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SUNY ESF
All Highlights

Research Opportunities

Presentations and capstones

Hubbard Brook Annual Cooperators meeting 2012 to present

    • 60th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting, July 12-13, 2023 - Slideshows
    • 59th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 13-14, 2022 - Slideshows
    • 58th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 7-8, 2021 -Slideshows
    • 57th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting (virtual). July 7-9, 2020 -Slideshows
    • 56th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 10-11, 2019 -Slideshows
    • 55th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 11-12, 2018 - Slideshows
    • 54th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 13-14, 2017 - Slideshows
    • 53rd Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 14-15, 2016 - Slideshows
    • 52nd Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 8-10, 2015 - Slideshows
    • 51th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 9-11, 2014 - Slideshows
    • 50th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 10-11, 2013 - Slideshows
    • 49th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 11, 2012 - Slideshows

    • 47th Annual HB Cooperators' meeting. July 2010 Jiyoung An PPT

  • Poster presented at SUNY Undergraduate Research Conference, SUNY Buffalo State College, April 23, 2022
    • Cornell, E.A., A. Wild, and R.D. Yanai. Beech Bark Disease is Still Getting Worse! Repeated Measures of a Chronosequence in New Hampshire. (Poster)

Spotlight on Student Research, SUNY ESF

Capstone presentations

    • Joe Nash capstone presentation on Wood Debris, Forest Development, and biomass accumulation in the White Mountains. April 21, 2022.
    • Thomas Mann's capstone presentation. 2021 Video / Audio / Chat file
    • Dan Hong. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition on foliar nutrient concentrations of six northern hardwood species. December 17, 2019
    • Alex Rice. From trees to trails: A research series. December 16, 2019
    • Gretchen Dillion. Nutritional effects on casual organisms of beech bark disease in an aftermath forest. December 2, 2019.
    • Kara Gonzales' capstone presentation: Effects of CA, N and P fertilization on foliar nutrient dynamics of three northern hardwood tree species. January 26, 2017. Watch video
    • Adam Wild presents capstone, Soil Nutrients Affect Sweetness of Maple Sap, SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY, April 8, 2014. Watch video
    • Franklin Diggs, Contrasting Mycorrhizal Guilds through the Soil Profile, SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY, January 9, 2014. He successfully defended the thesis, and is feverishly working to complete that document. Watch video
    • Craig See,Soil nitrogen affects foliar phosphorus resorption in a co-limited system, to the Department of Forest and Natural Resources, SUNY ESF, Syracuse, NY, November 13, 2013. He also has defended, submitted his thesis, and started as our part-time short-term Research Support Specialist. Congrats on all counts, Craig, especially that MS! Watch video

ESA Annual Meetings

ASA Annual Meeting Presentations

    • Rice, A.M., M.A. Vadeboncoeur, and R.D. Yanai. Relating soil nutrients to ecosystem fluxes.  American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting,November 10-13, 2019, San Antonio, TX. Poster

    • Yanai, R.D., Gonzales, K.E., Goswami, S., Li, S., Fisk, M.C., and Fahey, T.J. N vs P Limitation: A Factorial Fertilization Experiment in Temperate Hardwood Forests. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, October 23, 2017.

    • During the Biological Weathering Symposium, Dr. Ruth Yanai gave a presentation entitled "Comparison of Current and Long-Term Ca Weathering Rates in the White Mountains of New Hampshire." American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America International Annual Meeting, November 15-18, 2015. Watch or listen

LTER Midterm Review, Hubbard Brook, NH, June 3-5, 2019

    • Hong, D.S., K.E. Gonzales, and R.D. Yanai.  Foliar analysis of six northern hardwood species indicates nutrient limitation.PDF

Center of Biodiversity at University of Montreal. April 26, 2019

    • Ruth Yanai. The first long-term NXP addition experiment in a temperate forest system. Presentation

The Northeast Natural History Conference, Springfield, MA, April 12-14, 2019

    • Bashian-Victoroff, C., L.J. Lamit, R.D. Yanai, and T.R. Horton. Fruiting response of ectomycorrhizal fungi to nutrient additions in Bartlett Experimental Forest, NH.Presentation

NY Society of American Forester Annual Meeting, Syracuse, NY, January 24-26, 2019 

    • Dillion, G., M. Mahoney, S. Chase, and M. Johnston. Nutritional impacts on invasive beech scale quantification, in beech bark disease aftermath forests. PDF

Presentations at the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) All Scientists' Meeting, Asilomar Conference Center, CA, September 30 - October 4, 2018

    • Vadeboncoeur, M.A., K.A. Jennings, M.S. Morley, L.E. Rustad, C.D. McIntire, L.M. Brigham, R.D. Yanai, and H. Asbjornsen. "Teacomposition" in three global change experiments at HBR. PDF
    • Hong, D. and R.D. Yanai. Foliar analysis of four northern hardwood species indicates nutrient limitation. PDF
    • Young, A.R., M. Gabriel, and R.D. Yanai. Detecting nutrient limitation from the sky. PDF

Tom Horton's presentation at the International Mycological Association 11, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 16-21, 2018

COOL new findings

44th Annual Rochester Academy of Sciences Fall Scientific Paper Session.  November 11, 2017, St. John Fisher College

    • Hong, D.S., A.D. Wild, and R.D. Yanai.  Battle of the babies: Beech interference with maple regeneration. PDF
    • Lasser, G.A., M.T. Johnston, M.J. Mahoney,  V.A. Leimanis, and J.R. Stoodley.  An investigation of nutritional effects on causal organisms of beech bark disease in aftermath forests. PDF
    • Morley, M., C. Sosa, R.D. Yanai.  Time for tea: Nutrient affect on tea decomposition after three-month incubation in northern hardwood forest soils. PDF
    • Rice, A.M., M.T. Johnston, and R.D. Yanai.  Do nutrient additions affect sap flow in sugar maple trees? PDF
    • Young, A.R., R.D. Yanai, R. Minocha, and S. Long.   Specific leaf area and amino acids respond  to nutrient amendments and canopy depth. PDF

First Sign of Foliar Nutrient Response to Fertilization

    • Adam Wild provided a project update at the spring Hubbard Brook Committee of Scientists, April 22, 2014. Sugar maple foliage shows the effect of N and P addition at Jeffers Brook. The CaSiO3 addition resulted in higher Si but not higher Ca in foliage at all sites.

Research Spotlight

    • Senior Conservation Biology major Nathan Donato presented his independent research project "Influence of Soil Calcium and Stand Age on the Structure and Functional Diversity of Arthropods: A Case Study in Two Northern Hardwood Stands " at SUNY ESF's annual Spotlight on Student Research, the April 16, 2014. The two sites were represented by the MELNHE plots at Bartlett and Jeffers Brook. Nathan found that arthropod richness and Shannon-diversity (functional groups were used instead of species level) were highest in the mature Bartlett plots, although overall arthropod abundance was higher in mid-age Bartlett stands. He worked with the interdepartmental team of Cheryl Bondi, a PhD candidate in the Graduate Program in Environmental Science; Melissa Fierke, an Associate Professor (Entomology) in the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology; and Colin Beier, a Research Associate (Ecology) in the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management.

McLin presents at HB REU meeting, August 2013

    • Megan McLin, Tougaloo College, was a late addition to the crew, so her project wasn't included among those discussed at the Annual Cooperators Meeting. Her project was near enough to completion to be included in the HB REU meeting that followed (below).

She continued to develop her results, entered a report in the Tougaloo Undergraduate Research Symposium. She took home 2nd place and $50. The judging was based on topic, quality of research methods etc, captivation of audience and knowledge of research. Congrats, Megan!

Fisk promotes MELNHE

    • Hubbard Brook Long Term Ecological Research (HB-LTER) Mid-Term Review, June 27, 2013. Download Powerpoint show HERE

Poster

    • Zahor,. Lily E., Michele L. Pruyn, Mark B. Green,Geoff Wilson. 2013. The Impact of Calcium on Transpiration in an Acid Rain Impacted Forest. Plymouth State University Office of Research & Engagement Student Showcase, April 27, 2013.

Abstract: Acid rain has impacted New England forest for over 60 years. Acid deposition causes calcium to leach from soils, which is problematic for forests because calcium is broadly important to healthy plant function. We applied calcium fertilizer in the form of wollastonite (CaSiO3) ,attempting to replace leached Ca. Previous forest responses to wollastonite application have shown increased health, growth, and survivorship in hardwoods. Through a whole watershed experiment, it was shown that Ca addition can temporarily increase forest water uptake. However, the mechanisms behind this response remain uncertain. Tree transpiration can be measured by monitoring sap flow volumes. Using the Granier method, a heated probe is inserted in the sapwood above a reference probe enabling the calculation of sap flux. New England are primarily northern deciduous, dominated by American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) and Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum). Our research goal was to study sap flow in these species to determine whether adding Ca will increase tree transpiration and productivity across sites in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. Summer 2012 preliminary data showed an increased sap flow at a Ca treated versus control sites in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Continued study is underway for the 2013 season with two additional sites of differing levels of available Ca in their soils. Understanding how forests react to replacement of lost Ca via wollastonite will help land managers understand the impacts of acid rain on forest function and develop appropriate management strategies.

  • Rastetter, E. B., R. D. Yanai, R. Q. Thomas, M. A. Vadeboncoeur, T. J. Fahey, M. C. Fisk, B. L. Kwiatkowski, and S. P. Hamburg. 2013.

Read more about the Multiple Element Limitation model in: Rastetter, E. B., R. D. Yanai, R. Q. Thomas, M. A. Vadeboncoeur, T. J. Fahey, M. C. Fisk, B. L. Kwiatkowski, and S. P. Hamburg. 2013. Recovery from disturbance requires resynchronization of ecosystem nutrient cycles. Ecological Applications 23:621–642. In print HERE

  • Recovery from disturbance requires resynchronization of ecosystem nutrient cycles

Nitrogen and phosphorus (P) are tightly cycled in most terrestrial ecosystems, with plant uptake more than 10 times higher than the rate of supply from deposition and weathering. This near-total dependence on recycled nutrients and the stoichiometric constraints on resource use by plants and microbes mean that the two cycles have to be synchronized such that the ratio of N:P in plant uptake, litterfall, and net mineralization are nearly the same. Disturbance can disrupt this synchronization if there is a disproportionate loss of one nutrient relative to the other. We model the resynchronization of N and P cycles following harvest of a northern hardwood forest. In our simulations, nutrient loss in the harvest is small relative to postharvest losses. More info

The Calcium Project's quantitative pit method featured by the popular press arm of the Soil Science Society of America!

    • Vadeboncoeur, M.A., S.P. Hamburg, J.D. Blum,M.J. Pennino, R.D. Yanai, and C.E. Johnson. 2012. The quantitative soil pit method for measuring belowground carbon and nitrogen stocks. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 76(6) in press doi:10.2136/sssaj2012.0111 was highlighted in the November issue of CSA News. See former student Paul Lilly in a pit on page 15. More Info

Sap Flow Results

    • Virginia Hernandez-Santana and Heidi Asbjornsen measured sap flow summer 2011 in beech, maple, and birch trees at Hubbard Brook (mature) and Bartlett (C8) in control, N, P, and N+P treatments. Posted 3/20/12. More Info

Soil N&P Availability

    • Melany Fisk provides the initial assessments of nutrient availability HERE 

Wollastonite application, and installation of soil moisture probes

    • The last of the wollastonite was applied Friday, November 11, 2011-- right on schedule. More Info

Northern Forest Research featured at U Ohio-Miami

    • Dr. Melany Fisk, Associate Professor of Zoology, and Ph.D. candidate Shinjini Goswami describe their research in the New Hampshire's northern hardwood forest in September, 2011. Posted 2/17/12. Video and Transcript

2010 Jiyoung An presentation at HB annual meeting PPT

Honors and awards

Other

  • NEW Leaf ID Guide PDF
  • From the ESF in the High Schools archives: Madison Morley is now an ESF graduate student. Veterinarian medicine’s loss is our gain!PDF

RAHSS featured in the ESF2014-15 Annual Report, Oct 22, 2015

ESF undergraduate Madison Morley presents at SUNY ESF and Cobleskill, 2016. poster

MELNHE featured at 2015 Central New York Science & Engineering Fair, Mar 22, 2015. Max Charlamb, a 9th grader at Manlius Pebble Hill School in Dewitt, NY, has been working with Dr. Ruth Yanai, through a Research Assistantship for High School Students supplement to analyze project data. His poster entitled "Is phosphorus more limiting than nitrogen to foliar production in Northern Hardwood Forests" earned High Honors in the Senior Division (grades 9-12). He concluded that data do not support the hypothesis that foliage production would increase with P application more than with N. At the older sites, litter production seemed limited by N availability. The CNYSEF accepts projects from students in grades 4-12 from public, private and independent schools and homeschooled students in Onondaga, Madison, Oswego, Cayuga and Cortland counties. The Fair is one of several annual STEM competitions administered through the Museum of Science and Technology, located in downtown Syracuse's historic Armory Square. poster

Research Program for High School Students enrolling for the 2015-16 School Year, for students attending ESF in the High School partner schools. While enrollment is a rolling basis, 40 hours in the ESF's Forest Ecology Lab must be completed by the end of the academic year. Work sessions are scheduled most weekends, and during a number of school breaks. Participants work with Dr. Ruth Yanai, her graduate students and undergraduate Research Aides, and with students in city and suburban districts.

Former Tech puts MELNHE background to work in Home School Program