Member Institutions:

• Bowling Green State U.
• Cleveland State U.
• Kent State U.
• Medical College of Ohio
• Miami U.
• The Ohio State U.
• Ohio U.
• University of Cincinnati
• University of Toledo
• Wright State U.
• Youngstown State U.

Research Interests

I study the dynamics of plant communities and populations. Most of my research has been concerned with the ecological characteristics of woody species in the eastern United States. Of particular interest to me are processes associated with tree death (creating holes or gaps in the forest canopy) and replacement in old-growth mesic forests. Research sites, many revisited periodically, include the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee and North Carolina) and nearby Research Natural Areas (U.S. Forest Service), Hueston Woods State Park (Ohio), sites in Pennsylvania and New York, the Wright State University woods, and stands of old-growth southern beech in New Zealand. I recently studied more general patterns of woody plant distribution in the Galapagos Islands. My students and I also have examined variations in species abundance associated with differences in soils and topography and with differences in human land use. e.g., past cutting history and position in the landscape (woodlot, fencerow, etc.).

These studies typically involve the collection of much field data followed by statistical analysis on personal or mainframe computers, using self-written or packaged programs (e.g., SAS).

Selected Publications

• Forrester, J.A. and J.R. Runkle. 2000. Mortality and replacement patterns of an old-growth Acer-Fagus woods in the Holden Arboretum, northeastern Ohio. Amrican Midland Naturalist 1442(2).
• Runkle, J.R., 2000. Canopy tree turnover in old-growth mesic forests of eastern North America. Ecology 81:554-567.
• Canfield, B. and J.R. Runkle. 1999. Size structure and composition of trees in Oakwood, Ohio: historical and environmental determinants. Ohio Journal of Science 99:102-110.
• Runkle, J.R., 1998. Changes in southern Appalachian canopy tree gaps sampled thrice. Ecology 79:1768-1780.
• Runkle, J.R., G.H. Stewart, and J.R. McClenahen. 1997. Temporal changes in height and diameter growth for two Nothofagus species in New Zealand. Journal of Vegetation Science 8:437-446.
• Kupfer, J.A., G.P. Malanson, and J.R. Runkle. 1997. Factors influencing species composition in canopy gaps: the importance of edge proximity in Hueston Woods, Ohio. Professional Geographer 49:165-178.
• Kupfer, J.A. and J.R. Runkle. 1996. Early gap successional pathways in a Fagus-Acer forest preserve: pattern and determinants. Journal of Vegetation Science 7:247-256.
• Runkle, J.R. 1996. Central mesophytic forests. EASTERN OLD-GROWTH FORESTS. Mary B. Davis, ed. Island Press. Washington, D.C. pp. 161-177.
• Runkle, J.R., G.H. Stewart, and T.T. Veblen. 1995. Sapling diameter growth in gaps for two Nothofagus species in New Zealand. Ecology 76:2107-2117.

Wright State University homepage