Research Interests

I have studied the production, protection and sustainable management of bottomland hardwoods for more than 20 years. In addition to my research and development of biofuels feedstock crop production systems for eastern cottonwood and black willow, I and my cooperators are developing disease resistance in American sycamore to be grown in plantations for pulpwood, biofuels feedstocks, and other natural products. I helped refine and promote the use of an eastern cottonwood-oak interplanting method developed by the Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research to the point where the method has been used from 2007 to 2014 to plant more than 12 million hardwood trees on nearly 20,000 acres of formerly unproductive agricultural land in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.

Education

• Virginia Tech., Ph.D. Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology 1988
• Duke University, M.F. Forestry, Plant Pathology 1981
• Albright College, B.S. Biology, Forestry 1980

Professional Organizations

• Louisiana Tech University, School of Forestry, Adjunct Faculty (2011 - Current)
  Serve on graduate student advisory committees. Conduct cooperative research.
• University of Mississippi, Department of Pharmacognosy, Adjunct Faculty (2011 - Current)
  Serve on graduate student advisory committees. Conduct cooperative research.
• Mississippi State University, College of Forest Resources, Adjunct Faculty (2008 - Current)
  Serve on graduate student advisory committees. Conduct cooperative research.
• Society of American Foresters, Forest Science, Associate Editor, Applied Research (2008 - Current)

Featured Publications & Products

• Adams, J.P.; Rousseau, R. J.; Leininger, T. D. 2012. Genetic control of growth traits and inheritance of resistance to bacterial leaf scorch in American Sycamore.
• Rousseau, R.J.; Leininger, T.D.; Herrin, B.L.; Gardiner, E.S. 2013. Evaluating the potential of black willow as a viable biomass species for the LMAV.
• Ouyang, Ying; Leininger, Theodor D.; Moran, Matt. 2013. Impacts of reforestation upon sediment load and water outflow in the Lower Yazoo River Watershed, Mississippi.
• Lockhart, Brian Roy; Gardiner, Emile S.; Leininger, Theodor D.; Hamel, Paul B.; Connor, Kristina F.; Devall, Margaret S.; Schiff, Nathan M.; Wilson, A. Dan. 2013. Lindera melissifolia responses to flood durations and light regimes suggest strategies for recovery and conservation.

Publications

• Ouyang, Ying ; Zhang, Jiaen ; Feng, Gary ; Wan, Yongshan ; Leininger, Theodor D. 2020. A century of precipitation trends in forest lands of the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley.
• Ouyang, Ying ; Feng, Gary ; Parajuli, Prem ; Leininger, Theodor ; Wan, Yongshan ; Jenkins, Johnie N. 2019. Assessment of surface water quality in the Big Sunflower River Watershed of Mississippi Delta using nonparametric analysis.
• Straub, Jacob N.; Leach, Alan G.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Ezell, Andrew W.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2019. Red oak acorn yields in green-tree reservoirs and nonimpounded forests in Mississippi.
• Foth, Justyn R.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Davis, J. Brian; Straub, Jacob N.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2018. Aquatic invertebrate community composition, diversity, and biomass in non-impounded bottomland hardwood forests and greentree reservoirs.
• Lockhart, Brian Roy; Gardiner, Emile ; Leininger, Theodor ; Hamel, Paul ; Wilson, A Dan; Devall, Margaret ; Schiff, Nathan ; Connor, Kristina F. 2018. Biomass accumulation in the endangered shrub Lindera melissifolia as affected by gradients of light availability and soil flooding.
• Ouyang, Ying; Feng, Gary; Leininger, Theodor D.; Read, John; Jenkins, Johnie N. 2018. Pond and Irrigation Model (PIM): a tool for simultaneously evaluating pond water availability and crop irrigation demand.
• Lockhart, B. R.; Gardiner, E. S.; Leininger, T. D.; Devall, M. S.; Wilson, A. D.; Connor, K. F.; Hamel, P. B.; Schiff, N. M. 2017. Light availability and soil flooding regulate photosynthesis of an imperiled shrub in lowland forests of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA.
• Spetich, Martin A.; Fan, Zhaofei ; Sui, Zhen ; Crosby, Michael ; He, Hong S.; Shifley, Stephen R.; Leininger, Theodor D.; Moser, W. Keith. 2017. Tree mortality estimates and species distribution probabilities in southeastern United States forests.
• Ouyang, Ying; Xu, Daping; Leininger, Ted; Zhang, Ningnan. 2016. A system dynamic model to estimate hydrological processes and water use in a eucalypt plantation.
• Banzhaf, George M.; Matney, Thomas G.; Schultz, Emily B.; Meadows, James S.; Jeffreys, J. Paul; Booth, William C.; Li, Gan; Ezell, Andrew W.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2016. Log-grade volume distribution prediction models for tree species in red oak-sweetgum stands on US mid-south minor stream bottoms.
• Ouyang, Ying; Zhang, Jiaen; Leininger, Theodor D.; Frey, Brent R. 2015. A STELLA model to estimate water and nitrogen dynamics in a short-rotation woody crop plantation.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Spetich, Martin A.; Leininger, Ted; Fan, Xingang. 2015. Early indications of drought impacts on forests in the southeastern United States.
• Ouyang, Ying; Leininger, Theodor D.; Moran, Matt. 2015. Estimating effects of reforestation on nitrogen and phosphorus load reductions in the Lower Yazoo River Watershed, Mississippi.
• Lockhart, Brian Roy; Gardiner, Emile S.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2015. Initial response of pondberry released from heavy shade.
• Hood, Wilson G.; Tyree, Michael C.; Dillaway, Dylan N. Dillaway; Leininger, Theodor D. 2015. Measuring and partitioning soil respiration in sharkey shrink-swell clays under plantation grown short-rotation woody crops.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Fan, Xingang; Spetich, Martin A.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2015. Multi-scale modeling of relationships between forest health and climatic factors.
• Martins, Andreza M.; Abilio, Fernanda M.; Oliveira, Plinio Gonçalves de; Feltrin, Raquel Partelli; Scheffer Alves de Lima, Fernanda; de O. Antonelli, Priscilla; Vilela, Daniela Teixeira; Smith III, Carl G.; Tidwell, Collin; Hamel, Paul; Devall, Margaret; Connor, Kristina; Leininger, Theodor; Schiff, Nathan; Wilson, A. Dan. 2015. Pondberry (Lindera   melissifolia, Lauraceae) seed and seedling dispersers and predators.
• Foth, Justyn R.; Straub, Jacob N.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Davis, J. Brian; Leininger, Theodor D. 2014. Aquatic invertebrate abundance and biomass in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri bottomland hardwood forests during winter.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Leininger, Theodor D.; Spetich, Martin A.; Self, A Brady. 2014. Spatial trends and factors associated with hardwood mortality in the southeastern United States.
• Connor, K.F.; Schaefer, G.M.; Donahoo, J.B.; Devall, M.S.; Gardiner, E.S.; Leininger, T.D.; Wilson, A.D.; Schiff, N.M.; Hamel, P.B.; Zarnoch, S.J. 2013. Lindera melissifolia seed bank study in a lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley bottomland forest.
• Oh, Joonseok; Bowling, John J.; Chittiboyina, Amar G.; Doerksen, Robert J.; Ferreira, Daneel; Leininger, Theodor D.; Hamann, Mark T. 2013. Configurational assignments of conformationally restricted bis-monoterpene hydroquinones: Utility in exploration of endangered plants.
• Choi, Byoungkoo; Hatten, Jeff A.; Dewey, Janet C.; Otsuki, Kyoichi; Cha, Dusong. 2013. Effect of timber harvesting on stormflow characteristics in headwater streams of managed, forested watersheds in the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain in Mississippi.
• Leach, A.G.; Kaminski, R.M.; Straub, J.N.; Ezell, A.W.; Hawkins, T.S.; Leininger, T.D. 2013. Interannual consistency of gross energy in red oak acorns.
• Ouyang, Ying; Leininger, Theodor D.; Hatten, Jeff. 2013. Real-time estimation of TP load in a Mississippi Delta Stream using a dynamic data driven application system.
• Meadows, James S.; Leininger, Theodor D.; Montwé, David; Nebeker, T. Evan. 2013. Thinning to improve growth, bole quality, and forest health in an Inonotus hispidus-infected, red oak-sweetgum stand in the Mississippi Delta: 10-year results.
• Ouyang, Ying; Leininger, Theodor D.; Hatten, Jeff; Parajuli, Prem B. 2012. A STELLA model to estimate soil CO2 emissions from a short-rotation woody crop.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Fan, Xingang; Leininger, Theodor D.; Spetich, Martin A. 2012. Assessing forest mortality patterns using climate and FIA data at multiple scales.
• Lockhart, Brian R; Gardiner, Emile S; Stautz, Theran; Leininger, Theodor D. 2012. Development and plasticity of endangered shrub Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae) seedlings under contrasting light regimes.
• Rousseau, Randell J.; Gardiner, Emile S.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2012. Development of a black willow improvement program for biomass production in the Lower Mississippi River Alluvial Valley.
• Rousseau, Randall J.; Gardiner, Emile S.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2012. Development of an applied black willow tree improvement program for biomass production in the south.
• Leach, Alan G.; Straub, Jacob N.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Ezell, Andrew W.; Hawkins, Tracy S.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2012. Effects of winter flooding on mass and gross energy of bottomland hardwood acorns.
• Oh, Joonseok; Bowling, John J.; Carroll, John F.; Demirci, Betul; Baser, K. Hüsnü Can; Leininger, Theodor D.; Berniere, Ulrich R.; Hamann, Mark T. 2012. Natural product studies of U.S. endangered plants: Volatile components of Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae) repel mosquitoes and ticks.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Spetich, Martin A.; Leininger, Theodor D.; Fan, Xingang. 2012. Relationship between crown dieback and drought in the southeastern United States.
• Crosby, Michael K.; Fan, Zhaofei; Spetich, Martin A.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2012. Remote Sensing of Forest Health Indicators for Assessing Change in Forest Health.
• Hawkins, Tracy S; Skojac, Daniel A, Jr..; Schiff, Nathan M.; Leininger, Theodor. 2010. Floristic composition and potential competitors in Lindera melissifolia (Lauraceae) colonies in Mississippi with reference to hydrologic regime.
• Schultz, Emily B.; Iles, J. Clint; Matney, Thomas G.; Ezell, Andrew W.; Meadows, James S.; Leininger, Theodor D.; et., al. 2010. Stand-level growth and yield component models for red oak-sweetgum forests on Mid-South minor stream bottoms.
• Weegman, Mitch D.; Kaminski, Richard M.; Wang, Guiming; Schummer, Michael L.; Ezell, Andrew W.; Leininger, Theodor D. 2010. Sweep-net sampling acorns in forested wetlands.
• Hawkins, Tracy S.; Skojac, Daniel A., Jr..; Lockhart, Brian R.; Leininger, Theodor D.; Devall, Margaret S.; Shiff, Nathan M. 2009. Bottomland Forests in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley associated with the endangered Lindera melissifolia.
• Hamel, Paul B.; De Steven, Diane; Leininger, Ted; Wilson, Randy. 2009. Historical trends in rusty blackbird nonbreeding habitat in forested wetlands.
• Gardiner, E.; Stanturf, J.; Leininger, T.; Hamel, P.; Dorris, L. Jr.; Portwood, J.; Shepard, J. 2008. Establishing a research and demonstration area initiated by managers: the Sharkey Restoration Research and Demonstration Site.
• Abilio, Fernanda Maria; Smith, Carl, III.; Tidwell, Colin; Hamel, Paul; Devall, Margaret; Leininger, Ted. 2008. Pondberry (Lindera melissifolia) seed predators.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
SRS-2018-45	Estimating impacts of extreme rainfall events for local watersheds Many future climate scenarios project impacts of climate variability on water quantity and quality. However, these scenarios may not be accurate ...	2018
SRS-2017-144	New research sheds light on fate of the imperiled pondberry plant Some consider pondberry to be the rarest shrub in the southeastern U.S. as it is found in only 36 populations distributed in six states. Forest ...	2017