All of the students conduct research with Associate Professor David Vandermast in the Department of Biology.

 Senior biology major John Furniss presented his research on atmospheric tree core chemistry in Great Smoky Mountains National Park; senior biology major Kara Salpeter presented her research on invasive plant success at various spatial scales along the Haw River, senior biology major Stephanie Matson presented her research on fecundity and biochemical markers of stress caused by shading a wintergreen perennial plant, and junior biology major Lora Sigmon presented her research describing the riparian forest vegetation of the Haw River.

The article provides evidence that spruce and fir trees are inhibited from colonizing beech forests because of chemicals produced by the beech trees.

Citation:

Poteat, Monica, and David Vandermast.  2010.  On the scarcity of red spruce (Picea rubens) and Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) in the beech gaps of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 126(3): 98-104.

Galliher, a senior biology major from Bristol, Tenn., presented a talk with Vandermast titled “Effects of beech mortality due to beech bark disease on spring ephemerals in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

Schibler, a senior biology major from Cincinnati, presented a poster with Niedziela titled “Cardiovascular and developmental toxicity of PDBE 47 in Danio rerio, Zebrafish.”

Stackhouse, a senior biology major from Thurmont, Md., presented a poster with Niedziela titled “Developmental toxicity of TCDD in Zebrafish.”

Poteat, a senior biology major from Kannapolis, N.C., presented with Vandermast a talk titled “Inhibition of germination and growth as an explanation for the scarcity of red spruce (Picea rubens) and Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) in the beech gaps of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”

Galliher received a Tom and Bruce Shinn grant from the society to assist her in conducting this research with assistant professor of biology David Vandermast.