree-ring characteristics, and statistics indicate that they have good potential for dendroclimatology. Longer series should be obtained from older stands.

Dissertation (M.S.)--The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2008. / Directed by Bruce Kirchoff; submitted to the Dept. of Biology. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Feb. 2, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 134-146).

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. xv-130).

Herbivores are important drivers and have a longstanding history in shaping our terrestrial environments. However, during the past decades, changes in woody vegetation in savanna and forest systems have been observed in southern Africa. Subsequently, concerns have been raised about the loss of (tall) trees in areas with elephant. The relative effects of browsing herbivores on vegetation and the potential browsing interaction with other herbivore species remain unclear and were examined using vegetation transects and exclosure experiments in savanna woodland and Sand Forest. Rainfall, fire and elephant were important savanna determinants. Especially rainfall positively affected woody densities, which were negatively affected by a longer exposure time to elephant, but not to elephant densities itself. In general, within South Africa’s savannas, tree height classes were absent from the population demography. Different height classes were likely to be impacted by different drivers. For example, seedling and sapling densities were greater with longer fire return periods and increased rainfall. The Sand Forest exclosure experiments showed that forest regeneration was impacted by nyala and both elephant and nyala, as the absence of both species increased tree densities. Both species combined, and individually, also affected tree species assemblages. In contrast, short term elephant access to a savanna area did not affect tree densities or species assemblages. In both savanna and Sand Forest elephant displaced mesoherbivores, and in Sand Forest both elephant and mesoherbivores displaced their smaller counterparts. The presence of competitive displacement also affected recruitment (i.e. seedlings and/or saplings) of woody vegetation both in Sand Forest and savanna. Thus, elephant and mesoherbivores exert direct and indirect (i.e. competitive displacement providing a window for recruitment) impact on vegetation. Active management of the herbivore species assemblage affects both vegetation and other herbivores, which effects potentially cascade into lower trophic levels, jeopardising biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Therefore, the full herbivore assemblage present and their combined and individual browsing effects need to be considered when setting management goals to conserve habitats and biodiversity across all trophic levels. In addition some contrasting results between Sand Forest and savanna emphasise the need for caution when extrapolating results from different areas and ecosystems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.

Densitometric, volumetric and paper-making traits of provenances of Pinus caribaea Morelet, P. oocarpa Schiede and P. patula SchiedeariclDeppe ssp. tecunumanii (Eguiluz and Perry) Styles were evaluated. Provenance mean values of densitometric density (DEN) and within tree density variation (VAR) were significantly different (p<0.05) at seven of the fourteen P.caribaea and at one of the seven of P. oocarpa and P. patula ssp. tecunumanii trials. Provenance mean valuesor volume under bark (VUB)and dry matter index (DMI) were significantly (p<0.05) different at all of the P. caribaea and at five of the P. oocarpa and P. patula ssp. tecunumanii trials. The inland provenances of P. caribaea were generally Higher for DEN and VAR than the coastal provenances, he Camelias, Mountain Pine Ridge, Rafael and Yucul provenances of P. patula ssp. tecunumanii were superior to P. oocarpa provenances for VUB and DMI in all of these trials and were superior to P. caribaea at two sites where the species were growing under similar conditions. Evaluation of densitometric races revealed large differences between species, provenances and sites for the width and density of latewood; this could explain much of the variation in VAR between these sources. The analysis of variance was used to assess genotype by environment interaction of DEN and VAR from eleven provenances of P. caribaea var. hondurensis Barrett and Golfari at eleven sites and from five provenances of P. oocarpa and four provenances of P. patula ssp. tecunumanii at sfx sites. Sites and provenances were significantly different for DEN and VAR in both series of trials out the site by provenance term was not statistically significant in either. Indications were that P. caribaea would be expected to have lower values of DEN and VAR at higher altitude. Provenances of P. oocarpa and P. patula ssp. tecunumanii were lower for VAR at sites of lower latitude but there were no individual site factors which could be correlated with DEN in these provenances. The comparison of full-scale pulping with micropulping of small wood samples from felled trees of six pine species in the Eastern Transvaal, South Africa, revealed positive and significant correlations for the pulp yield and paper strength traits. The correlation of tear index and VAR in these trees was positive and significant. Evaluation and analyses of a number of pine species and provenances by micropulping of cores from standing trees revealed significant differences for certain of the paper strength traits. The Caftas provenance of P. oocarpa was unusual in having high values for both tear index and burst index when grown in Zululand. Similar conclusions were reached for provenances of P. patula ssp. tecunumanii grown in the Eastern Transvaal. The conclusions of this thesis were: 1. Site climatic factors did not affect DEN and VAR of the different species and provenances in the same way; 2. The VAR term varied as a result of site, species and provenance; 3. There was no genotype by environment interaction for DEN«*rJ VAR; 4. The correlation of VAR with pulp and paper-making traits indicated that trees with high VAR were superior for tear index to trees with low VAR; 5. Micropulping of small wood samples could be used to assess the paper-making traits of individual trees.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 1994. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.