Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
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Item Effective methods of regenerating whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) through direct seeding(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2013) DeMastus, Clay Robert; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: David RobertsRapidly diminishing populations of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) have sparked efforts to restore this ecologically important species and the communities they support. Current restoration efforts have proven to be costly, time consuming, and labor intensive. Implementation of direct seeding as a restoration method, if found effective, would likely decrease the amount of time, money, and labor expended on these efforts. This study looks at the effectiveness of direct seeding through a series of tests performed at six sites throughout the northern Rocky Mountains. The tests consist of a complete randomized block design with five blocks of eight treatments at each site. Treatments include seed treatments of warm stratification, scarification, and both warm stratification and scarification combined. Caging treatments are also implemented into each block. Testing the effectiveness of seed caching and long term survival rates of outplanted nursery grown seedling versus directly sown seeds was also carried out by planting caches next to nursery seedlings throughout each site. A logistic regression analysis consistently estimated seeds undergoing the warm stratification treatment to have the highest combined germination and survivalrates. Caging was found to be effective at increasing germination under certain circumstances as well as increasing survival possibly due to the shading properties the cages provided. Seed caching did not appear to have an effect on survival of directly sown seeds. Caching also did not appear to have an effect on germination with the exception of one site. Initial results of long term survival rates of outplanted nursery grown seedlings compared to germination and survival rates of directly sown seeds showed higher rates for the nursery grown seedlings. Additional monitoring will be needed to determine long-term survival differences. From the results of this study, it is felt that the implementation of direct seeding of warm stratified seed as a restoration method will be successful and cost effective. Caging, although found effective in this study, is felt to posses more disadvantages than advantages. Its advantages in the aspect of survival could be replaced with other microsite planting techniques. Seed caching, at this time, is not recommended as more research is needed.Item Technological forests : engineering nature with tree planting on the Great Plains, 1870-1944(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2013) Gardner, Robert Charles; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tim LeCainAs Euro-American settlers moved onto the Great Plains in the 19th century they planted trees to try and reshape the landscape and influence society and the environment. The federal government, through land grant laws and its forestry bureau encouraged this tree planting. In 1902 the federal government established the first federal tree nursery and used seedlings produced there to plant a 30,000 acre forest in the sand hills of central Nebraska. After three decades of tree planting experience the U.S. Forest Service undertook the Prairie States Forestry Project, planting shelterbelts across the continent from Canada to Texas, as a response to the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Over the course of the 20th century, as these forests grew they became naturalized, both as developing ecosystems and in the public perception as natural spaces for recreational activities. An envirotechnical analysis of this history shows the interactions of environment, culture, and technology; illustrates the historical use of organic technologies; and challenges the traditional categorization of natural and artificial.Item The use of native ectomycorrhizal fungi in the restoration of whitebark pine(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2012) Lonergan, Erin Rebecca; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cathy L. Cripps.Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is an endangered keystone species in western North America. Populations are being decimated by white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetles and fire suppression. Large restoration efforts that include the planting of 200,000 rust-resistant seedlings are ongoing, but survival rates are low. Conifers are routinely inoculated with ectomycorrhizal fungi in the greenhouse to enhance out-planting success, but this has not been tried with whitebark pine. The goal of this project is to examine the use of native ectomycorrhizal fungi in restoration of whitebark pine with a greenhouse and field study. A main goal of the greenhouse study was to determine if low nitrogen fertilizer is conducive to ectomycorrhizal colonization by the native fungus, Suillus sibiricus. The effects of dried/fresh inoculum, short or long containers, and the drip/injection method were also tested. Results showed that mycorrhizal colonization was maintained with a low nitrogen fertilizer (4-25-15 NPK), although colonization declined at higher levels. Long containers were more conducive to mycorrhizal colonization, but differences were minimal for other variables. The field study conducted at Summit Lake in Waterton Lakes National Park is part of an effort to combat seriously declining pine populations. One thousand seedlings, half inoculated with Suillus sibiricus, were planted in clusters of three in four site condition combinations: burned/unburned areas, with and without beargrass. Survival was higher than for other studies one (95%) and two years (69%) after planting (2010). Results could be due to favorable spring conditions, conducive site conditions (terra-torching), and mycorrhizal inoculation on certain sites. Survival was 24% higher on burns in comparison to unburned sites; microsite increased survival across all sites. Effects of mycorrhizal inoculation were site dependent and survival was increased 17-23% on unburned sites with beargrass; inoculation did not impact seedling survival on burns. Survival was lowest (38%) on poor planting sites (unburned, no beargrass) but these sites benefited greatly from microsite presence. Data suggest site conditions strongly influence early seedling survival and that mycorrhizal inoculation may be beneficial when soil fungi are restricted. Longer term monitoring is necessary to determine how variables affect seedling survival in the future.