| Faculty Advisor |
Sabrina E. Russo
|
|---|---|
| Contact Email | srusso2@nebraska.edu |
| Advisor College: |
Arts and Sciences
|
| Potential UCARE Research Position? |
Yes! Student(s) must apply to UCARE by February deadline.
|
| Paid or Volunteer |
Paid by UCARE Stipend (Summer Only)
|
| Hours Per Week |
20
|
Position Description
This project has the potential to be a team-based UCARE project. The goal of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of prescribed fire management for oak woodland restoration in Nebraska. Oak woodlands are fire-dependent ecosystems that were once common in the Great Plains. Decades of land use change and fire suppression have made oak woodlands a threatened ecosystem in Nebraska. Prescribed fire is being used to restore oak woodlands, but its effectiveness has not been evaluated quantitatively. This project will quantify the growth and survival responses of oaks versus other tree species to prescribed fire damage in order to evaluate post-fire recovery in two woodlands in Nebraska.
We will do a mortality survey of all censused trees in two forest inventory plots located in the Niobrara River Valley (https://forestgeo.si.edu/sites/north-america/niobrara) and Indian Cave State Park (https://forestgeo.si.edu/sites/north-america/indian-cave). In the Indian Cave plot, a mortality census of tree seedlings will also be conducted. This project involves physically challenging field work, including walking long distances in hilly areas with steep slopes and canyons, as well as exposure to biting insects and poison ivy. The student will gain experience with tree identification, forest ecology and forestry methods, geolocation and geospatial data collection, data collection on iPads, working in teams, data management and analysis, and research presentation. The student will be mentored on their own project using data collected during the summer field work and is expected to present a poster on their project at the Undergraduate Research Fair.
Faculty Advisor Mentoring Philosophy
Students would be mentored by Dr. Sabrina Russo (School of Biological Sciences) as well as work closely with a graduate student from her lab. Dr. Russo maintains a dynamic and inclusive research lab group with undergraduates who have gone on to competitive graduate programs, to conservation and other professional positions, and have won awards and fellowships. The Russo lab goals include promoting excellence in fundamental and applied sciences, helping undergraduates learn about and access diverse professional and educational opportunities, and supporting everyone in their professional growth and achieving their professional goals.