Soil Morphological, Physical, and Chemical Parameters Affecting Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Site Quality and Ecosystem Restoration Potential in East Texas

There has been a large decline in coverage of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) within its range in the southeastern United States since the time of European settlement. Due to this decline, interest has developed in the re-establishment of this species on suitable sites. However, many attempts have been unsuccessful in re-establishment, likely in part due to the lack of emphasis on selection of suitable soils. Historically, longleaf pine was found on soils with a wide range of soil properties, including higher quality soils, due to frequent fires which kept many competing species suppressed. Decline in longleaf pine coverage has been attributed to many factors, including both site conversion and fire exclusion. Much of the land that originally supported longleaf pine in the southeastern United States has been converted to agricultural use, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda Mill.) plantations, and urban development. Fire has often been excluded from longleaf pine ecosystems in recent history due to concern for human health, safety, and liability. Because of limited funding and reduced opportunities for prescribed fire use, longleaf pine ecosystem restoration efforts might be best focused on more marginal soils that have characteristics that naturally restrain herbaceous and hardwood competition. However, there is a need to quantify the potential productivity for longleaf pine on these marginal soils and to develop understandings of edaphic factors limiting their growth. Soil morphological, physical, and chemical properties in existing longleaf pine ecosystems on three soil series in the Angelina and Sabine National Forests in east Texas were evaluated to develop a better understanding of how variation in soil properties may affect longleaf pine site quality. Analysis of variance and regression techniques were used to compare soil properties for three different soil mapping units: Letney (Arenic Paleudults), Stringtown (Typic Hapludults), and Tehran (Grossarenic Paleudults). These soils all support natural longleaf pine stands, but vary in texture, depth to argillic horizons, nutrient availability, available water capacity, and other parameters which are likely related to site quality, as measured by site index, of longleaf pine. Longleaf pine site index was influenced by depth to E horizon, depth to first argillic B horizon, texture of B horizon, and nutrients in the B horizon. B horizon physical and chemical variables appeared to be most influential on observed site index values for longleaf pine on the soils in the study

The relationship between project characteristics and the expert estimation of software development and maintenance

Accurately estimating the amount of time and effort required to complete a software development or maintenance project has proven problematic for business. A wealth of literature exists exploring each of the methods for estimating software development, but very little is devoted to understanding how project characteristics relate to estimation accuracy. This research examines expert estimation, the most widely used estimation technique, to determine the relationship between software project characteristics and estimation accuracy. Implications of the findings for research and practice are discussed

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF INTERSECTORAL INCOME TRANSFERS

Agricultural Finance,

Forage Yields in Turkey Hill Wilderness in East Texas for White-tailed Deer

Wilderness areas are often considered quality areas where natural processes occur without human activity. It is often assumed that these unmanaged areas will provide and support quality wildlife habitat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the forage production and stocking potential of an unmanaged wilderness area in east Texas. Four different community types were evaluated for forage yield, forage availability, and browse utilization for white-tailed deer. Results show that although a wide range of forage yields were measured in the spring, summer forage yield did not differ among the various communities. Availability also differed between community types, but utilization within each community appears to be lower than what could be supported

Perceptions of the Importance and Integration of High-Impact Practices in Traditional Versus Online Learning

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the differences, if any, in the perceived importance and the level of integration of high-impact practices in traditional versus online courses/programs by faculty and administrators of institutions in the Appalachian College Association. The study further identifies the perceptions of faculty and administrators regarding the importance of high-impact practices based upon selected demographics and the level of integration of high-impact practices based upon selected demographics. Finally, this study investigates the benefits and challenges experienced by educators in their attempt to incorporate high-impact practices in courses/programs and identifies other successful strategies in engaging students. Quantitative data obtained from responses to the online survey, High-Impact Practices, were compared using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests to determine statistically significant differences. Qualitative responses were coded, sorted, and analyzed to identify emergent themes. The study had a population of 3,234 educators from member institutions of the Appalachian College Association that yielded 438 complete or partial surveys and 15 individuals participated in interviews. Findings from this study have significance to faculty, course designers, policy makers, administrators, and researchers as they seek to design courses incorporating high-impact practices proven to engage and retain students

Has The Small Business Administrations Minority Business Development Program Been Successful?

Minorities are less likely to own a firm than their non-minority counterparts and many continue to form businesses with little growth potential. The Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Section 8(a) Minority Business Development Program is responsible for assisting small minority owned businesses in making a successful transition into the competitive marketplace. Using congressional reports, surveys, and independent reports, this study attempted to answer the question, Has the 8(a) program been serving its purpose? Is it working? To answer this question several problem areas were discussed. These centered in two areas, problems within the SBA and problems encountered in the 8(a) program as viewed from 8(a) program graduates. Viewing problems from both areas aided in reaching a conclusion. The 8(a) program does work. It is serving its purpose by aiding hundreds of small minority owned businesses transition to the private-sector marketplace

Site Factors Influence on Herbaceous Understory Diversity in East Texas Pinus palustris savannas

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savannas were once dominant across the southeastern U.S., including East Texas and parts of western and central Louisiana. The diverse understory associated with these historical savannas may occasionally be seen today, but not often in longleaf pine ecosystems. This project aimed to define east Texas site characteristics that are necessary to support these ecosystems with a dense and diverse herbaceous understory with little to no midstory cover. Fifty-nine plots across three study sites were established to evaluate the influence of overstory cover, basal area, aspect, elevation, and slope on the number of plant genera present. Forest structure and site characteristics had significant effects on the number of plant genera found. The number of genera increased with higher elevation and slope; as elevation increased, there was a decline in basal area and overstory cover, leading to a more diverse, understory layer. In order to re-establish and maintain a diverse, herbaceous understory in longleaf pine savannas, sites with more open canopies and on slopes with the most solar exposure should be given priority, particularly when planting desired understory species

Effects of Ponderosa Pine Ecological Restoration on Forest Soils and Understory Vegetation in Northern Arizona

The human exclusion of wildfire and overgrazing by livestock since settlement have caused dramatic changes in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl ex Laws) forest ecosystems. These changes include increased numbers of tree stems, reduced understory cover and diversity, and the introduction of invasive, non-native understory species. This study evaluated the coverage and species composition of understory vegetation present in the “cool-season” (late spring and early summer) in a ponderosa pine forest on grazed and ungrazed plots that had undergone restoration treatments on three different soil/geologic parent material types near Flagstaff, Arizona, twelve years after tree thinning and grazing exclosure treatments were applied. Several measured soil properties, such as soil respiration and temperature, were also evaluated in this study. Species richness of “cool-season” vegetation was influenced more by grazing practices than restoration treatments. Differences could be less or greater when vegetation that is active later in the season is measured. Vegetative cover was significantly influenced by restoration treatments (9.3% cover under open canopies and 6.5% under dense canopies), probably due to differences in competition for light and other resources (i.e. soil moisture and nutrients). Unlike finding by Abella et al. (2015), who studied “warm-season” vegetation, “cool-season” understory cover was not influenced by soil parent material type in this study, which might suggest that differences in understory cover due to soil properties are only seen shortly after restoration treatments are applied, or the time of year vegetation is evaluated may play a role in the differences seen. Soil respiration was highest on limestone soil parent material type (3.3 g C-CO2 m-2 day-1), and soil temperature was lowest under closed canopy treatments (15°C)

Relationships of Selected Soil Properties and Community Species Composition in Turkey Hill Wilderness Area in East Texas

-Sixty-nine different stands within 15 different previously managed communities were sampled in what is now the Turkey Hill Wilderness of the Angelina National Forest. Within each stand, 0.04 ha plots were randomly located, and the height, diameter, crown class and species of each tree recorded. Soil samples were collected in two locations within each plot, and the soil type confirmed at plot center. Soil samples were analyzed for selected soil chemical and physical properties. Due to the low occurrence (less than 4 times) of some communities, only six community types were analyzed Analysis of the vegetation and soil data using Cluster, Principle Component and Pearson’s Correlation Analyses showed some relationships between vegetation communities, species and the soil properties. This information may be useful toward development of better understanding about plant community relationships