Davis - Division of Forestry & Natural Resources | James Rentch

James Rentch

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James S. Rentch

Research Assistant Professor

Contact Information

West Virginia University
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources
PO Box 6125, Morgantown, WV 26506-6125

Telephone: (304) 293-6466
Fax: (304) 293-2441
Email: jrentch2@wvu.edu

Education

Ph.D. Forest Resource Science, West Virginia University (2001)

M.S. Environmental Science, Marshall University (1995)

A.B. Political Science, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey (1969)

Professional Employment

Assistant Research Professor, West Virginia University (2001 – present)

Adjunct Instructor, Marshall University (1995 – 1997)

Engineering Technologist, American Electric Power (1984 – 1998)

Courses Taught

FOR 310, Elements of Silviculture, 2007-present
FMAN 413, Regional Silviculture, 2012
FOR 206, Winter Dendrology, 2012
FMAN 631, Stand Dynamics, 2004
FOR 424, Vegetation of West Virginia, 2002-present
FOR 420, Forest Policy, 2001-2002
FMAN 433, Forest Management, 2002 – 2004
FMAN 212, Forest Ecology, 2008

Research Interests

Red spruce distribution, dynamics, and restoration in the central Appalachians
Oak ecology, silviculture, and management
Dendrochronology and forest stand history reconstruction
Wetland floristics and ecology

Current Research

Baseline conditions in mixed northern hardwood-red spruce stands in the Allegheny Mountains of WV: current and future red spruce distribution under climate change scenarios, red spruce stand dynamics, red spruce restoration, canopy gap dynamics, and effect of overstory release on red spruce sapling growth. (with Tom Schuler, USDA Forest Service).

Modeling annual basal area growth increments of 300-year old white oaks: Is the upper BAI asymptote controlled by age or size? (with John Brooks).

Are annual growth-climate relationships of trees age-independent? Variation of R2 -climate and tree age class.

Effects of prescribed fire, and elevational and aspect gradients on forest/tree growth and mortality trends in the George Washington National Forest (with Dave McGill and Jon Pomp).

Ecological function of mitigated wetlands in the central Appalachians (with J.T. Anderson).

Professional Affiliations

Allegheny Chapter, Society of American Foresters
Southern Appalachian Botanical Society
Natural Areas Association
West Virginia Forestry Association
Tree-Ring Society

Selected Publications

Rentch, J.S., T.M. Schuler, G.W. Nowacki, N.R. Beane, and W. Mark Ford. 2010. Canopy gap dynamics of second-growth red spruce-northern hardwood stands in West Virginia. Forest Ecology and Management 260:1921-1929. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/36629

Rentch, J.S. 2010. Relationship between treefall direction, slope-aspect, and wind in eight old-growth oak stands in the Central Hardwood Forest, USA. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 137: 391-400.

Rentch, J. S. and T. M. Schuler, eds. 2010. Proceedings from the conference on the ecology and management of high-elevation forests in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains. USDA Forest Service, Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-64. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/36047

Veselka, W., J.S. Rentch, W.N. Grafton, W.S. Kordek, and J. T. Anderson. 2010. Using two classification schemes to develop vegetation indices of biological integrity for wetlands in West Virginia, USA. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 170: 555-569.

Black, B. A., M.D. Abrams, J. S. Rentch, and P. J. Gould. 2009. Properties of boundary-line release criteria in North American tree species. Annals of Forestry 66: 205-213.

Rentch, J. S., G. W. Miller, K. W. Gottschalk. 2009. Crown class dynamics of oaks, yellow-poplar, and red maple after commercial thinning in Appalachian hardwoods: 20-yr results. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 26: 156-163. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/34325

Fajvan, Mary Ann; Rentch, Jim; and Gottschalk, Kurt W. 2009. The effects of thinning and gypsy moth defoliation on wood volume growth in oaks. In: McManus, Katherine A; Gottschalk, Kurt W., eds. Proceedings. 19th U.S. D. A. interagency research forum on invasive species. USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-36.

Bonner, J. L, J. T. Anderson, J. S. Rentch, and W. N. Grafton. 2009. Vegetative composition and community structure associated with beaver ponds in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, USA. Wetlands Ecology and Management 17:543-554.

Rentch, J., M. A. Fajvan, R. Evans, and B. Onken. 2009. Using dendrochronology to model hemlock woolly adelgid effects on eastern hemlock growth and vulnerability. Biological Invasions 11: 551-563. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/34494

Rentch, J.S. and J.T. Anderson. 2008. Stand development of trembling aspen in Canaan Valley, West Virginia. In: Jacobs, Douglass F.; Michler, Charles H., eds. 2008. Proceedings, 16th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-24.: 413-422. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/4078

Fajvan, M. A., J. Rentch, and K. Gottschalk. 2008. The effects of thinning and gypsy moth defoliation on wood volume growth in oaks. TREES 22:257-268. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/3899

Rentch, J. S., J. T. Anderson, S. Lamont, J. Sencindiver and R. Eli. 2008. Vegetation along hydrologic, edaphic, and geochemical gradients in a high-elevation poor fen in Canaan Valley, WV. Wetlands Ecology and Management 16: 237-253.

Rentch, J. S., T. S. Schuler, W. Mark Ford, and G. J. Nowacki. 2007. Red spruce stand dynamics, simulations, and restoration opportunities in the central Appalachians. Ecological Restoration 15: 440-452. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/3823

Rentch, J.S. and Anderson, J.T. 2006. A floristic quality index for West Virginia wetland and riparian plant communities. West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station Bulletin. Bulletin 2967. pp. 67.

Drohan, P. J., C. N. Ross, J. T. Anderson, R. H. Fortney, and J. S. Rentch. 2006. Soil and hydrological drivers of Typha latifolia encroachment in a marl wetland. Wetlands Ecology and Management 14:107-122.

Rentch, J. S., R. H. Fortney, S. L. Stephenson, H. S. Adams, W. N. Grafton, R. B. Coxe, H. H. Mills. 2005. Vegetation patterns within the lower Bluestone River Gorge in southern West Virginia. Castanea 70:174-293.

C. K. Balcombe, J. T. Anderson, R. H. Fortney, J. S. Rentch, W. N. Grafton, and W. S. Kordek. 2005. A comparison of plant communities in mitigation and reference wetlands in the mid-Appalachians. Wetlands 25:130-142.

Rentch, J. S., R. H. Fortney. S. L. Stephenson, H. S. Adams, W. N. Grafton, and J. T. Anderson. 2005. Vegetation-site relationships of roadside plant communities in West Virginia, U.S.A. Journal of Applied Ecology 42:129-138.

Rentch, J. S., and R. R. Hicks, Jr. 2005. Changes in presettlement forest composition for five areas in the central hardwood forest, 1784-1990. Natural Areas Journal 25:228-238.

Colbert, J. J., M. Schuckers, D. Fekedulegn, J. S. Rentch, M. MacSiurtain, and K. Gottschalk. 2004. Individual tree basal-area growth parameter estimates for four models. Ecological Modelling 174:115-126. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/6759

Fekedulegn, D, J. J. Colbert, J. S. Rentch, and K. W. Gottschalk. 2004. Aspect induced differences in vegetation, soil, and microclimatic characteristics of an Appalachian watershed. Castanea 69:92-108.

Fortney, R. H., M. Benedict, J. F. Gottgens, T. L. Walters, B. S. Leady and J. S. Rentch. 2004. Aquatic plant community composition and distribution along an inundation gradient at two ecologically-distinct sites in the Pantanal region of Brazil. Wetlands Ecology and Management 12:575-585.

Hicks, R. R., Jr. and J. S. Rentch. 2004. Using before-after-control-impact pairs to monitor the effect of longwall mining on mature forest stands in southeastern Ohio. In Proceedings, 14th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service. GTR-NE 316, pp. 344-357. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/8128

Rentch, J. S., and R. R. Hicks, Jr. 2003. Canopy disturbance intervals and early growth patterns of oak-dominated old-growth forests in the Central Hardwood Forest region. In Van Sambeek, J.W., J. O. Dawson, F. Ponder, Jr., E. F. Loewenstein, and J. S. Fralish, eds. Proceedings, 13th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. USDA Forest Service. Gen. Tech. Rep. NC-234. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/5771

Fortney, R. H. and J. S. Rentch. 2003. Post logging era plant successional trends and geospatial vegetation patterns in Canaan Valley, West Virginia, 1945 to 2001. Castanea 68:317-334.

Rentch, J. S., M. A. Fajvan, and R. R. Hicks, Jr. 2003. Oak establishment and canopy accession strategies in five old-growth stands in the central hardwood forest region. Forest Ecology and Management 184:286-297.

Rentch, J. S., M. A. Fajvan, and R. R. Hicks, Jr. 2003. Spatial and temporal disturbance characteristics of oak-dominated old-growth stands in the central hardwood forest region. Forest Science 49:778-789.

Rentch, J. S., Fekedulegn, D, and G. W. Miller. 2002. Climate, canopy disturbance, and radial growth averaging in a second-growth, mixed-oak stand in West Virginia, U.S.A. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 32:915-927. http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/4217

Rentch, J. S., Adams, H. S., Coxe, R. B., and S. L. Stephenson. 2000. An ecological study of a Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) community in southwestern Virginia. Castanea 65:1-8.

Rentch, J. S. and R. H. Fortney. 1997. The grass bald communities of West Virginia. Castanea 63:147-160.