Kenton Sena

University of Kentucky | UKY · Lewis Honors College

Introduction Timber harvests influence coarse woody debris (CWD) dynamics both initially and long-term—contributing a significant amount of CWD as slash immediately after harvest, but also removing some or all of the mature trees necessary to produce CWD over time. Whereas shelterwood and other similar timber harvest systems retain varying amounts...

Continued urbanization is likely to reduce human‐nature experience, transforming human‐dwelt spaces into increasingly artificial environments and removing humans from interaction with non‐human living things and their ecosystems. In urban spaces, outdoor experiential educational activities can help students increase their familiarity with the outdo...

Hydrologic monitoring began on two headwater streams (<1 km2) on the University of Kentucky's Robinson Forest in 1971. We evaluated stream-water (1974-2013) and bulk-deposition (wet + dust) (1984-2013) chemistry in the context of regional wet-deposition patterns that showed decreases in both sulfate and nitrate concentrations as well as proximal su...

Urban forests provide critical ecosystem services in an increasingly urbanized global landscape. The reforestation of undeveloped parcels and serially mowed grasslands can increase urban forest cover, but plant community development in planted urban forests is poorly understood. We conducted a study to elucidate the roles of time since tree plantin...

Improving energy resilience, especially for rural communities, is a political, economic, and ecological priority, involving shifting energy portfolios away from fossil fuel dominance, reducing the environmental footprint of energy production and transmission, and localizing production and supply systems. In the Appalachian region, bioenergy systems...

Environmental DNA (eDNA) uses DNA shed from organisms into the environment to detect their presence and provides an effective, non-invasive method to survey organisms in an efficient manner. Recent works have emphasized the need for careful development and both laboratory and field validation of eDNA assays. We developed species specific qPCR assay...

Invasive plant species can have significant, adverse effects on forest ecosystems. By outcompeting native species for resources, invasive species suppress the richness and diversity of many forest communities. This study focuses on the associations of Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii Rupr.) with spring flora in Raven Run Nature Sanctuary in Lexin...

Urbanization causes a variety of negative ecological impacts, impairing forests, streams, and other ecosystems. While urban forests are the subject of increasing research attention, planted urban forests are less well-understood than remnant forests; however, these systems may be distinct in terms of ecosystem structure and function. The current st...

Surface mining for coal has contributed to widespread deforestation and soil loss in coal mining regions around the world, and particularly in Appalachia, USA. Mined land reforestation is of interest in this and other regions where forests are the dominant pre-mining land use. This study evaluated mine soil development on surface-mined sites refore...

The University of Kentucky (U KY) has owned Robinson Forest (37.460723° N, 83.158598° W) since 1923, conducting experiments crucial to understanding the environmental effects of land management in the region. Part of the management of Robinson Forest has been collection of environmental data, including precipitation quantity, bulk‐deposition chemis...

Since the mid-2000s, forest re-establishment has been a common post-mining reclamation goal for Appalachian mined lands, but mine reclamation and subsequent ecological processes are often not successful at establishing post-mining communities similar to native Appalachian forests. Pre-SMCRA, mined land was sometimes left barren for natural regenera...

Climate change and harsh environmental conditions present significant barriers to the reforestation of surface-mined sites in Appalachia. An experimental site was established on a reclaimed surface mine in eastern Kentucky to investigate the impacts of soil amendments (fertilizer additions and mycorrhizal inoculations) on the growth and survival of...

Research Highlights: We found promising success for black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) planted on a legacy surface mine. Our results indicate that direct seeding can be an effective restoration method, and that shelters may not be needed. Background and Objectives: Reforestation in the Appalachian coalfields has primarily relied on the planting of nur...

Invasive pests and pathogens have contributed to widescale forest change around the world, but especially in the eastern US. Phytophthora cinnamomi, one such introduced pathogen, causes root rot in American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), among other eastern forest species of interest, and has inhibited chestnut res...

Switchgrass has been identified as a valuable crop for biomass and liquid biofuels, as a viable summer forage for cattle, and as a dual‐use crop for both applications. The objective of this research was to evaluate trends throughout the growing season in biomass and forage quality of two switchgrass cultivars in central Kentucky over a two‐year per...

Surface mining for coal (or other mineral resources) is a major driver of land-use change around the world and especially in the Appalachian region of the United States. Intentional and well-informed reclamation of surface-mined land is critical for the restoration of healthy ecosystems on these disturbed sites. In Appalachia, the pre-mining land c...

Core Ideas Switchgrass forage quality declines predictably throughout season. Switchgrass biomass accumulates predictably during the season. Seasonal biomass and forage quality patterns may permit flexible management. Switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ) has been identified as a valuable crop for biomass and liquid biofuels, as a viable summer forage...

Appalachian forests are threatened by a number of factors, especially introduced pests and pathogens. Among these is Phytophthora cinnamomi, a soil-borne oomycete pathogen known to cause root rot in American chestnut, shortleaf pine, and other native tree species. This study was initiated to characterize the incidence of P. cinnamomi on surface min...

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil-borne plant pathogen of global significance, threatening many forest tree species around the world. In contrast to other well-known tree pathogens, P. cinnamomi is a generalist pathogen that, in many cases, causes less immediately obvious symptoms, making P. cinnamomi more difficult to diagnose. This creates special...

Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands causes root rot in a number of important forest tree species around the world, including American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata). Conventionalmethods for detecting P. cinnamomi in forest soils may require too much time and space to permit widescale and long-term screening of the large sa...

Microbiological safety of reclaimed water is one of the most important issues in managing potential health risks related to wastewater recycling. Presence and removal of human adenovirus (HAdV), human polyomavirus (HPyV), human torque teno virus (HTtV) and somatic coliphage family Microviridae in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in sub-trop...

Surface mining and mine reclamation practices have caused significant forest loss and forest fragmentation in Appalachia. Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) is threatened by a variety of stresses, including diseases, pests, poor management, altered fire regimes, and climate change, and the species is the subject of a widescale restoration effort. Surf...

Degradation, impoundment, and channelization of streams is a global problem. Although stream restoration projects have increased in recent years, post-restoration, long-term monitoring is rare. In 2003, a channelized section of Wilson Creek (Nelson Co., Kentucky) was restored by creating a meandering channel, reconnecting the channel to its floodpl...

American chestnut (Castanea dentata), once a primary constituent of the eastern hardwood forest ecosystem, was nearly extirpated from the forest canopy by the accidental introduction of chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica). An intensive breeding program has sought to breed blight resistance from Chinese chestnut into American chestnuts, while...

Surface mining has altered a vast land area in the Appalachian Region, threatening highly biodiverse native forest, contributing to habitat fragmentation, and generating severely disturbed sites that are unsuitable for succession to native ecosystems. Although there are many factors that influence species colonization and establishment on these sit...

Surface mining for coal is responsible for widespread degradation of water resources and aquatic ecosystems in the Appalachian Region, USA. Because native topsoils are typically not retained on Appalachian mined sites, mine soils are usually composed of crushed overburden. This overburden tends to contribute high salinity loads to downstream aquati...

Good pasture management on equine operations is essential to maintaining the productivity and value of the pasture as well as providing the proper nutrients and environment to grow a healthy horse. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of horse pasture and range management and to summarize current practical recommendations. Currentl...