@article{stucky_gadd_arellano_2012, title={Pollination biology and seed production of a federally endangered perennial, Echinacea laevigata (Asteraceae:Heliantheae)}, volume={168}, DOI={10.1674/0003-0031-168.1.93}, abstractNote={Abstract Pollination biology and factors affecting reproductive success of the federally endangered Echinacea laevigata (coneflower) were studied in one large and five small populations. Insect visitor exclusion from flowering heads and pollination treatments showed that seed production was 10x higher in open-pollinated treatments compared to bagged flowers that were not pollinated and 20x higher than flower heads receiving self pollen suggesting that cross-pollination was responsible for most seed production. Peak flowering occurred the 2nd–4th wk of Jun. 2004 and the large population contributed 50–68% of the flowering individuals in its plant community. During this period, Bombus (Apidae, bumblebees), Hesperiidae (skippers), and Megachile (Megachilidae, leaf-cutter bees) accounted for 73%, 12%, and 11% of the observed visits to coneflower, respectively. Species richness of coneflower flower visitors and number of flower visits was lower in each small population than in the large population. However, comparison of seed production between heads receiving supplemental pollen and open-pollination heads indicated that seed production was not pollen limited. In addition, over 93% of pollen grains stained normally in cotton blue-lactophenol in all six populations suggesting that pollen viability was high in small and large populations. However, seed production in the large population exceeded that in each of three small populations during 2005, and seedling size was larger in the large population compared to seedlings from one of the small populations. Comparison of soil cation concentrations among populations suggested that cations did not limit seed production. We suggest that genetic factors, such as inbreeding or low S allele variation, may limit seed production in the small populations.}, number={1}, journal={American Midland Naturalist}, author={Stucky, J. M. and Gadd, L. E. and Arellano, C.}, year={2012}, pages={93–111} }
 @article{wall_wentworth_shelingoski_stucky_leblond_hoffmann_2011, title={Lost and Found: Remnants of the Big Savannah and Their Relationship to Wet Savannas in North Carolina}, volume={76}, ISSN={["1938-4386"]}, DOI={10.2179/10-046.1}, abstractNote={Abstract Conversion to agriculture and plantations, development, and fire suppression have reduced the extent of savannas in the southeastern United States, and there is a need to catalog and classify the remaining savannas for both restoration and resource management purposes. The Big Savannah was a wet savanna in North Carolina that was destroyed in the 1950s, and subsequent vegetation classifications have generally not accommodated well the unique natural plant community of the Big Savannah. Vegetation reminiscent of that described for the Big Savannah was discovered north of the original site and designated as Wells Savannah. To evaluate the uniqueness of the savanna vegetation at Wells Savannah, we compiled a data set from permanent quadrats with information on vegetation and environmental variables from other Outer Coastal Plain savannas to compare with similar data from the natural community at Wells Savannah. We also inventoried an additional 26 quadrats on a tract adjacent to Wells Savannah that had experienced fire suppression. Results from multivariate analyses demonstrated clear differences between the Wells Savannah quadrats and other regional wet savanna quadrats based on both vegetation and soils. A number of species and several soil characteristics (higher clay percentage, and higher available iron and boron) distinguish Wells Savannah from other wet savannas. Although the fire suppressed quadrats near Wells Savannah had lower species richness, typical savanna species such as Ctenium aromaticum and Calamovilfa brevipilis were still present. Further exploration of fire-suppressed tracts in the area may yield more wet savanna inclusions similar to the former Big Savannah.}, number={4}, journal={CASTANEA}, author={Wall, W. A. and Wentworth, T. R. and Shelingoski, S. and Stucky, J. M. and LeBlond, R. J. and Hoffmann, W. A.}, year={2011}, month={Dec}, pages={348–363} }
 @article{gregory_braham_blank_stucky_2010, title={Habitat and Search Criteria of the Rare Sandhills Lily, Lilium pyrophilum M. W. Skinner and Sorrie}, volume={75}, ISSN={["1938-4386"]}, DOI={10.2179/09-026.1}, abstractNote={Abstract Thirty populations of Sandhills lily (Lilium pyrophilum) in North Carolina and Virginia were studied to understand the habitat requirements and develop search criteria to find new populations. In each population a study plot containing lily individuals was compared with a nearby plot lacking the lily. Lilium pyrophilum habitat occurred on floodplains and adjacent side slopes that supported four Coastal Plain plant community types and maintained rights-of-way and had an open canopy with an understory dominated by herbs and shrubs. Lily individuals occurred on a range of organic to mineral-organic soils but not on sandy soils and lily soils had higher sulfur levels. Relative to plots lacking lily individuals, Lilium pyrophilum plots had a higher wetness index. Since 97% of plots were in jurisdictional wetlands, a wetland indicator of FACW+ was recommended for L. pyrophilum. Search criteria for finding new populations were developed on the basis of the habitat features elucidated in this study.}, number={2}, journal={CASTANEA}, author={Gregory, Cheryl and Braham, Richard and Blank, Gary and Stucky, Jon}, year={2010}, month={Jun}, pages={198–204} }
 @article{elam_stucky_wentworth_gregory_2009, title={Vascular Flora, Plant Communities, and Soils of a Significant Natural Area in the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain (Craven County, North Carolina)}, volume={74}, ISSN={["1938-4386"]}, DOI={10.2179/08-07.1}, abstractNote={Abstract Cool Springs Environmental Education Center (CSEEC), owned by Weyerhaeuser Company, includes a 591 ha State Significant Natural Area. It is located in Craven County, North Carolina, in the floristically rich Atlantic Coastal Plain. A vascular flora inventory documented the occurrences of 567 species and sub-specific taxa and 303 genera in 118 plant families, including populations of the Atlantic Coastal Plain endemics Pondspice (Litsea aestivalis) and LeBlond's Coastal Goldenrod (Solidago villosicarpa). We identified twenty plant community types, including the uncommon Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) Woodland, Bald Cypress–Tupelo Gum (Taxodium distichum – Nyssa aquatica) Swamp, a number of small depression wetland communities, and the novel Sand Laurel Oak-Loblolly Pine (Quercus hemisphaerica – Pinus taeda) Woodland. Soils ranged from excessively drained sands to very poorly drained organics. The order of the soil mapping units according to the number of plant taxa they supported per unit area was TaB > PO > Ln > Mu > DO, MM > Se > KuB. Among five of 12 floristic study sites having positive residuals in the regression of log species richness on log area, CSEEC had the third largest residual. There was no relationship between the residuals from regressions of log species on log area and soil drainage heterogeneity on log area. The occurrences of two rare plant species, a species-rich flora, ten natural plant community types, and an assemblage of wet and dry soils in a variety of geomorphic settings are objective factors justifying the recognition of CSEEC as a State Significant Natural Area.}, number={1}, journal={CASTANEA}, author={Elam, Caitlin E. and Stucky, Jon M. and Wentworth, Thomas R. and Gregory, James D.}, year={2009}, month={Mar}, pages={53–77} }
 @article{smith_osmond_moorman_stucky_gilliam_2008, title={Effect of vegetation management on bird habitat in Riparian buffer zones}, volume={7}, ISSN={["1938-5412"]}, DOI={10.1656/1528-7092(2008)7[277:EOVMOB]2.0.CO;2}, abstractNote={Abstract Riparian buffers can be valuable refuge areas for wildlife in otherwise homogeneous agricultural landscapes. Government sponsored programs like the Cropland Reserve Program generally require the planting of specific vegetative species during buffer restoration, although the effectiveness of such an approach when compared to restoration by volunteer species is unknown. We studied the effect of differences in vegetation structure on avian habitat in riparian buffer zones. A 25 m (82 ft) wide planted woodland buffer, 30 m (98 ft) wide grass, shrub, and woodland three-zone buffer, and a 9 m (30 ft) wide shrub buffer were evaluated for habitat potential using breeding-bird counts and vegetation surveys. Bird density and species richness varied with the structure of the vegetative communities present at the three sites. Avian species richness and total detections were higher in the three-zone buffer than in both the shrub and planted buffer, likely a result of the diversity of vegetation at the site. These data suggest that restoration of riparian areas by allowing fallow vegetation to recolonize is at the very least equally beneficial to avian wildlife as is restoration by planting specific grass, shrub, and tree species. Buffer restoration by natural revegetation using this method could be recommended as an alternative to implementation by planting riparian species due to its simplicity and cost effectiveness.}, number={2}, journal={SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST}, author={Smith, Timothy A. and Osmond, Deanna L. and Moorman, Christopher E. and Stucky, Jon M. and Gilliam, J. Wendell}, year={2008}, pages={277–288} }
 @article{peters_xiang_thomas_stucky_whiteman_2009, title={Genetic analyses of the federally endangered Echinacea laevigata using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP)—Inferences in population genetic structure and mating system}, volume={10}, ISSN={1566-0621, 1572-9737}, url={http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10592-008-9509-1}, DOI={10.1007/s10592-008-9509-1}, abstractNote={Echinacea laevigata (Boynton and Beadle) Blake is a federally endangered flowering plant species restricted to four states in the southeastern United States. To determine the population structure and outcrossing rate across the range of the species, we conducted AFLP analysis using four primer combinations for 22 populations. The genetic diversity of this species was high based on the level of polymorphic loci (200 of 210 loci; 95.24%) and Nei's gene diversity (ranging from 0.1398 to 0.2606; overall 0.2611). There was significant population genetic differentiation (GST = 0.294; ӨII = 0.218 from the Bayesian f = 0 model). Results from the AMOVA analysis suggest that a majority of the genetic variance is attributed to variation within populations (70.26%), which is also evident from the PCoA. However, 82% of individuals were assigned back to the original population based on the results of the assignment test. An isolation by distance analysis indicated that genetic differentiation among populations was a function of geographic distance, although long-distance gene dispersal between some populations was suggested from an analysis of relatedness between populations using the neighbor-joining method. An estimate of the outcrossing rate based on genotypes of progenies from six of the 22 populations using the multilocus method from the program MLTR ranged from 0.780 to 0.912, suggesting that the species is predominantly outcrossing. These results are encouraging for conservation, signifying that populations may persist due to continued genetic exchange sustained by the outcrossing mating system of the species.}, number={1}, journal={Conservation Genetics}, author={Peters, Melinda D. and Xiang, Qiu-Yun (Jenny) and Thomas, David T. and Stucky, Jon and Whiteman, Noah K.}, year={2009}, month={Feb}, pages={1–14} }
 @article{fleming_stucky_brownie_2007, title={Effects and importance of soil wetness and neighbor vegetation on Solidago verna M. A. Curtis ex Torrey & A. Gray (spring-flowering goldenrod) [Asteraceae] transplant survivorship and growth}, volume={72}, DOI={10.2179/06-35.1}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT Solidago verna M. A. Curtis ex Torrey & A. Gray (spring-flowering goldenrod) [Asteraceae] is threatened in North Carolina, a species of federal concern, endemic to fire– adapted longleaf pine flatwoods in the Carolinas, and is in the Center for Plant Conservation's National Collection of Endangered Plants. Highway construction threatens the largest known population of S. verna. We conducted a transplant study to provide information for the plan being developed to mitigate for the impact of the highway. Plants of the threatened population were transplanted into study plots on seven Coastal Plain soils varying in wetness. Half of the plots on each soil were controls with unclipped neighbor vegetation; the others were experimental plots with clipped vegetation. Soil was the most important factor affecting transplant survival. Survival was lowest on soils that experienced ponding or flooding. Neighbor vegetation clipping tended to improve survival, with the greatest improvement on soils of intermediate wetness. Soil wetness and vegetation treatment (clipped or unclipped) accounted for only 16% of transplant growth variation. We recommend establishing a mitigation transplant population on moderately well drained or somewhat poorly drained soils such as Craven or Lenoir. Managing the transplant population could utilize mowing during those periods when fire is not practical.}, number={4}, journal={Castanea}, author={Fleming, M. S. and Stucky, J. M. and Brownie, C.}, year={2007}, pages={205–213} }
 @article{vidra_shear_stucky_2007, title={Effects of vegetation removal on native understory recovery in an exotic-rich urban forest}, volume={134}, ISSN={["1940-0616"]}, DOI={10.3159/1095-5674(2007)134[410:EOVRON]2.0.CO;2}, abstractNote={Abstract Urban forests represent patches of biodiversity within otherwise degraded landscapes, yet these forests are threatened by invasion by exotic plant species. We investigated the response of a forest understory to removal of four common exotic species: Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb., Lonicera japonica Thunb., Ligustrum sinense, Laur., and Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus in a forest within the city of Raleigh, NC, USA. In the summer of 2001, we initiated a removal experiment with three treatments. In the “repeated removal” treatment, all understory vegetation was initially removed by clipping and new exotic seedlings were repeatedly removed every 2 weeks throughout the study period. The “initial removal” treatment involved a one-time understory vegetation removal with no further weeding. Control plots had no intervention throughout the study period. We conducted vegetation surveys of the plots prior to treatment initiation and in April and August of 2002 and 2003. With a non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination, we were able to discern differences in species composition between the repeated removal treatment and the other two treatments. However, using repeated measures ANOVA, we found no significant differences in native species richness, cover, and abundance among treatments during most sampling periods. We also used a seedbank study to determine that while some early successional species were present, no native shrubs and few native trees emerged from the seedbank. These results suggest that (1) repeated removal is required to decrease the importance of exotic species, especially if the site is in close proximity to a source of exotic propagules; and (2) subsequent to exotic removal, native species may not recover sufficiently without supplemental plantings. Therefore, restoration plans for urban forests should incorporate both long-term monitoring and native plant re-introduction to achieve a diverse native community.}, number={3}, journal={JOURNAL OF THE TORREY BOTANICAL SOCIETY}, author={Vidra, Rebecca L. and Shear, Theodore H. and Stucky, Jon M.}, year={2007}, pages={410–419} }
 @article{franklin_stucky_wentworth_brownie_roulston_2006, title={Limitations to fruit and seed production by Lysimachia asperulifolia Poir. (Primulaceae), a rare plant species of the Carolinas}, volume={133}, ISSN={["1940-0616"]}, DOI={10.3159/1095-5674(2006)133[403:LTFASP]2.0.CO;2}, abstractNote={Abstract Lysimachia asperulifolia Poir., rough–leaf loosestrife, is a federally endangered species that is restricted to longleaf pine savanna – pocosin ecotones in North and South Carolina. Potential causes of the limited fruit and seed production typical of this species and possible effects of prescribed fire on these causes were examined. It was determined that insects rarely visit flowers and that the visitors, Augochlorella spp. and Lasioglossum spp., are not effective pollinators. However, results of artificial pollinations do not support the hypothesis that pollinator limitation alone restricts seed production. Levels of fertility and S allele diversity may vary across natural populations and, combined with ineffective pollination, enforce restricted fruit and seed production. Pollen fertility, amount of flowering, and number of fruits produced in natural populations did not increase following prescribed fire. Restricted seed germination further limits recruitment of genetic variation into populations. Pollinations and propagule dispersal among populations are precluded by habitat fragmentation. Alternative courses of action designed to increase fruit and seed production and seedling recruitment are recommended to those developing loosestrife conservation plans.}, number={3}, journal={JOURNAL OF THE TORREY BOTANICAL SOCIETY}, author={Franklin, M. A. and Stucky, J. M. and Wentworth, T. R. and Brownie, C. and Roulston, T.}, year={2006}, pages={403–411} }
 @article{shelingoski_leblond_stucky_wentworth_2005, title={Flora and soils of Wells Savannah, an example of a unique savanna type}, volume={70}, ISSN={["1938-4386"]}, DOI={10.2179/0008-7475(2005)070[0101:fasows]2.0.co;2}, abstractNote={Abstract Wells Savannah is a unique wet pine savanna located in the Lower Coastal Plain of North Carolina. It consists of two utility rights-of-way and a fire-suppressed pond pine (Pinus serotina) woodland. The objectives of this study of Wells Savannah were to characterize its soils, inventory its vascular flora, and compare its soils and flora with those of reference sites. Soil drainage, texture, and redoximorphic features were described at all locations. Wetland indices were calculated to represent the degree to which the plant communities were adapted to wet substrates. We identified 209 species in 107 genera and 48 families at Wells Savannah. Eight community associations were recognized. Wetland indices for Wells Savannah were significantly lower than those for the reference savannas. The unique combination of fine textured, very wet soil and plant species composition present at Wells Savannah has not been identified in previous studies of savannas in the region.}, number={2}, journal={CASTANEA}, author={Shelingoski, S and LeBlond, RJ and Stucky, JM and Wentworth, TR}, year={2005}, month={Jun}, pages={101–114} }
 @article{stucky_patti_shear_1999, title={Regression equations for estimating Ilex opaca biomass components}, volume={64}, number={4}, journal={Castanea}, author={Stucky, J. M. and Patti, H. D. and Shear, T. H.}, year={1999}, pages={350} }
 @article{stucky_coxe_1999, title={The loss of a unique wetland in the Piedmont, North Carolina}, volume={64}, number={4}, journal={Castanea}, author={Stucky, J. M. and Coxe, R.}, year={1999}, pages={287} }