Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1997. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-67). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2010. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 200 p. : ill. (some col.), maps. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-167).

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1987. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-65). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 71-82). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 198 p. : ill., maps. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-77).

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is an important habitat component for wildlife, fish, and plants and is important in nutrient cycling and soil formation. Knowledge of the volume, distribution, and use of CWD across Virginia would be useful to forest managers modeling nutrient budgets in southeastern forests and is important to wildlife management efforts. Knowledge of the effectiveness of informational brochures and cooperative learning activities/presentations at influencing public perception of CWD is important to program design and evaluation efforts in teaching and extension. The objectives of this study were to quantify the relationship between forest cover type and CWD volume, correlate CWD volume with small mammal and bird activity, distribute information on the advantages and disadvantages of CWD using informational brochures and cooperative learning activities/presentations, and compare the effectiveness of such teaching techniques at influencing public perception of CWD. The volume and wildlife use of CWD was assessed within 12 mature second-growth stands in Virginia. Volume of CWD was measured using fixed-area plots. Use of CWD by small mammals and birds was assessed by noting bodily, foraging, or movement evidence. Pre- and post-survey instruments were used to evaluate how perceptions were altered in first year college students who either reviewed an informational brochure or participated in a cooperative learning activity/presentation. Results suggested that the management of CWD for wildlife was most needed in southeastern Virginia where CWD volumes were lowest and that the value of CWD for wildlife was best conveyed through cooperative learning activities/presentations and may be important to landowner education efforts. Results suggested that management efforts to increase CWD volumes in Virginia should focus on coniferous dominated stands where CWD volumes were lowest. Such a finding, combined with the knowledge that the value of CWD was best conveyed through presentations, suggests that landowners of coniferous woodlots could be effectively educated with presentations. Given that brochures were more effective for females than males, brochures addressing natural resource issues might be the most appropriate, cost effective method of education at events that target female audiences. Knowledge gained from this study that CWD management for wildlife would be most appropriate in western Virginia where CWD was most used by wildlife for travel and that presentations were most effective at reaching suburban participants may be important to outreach program design efforts. Regardless of academic major, presentations were more effective at generating positive attitudes toward CWD. The results of this study suggest that the choice between informational brochures and presentations for influencing public perceptions of CWD will likely be influenced by the demographics of the target audience and the relevance of the topic locally. / Master of Science

The abundance and spatial heterogeneity of coarse woody debris (CWD) on the forest floor is a prominent feature of Pacific Northwest (PNW) forest ecosystems. The effect of CWD on soil solution chemistry, nutrient cycling and availability, soil physical structure and formation of soil organic matter, however, remains unknown. Therefore, studies on the spatial and temporal imprint of CWD on forest soils are timely and can fill critical gaps in our understanding of the role of CWD in PNW forest ecosystems. I investigated the effect of CWD on soils and soil solution at the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in a two-part study. Mineral soils were sampled beneath CWD to a depth of 60 cm. The top 15 cm of soil was also repeatedly sampled for seasonal differences. Control leachate, CWD leachate and soil solution from control soils and from under CWD were collected from the fall of 1999 until the spring of 2001. Results indicated that CWD leachates were much more acidic than water leaching from the forest floor without CWD. Intermediate stages of CWD decomposition had the highest concentrations of hydrophobic compounds and polyphenols of all stages of decay. Correspondingly, surface soils sampled from under well-decayed CWD were more acidic and had more exchangeable acidity and aluminum, and a lower percent base saturation than soils under the forest floor. Nutrient pools were not different under CWD, although nitrogen fluxes were slower under CWD. Although we had hypothesized that the spatial variability of CWD inputs may affect forest soils under CWD, we found that the spatial variability is much more temporal than I had hypothesized and is limited to the top five centimeters of the underlying soil. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-142).