College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Forestry

Dr. David Carter's research focuses on the manipulation of the structure and composition of forests to yield different outcomes in forest function. His work broadly focuses on climate change adaptation and mitigation, forest restoration, and high-yield forestry. 

Extension and Outreach Activities

Instructor of the National Advanced Silviculture Program. Forest Productivity Cooperative co-director, Virginia Tech; 50+ presentations at professional meetings and conferences; Host of the Noon-Time Seminar Series, 2014-15, University of Maine; Volunteer coordinator for The Morton Arboretum, 2011-2013

Teaching Responsibilities

Current: Applied Forest Ecology 406L. Previous: National Advanced Silviculture Program U.S. Forest Service. Environmental Silviculture FREC 3364. Silviculture: Principles and Applications. FREC 3324/5884. Virginia Tech. Managing Forest Ecosystems: Silviculture. FNRM 3411/5411. University of Minnesota – Twin Cities. Teaching Assistant. Fall 2016; Woodland Stewards, The Morton Arboretum, Teaching Assistant, Summer 2011; Phenology, The Morton Arboretum, Volunteer Coordinator/Instructor, Spring 2011 – Spring 2013.

Professional Activities

Professional society memberships: Society of American Foresters, 2009-present; Woodland Stewards, 2010; Ecological Society of America, 2017-present.

Honors and Awards

Fralin Life Sciences Junior Scholar Award, 2022, Carolyn Crosby Grant, University of Minnesota, 2016; Outstanding Master’s Student Award, University of Maine, 2015; Ralph H. Griffin Memorial Fellowship, 2014, University of Maine; Dean’s List, University of Wisconsin, 2005, 2006, 2009.

Recent Peer-reviewed Publications (most recent, n=40)

† Post-doc/graduate co-authorship, * graduate student co-authorship

Sumnall, M. J. †, Carter, D. R., Albaugh, T. J. †, Platt, E*., Host, T., Cook, R. L., Rubilar, R.A. 2024. Evaluating the transferability of airborne laser scanning derived stem size prediction models for Pinus taeda L. stem size estimation to two different locations      and acquisition specifications. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 45(16), 5267–5294. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2024.2370499

Hackman, J., Cook, R.L., Strahm, B., Carter, D.R., Woodley, A., Garcia, K. 2024. Using microdialysis to assess soil diffusive P and translocated sap flow P concentration in         southern Pinus taeda plantations. Plant and Soil 499: 409-426

Hackman, J., Woodley, A., Carter, D.R., Strahm, B., Averill, C., Vilgalys, R., Cook, R.L. 2024.             Fungal biomass and ectomycorrhizal community assessment of phosphorus responsive Pinus taeda plantations. Frontiers in Fungal Biology

Ryan, S.M., Copenheaver, C.A., Carter. D.R., Lorber, J.H. 2024. Evidence of mesophication     following selective cutting and shelterwood in Virginia’s eastern deciduous forest, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 560

Cook, R.L., Fox, T.R., Allen, H.L., Cohrs, C.W., Ribas-Costa, V., Trlica, A., Ricker, M., Carter, D.R., Rubilar, R., Campoe, O., Albaugh, T.J., Kleto, P., O’Brien, E., McEachern, K. 2024. Forest soil classification for intensive pine plantation management: “Site       Productivity Optimization for Trees” system. Forest Ecology and Management 556 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.121732.

House, M.N., Wynne, R.H., Thomas, V.A., Cook, R.L., Carter, D.R., Van Mullekom, J.H., Rakestraw, J., Schroeder, T.A. 2024. Effects of establishment fertilization on Landsat-assessed leaf area development of loblolly pine stands. Forest Ecology and Management 556

Hackman, J., Cook, R.L., Strahm, B., Carter, D.R., Woodley, A., Garcia, K., Albaugh, T., Rubilar, R., Campoe, O. 2024. Pinus taeda carryover phosphorus availability on the lower Atlantic Coastal Plain. Forest Ecology and Management 555

Howell, R.W.*, Carter, D.R., Aust, W.M. 2024. Compositional outcomes of 24-year old silvicultural trials in Appalachian Forests of Virginia. Castanea 88(2): 216-230

Rubilar, R., Bozo, D., Albaugh, T., Cook, R, Campoe, O., Carter, D.R., Pincheira, M., Zapata,   A. 2023. Rotation age effects of subsoiling, fertilization, and weed control on radiata pine growth at contrasting soil physical, nutritional, and water resource limiting sites. Forest Ecology and Management

Every, C.*, Aust, W.M., Carter, D.R., Coates, T.A., Schilling, E.B. In Press. Thirty-five-year timber harvesting disturbance effects on composition and biomass of Nyssa- Taxodium forested wetlands, southwest Alabama, USA. Wetlands

Sumnall, M.J.†, Albaugh, T.J.†, Carter, D.R., Cook, R.L., Hession, C., Campoe, O.C., Rubilar,  R.A., Wynne, R., Thomas, V. 2023. Estimation of individual stem volume and diameter from segmented UAV laser scanning datasets in Pinus taeda L. plantations.  International Journal of Remote Sensing