Teaching Responsibilities

• Assist in FOR 5224 Forest Biometry

Selected Research Activities

• Cooperative Research Program in Growth and Yield of Managed Stands of Loblolly Pine (Four industrial forestry firms plus the U.S. Forest Service, 1979-present): The objective of this Cooperative is to develop loblolly pine tree growth and stand development models sufficiently flexible to account for the effects of intensive cultural practices, with output sufficiently detailed to allow for analyses of a full range of utilization options. A basic premise followed in establishing a thrust for the Coop is that growth and yield research consists of a continuous cycle of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. In the course of research, knowledge gaps have been identified. These gaps have been used as a basis for designing studies and data collection efforts.
• Methodology for Modeling Forest Yields and Stand Structural Patterns (McIntire-Stennis Project): The overall objective of this project is to develop a forest growth and yield modeling system that can account for the effects of intensive management practices. Specifically, this project focuses on modeling the effects of selected silvicultural practices, quantifying wood quality in thinned and unthinned loblolly pine stands, and applying current computing technology to implement the growth and yield models developed by this research.

Selected Publications

• Amateis, R.L., S.P. Prisley, H.E. Burkhart and J. Liu. 2006. The Effect of Physiographic Region and Geographic Locale on Predicting the Dominant Height and Basal Area of Loblolly Pine Plantations. South. J. Appl. For. 30(3) 147-153.
• Amateis, R.L. and H.E. Burkhart. 2005. The influence of thinning on the proportion of peeler, sawtimber, and pulpwood trees in loblolly pine plantations. South. J. Appl. For. 29(3) 158-162.
• Amateis, R. L., P. J. Radtke and G. D. Hansen. 2004. The effect of spacing rectangularity on stem quality in loblolly pine plantations. Can. J. For. Res. 34:498-501.
• Radtke, P. J., S. P. Prisley, R. L. Amateis, C. A. Copenheaver, and H. E. Burkhart. 2004. A proposed model for deadwood C production and decay in loblolly pine plantations. Environmental Management 33(Supplement 1):S56-S64.
• Amateis, R. L. 2003. Quantitative tools and strategies for modeling forest systems at different scales. In: Modelling Forest Systems (A. Amaro, D. Reed and P. Soares, eds.), CAB International, pp. 87-95.
• Amateis, R. L., M. Sharma and H. E. Burkhart. 2003. Using miniature plantations as experimental tools for assessing sustainability issues. Can. J. For. Res. 33:450-454.
• Amateis, R. L., M. Sharma and H. E. Burkhart. 2003. Scaling growth relationships from seedling plots using similarity analysis. For. Sci. 49:188-195.
• Sharma, M., R. L. Amateis and H. E. Burkhart. 2003. Forest stand dynamics and similarity theory. Ecol. Mod. 167:165-180.
• MacFarlane, D. W., E. J. Green, A. Brunner and R. L. Amateis. 2003. Modeling loblolly pine canopy dynamics for a light capture model. For. Ecol. and Manag. 173:145-168.
• Westfall, J. A. and R. L. Amateis. 2003. A model to account for potential correlations between growth of loblolly pine and changing ambient carbon dioxide concentrations. South. J. Appl. For. 27:279-284.
• Sharma, M., R. L. Amateis and H. E. Burkhart. 2002. top height definition and its effect on site index determination in thinned and unthinned loblolly pine plantations. For. Ecol. and Manag. 168:163-175.
• Sharma, M. H. E. Burkhart, and R. L. Amateis. 2002. Spacing rectangularity effect on the growth of loblolly pine plantations. Can. J. For. Res. 32:1451-1459.
• Sharma, M., H. E. Burkhart and R. L. Amateis. 2002. Modeling the effects of density on the growth of loblolly pine trees. South. J. Appl. For. 26:124-133.
• Sharma, M., R. G. Oderwald and R. L. Amateis. 2002. A consistent system of equations for tree and stand volume. For. Ecol. and Manag. 165:179-187.
• Davidson, C. B., J. E. Johnson, K. W. Gottschalk, and R. L. Amateis. 2001. Prediction of stand susceptibility and gypsy moth defoliation in Coastal Plain mixed pine-hardwoods. Can. J. For. Res. 31:1914-1921.
• Amateis, R. L., J. Liu, M. J. Ducey, H. L. Allen. 2000. Modeling response to midrotation nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization in loblolly pine plantations. South. J. Appl. For. 24:207-212.
• Amateis, R. L. 2000. Modeling response to thinning in loblolly pine plantations. South. J. Appl. For. 24:17-22.
• Luxmore, R. J., W. W. Hargrove, M. L. Tharp, W. M. Post, M. W. Berry, K. S. Minser, W. P. Cropper, Jr., D. W. Johnson, B. Zeide, R. L. Amateis, H. E. Burkhart, V. C. Baldwin, Jr., K. D. Peterson. 2000. Signal-transfer modeling for regional assessment of forest responses to environmental changes in the southeastern United State. Env. Model. and Asses. 5:125-137.

Professional Achievements

• Member, Xi Sigma Pi, IUFRO