Research

The co-location of pine and switchgrass research sites allows us to investigate several important questions in the broad areas of forestry and environmental sciences:

As biofuels, are loblolly pine or switchgrass plantations most beneficial to climate?
mowing
In 2016 FDC mowed to reset the grass before the third growing season. 2016 will bring the first big grass harvest.
What controls rates of carbon sequestration in pine and switchgrass?
Tom O'Halloran in switchgrass
Dr. O’Halloran demonstrates that the switchgrass is already 1.5 meters tall in June of 2016 (the third growing season).
How does the Blue Ridge Haze (aerosol new particle formation) occur, and how do plant canopies respond?
The time series of aerosol size distributions illustrates the birth of the Blue Ridge Haze. Bursts of red color in a slightly banana-looking shape indicate the formation and growth of new particles in the atmosphere.
The time series of aerosol size distributions illustrates the birth of the Blue Ridge Haze. Bursts of red color in a slightly banana-looking shape indicate the formation and growth of new particles in the atmosphere.

 

Publications

O’Halloran, T.L., R.Q. Thomas, and B. Ahlswede. Environmental Controls on Loblolly Pine Productivity in Central Virginia.  American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA., December 12-16, 2016.

Thomas, R.Q., T.L. O’Halloran, and B. Ahlswede. Climate regulation ecosystem services of biofuels: a new paired flux tower study comparing loblolly pines and switchgrass ecosystems. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA., December 12-16, 2016.

O’Halloran, T.L.  SBC-LARS: a new tower facility for forest management and disturbance research in a loblolly pine forest of central Virginia.  AmeriFlux PI’s Meeting, Washington D.C., January 29-30, 2015.

Joerger, V. M.**, T.L. O’Halloran. Environmental controls on new particle formation over a forested region in the southeastern U.S.A. during one year. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA., December 14-18, 2015.

Joerger, V. M.**, T.L. O’Halloran, and J.G. Barr. New particle formation above a loblolly pine forest at a new tower site in central Virginia. American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA., December 15-19, 2014.

Engaging undergraduate women in environmental science