Examining site productivity and fertility when intercropping giant miscanthus and loblolly pine

Paper presented at the 12th North American Agroforesty Conference, which was held June 4-9, 2011 in Athens, Georgia.In Ashton, S. F., S.W. Workman, W.G. Hubbard and D.J. Moorhead, eds. Agroforestry: A Profitable Land Use. Proceedings, 12th North American Agroforestry Conference, Athens, GA, June 4-9, 2011.There is a growing interest in the production of dedicated biomass crops to be utilized as feedstock for bioenergy production. Perrennial grasses have been identified as attractive feedstock. Wide row spacing of loblolly pine plantations allows dedicated energy crops to be planted between tree rows through a practice known as intercropping. Utilizing between-row growing space for bioenergy feedstock production may maximize economic and biomass output from the land early in the rotation while still maintaining the long term production of traditional forest products.Ryan Heiderman (1), Jose Stape (1), Zakiya Leggett (2), Ron Gehl (3), and Eric Sucre (2) ; 1. Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 2. Weyerhaeuser Company (Southern Timberlands R&D), New Bern, NC. 3. Department of Soil Science, North Carolina State University, Mills River, NC.Includes bibliographical references

Collaborations and Moving Past COVID-19: The Human Ecology and Applied Ecology Sections

The Applied Ecology and Human Ecology sections of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) have collaborated for several years, given their overlapping and common interests in the human dimensions of ecology. Starting in 2008, the sections have worked together on combined activities at annual meetings, including field trips, BioBlitzes, collaborative workshops, and mixers (Fig. 1). While each section has its own mission and objectives concerning the integration of human dimensions into ecological scholarship, our combined efforts have led to greater participation among ESA members in selected cities. Going forward, our sections' visions will continue to elevate our collaborative relationship, which is grounded in integrating human dimensions into our activities and scholarship

The effect of organic matter manipulations on site productivity, soil nutrients, and soil carbon on a southern loblolly pine plantation

Forest harvesting intrinsically removes organic matter and associated nutrients; these exports may impact soil productivity and soil carbon stores of managed forests. This study examined the effect of manipulating forest floor and harvest residue inputs on nutrient availability and carbon content in the context of intensive forest management. Treatments were applied 15 years prior to this study and included removal and addition of forest floor and harvest residues, and a reference. We examined stand volume, litterfall, root biomass and foliar N and P at year 14 or 15. Soil moisture and temperature (0-10 cm) and available N and P in the O and 0-20 cm depths were measured once per month during year 15. Soil carbon and nitrogen were measured on whole soils as well as two density fractions in the O-horizon, 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm soil depths at year 15. In general, many of the initial responses found by an earlier study (age 10) have dissipated. Standing volume in the added treatment was 31% higher than the removed, but no significant difference was found between the removed and reference treatments. The added treatment resulted in higher concentrations of N in the light and heavy density fractions of the 0-20 cm depth, which led to higher mass of N in both of these fractions. The added treatment had the greatest whole soil heavy fraction N mass. There were no differences in available N in the O-horizon or 0-20 cm depth as tested using ion exchange membranes; however available P was significantly lower in the O-horizon of the removed treatment (37% lower than the reference). Bole volume was correlated with some measures of total and available N and P in the O and 0-20 cm soil horizons, suggesting that increases in growth found in the added treatment were a result of additional nutrients. There were no significant differences between C concentration or mass of the 0-20 cm or 20-40 cm soil depths between the treatments; however the added treatment had significantly more (51% more than the reference) carbon at the 40-60 cm soil depth. The added treatment had a significantly higher C:N relative to the reference in the 20-40 cm (21.0 and 14.5, respectively) and 40-60 cm (18.0 and 11.4, respectively) depths, suggesting that relatively fresh, undegraded organic matter had enriched this depth. This additional carbon sequestered at depth could contribute to a long-term soil carbon pool. The results of this study suggest that higher intensity use, such as forest floor removal and whole tree harvest, of these forests may not impact long term productivity at this site with typical soil nutrient status; however, more research is necessary to determine the mechanism(s) of this resilience

Soil CO2 Efflux and Root Productivity in a Switchgrass and Loblolly Pine Intercropping System

Switchgrass intercropped with loblolly pine plantations can provide valuable feedstock for bioenergy production while providing ancillary benefits like controlling competing vegetation and enhancing soil C. Better understanding of the impact of intercropping on pine and switchgrass productivity is required for evaluating the long-term sustainability of this agroforestry system, along with the impacts on soil C dynamics (soil CO2 efflux; RS). RS is the result of root respiration (RA) and heterotrophic respiration (RH), which are used to estimate net C ecosystem exchange. We measured RS in intercropped and monoculture stands of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). The root exclusion core technique was used to estimate RA and RH. The results showed pure switchgrass had significantly higher RS rates (July, August and September), root biomass and length relative to intercropped switchgrass, while there were no significant changes in RS and roots between intercropped and monoculture loblolly pine stands. A significant decrease in switchgrass root productivity in the intercropped stands versus monoculture stands could account for differences in the observed RS. The proportions of RS attributed to RA in the intercropped stand were 31% and 22% in the summer and fall respectively, indicating that the majority of the RS was heterotrophic-driven. Ancillary benefits provided by planting switchgrass between unutilized pine rows can be considered unless the goal is to increase switchgrass production

Gaps in diversity representation and data insufficiencies in the U.S. forest sector workforce analysis

When comprehensive and accurate data on diversity and representation is available, it significantly enhances our understanding of business challenges, thereby bolstering policy decisions and strategy formulation across all organizational tiers. Using the U.S. forest sector as a case study, we illustrate that there are significant gaps in diversity and representation within the private forest sector, particularly in terms of gender and race. These disparities exist across various domains and categories, including different forest industries, job roles, and business ownership structures. Our analysis brings to light the inadequacies of the current workforce data, emphasizing their limitations in keeping pace with the changing socio-economic landscape. We examine these areas of oversight and emphasize the profound implications they have for guiding both research and practices aimed at cultivating a sustainable and inclusive workforce