A silviculturist needs to know how productivity of all tree species under management varies with the ecological determinants of site quality, i.e., the environmental factors that directly affect the growth of plants - light, heat, soil moisture, soil nutrients, and soil aeration. A good understanding of this variation is necessary for making biologically viable, speciesand site specific silvicultural decisions. Productivity of a given species is usually measured by site index (top tree height at 50 years at breast height age). Quantified relationships between site index of a given species and ecological measures of site quality provide predictive models for estimating site index for all sites on which the species may grow. Western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) is an important tree species in southern central and eastern British Columbia. It grows mainly in the IDF, ICH, and MS zones on moderately dry through very moist sites and on poor through very rich sites. In view of this relatively wide ecological amplitude, a large variation in productivity could be expected. In the study summarized here, relationships between larch site index and selected ecological measures of site quality were examined, and a site index model using these measures as predictors was developed.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-205).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998. / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-205).

Submitted by Claudia Rocha (claudia.rocha@udesc.br) on 2018-03-07T12:37:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PGCS16MA144.pdf: 1847024 bytes, checksum: b5325fff6f19f3a1b0badd1a09295544 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-07T12:37:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGCS16MA144.pdf: 1847024 bytes, checksum: b5325fff6f19f3a1b0badd1a09295544 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-11-30 / Capes / Because the timber potential, rapid growth and adaptation to edaphoclimatic conditions, the Australian cedar has been outstanding in the segment of sawn wood. The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of the inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the accumulation of nutrients, growth and quality of Australian cedar seedlings. The production of the seedlings was conducted in a greenhouse for 150 days. The seedlings were produced from seeds sown directly in the pot. The treatments containing the AMF were: Entrophospora colombiana, Acaulospora morrowiae, mixed inoculum (E. colombiana + A. morrowiae) and SF (control). Transplanting was carried out in the municipality of Dona Emma - SC, where the experimental design was completely randomized blocks, with factorial scheme 4 x 3. The first factor was fungal treatment, while the second factor was N, P and K fertilization, with (22.5 kg ha-1 urea, 67.5 kg ha-1 P2O5, 33.7 kg ha-1 K2O) and 1 dose (45 kg ha-1 urea, 135 kg ha-1 P2O5, 67.5 kg ha-1 K2O). The 4 plants of the useful plot were collected after 120 days of transplanting. The variables height, dry matter of shoot, root dry matter, stem diameter, mycorrhizal colonization and N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents of the plant tissue of the cedar seedlings were evaluated. The quality indexes of seedlings were calculated. The results showed that the seedlings inoculated with mixed inoculum varied between 25 and 31 cm in height, and myotrophism was observed. E. colombiana and mixed inoculum provided increase of MSPA, MSR and DC. A. morrowiae and mixed inoculum showed greater mycorrhizal colonization. The inoculated seedlings presented higher H / DC and higher MSPA / MSR. A. morrowiae presented the lowest IQD. E. colombiana showed to be superior in the absorption of N. The treatments with FMAs showed positive influence on P. A. morrowiae and without fungus were not efficient in the absorption of K and Ca / Em virtude do seu potencial madeireiro, rápido crescimento e adaptação às condições edafoclimáticas, o cedro australiano tem se destacado no segmento de madeira serrada. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito da inoculação de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares sobre o acúmulo de nutrientes, crescimento e qualidade de mudas de cedro australiano. A produção das mudas foi conduzida em casa de vegetação durante 150 dias. As mudas foram produzidas a partir de sementes semeadas diretamente no vaso. Os tratamentos contendo os FMAs foram: Entrophospora colombiana, Acaulospora morrowiae, inóculo misto (E. colombiana + A. morrowiae) e SF (controle). O transplantio foi realizado no município de Dona Emma – SC, onde o delineamento experimental foi em blocos inteiramente casualizados, com esquema fatorial 4 x 3, com 3 repetições. O primeiro fator foi o tratamento fúngico enquanto que o segundo fator foi adubação N, P e K, com três doses: 0 (sem adubação), 0,5 (22,5 kg ha-1 de ureia; 67,5 kg ha-1 de P2O5; 33,7 kg ha-1 de K2O) e 1 dose (45 kg ha-1 de ureia; 135 kg ha-1 de P2O5; 67,5 kg ha-1 de K2O). Coletou-se as 4 plantas da parcela útil após 120 dias do transplantio. Foram avaliadas as variáveis altura, matéria seca da parte aérea, matéria seca da raiz, diâmetro do caule, colonização micorrízica e os teores de N, P, K, Ca e Mg do tecido vegetal da parte aérea das mudas e calculados os índices de qualidade de mudas. Os resultados mostraram que as mudas inoculadas com inóculo misto variaram entre 25 e 31 cm de altura, sendo observado micotrofismo. E. colombiana e inóculo misto proporcionaram aumento de MSPA, MSR e DC. A. morrowiae e inóculo misto apresentaram maior colonização micorrízica. As mudas quando inoculadas apresentaram maior H/DC e maior MSPA/MSR. A. morrowiae apresentou o menor IQD. E. colombiana mostrou-se superior na absorção de N. Os tratamentos com FMAs apresentaram influência positiva sobre P. A. morrowiae e sem fungo não foram eficientes na absorção de K e Ca

Cedrela fissilis Vell. é árvore alta (10 a 30 m) por 40 a 50 cm de diâmetro. Tronco retilíneo com sapopemas pouco desenvolvidas ou ausentes, mas quando atacado pela broca do ponteiro, Hypsipila grandela, é tortuoso. Casca grossa, dura, fissurada, de marrom a pardo - acinzentada. Folhas alternas com 8 a 24 pares de folíolos. Flores actinomorfas, unissexuadas, de 5 a 10 mm de comprimento reunidas em tirsos axilares. Os frutos são cápsulas lenhosas deiscentes de 3 a 10 cm de comprimento, que encerram de 30 a 300 sementes aladas, com até 35 mm de comprimento por 15 mm de largura. A polinização é realizada por insetos, possivelmente mariposas e abelhas e a dispersão de sementes é anemocórica. C. fissilis é uma das espécies arbóreas mais ameaçadas pelo corte seletivo e destruição da Mata Atlântica no centro-sul do Brasil, sua principal área de ocorrência, tornando a conservação dos seus recursos genéticos extremamente ameaçada pela redução populacional que vem sofrendo. Por outro lado, esta espécie tem um grande potencial para produção de madeira de alta qualidade, principalmente em plantios mistos, que estão se tornando economicamente viáveis pela escassez de madeira no mercado nacional e internacional, bem como, está sendo também muito utilizada em projetos de restauração de florestas tropicais. Neste contexto, torna-se fundamental o estudo da diversidade genética das populações remanescentes desta espécie e da estruturação desta diversidade. Este trabalho analisou dez populações de C. fissilis em cinco estados da região centro-sul do Brasil, visando analisar sua estrutura genética e inferir estratégias para sua conservação, bem como estabelecer critérios para a utilização dos recursos genéticos existentes. Foram desenvolvidos nove locos microssatélites para a espécie revelando 130 alelos em todas as populações. A endogamia nas populações foi relativamente baixa. As populações apresentaram diferenciação genética segundo o modelo de isolamento pela distância. As populações tanto da floresta estacional semidecidual como da floresta ombrófila densa apresentaram maior similaridade entre si. A estrutura genética interna de duas populações (Parque Estadual Intervales SP e Parque Estadual do Rio Doce - MG) mostrou uma distribuição aleatória dos genótipos. Já na população da Reserva Florestal do Matão PR, a estruturação espacial foi significativa, revelando uma similaridade genética entre os indivíduos mais próximos (até 30m). Indivíduos jovens e adultos foram analisados em duas populações (Parque Estadual Intervales - SP e Reserva Florestal do Matão PR) revelando uma diversidade gênica semelhante para os dois estádios nas duas populações. No entanto, observa-se uma tendência de aumento da diversidade gênica e diminuição de endogamia nos adultos em relação aos jovens. Estes dados permitem também inferir sobre outras espécies florestais similares, uma vez que não existem dados disponíveis sobre a diversidade genética em grandes regiões geográficas em espécies arbóreas da Mata Atlântica. / Cedrela fissilis Vell. is a high tree (10 a 30 m) with a DBH between 40 and 50 cm. Rectilinear trunk with little developed or absent sapopemas, but when attacked by the Cedar Shoot Borer is crooked. Thick, hard, brown to gray bark. Alternate leaves from 8 to 24 leaflet pairs. Actinomorfic unisexual flowers, from 5 to 10 mm length, produced in groups. Fruits are wood deiscent capsules from 3 to 10 cm length, with 30 to 300 winged seeds, till 35 mm length by 15 mm wide. Pollination is conducted by insects, probably moths and bees and seed dispersion is anemocoric. Cedrela fissilis is one of the most endangered tree species due to the selective logging and destruction of Atlantic Forest in southern-center Brazil, its main distribution region. On the other side, this species has a grate production potential of a high quality wood, mainly in mixed stands, what becomes economically viable because the lack of wood in national and international market, as well as it is being used in restoration projects of tropical forests. Besides these facts, the conservation of genetic resources of this species is very critical by the drastic population reduction that it is suffering. In this context, it becomes very important the study of the genetic diversity of the remnant populations of this species and the structure of this variation. This study analyzed ten natural populations of C. fissilis in five states in the southern-center region of Brazil, aiming to examine their genetic structure and infer strategies for genetic conservation, as well as, establishes criteria to use the genetic resources. Nine microssatellites loci were developed for this species and revealed 130 alleles in all populations. Populations inbreeding was relatively low. Populations presented genetic differentiation following the isolation by distance model. Populations from the seasonal semi deciduous forest, as well as from the evergreen forest presented higher similarity among them. Internal genetic structure of two populations (Intervales State Park SP and Rio Doce State Park - MG) showed a random spatial distribution of genotypes. The population of Matão Forest Reserve PR showed a significant spatial structure, revealing a genetic similarity among near trees (till 30 m). Juveniles and adult plants were analyzed in two populations (Intervales State Park - SP and Matão Forest Reserve PR), showing similar genetic diversity for the two classes in both populations. But, we observe a tendency of increase in genetic diversity and decrease in inbreeding in adult plants in relation to juveniles. These data also allow inferring about other similar tree species, since there is no available data on the genetic diversity of Atlantic Forest tree species in large geographical regions.

The Lower Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation preserves several vertebrate faunas and has the potential of providing critical timing information pertaining to Early Cretaceous dinosaurs and the Sierran magmatic arc. Historically, the Morrison/Cedar Mountain contact and the duration of the unconformity between them have been difficult or impossible to determine because 1) the formations were deposited in similar environments, 2) the basal Cedar Mountain Formation is composed of reworked Morrison Formation, and 3) there are no radiometric ages for the lower Cedar Mountain Formation. A stratigraphic study through central Utah reveals a diagnostic suite of pedogenic and sedimentologic characters across the previously enigmatic boundary. The uppermost Morrison Formation is characterized by redoximorphic paleosol features, including iron concentrations, manganese-coated grains, and intense red-purple-green mottling. Upsection increases in chert-pebble lags and channelized conglomerates within the paleosol section indicate a period of reduced accommodation space in the Tithonian. The paleosols are usually capped by a groundwater or pedogenic carbonate. This unit is consistently present from Green River, Utah to the Utah-Colorado border. The lower Cedar Mountain Formation above this package is a poorly sorted mixture of fine-grained material and sand-gravel sized chert grains. Within a sequence stratigraphic framework, these characters record a terrestrial sequence boundary in the uppermost Morrison Formation and degradational-aggradational systems tracts in the Cedar Mountain Formation. To resolve the lack of age control for the basal Cedar Mountain Formation, a geochronologic zircon study was conducted near the Dalton Wells dinosaur quarry, Moab, Utah. The Dalton Wells quarry, along with numerous other fossil assemblages occurs in the basal Yellowcat Member. Zircons from the Dalton Wells quarry and a correlative eggshell site place the age of this horizon near the Barremian/Aptian boundary at ~124 Ma. Thus, the Yellowcat fauna is time equivalent with the feathered dinosaurs of the Yixian Formation, of Liaoning, China. This age constrains the Morrison/Cedar Mountain unconformity to a period of magmatic quiescence in western North America from 148 Ma-124 Ma. The basal Cedar Mountain age coincides with renewed magmatic activity at ~125 Ma. The Cedar Mountain Formation covers a period of 27 Myr and likely contains numerous small unconformities.

Cirka 8 mil väster om Stockholm ligger Strängnäs. En mindre stad som har sina rötter i den svenska medeltiden. Då staden under många år inte haft någon egentlig publik samlingsbyggnad så blev idén med att uppföra en stadshall nere vid hamnområdet en positiv och spännande utmaning. De essentiella faktorerna som kom att specifikt ligga till grund för utformandet av "Strengnes stadshall" är därför följande: - Att utmana norrläget genom att låta ljuset/solen nå byggkropparnas "väsentliga" delar, samt omgivningen med boenden som idag har fullt exponerat söder- och västläge. Därför anpassas byggnadens höjd och takvinklar till solens bana. - Att skapa en fysiskt "lätt" och följsam struktur som samtidigt dockar minimalt mot den söderliggande tegelbyggnaden vilket samtidigt skapar en takgårdsplats som öppnar sig mot hamnområdet i väst och kvällssol. - Att arbeta efter en estetisk formel med en exteriör materialitet som allierar sig med den "lilla" staden och det torgliknande hamnområdet. Byggnaden består därav av två sammanlänkade byggkroppar med två huvudsakliga funktioner där begrepp som "nytta och nöje" samspelar i de olika rumsligheterna. Med hänsyn till fastighetens exponering mot bland annat den stora öppna torgytan åt väster har beaktande därför tagits i såväl det invändiga som det utvändiga rummet, både i termer av visuell och funktionell upplevelse. / About 50 miles west of Stockholm is Strängnäs located. A small town that has its roots in the Swedish Middle Ages. Since the city for many years did not have any actual public collection building, the idea of ​​creating a city hall down by the harbor area became a positive and exciting challenge. The essential factors that came to specifically form the basis for designing the "Strengnes City Hall" are therefore the following: - To challenge the northern position by letting the light / sun reach the "essential" parts of the building bodies, as well as the surroundings with accommodation that today has fully exposed sunlight from south and west. Therefore, the height of the building and ceiling angles are adapted to the sun's path. - Creating a physically "light" and compliant structure that at the same time docks minimally against the south-facing brick building, which at the same time creates a courtyard on the roof that opens to the harbor area in the west and evening sun. - Working according to an aesthetic formula with an exterior materiality that alloys itself with the "small" town and the square-like harbor area. The building therefore consists of two interconnected building bodies with two main functions where concepts such as "utility and pleasure" interact in the different spatialities. With regard to the property's exposure to the large open square area to the west, consideration has therefore been taken in both the interior as well as the exterior room, both in terms of visual and functional experience.

Presented within this thesis are three studies on three rare and imperiled Southeastern woody plant species: mountain stewartia (Stewartia ovata), Atlantic white-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), and Miller's witch-alder (Fothergilla milleri). This work contributes to the ecological understanding of these three species allowing for better-informed conservation decision-making. Machine learning habitat suitability models are presented for mountain stewartia and Miller's witch-alder. These models can direct limited conservation dollars and manpower towards areas of the highest habitat suitability. This work also utilizes field-based data to assess the habitat needs, species associations, and regeneration potential of both Atlantic white-cedar and Miller's witch-alder. Understanding the habitat and regeneration potential of these species allows conservationists to make more tailored land management decisions for the species. As plant species continue to be threatened with extinction, more basic and applied research is needed to lessen the impacts of the 6th mass extinction on native flora.

<p dir="ltr">The Dorothy and Ray Garman Preserve is a 35.4 hectare tract of hydro-mesophytic forest that includes ephemeral pools and scrub-shrub wetlands with <i>Cephalanthus occidentalis</i> as the dominant species component, a previously farmed agricultural field (now planted with native trees), and areas within that field which have reverted into wetlands. Garman is located within the Cedar Creek Conservation Area of Allen County, a region of important biodiversity in northeast Indiana. To document the structure and composition of the plant communities at this property, I utilized random and systematic plot samping, as well as a meandering floristic survey. The focus of my efforts was to explore the forested portion of the property and its immediate margins. I counted 150 species, representing 53 genera and 50 families. Using the Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) method, eleven species had coefficient of conservatism values of 8-10, ten of which were herbaceous and one arboreal species (<i>Populus heterophylla</i>). This indicates that Garman is a relatively high-quality site with some quality remnant components. The site has an FQA value of 46.4, and the mean coefficient of conservatism was 3.8. Furthermore, 95.3 percent of the total species documented were native, a relatively high mark for a fragment within a larger suburban area. Species potentially indicative of bog habitats such as <i>Sphagnum fimbriatum </i>(a non-vascular species of interest), <i>Ilex verticillata</i>, and <i>Viola nephrophylla</i>, as well as historical occurrences of other peatland communities in the area, indicate that Garman may have historically been a true bog that has since senesced into buttonbush wetland type due to anthropogenic impact. Overall, the vascular plant flora of Garman demonstrates that this site is of unique importance to the broader Cedar Creek Conservation Area, since it contains several plant species not present at other sites within this region, as well as intact natural plant communities.</p>

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The central goal in macroecology is to determine species diversity patterns across ecological gradients. Altitudinal and latitudinal patterns in species richness are often assumed to be analogous. Furthermore, the primary mechanisms underlying richness patterns along these two gradients might be similar. To date, few studies have tested whether the hypotheses proposed to explain latitudinal richness variation apply to patterns across altitude. This study therefore tests several hypotheses proposed to explain patterns in species diversity (i.e. ambient energy, productivity, area and geometric constraints) and their underlying mechanisms using altitudinal gradients in epigaeic ant and beetle species richness in the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) (Western Cape, South Africa). The study was conducted across an altitudinal gradient that was laid out from sea level to the top of a mountain (approximately 2000 m above sea level) and down the other side thereof. First, it was determined how the ant and beetle assemblages differ between the main vegetation types included in the transect and which environmental variables might underlie these differences. Thereafter, the variation in species richness and range size patterns of the two groups was investigated across the full altitudinal gradient. This is the first study that tests the applicability of two mid-domain models across such an altitudinal gradient using both complete and partial assessments. The models explained large proportions of the variance in range sizes across three domains but the ranges could have been constrained to show peaks in the middle of the domains due to the way in which the boundaries of the domains were selected. By contrast, the mid-domain models were not important in explaining species richness patterns, which suggests that they cannot explain diversity across the gradient. The species richness patterns of the two groups did not show the predicted mid-altitudinal peak. Moreover, it was demonstrated that different processes structure ant and tenebrionid assemblages across the same altitudinal transect. Ant species diversity was highly correlated to contemporary climatic variables, while historical factors appear to play a more important role in structuring tenebrionid beetle assemblages. Furthermore, support was found for the species energy theory in the ant assemblages, as well as for two of its underlying mechanisms, namely the more individuals hypothesis and the niche position mechanism. These results suggest that there are likely to be substantial and complex changes to ant assemblages under the predicted climate change scenarios for the region. Given the crucial role played by this group in ecosystem functioning (e.g. myrmecochory) it is suggested that these responses are not likely to be a response solely to vegetation changes, but might also precipitate vegetation changes. This study also forms the basis of a long-term monitoring programme to establish baseline data for the epigaeic ants and tenebrionids and to monitor changes in these communities due to climate change. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die sentrale idees in makro-ekologie is om die patrone in spesies diversiteit oor ekologiese gradiënte te ondersoek. Verder word daar aangeneem dat spesie rykheidspatrone oor hoogte- en breedtegradiënte analoog is aan mekaar en dat die primêre onderliggende meganismes van die patrone dieselfde kan wees oor hierdie twee gradiënte. Tot dusver het min studies getoets of die voorgestelde hipoteses wat breedtegradiënte in spesie rykheid verduidelik van toepassing is op hoogtegradiënte. Hierdie studie toets dus verskeie van hierdie hipoteses (aanvoelbare temperatuur, produktiwiteit, area en geometriese beperkinge) en hulle onderliggende meganismes in mier en kewer spesie rykheid in die Groter Cederberg Biodiversiteits Korridor (GCBK) (Wes Kaap, Suid Afrika). Die studie is uitgevoer oor ‘n hoogtegradiënt wat vanaf see vlak tot ongeveer 2000 meter bo seevlak en weer aan die ander kant van die berg af uitgelê is. Eerstens is daar bepaal hoe die mier en kewer diversiteit verskil tussen die hoof planttipes wat oor die hoogtegradiënt voorgekom het en watter omgewingsveranderlikes daarvoor verantwoordelik is. Daarna is die variasie in spesie rykheid en area van verspreiding van die twee groepe ondersoek oor die hele hoogtegradiënt. Hierdie is die eerste studie wat die toepaslikheid van twee mid-domein modelle oor so ‘n hoogtegradiënt toets met behulp van volledige en gedeeltelike ondersoeke. Die modelle het baie van die variasie in area van verspreiding verduidelik oor drie domeine maar die areas van verspreiding kon beperk gewees het om pieke in die middel van die domeine te vorm as gevolg van die manier waarop die grense van die domeine gekies is. In teenstelling, het die modelle nie spesie rykheid verduidelik nie en dus kan hulle nie spesie diversiteit oor hierdie gradiënt verduidelik nie. Die spesie rykheidspatrone van die twee groepe het nie die verwagte piek by midhoogte gewys nie. Verder het verskillende prosesse mier en kewer groeperings oor die hoogtegradiënt gestruktureer. Mier diversiteit was hoogs gekorroleer met kontemporêre klimaatsveranderlikes, terwyl historiese faktore belangriker was vir die kewers. Die spesie-energie teorie was ondersteun deur die data, asook die meer individue hipotese en die nis posisie meganisme. Hierdie resultaat dui daarop dat daar moontlik komplekse veranderinge in mier groeperings gaan plaasvind soos die klimaat verander. Miere vervul belangrike ekologiese prosesse in ekosisteme, wat beteken dat die laasgenoemde verandering nie bloot net gaan plaasvind as gevolg van veranderinge in die plantegroei nie, maar dat hulle self ook veranderinge kan veroorsaak. Hierdie studie vorm ook die basis van ‘n langtermyn moniteringsprogram om basislyn data vir hierdie twee ekologies belangrike groepe vas te stel en om veranderinge wat in hierdie gemeenskappe plaasvind, as gevolg van klimaatsverandering, te monitor.