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PhD Defense: Measuring and Modeling Crown Structure

Event Date: 
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Event Brief Description: 

"Measuring and Modeling the Crown Structure of Coniferous Trees with Point Clouds Data," PhD defense by Rong Fang.  May 6, 3 PM, via Zoom*.

This project digitized Loblolly pine and Douglas-fir trees using photogrammetric and laser scanning point clouds. Stem and branch structural attributes were estimated with point clouds data. We demonstrate point clouds are the data source of forest inventory for the new era.

Rong is earning her Ph.D. degree in Sustainable Forest Management, in the Department of Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, under major professor Dr. Bogdan Strimbu.

*for the zoom link, please contact Madison Dudley at OSU.

Research technicians and REU student wanted - Old-growth forest dynamics

News Brief Description: 

Position Overview: The LaManna lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at Marquette University is currently looking to hire 3-5 research assistant positions with experience in forest-survey techniques and/or Pacific Northwest herbaceous plant identification skills to address questions related to the maintenance of plant species diversity in old-growth forests along a 1,300 m elevational gradient in the Western Cascade Mountains of Oregon. One 10 week paid REU position (Research Experience for Undergraduates) is also available to conduct research with the team. The work will occur at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (https://andrewsforest.oregonstate.edu/), an NSF Long-tern Ecological Research (LTER) site that is located roughly 50 minutes east of Eugene, Oregon. The area is known for its recreational opportunities including hiking and backpacking, scenic volcanoes, and the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Pay will be commensurate with experience, and apartment-style housing at the H. J. Andrews Forest field station will be provided. Positions will run from May through Sept. 2020.

Duties and Responsibilities:  Mapping, measuring and identifying trees, plants, seedlings and other forest ecology techniques. Using GPS, laser rangefinders, and other forest survey equipment. Work outside in a beautiful location.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Must have a university degree in appropriate area of biology. Previous experience working in an outdoor setting, measuring ecological processes and patterns. Enthusiasm is a must.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Experience identifying trees and herbaceous plants of the Pacific Northwest would be preferred, but is not required. Growing tree seedlings in a shadehouse or greenhouse setting is a plus, but not required for this position.

Special Instructions to Applicants: All applications for this position must be received through Marquette University’s electronic recruiting system:

Research assistant positions: https://employment.marquette.edu/postings/12960

Please attach a cover letter and resume, as well as the names and contact information for two references. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Please apply as soon as possible, and email Dr. Joe LaManna (joseph.lamanna<at>marquette.edu) with any questions. Thank you!

Parasitic Plants and Climate Change

Dwarf mistletoe’s quaint name belies its severity. The native parasitic plant commonly infects western hemlock trees in western Oregon and Washington via projectile seeds that land on branches and bore through the tree’s bark, where the plant induces tissue swelling and deformities. The result: a diminished ability to transport water and other physiological effects, which reduce tree growth and increase mortality, especially among heavily-infected trees.

Forests of Oregon Elevation Gradient

A new research project at the Andrews Forest aims to shed light on how changes in temperature and precipitation affect patterns of biodiversity. The Forests of Oregon Elevation Gradient (FOREG) is a network of large sample plots, established in 2019, within the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest. Field studies and experiments will test the importance of species interactions to changes in density dependence and biodiversity across environmental gradients.The FOREG project was designed to dovetail and connect with the long-running Reference Stand study at the Andrews Forest.

Dwarf Mistletoe Research

Western hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense subsp. tsugense) is a small, parasitic plant that infects the leaves and branches of its host plant, the western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) tree. Within a forest, like the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, areas of mistletoe infection are patchy. Some areas of the forest have trees that are not infected, while other areas have trees that are heavily infected. Hemlock trees infected with dwarf mistletoe grow dense, multi-branched growths, called witches’ brooms.

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