Dr. Heidi J. Renninger
Title
- Associate Professor
Contact Information
Heidi.Renninger@msstate.edu
Office: 662-325-0792
Thompson Hall, Rm 313
Overview
Biography
My research interests are in Forest Ecophysiology and I seek to better understand the environmental drivers of tree functioning and how changes in the environment or disturbances will impact future tree growth, productivity and water use. I have done research in upland pine forests and bottomland hardwood forests as well as short rotation biomass plantations including eastern cottonwood, hybrid poplar, willow and sycamore systems. I regularly collaborate with other researchers to link physiological tree functioning to hydrology and biogeochemical cycling in forest systems and better understand how growth, water use and ecosystem service provision will be impacted by environmental change and/or changes in species composition in the future.
Education
- Boston University , Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Geography
- Oregon State University , Master of Science (M.S.), Forest Science
- Millersville University of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Biology
Research Interests
Environmental controls on physiological plant function
Structure/function relationships in plants
Tree and forest water use
Short rotation bioenergy crops
Teaching Interests
Tree Physiology
Forest Ecophysiology
Website
Publications
Year | Publications |
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2024 | Wang, J., Renninger, H. J., Ma, Q., Jin, S. 2024. Measuring newly developed stomatal and guard cell metrics for plant physiology and growth using StoManager1. Plant Physiology |
2024 | Wang, J., Renninger, H. J., Ma, Q. 2024. Labeled temperate hardwood tree stomatal images datasets from seven taxa of Populus and 17 hardwood species. Scientific Data 11. Download |
2023 | Renninger, H. J., Frey, B. R., Anderson, M., Evans, D. L. 2023. Using LiDAR data to estimate biomass in afforested bottomland oak sites in the southern US. Forest Science 69(5):551-562. |
2023 | Willis, J. L., Renninger, H. J., Schnake, D. K., Alexander, H. D. 2023. Xerophytic hardwood retention promotes competition over facilitation in longleaf pine woodlands in the absence of fire. Forest Ecology and Management 531. |
2022 | Renninger, H. J., Pitts, J. J., Rousseau, R. J. 2022. Comparisons of Biomass, Water Use Efficiency and Water Use Strategies Across Five Genomic Groups of Populus and its Hybrids. Global Change Biology Bioenergy |
2022 | Kyaw, T., Siegert, C. M., Dash, P., Poudel, K. P., Pitts, J. J., Renninger, H. J. 2022. Using hyperspectral leaf reflectance to estimate photosynthetic capacity and nitrogen content across eastern cottonwood and hybrid poplar taxa. PLOS One 17:e0264780. |
2022 | Dahal, B., Poudel, K. P., Renninger, H. J., Granger, J. J., Leininger, T. D., Gardiner, E. S., Souter, R. A., Rousseau, R. J. 2022. Aboveground biomass equations for black willow (Salix nigra Marsh.) and eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.). Trees, Forests and People 7(100195). |
2022 | Renninger, H. J., Stewart, L., Freeman, J., Rousseau, R. J. 2022. Physiological functioning and productivity in eastern cottonwood and hybrid poplars on contrasting sites in the southeastern US. BioEnergy Research |
2021 | Renninger, H. J., Stewart, L. F., Rousseau, R. J. 2021. Water use, efficiency, and stomatal sensitivity in eastern cottonwood and hybrid poplar varietals on contrasting sites in the southeastern US. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4(704799). |
2021 | Kassahun, Z., Renninger, H. J. 2021. Effects of drought on water use of seven tree species from four genera growing in a bottomland hardwood forest. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 301-302(108353). |
2021 | Ouyang, Y., Feng, G., Renninger, H. J., Leininger, T., Parajuli, P. B., Grace, J. 2021. A STELLA-based model to simultaneously predict hydrological processes, N uptake and biomass production in a eucalyptus plantation. Forests 12(15). |
2021 | Himes, A., Emerson, P., McClung, R., Renninger, H. J., Rosenstiel, T., Stanton, B. 2021. Leaf traits indicative of drought resistance in hybrid poplar. Agricultural Water Management 246(106676). |
2021 | Alexander, H. D., Siegert, C. M., Brewer, S., Kreye, J., Lashley, M. A., McDaniel, J., Paulson, A., Renninger, H. J., Varner, J. M. 2021. Mesophication of oak landscapes: evidence, knowledge gaps, and future research. BioScience 71(5):531-542. |
2021 | Ouyang, Y., Leininger, T., Renninger, H. J., Gardiner, E., Samuelson, L. 2021. A model to assess Eastern Cottonwood water flow using adjusted vapor pressure deficit associated with a climate change impact application. Climate 9(2). |
2020 | Kassahun, Z., Yow, J. N., Renninger, H. J. 2020. Diversity or Redundancy in Leaf Physiological and Anatomical Parameters in a Species Diverse, Bottomland Hardwood Forest?. Forests 15(5):519. |
2020 | Renninger, H. J., Durbin, T., Kassahun, Z., Gentry, A. 2020. Relationships between leaf anatomy and physiological functioning of southern US oak species differing in flood tolerance. Forests 11(1). |
2019 | Renninger, H. J., Miles, C. H., Ezell, A. W. 2019. Seasonal physiology and growth of planted oaks with implications for bottomland hardwood restoration. New Forests 51:191-212. |
2018 | Hornslein, N., Siegert, C. M., Renninger, H. J. 2018. Changes in physiological functioning in loblolly pine trees undergoing bark beetle simulated mortality. Forest Science 65(3):312-323. |
2018 | Hornslein, N., Siegert, C. M., Renninger, H. J. 2018. Physiological response of mid-canopy sweetgum trees to overstory loblolly pine mortality. Trees 33:139-151. |
2018 | Renninger, H. J., Hall, A. T., Hornslein, N., Ezell, A. W. 2018. Seasonal physiology and growth of bottomland oaks of differing planting stocks in afforestation sites on the U.S. Gulf Coastal Plain. Restoration Ecology 26:702-711. |
2018 | Clark, K., Renninger, H. J., Skowronski, N., Gallagher, M., Schafer, K. 2018. Decadal-scale reduction in forest net ecosystem production following insect defoliation contrasts with short-term impacts of prescribed fires. Forests 9(145). |
2016 | Carlo, N. J., Renninger, H. J., Clark, K. L., Schäfer, K. V. 2016. Impacts of prescribed fire on Pinus rigida Mill. in upland forests of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Tree Physiology 36(8):967-982. |
2015 | Renninger, H. J., Carlo, N. J., Clark, K. L., Schäfer, K. V. 2015. Resource use and efficiency, and stomatal responses to environmental drivers of oak and pine species in an Atlantic Coastal Plain forest. Frontiers in Plant Science 6:297. |
2014 | Clark, K. L., Skowronski, N. S., Gallagher, M. R., Renninger, H. J., Schäfer, K. V. 2014. Contrasting effects of invasive insects and fire on ecosystem water use efficiency. Biogeosciences 11:6509-6523. |
2014 | Schäfer, K. V., Renninger, H. J., Clark, K. L., Medvigy, D. 2014. Hydrological responses to defoliation and drought of an upland oak/pine forest. Hydrological Processes 28:6113-6123. |
2014 | Clark, K. L., Skowronski, N., Renninger, H. J., Scheller, R. 2014. Climate change and fire management in the Mid-Atlantic region. Forest Ecology and Management 327:306-315. |
2014 | Schäfer, K. V., Renninger, H. J., Carlo, N. J., Vanderklein, D. W. 2014. Forest response and recovery following disturbance in upland forests of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Frontiers in Plant Science 5:294. |
2014 | Renninger, H. J., Carlo, N., Clark, K. L., Schäfer, K. V. 2014. Modeling respiration from snags and coarse woody debris before and after an invasive gypsy moth disturbance. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 119(4):630–644. |
2014 | Renninger, H. J., Carlo, N., Clark, K. L., Schäfer, K. V. 2014. Physiological strategies of co-occurring oaks in a water- and nutrient-limited ecosystem. Tree Physiology 34(2):159-73. |
2013 | Thomsen, J. E., Bohrer, G., Matheny, A. M., Ivanov, V. Y., He, L., Renninger, H. J., Schäfer, K. V. 2013. Contrasting Hydraulic Strategies during Dry Soil Conditions in Quercus rubra and Acer rubrum in a Sandy Site in Michigan. Forests 4(4):1106–1120. |
2013 | Renninger, H. J., Schäfer, K., Clark, K., Skowronski, N. 2013. Effects of a prescribed fire on water use and photosynthetic capacity of pitch pines. Trees 27(4):1115–1127. |
2013 | Renninger, H. J., Wadhwa, S., Gallagher, F. J., Vanderklein, D., Schäfer, K. V. 2013. Allometry and photosynthetic capacity of poplar (Populus deltoides) along a metal contamination gradient in an urban brownfield. Urban Ecosystems 16(2):247–263. |
2013 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N. 2013. Secondary stem lengthening in palms: response to commentary by Tomlinson and Quinn. American Journal of Botany 100(3):465-466. |
2013 | Renninger, H. J., McCulloh, K. A., Phillips, N. 2013. A comparison of the hydraulic efficiency of a palm species (Iriartea deltoidea) with other wood types. Tree Physiology 33(2):152-60. |
2012 | Clark, K. L., Skowronski, N., Gallagher, M., Renninger, H. J., Schäfer, K. 2012. Effects of invasive insects and fire on forest energy exchange and evapotranspiration in the New Jersey pinelands. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 166:50–61. |
2012 | Renninger, H. J., Schäfer, K. V. 2012. Comparison of tissue heat balance- and thermal dissipation-derived sap flow measurements in ring-porous oaks and a pine. Frontiers in Plant Science 3:103. |
2012 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N. 2012. "Secondary stem lengthening" in the palm Iriartea deltoidea (Arecaceae) provides an efficient and novel method for height growth in a tree form. American journal of botany 99(4):607-613. |
2011 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N. 2011. Hydraulic properties of fronds from palms of varying height and habitat. Oecologia 167(4):925-35. |
2010 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N. 2010. Intrinsic and extrinsic hydraulic factors in varying sizes of two Amazonian palm species (Iriartea deltoidea and Mauritia flexuosa) differing in development and growing environment. American Journal of Botany 97(12):1926-1936. |
2010 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N., Salvucci, G. D. 2010. Wet-vs. Dry-Season Transpiration in an Amazonian Rain Forest Palm Iriartea deltoidea. Biotropica 42(4):470–478. |
2009 | Renninger, H. J., Phillips, N., Hodel, D. R. 2009. Comparative hydraulic and anatomic properties in palm trees (Washingtonia robusta) of varying heights: implications for hydraulic limitation to increased height growth. Trees 23(5):911–921. |
2007 | Renninger, H. J., Meinzer, F. C., Gartner, B. L. 2007. Hydraulic architecture and photosynthetic capacity as constraints on release from suppression in Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Tree Physiology 27(1):33-42. |
2006 | Renninger, H. J., Gartner, B. L., Meinzer, F. C. 2006. Effects of release from suppression on wood functional characteristics in young Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 36(8):2038–2046. |
2006 | Renninger, H. J., Gartner, B. L., Grotta, A. T. 2006. No correlation between latewood formation and leader growth in Douglas-fir saplings. IAWA Journal 27(2):183–191. |
Extension Publications
Year | Publications |
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Graduate Students
- Daniel Bononcini
- Joseph Thomas
- Jiaxin Wang
Awards & Honors
- College of Forest Resources Research Award
College of Forest Resources; Mississippi State University - College of Forest Resources Early Career Achievement Award
College of Forest Resources; Mississippi State University
Society Memberships
- American Geophysical Union
- Ecological Society of America
- Mississippi Forestry Association