Kevin T. Smith

Title: Project Leader / Supervisory Plant Physiologist
Unit: Biological and Environmental Influences on Forest Health and Productivity
Previous Unit: Forest sustainability and tree response to injury, infection and environmental change
Address: Northern Research Station
271 Mast Road
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: 603-868-7624
E-mail: Contact Kevin T. Smith

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Education

• Ph.D. Degree, University of Georgia, Department of Plant Pathology
• M.S. Degree, University of New Hampshire, Department of Botany & Plant Pathology
• B.A. Degree, Connecticut College, Department of Botany

Civic & Professional Affiliations

Biodeterioration Society, International Society of Arboriculture, Tree Ring Society

Current Research

My research is focused on the response of trees to injury, infection, and environmental change. Sources of injury may be obvious such as those from fire, storms, and human activity. Less obvious yet significant change may come from perturbations in soil chemistry due to acid rain.

Current research examines:

• the recovery of surviving trees following injury from fires, storms, and tree care practices,
• the applicability and limitations of dendrochemistry to provide markers of environmental change, and
• the role of the wood decay process to replenish essential elements to forest soils.

Why is This Important

Mechanical injury, subsequent infection, and environmental change are facts of life for wild, rural, and urban trees. Their impact depends on the diverse goals of forest management and wildlife conservation, high-quality wood products, or safe and healthy trees in our communities. Maximizing the benefits of trees for forests and communities requires understanding how those goals are linked to tree biology and responses to change.

Future Research

• Improve application of information in tree rings to better understand the impacts of land use, climate, and disturbance on trees.
• Identify indicators of physiological processes that contribute to tree mortality or recovery after disturbance or injury.
• Improve methods to communicate relevant science findings to practicing arborists, loggers, and foresters

Featured Publications

Additional Online Publications