Ronald S. Zalesny Jr.
Title: Research Plant Geneticist
Unit: Institute for Applied Ecosystem Studies: Theory and Application of Scaling Science in Forestry
Previous Unit: Physiological Mechanisms of Growth & Multiple Stress Responses in Northern Forest Trees
Address: Northern Research Station
5985 Highway K
Rhinelander, WI 54501-9128
Phone: 715-362-1132
E-mail: Contact Ronald S. Zalesny Jr.
Jump to Publications
Education
- Iowa State University (McNabb Excellence Fellow), Ph.D., Forest Biology (Quantitative Genetics & Tree Improvement), 2003
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, B.S., Natural Resources & Environmental Studies (Forest Resources & Biometrics), 1999
Civic & Professional Affiliations
- Poplar Council of the United States
- Short Rotation Woody Crops Operations Working Group
- International Phytotechnology Society (Board of Directors)
- Society of American Foresters
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
- Xi Sigma Pi, Forestry Honor Society
- Gamma Sigma Delta, Honor Society of Agriculture
- Phi Kappa Phi, National Honor Society
- Golden Key, National Honor Society
Current Research
I study genetic and physiological mechanisms regulating the use of short rotation woody crops (i.e., poplars and willows) in sustainable intensive forestry systems. The success of such systems depends upon the amount of variation among genotypes deployed. Thus, given that genetic gain is proportional to variation, I utilize the broad amount of variability in parental species from current poplar and willow breeding programs in the United States to increase availability of promising genotypes, based on numerous end uses of the trees. Successful deployment requires selection among and within populations of genotypes that grow fast, resist diseases and pests, and possess traits that facilitate reliable and economical commercial production. Two general traits for successful deployment include the capability for interspecific hybridization and ease of propagation. I focus on identifying and selecting genotypes with exceptional rooting ability and genotypes with great potential for fiber, bioenergy, and environmental benefits (e.g., phytoremediation). Also, I develop technical innovations that make testing more reliable and efficient.
Why is This Important
Understanding the underlying genetic and physiological mechanisms supports effective deployment of favorable genotypes that helps: 1) reduce impacts from invasive species, 2) provide an energy source that does not contribute to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and global climate change, and 3) improve the rural agricultural environment through remediation and/or restoration. Overall, the knowledge gained from my research helps researchers and growers increase the success of plantation establishment, which augments supplies of native aspen in the North Central Region and ultimately reduces pressure on native forest ecosystems. In addition, the general public gets a supply of wood and wood products while having the native forests for aesthetics and recreation.
Future Research
In general, I plan to conduct detailed quantitative genetic analyses of forest crops with high probability of yielding valuable commercial genotypes for multiple end uses. Regardless of the product or environmental service from the trees, using such analyses to determine the magnitude of genetic and environmental control of important traits, and the magnitude of genetic and environmental correlations between traits, will be an important step in refining testing protocols, designing multiple-trait selection strategies, and identifying commercially-valuable genotypes. More specifically, I am beginning to:
- test the below- and above-ground growth and physiology of intensively managed forest crops, with an emphasis on understanding root growth under different applications (i.e., invasive species competition, fiber, bioenergy, phytoremediation, etc.),
- strengthen collaborations to determine the economic value of intensive forest crops to ascertain how such crops contribute to rural economic development, with an emphasis on bioenergy,
- test the rooting ability and tree establishment potential of poplar and willow genotypes subjected to various pre- and post-planting treatments (e.g., soil temperature) when planted in field settings, and
- test the ability of poplar and willow genotypes for phytoremediation of inorganic and organic contaminants at local levels (especially near waterways), along with using these data and those from collaborators to estimate the environmental benefit of such remediative efforts at regional and national scales.
Featured Publications
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Sexton, Bart; Hall, Richard B. 2007. Sodium and chloride accumulation in leaf, woody, and root tissue of Populus after irrigation with landfill leachate. Environmental Pollution. 1-9.
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Coyle, David R.; Hall, Richard B. 2007. Growth and biomass of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate. Forest Ecology and Management. 248: 143-152.
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2007. Evaluation of Populus and Salix continuously irrigated with landfill leachate I. Genotype-specific elemental phytoremediation. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 9: 281-306.
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2007. Evaluation of Populus and Salix continuously irrigated with landfill leachate II. Soils and early tree development. International Journal of Phytoremediation. 9: 307-323.
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Hall, Richard B. 2005. Early rooting of dormant hardwood cuttings of Populus: analysis of quantitative genetics and genotype x environment interactions. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35:918-929
Additional
Online Publications
- Zalesny, Ronald S. Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Riemenschneider, Donald E. 2009. Ex situ growth and biomass of Populus bioenergy crops irrigated and fertilized with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Coyle, David R.; Hall, Richard B.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2008. Populus root system morphology during phytoremediation of landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Mitchell, Rob; Richardson, Jim, eds. 2008. Biofuels, bioenergy, and bioproducts from sustainable agricultural and forest crops: proceedings of the short rotation crops international conference
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Hall, Richard B.; Zalesny, Jill A.; Berguson, William E.; McMahon, Bernard G.; Stanosz, Glen R. 2008. Biomass potential of populus in the midwestern United States
- Kodrzycki, R.J.; Michaels, R.B.; Friend, A.L.; Zalesny, R.S.; Mawata, Ch.P.; McDonald, D.W. 2008. Non-destructive digital imaging in poplar allows detailed analysis of adventitious rooting dynamics
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2008. Potential chloride and sodium uptake for 2- to 11-year-old populus irrigated with landfill leachate in the north central United States
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Sexton, Bart; Hall, Richard B. 2008. Sodium and chloride accumulation in leaf, woody, and root tissue of Populus after irrigation with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Zalesny, Jill A. 2008. Variation in lateral and basal adventitious rooting of populus irrigated with landfill leachate: selection of favorable genotypes for environmental benefits
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Headlee, William L., Jr.; Hall, Richard B.; Mahama, A. Assibi; Zalesny, Jill A. 2007. An inexpensive and reliable monitoring station design for use with lightweight, compact data loggers
- Mahama, A. Assibi; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Hall, R.B. 2007. Breeding success and range of incompatibility among Populus hybrids in sections Aigeiros Duby and Tacamahaca Spach
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Hall, Richard B. 2007. Choosing tree genotypes for phytoremediation of landfill leachate using phyto-recurrent selection
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Zalesny, Jill A.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2007. Ecological sustainability of alternative biomass feedstock production for environmental benefits and bioenergy
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Zalesny, Jill A. 2007. Establishment and early growth of Populus hybrids irrigated with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Coyle, D.R.; Hall, R.B. 2007. Leaf, woody, and root biomass of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Sexton, Bart T.; Hall, Richard B. 2007. Macro- and micro-nutrient concentration in leaf, woody, and root tissue of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Sexton, Bart T.; Hall, Richard B. 2007. Phytoaccumulation of sodium and chloride into leaf, woody, and root tissue of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2007. Selecting and utilizing Populus and Salix for landfill covers: implications for leachate irrigation
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, A.H.; Sexton, B.; Hall, R.B. 2007. Sodium and chloride concentration in leaf, woody, and root tissue of Populus irrigated with landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Friend, A. L.; Kodrzycki, B.; McDonald, D.W.; Michaels, R.; Wiese, A.H.; Powers, J.W. 2007. Using low energy x-ray radiography to evaluate root initiation and growth of Populus
- Wiese, Adam H.; Netzer, Daniel A.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2006. A weed compaction roller system for use with mechanical herbicide application
- Coleman, Mark; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2006. Annotated bibliography on phytoremediation
- Wiese, A.H.; Zalesny, J.A.; Donner, D.M.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2006. Bud removal affects shoot, root, and callus development of hardwood Populus cuttings
- Zalesny, R. S., Jr.; Wiese, A.H. 2006. Date of shoot collection, genotype, and original shoot position affect early rooting of dormant hardwood cuttings of Populus
- Mahama, A. Assibi; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Hall, Richard B. 2006. Differential interspecific incompatibility in Populus breeding
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2006. Genetic and environmental factors affecting early rooting of six Populus genomic groups: implications for tree improvement
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O. 2006. Phyto-recurrent selection: a tree improvement strategy for selecting genotypes used in phytoremediation
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Hall, Richard B.; Sexton, Bart. 2006. Phytoremediation of landfill leachate using Populus
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Riemenschneider, Don E. 2006. Sapflow of hybrid poplar (Populus nigra L. x P. maximowiczii A. Henry 'NM6') during phytoremediation of landfill leachate
- Mahama, A. Assibi; Sparks, Brian; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Hall, Richard B. 2006. Successful grafting in poplar species (Populus spp.) breeding
- Wiese, Adam H.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2006. Unique technical innovations for short rotation woody crops research and development
- Zalesny, Jill A.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Hall, Richard B. 2006. Using phyto-recurrent selection to choose Populus genotypes for phytoremediation of landfill leachate
- Zalesny, Ronald, Jr.; Riemenschneider, Don. 2006. Using short rotation woody crops for bioenergy in North America
- Wiese, Adam H.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2005. An inexpensive rhizotron design for two-dimensional, horizontal root growth measurements
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Hall, Richard B.; Zalesny, Jill A.; Kunzman, Joshua; Rog, Chris J.; Riemenschneider, Don E. 2005. Clonal variation in survival and growth of hybrid poplar and willow in an in situ trial on soils heavily contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons
- Zalesny, R.S., Jr.; Hall, R.B.; Bauer, E.O.; Riemenschneider, D.E. 2005. Soil temperature and precipitation affect the rooting ability of dormant hardwood cuttings of Populus
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr. 2004. Hybrid poplars: fast-growing, disease-resistant species has multiple uses
- Zalesny, R.S., Jr.; Bauer, E.O.; Riemenschneider, D.E. 2004. Use of belowground growing degree days to predict rooting of dormant hardwood cuttings of Populus
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Wiese, Adam H.; Bauer, Edmund O.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Sexton, Bart. 2004. Water usage and establishment success of Populus during phytoremediation of landfill effluent
- Zalesny, R.S., Jr.; Hall, R.B.; Bauer, E.O.; Riemenschneider, D.E. 2003. Shoot position affects root initiation and growth of dormant unrooted cuttings of Populus
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Hall, Richard B. 2002. Evaluating hybrid poplar rooting. I. genotype x environment interactions in three contrasting sites
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Riemenschneider, Don E.; Hall, Richard B. 2002. Evaluating hybrid poplar rooting. II. backcross breeding method exhibits exceptional promise
- Zalesny, Ronald S., Jr.; Riemenschneider, Don; Bauer, Edmund. 2000. Analysis of genetic and environmental effects on hybrid poplar rooting in Central and Northern Minnesota, USA
Last Modified:
11/19/2008