Current Research

I am studying the influence of forest management practices, specifically prescribed fire, shelterwood harvests, and herbicides on oak regeneration in Central Appalachian mixed oak forests in Ohio and Pennsylvania. At the Ohio Hills site of the national Fire and Fire Surrogates Study (FFS), I am studying the impact of prescribed fire and overstory thinning on the survival and growth of oak and hickory seedlings as well as their competitors (red maple, yellow-poplar, beech and blackgum). In collaboration with Todd Hutchinson, I am investigating the use of shelterwood harvests, prescribed fire and herbicides to promote oak regeneration. I have recently begun a new project with Todd Hutchinson, Daniel Yaussy, Louis Iverson and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, to study the interactions of prescribed fire in managed oak forests with the invasive tree, Ailanthus altissima.

I am actively involved in educational outreach programs with local schools. I am partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, Wayne National Forest, US Fish and Wildlife, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Columbus and Delaware City Schools to provide fifth graders overnight camping and environmental education experiences with funding through a More Kids in the Woods grant. In 2006, Kathleen Knight and I initiated a research project with local middle school students to study the impacts of Emerald Ash Borer within the school's woodlot.

Research Interests

• Study the ecophysiology of the major eastern hickory species.
• Compare the responses of hickory and oak species to prescribed fires and other forest management practices.

Education

• North Carolina State University, Ph.D. Botany 1987
• Rutgers University, M.S. Plant Pathology 1983
• Cook College, Rutgers University, B.S. Plant Science 1980

Professional Organizations

• Ecological Society of America
• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
• Society of American Foresters (SAF)
• Ohio Member of Invasive Plant Network and Southeastern Ohio Non-Native Invasive Species Interest Group

Featured Publications & Products

• Rebbeck, Joanne; Scherzer, Amy; Gottschalk, Kurt. 2012. Do chestnut, northern red, and white oak germinant seedlings respond similary to light treatments II. Gas exchange and chlorophyll responses.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Gottschalk, Kurt; Scherzer, Amy. 2011. Do chestnut, northern red, and white oak germinant seedlings respond similarly to light treatments Growth and biomass.
• Hutchinson, Todd F.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Sutherland, Elaine Kennedy; Yaussy, Daniel A. 2012. Repeated prescribed fires alter gap-phase regeneration in mixed-oak forests.
• Knight, Kathleen S.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Herms, Daniel A.; Cardina, John; Herms, Catherine P.; Gandhi, Kamal J.K.; Smith, Annemarie; Costilow, Kyle C.; Long, Lawrence C.; Cappaert, David L. 2010. Effects of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) on forest ecosystems.

Publications

• Pile, Lauren S.; Rebbeck, Joanne ; Brose, Patrick H.; Long, Robert P. 2019. Black and Chestnut Oak Seedling Response to Glaciated Soil: Implications for Northward Expansion in Response to Climate Warming.
• Rebbeck, Joanne ; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Iverson, Louis R. 2019. Effects of prescribed fire and stem-injection herbicide on Ailanthus altissima demographics and survival.
• Rebbeck, Joanne ; Jolliff, Joan . 2018. How long do seeds of the invasive tree, Ailanthus altissima remain viable.
• Iverson, Louis R.; Peters, Matthew P.; Bartig, Jarel L.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Matthews, Stephen N.; Stout, Susan. 2018. Spatial modeling and inventories for prioritizing investment into oak-hickory restoration.
• Brose, Patrick; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2017. A comparison of the survival and development of the seedlings of four upland oak species grown in four different understory light environments.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd; Iverson, Louis; Yaussy, Daniel; Fox, Timothy. 2017. Distribution and demographics of Ailanthus altissima in an oak forest landscape managed with timber harvesting and prescribed fire.
• Hutchinson, Todd F.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Stout, Susan L. 2016. The devil is in the small dense saplings: A midstory herbicide treatment has limited effects on short-term regeneration outcomes in oak shelterwood stands.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Kloss, Aaron; Bowden, Michael; Coon, Cheryl; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Iverson, Louis; Guess, Greg. 2015. Aerial detection of Ailanthus altissima: a cost-effective method to map an invasive tree in forested landscapes.
• Flower, Charles E.; Long, Lawrence C.; Knight, Kathleen S.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Brown, Joel S.; Gonzalez-Meler, Miquel A.; Whelan, Christopher J. 2014. Native bark-foraging birds preferentially forage in infected ash (Fraxinus spp.) and prove effective predators of the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire).
• Rebbeck, J.; Malone, M.A.; Short, D.P.G.; Kasson, M.T.; O'Neal, E.S.; Davis, D.D. 2013. First report of Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium nonalfalfae on tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) in Ohio.
• Flower, Charles E.; Knight, Kathleen S.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Gonzalez-Meler, Miquel A. 2013. The relationship between the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and ash (Fraxinus spp.) tree decline: Using visual canopy condition assessments and leaf isotope measurements to assess pest damage.
• Rebbeck, Joanne. 2012. Fire management and woody invasive plants in oak ecosystems.
• Hutchinson, Todd F.; Yaussy, Daniel A.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Sutherland, Elaine Kennedy. 2012. Long-term (13-year) effects of repeated prescribed fires on stand structure and tree regeneration in mixed-oak forests.
• Kula, Robert R.; Knight, Kathleen S.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Bauer, Leah S.; Cappaert, David L.; Gandhi, Kamal J.K. 2010. Leluthia astigma (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) as a parasitoid of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae), with an assessment of host associations for nearctic species of Leluthia Cameron..
• Knight, Kathleen S.; Herms, Daniel A.; Cardina, John; Long, Robert; Rebbeck, Joanne; Gandhi, Kamal J.K.; Smith, Annemarie; Klooster, Wendy S.; Herms, Catherine P.; Royo, Alejandro A. 2010. Emerald ash borer aftermath forests: The dynamics of ash mortality and the responses of other plant species.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd; Iverson, Louis; Yaussy, Daniel; Boyles, Robert; Bowden, Michael. 2010. Studying the effects of management practices on Ailanthus populations in Ohio forests: A research update.
• Knight, Kathleen S.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Smith, Annemarie; Gandhi, Kamal; Herms, Daniel A. 2008. How fast will trees die A transition matrix model of ash decline in forest stands infested by emerald ash borer.
• Huang, Jianjun; Boerner, Ralph E.J.; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2007. Ecophysiological responses of two herbaceous species to prescribed burning, alone or in combination with overstory thinning.
• Huebner, Cynthia D.; McQuattie, Carolyn; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2007. Mycorrhizal associations in Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae) from forested and non-forested sites.
• Knight, Kathleen S.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2007. Predicting emerald ash borer-induced changes in forest tree species composition.
• Yaussy, Daniel A.; Hutchinson, Todd; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2006. Fire research on the Raccoon Ecological Management Area.
• Long, Robert P.; Apsley, David K; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2006. Oak and maple stump sprout dynamics in response to thinning and burning treatments in southern Ohio.
• Rebbeck , Joanne; Yaussy, Daniel; Iverson, Louis; Hutchinson, Todd; Long, Robert; Bova, Anthony; Dickinson, Matthew. 2006. Use of temperature-sensitive paints as an index of heat output from fire.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Long, Robert P.; Long, Robert P. 2005. Invasive Plants Affecting the Management of Ohio's Forests.
• Iverson, Louis R.; Prasad, Anantha M.; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2004. A Comparison of the Integrated Moisture Index and the Topographic Wetness Index as Related to Two Years Of Soil Moisture Monitoring in Zaleski State Forest, Ohio.
• Iverson, Louis R.; Yaussy, Daniel A.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd F.; Long, Robert P.; Prasad, Anantha M. 2004. A comparison of thermocouples and temperature paints to monitor spatial and temporal characteristics of landscape-scale prescribed fires.
• Hutchinson, Todd; Rebbeck, Joanne; Long, Robert. 2004. Abundant Establishment of Ailanthus altissima (Tree-of-heaven) after Restoration Treatments in an Upland Oak Forest.
• McQuattie, Carolyn J.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Yaussy, Daniel A. 2004. Effects of Fire and Thinning on Growth, Mycorrhizal Colonization, and Leaf Anatomy of Black Oak and Red Maple Seedlings.
• Iverson, Louis; Prasad, Anantha; Hutchinson, Todd; Rebbeck, Joanne; Yaussy, Daniel A. 2004. Fire and Thinning in an Ohio Oak Forest: Grid-Based Analyses of Fire Behavior, Environmental Conditions, and Tree Regeneration Across a Topographic Moisture Gradient.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Scherzer, Amy J.; Loats, Ken V. 2004. Foliar physiology of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) exposed to O3 and elevated CO2 over five seasons.
• Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Traylor, Zachary P. 2004. Oak Stump Sprout Health and Survival Following Thinning and Prescribed Burning in Southern Ohio.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Long, Robert; Yaussy, Daniel. 2004. Survival of Hardwood Seedlings and Saplings Following Overstory Thinning and Prescribed Fires in Mixed-Oak Forests of Southern Ohio.
• Rebbeck, Joanne; Long, Robert P.; Yaussy, Daniel A. 2004. Survival of Hardwood Seedlings and Saplings One Year Following a Prescribed Fire and Overstory Thinning in Southeastern Ohio.
• Yaussy, Daniel; Rebbeck, Joanne; Iverson, Louis; Hutchinson, Todd; Long, Robert. 2003. Comparison of a low-tech vs. a high-tech method to evaluate surface fire temperatures.
• Scherzer, Amy J.; Long, Robert P.; Rebbeck, Joanne. 2003. Foliar nutrient concentrations of oak, hickory, and red maple.
• Iverson, Louis R.; Yaussy, Daniel; Rebbeck, Joanne; Hutchinson, Todd; Long, Robert; McCarthy, Brian; Riccardi, Cynthia; Prasad, Anantha. 2003. Spatial and temporal distribution of fire temperatures from prescribed fires in the mixed oak forests of southern Ohio.
• Rebbeck, J.; Scherzer, A.J. 2002. Growth responses of yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) exposed to 5 years of O3 alone or combined with elevated CO2.
• Isebrands, Judson G.; Dickson, Richard E.; Rebbeck, Joanne; Karnosky, David F. 2000. Interacting effects of multiple stresses on growth and physiological processes in northern forest trees.
• Rebbeck, Joanne. 1996. The chronic response of yellow-poplar and eastern white pine to ozone and elevated carbon dioxide: three-year summary.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
NRS-2017-38	A native fungus takes on an exotic and aggressive tree species Working with the Wayne National Forest and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Forest Service scientists are studying a native fungus and ...	2017
NRS-2014-040	Biocontrol Agent for the Invasive Ailanthus Tree To Be Tested Forest Service scientists are studying a North American fungus that selectively kills ailanthus trees. Test sites were selected in Ohio forests ...	2014
NRS-2013-055	Destructive Emerald Ash Borer Pest Provides Science Learning Opportunity for Kids This effort has led to the development of a week-long EAB curriculum that gives kids hands-on experience with the process of science while doing ...	2013
NRS-2013-047	Fungus Looks Like Promising Weapon Against Invasive Tree Forest Service scientists are studying a North American fungus that selectively kills ailanthus trees. Preliminary tests of other Ohio native tr ...	2013
NRS-2010-005	Monitoring of the Invasive Tree, Ailanthus, Takes Flight Over Ohio Forests Ailanthus altissima, a rapidly growing invasive non-native tree, is spreading into many forested landscapes in the eastern United States and dis ...	2010
NRS-2016-167	Persistence of Ailanthus Seeds in Forest Floor Seed Bank Ailanthus is an aggressive non-native invader of mixed hardwood forests, where it can outcompete native vegetation, including both trees and oth ...	2016
NRS-2015-141	Possible Biocontrol Agent for the Invasive Ailanthus Tree Is Tested Forest Service scientists from the agency’s Northern Research Station are studying a native fungus and find that it kills ailanthus (tree-of-h ...	2015
NRS-2014-046	Woodpeckers Capitalize on an Invasive Forest Pest Emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that kills ash trees, is eaten by bark-foraging birds like woodpeckers. Forest Service scientists and par ...	2014