James H. Speer
Interim Coordinator of the Center for Science Education
Associate Professor of Geography and Geology
Department of Earth and Environmental Systems
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN 47802
812-237-3011
jim.speer@indstate.edu
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
PAST PROJECTS
"Stand-Age Structure and Disturbance History of the Big Thicket National Preserve: Examining Successional Dynamics and the Role of Disturbance." (Christopher Gentry)
"Dendroclimatological response of selected species from Hoosier National Forest." (Darin Kelly)
"Dating a Landfill Contamination Site in Northern Indiana Using
Dendrochronology" (Polly Mitchell)
"Spring Ephemeral Plant Diversity as it Relates to Gap Dynamics in Vigo County, Indiana." (Jodi Farrell Sparks)
"Broad Scale Spatial Modeling of Pandora Moth Outbreaks in the United States." (Idrissa Tiemogo)
Past Presentations from the Biogeography and Dendrochronology Lab
"The Effects of Periodical Cicadas (Magicicada spp.) on Tree-Ring Growth in Southern Indiana." (Graham Bishop)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Brood X periodical cicadas (Magicicada spp.) on annual growth increment in hardwood trees throughout the southern region of Indiana. Twenty-one study sites have been established in proximity to Bloomington, Indiana. We have selected 25 trees on each site (441 trees total) and installed dendrometer bands on all of the trees. Twenty-three species are represented in this analysis. Study areas include several forest settings (i.e., floodplain, upland, bottomland, etc.). We took two cores per tree at breast height (1.4m above the ground) with a 5.15mm Swedish increment borer. The annual rings on these cores will be crossdated, measured, and statistically analyzed to produce a correlation between yearly treering growth and periodical cicada damage to the trees. After completion of the laboratory analysis, we will examine the effects of periodical cicadas on the incremental growth of all the sampled species.
"Stand-Age Structure and Disturbance History of the Big Thicket National Preserve: Examining Successional Dynamics and the Role of Disturbance." (Christopher Gentry)
"Scientists
with chain saws"
Beaumont Enterprise, December 4, 2005
"Toppled
trees offer a glimpse into past"
Houston Chronicle, December 9, 2005
"Researchers
getting to the root of Rita's trees"
Beaumont Enterprise, December 19, 2005
"Indiana State students study tree rings to
discover hurricane history"
ISU News, February 15, 2006
View the video interview regarding this story
"Lords
of the Rings"
Tribune Star, March 07, 2006
"Dendroclimatological response of selected species from Hoosier National Forest." (Darin Kelly)
Information to come...
"Dating a Landfill
Contamination Site in Northern Indiana Using
Dendrochronology" (Polly Mitchell)
Information to come...
"Spring Ephemeral Plant Diversity as it Relates to Gap Dynamics in Vigo County, Indiana." (Jodi Farrell Sparks)
Dendrochronological techniques were used to quantify canopy gaps in Indiana to determine the effect of this disturbance on spring ephemeral diversity. Canopy gaps were selected within seven pre-existing plots that were established as early as 25 years ago. Storm data was collected and overlaid on an aerial photo of the county to identify potential sources of gaps. Climate data (temperature and precipitation) was used to visually determine if years of suppression were due to climate rather than gap effects. Release and suppression criteria were used to identify canopy gaps and the trees responses. Canopy gaps as recorded by ring-width release were compared to plant diversity data through time. Gaps were mainly created by one tree and were on average 330 m2 in size. At present, we found a decrease in diversity of spring ephemerals at the family, genus, and species level over the past 25 years. On average, Acer saccharum on this site experienced three major gap events in their lifetime and are sensitive to gap dynamics with numerous suppressions and releases in the trees. Fagus grandifolia is also sensitive to gap dynamics residing in the understory for several years. Sassafras albidium, Quercus sp., and Carya sp. are not sensitive to canopy gaps, rarely if ever recording them in their tree rings. We are continuing to examine the relationship between these gap events and spring ephemeral diversity.
"Broad Scale Spatial Modeling of Pandora Moth Outbreaks in the United States." (Idrissa Tiemogo)
Information to come...
Past Presentations
from the
Biogeography and Dendrochronology Lab
Bishop, G.I. and Speer, J.H. (2006)
Periodical Cicadas and Tree-Ring Growth in Greene-Sullivan State Forest,
Indiana. Annual Meeting, The Association of American Geographers,
Chicago, IL.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Gentry, C.M and Speer, J.H. (2006) A Preliminary Analysis of Climatic
Controls on Pinus taeda L. (Loblolly Pine) in the Turkey Creek
Unit of the Big Thicket National Preserve. Annual Meeting, The
Association of American Geographers, Chicago, IL.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Sparks Farrell, J. K., and Speer, J.H. (2006) A Dendroecological
Approach to Quantifying Midwestern Forest Canopy Gaps and Diversity
Change. Annual Meeting, The Association of American Geographers,
Chicago, IL.
Download this presentation
Bishop, G.I., Speer, J.H., and Clay, K. (2005) Preliminary Analysis of
the Effects of Periodical Cicadas on Tree Growth in Southern Indiana.
Society of American Foresters, Fort Worth, TX.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Gentry, C.M, Brown, P.M., Aldrich, S., Bauer, J., Kernan, J., Lusteck,
R., McEwan, R., Martinez, P., Shapiro, L., Sprenger, C., and Vining, M.
(2005) Reanalysis of the fire history in Pinus resinosa stands of the
Mississippi Headwaters, Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Annual Meeting,
The Association of American Geographers, Denver, CO.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Sparks Farrell, J. K., and Speer, J.H. (2005) Dendrochronology as a
proxy for reconstructing Midwestern forest gaps and spring ephemeral
composition change. Society of American Foresters, Fort Worth, TX.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Sparks Farrell, J. K., and Speer, J.H. (2005) Dendrochronology as a
proxy for reconstructing Midwestern forest gaps and spring ephemeral
composition change. Indiana Academy of Sciences Research Presentations,
West Terre Haute, IN.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Gentry, C.M., Jensen, R.R., Speer, J.H., and Wolf, S.F. (2004) Spatial Analysis of Cation Reactions to Prescribed Burning in an Oak Savanna Ecosystem of Northwestern Indiana. Annual Meeting, The Association of American Geographers, Philadelphia, PA.
Sparks Farrell, J. K., and Speer J.H. (2004) Preliminary results of plant diversity changes in two Vigo County forests. Indiana Academy of Sciences Research Presentations, Hanover, IN.
Sparks Farrell, J.K., Tiemgo, I., and Speer, J.H. (2004) Identification
of Pandora Moth Hazard for the Western United States Using Geographic
Information Systems. Association of American Geographers, Philadelphia,
PA.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Gentry, C.M., Speer, J.H., Jensen, R.R., and Wolf, S.F. (2003) Decrease
in Soil Nutrient Availability after Prescribed Fire in an Oak Savanna
Ecosystem of Northern Indiana. Annual Meeting, West Lakes/East Lakes
Division of the Association of American Geographers, Kalamazoo, MI.
Download the poster version of this presentation
Gentry, C.M., Jensen, R.R., Speer, J.H., and Wolf, S.F. (2003) The
Effect of Prescribed Burns on Cation Exchange Capacity in an Oak Savanna
Ecosystem. 99th Annual Meeting, The Association of American Geographers,
New Orleans, LA.
Download the poster version of this presentation