Landscape Ecology

Jeffery B. Cannon

Jones Center Landscape Ecology Lab

The mission of the Jones Center Landscape Ecology Lab is to advance the science and practice of landscape ecology to inform the conservation and management of ecosystems in the Southeastern US and beyond. We achieve this by (1) conducting innovative, interdisciplinary research addressing pressing conservation challenges, (2) designing practical, evidence-based solutions that integrate ecology, community, and policy, and (3) fostering the development of skilled experts and leaders who drive positive change in conservation. We focus our efforts on three major goals:

  • Understand how hurricanes and fire shape forest structure and function
  • Improve conservation and management outcomes in longleaf pine forests.
  • Accelerate training and adoption of new technologies for addressing conservation issues

Read more about our research efforts, and see below for recent news from the Lab

 

News from the Landscape Ecology Lab

News

Longleaf Alliance: Lab Studies in Hurricane Ecology

Join the members of the Jones Center Landscape Ecology Lab as we present our latest research at the 15th Biennial Longleaf Conference, taking place from October 7 to 11, 2024, in Miramar Beach, Florida.
Presentations from our lab will focus on hurricane ecology in longleaf pine, considerations for management hurricane risk to longleaf pine ecosystems, and two lab members will debut work on hurricane ecology using dendrochronological and remote sensing techniques

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Post

Automatically Number Figures and Supplemental Material in Microsoft Word

I learned to use Word’s built-in cross-referencing functions to streamling captioning figures and tables and referencing them in the text. But I could never find a guide that showed me how to use it for figures both in the main text and the supplemental materials. This guide shows you a trick I learned to number main text figures and supplmental figures separately!

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Longleaf pine tree damaged and splintered after 2018 Hurricane Michael
Research Article

New study: Identifying defects in damaged trees to improve guidance for timber salvage

Trees damaged by severe winds experience twisting and snapping that damages useful parts of the tree bole. Visible damage is readily visible on lower portions of damaged trees, but unseen defects can extend further up the bole. Thus it can be difficult for loggers to determine wood quality and merchantability during post-storm timber salvage. We used acoustic measurements to find wood defects and found that traditional guidelines are too conservative. We provide guidance for loggers to help safely harvest substantially more of the bole after severe winds.

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Research Article

New study: Overstory and litter properties drive fuel dynamics

The composition of fire-dependent forests can shift after decades of fire exclusion. Forests can shift to trees with distinct overstory and leaf litter traits that can further suppress fire and make restoration difficult. We compared how leaf litter and overstory properties differed between fire-adapted pines and oaks, and the non-fire adapted species that often encroach after fire suppression. We found that trees produced distinct microclimates and that drying properties of leaf litter varied among species. This information is useful for understanding mesophytic encroachment and for accelerating successful restoration efforts

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News

Landscape Ecology Lab welcomes Leah Andino

The Landscape Ecology lab is proud to welcome Leah Andino as Research Associate who completing her MS research at Yale School of the Environment. Andino will lead our crew of technicians in field research and support the lab’s growing drone and remote sensing research. Welcome, Leah!

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News

NAFEW: Hurricane Ecology and Management (Organized Session)

The Landscape Ecology lab will be hosting an organized session on Hurricane Ecology and Management at the 14th North American Forest Ecology Workshop (NAFEW) in Asheville, NC on June 24-27, 2024. Our organized session, titled “Hurricane ecology and management in tropical cyclone-prone forests of the US” will feature researchers working on the ecological effects of hurricanes and how to mitigate and measure hurricane risk and impacts to guide conservation efforts.

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left panel shows physical forces present for tree pulling experiment, and the right panel shows an uprooted tree
Research Article

New study: Precipitation can increase stability of some trees in wind storms

Root anchorage is one of the main drivers of tree stability in wind storms. Tree winching help to understand forces that tree can withstand. We compared stability of two pine species after wetting the soil and uncovered that wet soil can actually *increase* tree strength by add weight to the root mass. This experiment helped resolve a paradox of soil moisture by distinguish the opposite effects of long-term and short-term soil moisture.

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News

Now hiring: Mussel Conservation & Landscape Ecology Seasonal Technician

We are seeking applicants from motivated individuals for a Seasonal Research Technican to contribute to the development of a Habitat Conservation Plan for freshwater mussels. The successful applicant will assist with UAV stream surveys, use acoustic doppler on stream reaches, and conduct biological surveys for freshwater mussels. The position will work in a team setting, collaborating with the Jones Center Mussel Conservation and Landscape Ecology Research Teams. Applications reviewed immediately

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News

Landscape Ecology Lab welcomes Dr. Behnoosh Abbasnezhad

The Landscape Ecology lab is proud to welcome Dr. Behnoosh Abbasnezhad who recently completed her PhD research at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Dr. Abbasnezhad’s future work will improve conservation outcomes in longleaf pine ecosystems by working with NRCS to develop tools for identifying high-priority areas for conservation easements and develop education materials to improve natural disturbance-based management outcomes in longleaf pine.

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