Madison Akers’s research while affiliated with University of Georgia and other places

Tree plantations represent an important component of the global carbon (C) cycle and are expected to increase in prevalence during the 21st century. We examined how silvicultural approaches that optimize economic returns in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations affected the accumulation of C in pools of vegetation, detritus, and mineral soil up to 100 cm across the loblolly pine’s natural range in the southeastern United States. Comparisons of silvicultural treatments included competing vegetation or ‘weed’ control, fertilization, thinning, and varying intensities of silvicultural treatment for 106 experimental plantations and 322 plots. The average age of the sampled plantations was 17 years, and the C stored in vegetation (pine and understory) averaged 82.1 ± 3.0 (±std. error) Mg C ha−1, and 14.3 ± 0.6 Mg C ha−1 in detrital pools (soil organic layers, coarse-woody debris, and soil detritus). Mineral soil C (0–100 cm) averaged 79.8 ± 4.6 Mg C ha−1 across sites. For management effects, thinning reduced vegetation by 35.5 ± 1.2 Mg C ha−1 for all treatment combinations. Weed control and fertilization increased vegetation between 2.3 and 5.7 Mg C ha−1 across treatment combinations, with high intensity silvicultural applications producing greater vegetation C than low intensity (increase of 21.4 ± 1.7 Mg C ha−1). Detrital C pools were negatively affected by thinning where either fertilization or weed control were also applied, and were increased with management intensity. Mineral soil C did not respond to any silvicultural treatments. From these data, we constructed regression models that summarized the C accumulation in detritus and detritus + vegetation in response to independent variables commonly monitored by plantation managers (site index (SI), trees per hectare (TPH) and plantation age (AGE)). The C stored in detritus and vegetation increased on average with AGE and both models included SI and TPH. The detritus model explained less variance (adj. R2 = 0.29) than the detritus + vegetation model (adj. R2 = 0.87). A general recommendation for managers looking to maximize C storage would be to maintain a high TPH and increase SI, with SI manipulation having a greater relative effect. From the model, we predict that a plantation managed to achieve the average upper third SI (26.8) within our observations, and planted at 1500 TPH, could accumulate ~85 Mg C ha−1 by 12 years of age in detritus and vegetation, an amount greater than the region’s average mineral soil C pool. Notably, SI can be increased using both genetic and silviculture technologies.

Considering the temporal responses of carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) to local water availability in the spatial analysis of Δ13C is essential for evaluating the contribution of environmental and genetic facets of plant Δ13C. Using tree-ring Δ13C from years with contrasting water availability at 76 locations across the natural range of loblolly pine, we decomposed site-level Δ13C signals to maximum Δ13C in well-watered conditions (Δ13Cmax) and isotopic drought sensitivity (m) as a change in Δ13C per unit change of Palmer's Drought Severity Index (PDSI). Site water status, especially the tree lifetime average PDSI, was the primary factor affecting Δ13Cmax. The strong spatial correlation exhibited by m was related to both genetic and environmental factors. The long-term average water availability during the period relevant to trees as indicated by lifetime average PDSI correlated with Δ13Cmax, suggesting acclimation in tree gas-exchange traits, independent of incident water availability. The positive correlation between lifetime average PDSI and m indicated that loblolly pines were more sensitive to drought at mesic than xeric sites. The m was found to relate to a plant's stomatal control, and may be employed as a genetic indicator of efficient water use strategies. Partitioning Δ13C to Δ13Cmax and m provided a new angle for understanding sources of variation in plant Δ13C, with several fundamental and applied implications.

Silvicultural practices, particularly fertilization, may counteract or accentuate the effects of climate change on carbon cycling in planted pine ecosystems, but few studies have empirically assessed the potential effects. In the southeastern United States, we established a factorial throughfall reduction (D) × fertilization (F) experiment in 2012 in four loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations encompassing the climatic range of the species in Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Oklahoma (OK), and Virginia (VA). Net primary productivity (NPP) was estimated from tree inventories for four consecutive years, and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) as NPP minus heterotrophic respiration (RH). Soil respiration (RS) was measured biweekly-monthly for at least one year at each site and simultaneous measurements of RS & RH were taken five to eight times through the year for at least one year during the experiment. Reducing throughfall by 30% decreased available soil water at the surface and for the 0–90 cm soil profile. Fertilization increased NPP at all sites and D decreased NPP (to a lesser extent) at the GA and OK sites. The F + D treatment did not affect NPP. Mean annual NPP under F ranged from 10.01 ± 0.21 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ at VA (mean ± SE) to 17.20 ± 0.50 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ at FL, while the lowest levels were under the D treatment, ranging from 8.63 ± 0.21 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ at VA to 14.97 ± 0.50 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ at FL. RS and RH were, in general, decreased by F and D with differential responses among sites, leading to NEP increases under F. Throughfall reduction increased NEP at FL and VA due to a negative effect on RH and no effect on NPP. Mean annual NEP ranged from 1.63 ± 0.59 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ in the control at OK to 8.18 ± 0.82 MgC·ha⁻¹·yr⁻¹ under F + D at GA. These results suggest that fertilization will increase NEP under a wide range of climatic conditions including reduced precipitation, but either NPP or RH could be the primary driver because F can increase stand growth, as well as suppress RS and RH. Moreover, D and F never significantly interacted for an annual C flux, potentially simplifying estimates of how fertilization and drought will affect C cycling in these ecosystems.

High productivity of fertilized loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the southern United States is related to increased leaf area index (LAI), but higher evaporative leaf surface area may increase drought vulnerability. To determine if the benefits of fertilization are affected by water availability or the effects of drought are exacerbated by fertilization, the interactive effects of throughfall treatment (ambient throughfall versus throughfall reduction) and fertilization treatment (no fertilization versus one-time fertilization) on a loblolly pine plantation were examined over five growing seasons. Enhancement of LAI and growth from fertilization was unaffected by throughfall treatment, and reductions in LAI, tree height, and stand volume increment in response to throughfall reduction were unaffected by fertilization treatment. Leaf-level stomatal conductance (gS) was decreased and water use efficiency was increased by fertilization and by throughfall reduction. Lower gS was associated with decreased leaf predawn water potential in response to throughfall reduction. In contrast, lower gs in response to fertilization was associated with a reduction in the hydraulic allometry index, a measure of the ability of sapwood to supply water to leaves. These results suggest that fertilization may enhance LAI and growth even under mild or moderate drought.

The future climate of the southeastern USA is predicted to be warmer, drier and more variable in rainfall, which may increase drought frequency and intensity. Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) is the most important commercial tree species in the world and is planted on ~11 million ha within its native range in the southeastern USA. A regional study was installed to evaluate effects of decreased rainfall and nutrient additions on loblolly pine plantation productivity and physiology. Four locations were established to capture the range-wide variability of soil and climate. Treatments were initiated in 2012 and consisted of a factorial combination of throughfall reduction (approximate 30% reduction) and fertilization (complete suite of nutrients). Tree and stand growth were measured at each site. Results after two growing seasons indicate a positive but variable response of fertilization on stand volume increment at all four sites and a negative effect of throughfall reduction at two sites. Data will be used to produce robust process model parameterizations useful for simulating loblolly pine growth and function under future, novel climate and management scenarios. The resulting improved models will provide support for developing management strategies to increase pine plantation productivity and carbon sequestration under a changing climate.

To strengthen financial returns and sustainably manage pine plantations for a mixture of traditional merchantable forest products and biomass for energy, we may need to modify and optimize loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation management regimes. There is limited information on stand-level biomass production and partitioning, which is critical to evaluate alternative culture regimes including cultural intensity and planting density. In the present study, effects of cultural intensity and planting density on biomass accumulation and partitioning in loblolly pine plantations at age 12 were evaluated with destructive biomass sampling data from plots of a unique culture/density study. More intensive culture increased stand-level stem, bark, and branch biomass and aboveground biomass but did not affect foliage biomass. In general, culture intensity did not affect stand-level aboveground biomass partitioning. Planting density significantly affected stand-level aboveground biomass accumulation and partitioning; however, this effect was no longer significant among densities above 2224 trees·ha–1. More intensive culture or lower planting density resulted in less foliage per unit of live-branch biomass. Partitioning to stems relative to branches increased with increasing planting density. Both cultural intensity and planting density had no significant effects on leaf area index and stand-level specific gravity. Planting density significantly affected the foliage density. There were no significant interactions of planting density and cultural intensity.