Issue 9

New Summer Research at Bent Creek
Minigrants Awarded to Local College Students

In spring 2007, the SRS upland hardwoods unit sent out a request for proposals from students and faculty at western North Carolina colleges and universities for summer research projects in the Bent Creek Experimental Forest. "Most of the research we do at Bent Creek is long term and involves manipulations at the stand level," says Henry McNab, research forester who helped set up the proposal process. "We were looking for small short-term studies that do not require disturbance to answer ecological questions."

Besides expanding the use of the experimental forest for research related to upland hardwooddominated ecosystems, the grants increase collaborations with local academic institutions and help support the education of future scientists or research by university faculty. Five proposals were selected for this year's season:

Jill Bourdon, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. Advisor: Dr. Beverly Collins

Location and simulated harvesting effects on the medicinal herb Chamaelirium luteum (fairywand)

Brantlee Eisenman, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC. Advisor: Dr. James Costa

Ethology of leaf clipping by caterpillars in Southern Appalachian hardwood forest communities

Christopher Fusting, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC. Advisor: Dr. Mark Brenner

Prediction of Cantharellus lateritius (an edible mushroom) and oriental bittersweet habitat using Global Information Systems (GIS)

Dr. Mark Yates, adjunct faculty, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC.

Habitat occupancy of bat species in Southern Appalachian forests on the Bent Creek Experimental Forest

Conor McGeehan, Warren Wilson College, Asheville, NC. Advisor: Dr. Mark Yates

Effect of distance from roads on the consumption rate and preference for oriental bittersweet and American holly by small mammal

 

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