@article{marchin_stout_davis_king_2017, title={Transgenically altered lignin biosynthesis affects photosynthesis and water relations of field-grown Populus trichocarpa}, volume={98}, ISSN={["1873-2909"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.biombioe.2017.01.013}, abstractNote={Concerns over energy security and environmental sustainability have stimulated interest in development of high-yield, low-lignin trees for bioenergy. Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) has been targeted as a potential bioenergy species due to its high productivity, but it is unclear how transgenically altered lignin biosynthesis will affect plant function. We investigated the physiology of two transgenic P. trichocarpa genotypes grown in short rotation woody cropping systems at two sites in southeastern USA: (1) mesic mountain site and (2) warmer, drier Piedmont site. Our results suggest that lignin is fundamental for tree growth and survival in field environments. Lignin deficiency can decrease biochemical photosynthetic processes and interfere with the temperature-response of photosynthesis. Significantly, hydraulic conductivity of transgenic genotypes was 15–25% that of wildtype trees, resulting in decreased leaf-specific whole-plant hydraulic conductance. In the Piedmont, decreased hydraulic efficiency drastically reduced productivity of low-lignin genotypes by 50–70% relative to wildtype. Transgenic trees at the mountain site recovered stem lignin concentrations to levels observed in wildtype trees, but still had severely impaired hydraulic traits, highlighting the major consequences of genetic transformation on whole-plant function. Surprisingly, substantial loss of hydraulic conductivity had only minor effects on productivity at the mesic site and resulted in an alternative advantage for bioenergy systems – lower water consumption. In the hottest month (July), higher intrinsic water use efficiency resulted in total water savings of roughly 1 kg d−1 per transgenic tree without sacrificing productivity. Decreased hydraulic conductivity could therefore be a promising trait for selection of water-efficient genotypes in Populus.}, journal={BIOMASS & BIOENERGY}, author={Marchin, Renee M. and Stout, Anna T. and Davis, Aletta A. and King, John S.}, year={2017}, month={Mar}, pages={15–25} }
 @article{stout_davis_domec_yang_shi_king_2014, title={Growth under field conditions affects lignin content and productivity in transgenic Populus trichocarpa with altered lignin biosynthesis}, volume={68}, ISSN={["1873-2909"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.biombioe.2014.06.008}, abstractNote={This study evaluated the potential of transgenic Populus trichocarpa with antisense 4CL for reduced total lignin and sense Cald5H for increased S/G ratio in a short rotation woody cropping (SRWC) system for bioethanol production in the Southeast USA. Trees produced from tissue-culture were planted in the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountain regions of North Carolina, USA. Trees were observed for growth differences and biomass recorded for two coppices. Insoluble lignin and S/G ratio were determined by molecular beam mass spectroscopy after the second coppice. Survival, growth form, and biomass were very consistent within construct lines. Higher total lignin content and S/G ratio were positively correlated with total aboveground biomass. The low-lignin phenotype was not completely maintained in the field, with total lignin content increasing on average more than 30.0% at all sites by the second coppice The capacity to upregulate lignin in the event of environmental stress may have helped some low-lignin lines to survive. More research focused on promising construct lines in appropriate environmental conditions is needed to clarify if a significant reduction in lignin can be achieved on a plantation scale, and whether that reduction will translate into increased efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis.}, journal={BIOMASS & BIOENERGY}, author={Stout, Anna T. and Davis, Aletta A. and Domec, Jean-Christophe and Yang, Chenmin and Shi, Rui and King, John S.}, year={2014}, month={Sep}, pages={228–239} }
 @article{davis_compton_stolt_2010, title={Soil respiration and ecosystem carbon stocks in New England forests with varying soil drainage}, volume={17}, DOI={10.1656/045.017.0306}, abstractNote={Abstract 
 Northern temperate forests play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle. Individual stands can differ in C content and storage, based on characteristics such as vegetation type, site history, and soil properties. These site differences may cause stands to vary in their response to extreme weather events such as droughts. We examined ecosystem C pools, soil respiration, and litterfall in four hardwood stands with widely varying soil drainage in Rhode Island. Total ecosystem C increased as soils became more poorly drained, ranging from 181 Mg C ha-1 in the excessively drained Entisol to 547 Mg C ha-1 in the very poorly drained Histosol. The proportion of ecosystem C contained in the soil was much higher in the poorly drained soils, and ranged from 57% in the excessively drained Entisol to 91% in the poorly drained Histosol. While total ecosystem C stocks varied by a factor of three, rates of litterfall and soil respiration were similar among sites. Soil carbon content was highest in the very poorly drained site, and respiration was lowest from this site. During the summer drought of 1999, all soils except the Histosol had lower respiration rates than predicted from temperature alone. Rain events that ended the drought produced a pulse of soil respiration in all mineral soils, stimulating soil C flux more than expected from temperature alone. The effect of drought and rewetting on soil respiration varied by site, suggesting that the response to climate variability will depend upon soil drainage to some extent. Soil respiration rates were most variable in dry conditions, and current and antecedent soil moisture conditions played an important role during those times. In general, soil respiration was much more variable over time than across sites, even among these sites with very different total soil C content, indicating that climate—mainly temperature—is the main determinant of soil CO2 release even across soils with widely varying drainage.}, number={3}, journal={Northeastern Naturalist}, author={Davis, Aletta A. and Compton, Jana E. and Stolt, Mark H.}, year={2010}, pages={437–455} }
 @article{davis_trettin_2006, title={Sycamore and sweetgum plantation productivity on former agricultural land in South Carolina}, volume={30}, DOI={10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.08.001}, abstractNote={Former agricultural lands in the southern US comprise a significant land base to support short rotation woody crop (SRWC) plantations. This study presents the seven-year response of productivity and biomass allocation in operational-scale, first rotation sycamore (Plantanus occidentalis L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) plantations that were established on drained Ultisols which were historically planted in cotton and soybeans. Three plantation systems, sycamore open drainage, sycamore plus water management, and sweetgum open drainage were established on replicate 3.5–5.5 ha catchments. Height, diameter, and mortality were measured annually. Allometric equations, based on three, five, and seven year-old trees, were used to estimate aboveground biomass. Below-ground biomass was measured in year-five. Water management did not affect sycamore productivity, probably a result of a 5 year drought. The sycamore plantations were more productive after seven growing seasons than the sweetgum. Sycamore were twice the height (11.6 vs. 5.5 m); fifty percent larger in diameter (10.9 vs. 7.0 cm); and accrued more than twice the biomass (38–42 vs. 17Mgha-1) of the sweetgum. Sweetgum plantation productivity was constrained by localized areas of high mortality (up to 88%) and vegetative competition. Mean annual height increment has not culminated for either species. Diameter growth slowed in the sycamore during growing seasons five through seven, but was still increasing in the sweetgum. Both species had similar partitioning of above-ground (60% of total) and below-ground biomass (40% of total).}, number={8-9}, journal={Biomass and Bioenergy}, author={Davis, A.A. and Trettin, C.C.}, year={2006}, pages={769–777} }
 @inproceedings{davis._trettin_2004, place={November, Charleston, SC}, title={Hardwood plantation productivity on former agricultural land in South  	Carolina, USA.  }, booktitle={The 8th conference on Short rotation Woody Crops Operations Working Group}, author={Davis., A.A. and Trettin, C.C.}, year={2004} }
 @article{davis_stolt_compton_2004, title={Spatial distribution of soil carbon in southern New England hardwood forest landscapes}, volume={68}, DOI={10.2136/sssaj2004.8950}, abstractNote={Understanding soil organic C (SOC) spatial variability is critical when developing C budgets, explaining the cause and effects of climate change, and for basic ecosystem characterization. We investigated delineations of four soil series to elucidate the factors that affect the size, distribution, and variability of SOC pools from horizon to landscape scales. These soils, classified as Udipsamments, Dystrudepts, Endoaquepts, and Haplosaprists, were sampled along random transects to a depth of 1 m. In very poorly and poorly drained soils 75 and 45% of total SOC was found below 30 cm, respectively. In contrast, only 30% of the total SOC could be accounted for below 30 cm in the well and excessively drained soils. Soils formed in outwash and young alluvium sequestered a greater portion of total SOC within the subsoil, while soils formed in loess held approximately 70% of the SOC within O and A horizons. Total SOC contents among the four soil types differed significantly (p < 0.001), with the wetter soils having greater accumulations of C. Soil C pools ranged from 110 Mg C ha−1 in the excessively drained Psamments (double the mean national value) to 586 Mg C ha−1 in the very poorly drained Saprists (30–60% lower than the mean national value). The two‐fold differences between our data and the national averages support the need for regional assessments of soil C pools. Based on the coefficient of variation (CV) values, there appears to be nearly as much variability in the SOC pool within a delineation (CVs ranged 9 to 30%) as among delineations (CVs ranged from 15 to 31%) for the same soil type. Since significant differences were found for total SOC among delineations of the same soil type, we concluded that sampling from a significant number of delineations of the same series will provide a more accurate representation of SOC for scaling to the landscape or region than sampling at multiple locations within a single representative delineation.}, number={3}, journal={Soil Science Society of America}, author={Davis, Aletta A. and Stolt, Mark H. and Compton, Jana E.}, year={2004}, pages={895–903} }
 @inproceedings{davis._trettin_tolbert_2002, title={Nutrient and carbon mass balance in intensively managed  	hardwood plantations}, booktitle={SSSA}, publisher={Agronomy Abstracts}, author={Davis., A.A. and Trettin, C.C. and Tolbert, V.R.}, year={2002} }
 @phdthesis{thesis_2001, title={Carbon storage and cycling in upland and wetland forests of southern New England}, url={https://uri-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=01URI_ALMA2157958190002396&context=L&vid=01URI&lang=en_US&search_scope=Books_More&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Carbon%20storage%20and%20cycling%20in%20upland%20and%20wetland%20forests%20of%20southern%20New%20England.%20%20&offset=0}, school={University of Rhode Island}, author={Thesis, M.S.}, year={2001} }
 @inproceedings{davis._stolt_compton_2000, title={Total organic carbon in temperate forest soils of varying  	drainage class and parent material}, booktitle={SSSA}, author={Davis., A.A. and Stolt, M.H. and Compton, J.E.}, year={2000} }
 @inproceedings{davis_stolt_compton_1999, title={Carbon storage variability in deciduous forests: effects of  parent material and drainage classification}, booktitle={SSSA}, author={Davis, A.A. and Stolt, M.H. and Compton, J.E.}, year={1999} }
 @article{davis_stolt_compton, title={CARBON-ORGANIC MATTER RELATIONSHIPS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND FOREST SOILS}, url={http://nesoil.com/upload/nehstc/SOM_SOC_DRAFT.pdf}, note={Unpublished 0.0 (2001):0-00}, author={Davis, Aletta A. and Stolt, Mark H. and Compton, Jana E.} }