SPEAKER: Heidi Renninger, College of Forest Resources, Mississippi State University

TITLE: Selecting Populus short rotation woody crops for future climates and ecosystem service provision 

ABSTRACT: Populus species, specifically eastern cottonwood and its hybrids, are grown for a variety of products but most recently as feedstocks for bioenergy (including sustainable aviation fuels) and bioproducts. Dr. Renninger will discuss her research on the physiological functioning of selected Populus genotypes specifically as it relates to choosing genotypes with greater water stress and heat tolerance as well as measuring the ecosystem services provided by Populus plantations.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY: Dr. Renninger grew up in Pennsylvania and did her undergraduate studies at Millersville University majoring in Biology. She then went to Oregon State University for her masters in the Wood Science and Engineering Department with a dual degree in Wood Science and Forest Science. She studied the hydraulic conductivity of Douglas-fir and western hemlock and factors that relate to conductivity. She then pursued a PhD at Boston University in the Geography Department. Her dissertation research used palm trees as a model organism to test the hydraulic limitation hypothesis, which is the idea that maximum tree height for a given species is limited by the increasing path length for water transport as trees get taller. She then did a post-doc at Rutgers University working in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey and studying forest responses to disturbance. Dr. Renninger started at Mississippi State University in 2014, where she does a variety of tree physiological research.

EVENT DETAILS: Faculty, students, and the public are invited to attend this program. Advanced registration is not required. Refreshments will be available after the seminar. Parking is available on the third and fourth floors in the South Quad Parking Deck across from the CFWE Building on Duncan Drive. To receive announcements about future seminars, download the 2024 Fall Seminar Calendar or request to join our email list at cfwecom@auburn.edu.

Contact the seminar host or Robert Gitzen at rag0012@auburn.edu if you would like to attend via Zoom or access a recorded version of the seminar.