Forestry
Sciences Laboratory Home
The Mission of the RWU SRS-4160
is to quantify above- and below-ground processes governing sustainability
of forest function and productivity, predict forest functional dynamics,
and model the interaction of soil processes, plant physiology, forest
management, and the environment.
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Southern Institute of Forest Ecosystems Biology Team
USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
Research Work Unit SRS-4160
The Biological Foundations of Southern Forest Productivity and Sustainability
project is broken into two research teams:
- Above-ground processes - Research Triangle Park, NC
- Soil processes - Research Triangle Park,
NC
An analytical service lab is run out of RTP. Through these combined
efforts we are studying multiple aspects of southern forest productivity,
sustainability and biodiversity including forest establishment, growth
and development. This includes studies on:
- seedling stock quality and outplanting performance,
- responses of older trees to silvicultural and environmental perturbation,
- the role of tree stands, and forestry, in sequestering atmospheric
carbon,
- and the role of forest soils in long-term forest sustainability.
Research Studies Throughout the Nation
- Several large-scale field experiments have been established and
are utilized including the Southeast Tree Research and Education Site
(SETRES) in Scotland County, NC and a Long Term Soil productivity
(LTSP) installation in the Croatan National Forest.
- We have a major collaborative effort with Region 8 of the National
Forests to initiate and test artificial regeneration of oak species
to increase biodiversity and improve wildlife habitat.
- Extensive sampling is being conducted across the South to elucidate
the impact of forestry and forest productivity on total ecosystem
carbon sequestration.
- In-depth studies are being conducted on restoration of longleaf
pine ecosystems.
- A major collaborative effort on forest responses to elevated atmospheric
CO2 and its interaction with soil nutrition is taking place
at Duke Forest.
- Research tools, including an automated system for measuring soil
CO2 efflux, and the use of ground penetrating radar to
quantify root biomass, have been and are continued to be developed.
Working partnerships
We stress working closely and dove-tailing our skills with University
and Industry partners. Knowledge gained is incorporated into models
useful for regional global change assessments as well as forest management.
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