Michael C Stambaugh, Ph.D.
Research Associate

• Phone: 573-882-8841
• E-mail: stambaughm@missouri.edu
• Address: 203 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, Columbia, MO 65211 USA
• Curriculum Vitae

Education

• Ph.D. 2008, Fire Ecology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Advisor: Dr. Richard Guyette
  Dissertation title: "Fire risk assessment of the western portion of the Central Hardwoods forest region"
• Graduate studies (dendrochronology, time-series statistics, wood anatomy), University of Arizona
• Graduate certificate, Geographic Information Science, University of Missouri-Columbia
• M.S. 2001, Forest Ecology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Advisor: Dr. Rose-Marie Muzika
  Thesis title: "Forest canopy gap dynamics in shortleaf pine forests of the Ozark Highlands"
• B.S. Forestry, University of Missouri-Columbia (EARTH University, Costa Rica, Study Abroad)

Research

• Dendrochronology, paleoecology, fire ecology


• Missouri Tree-Ring Laboratory

Research Summary

• My research has primarily involved or stemmed from the science of tree rings (dendrochronology). I am particularly interested in past past changes in ecosystems and climate. My Ph.D. research focused on assessing fire risk in a portion of the Central Hardwoods region by combining modern and historical fire information. Currently I am supervising research conducted by the Missouri Tree-Ring Laboratory. Research projects include: construction of a Holocene length-plus oak tree-ring chronology from subfossil wood collected from midwestern streams, development of a continental U.S. fire frequency prediction model and atlas, fire scar history reconstructions throughout the Great Plains and Eastern U.S., entomological studies using tree-rings, Ozark-region forest fuels inventories, comparitive studies and model development of the effects of prescribed burning on timber quality and wood volume, and various dendroarcheological studies.

Teaching

• Forest Ecology (FOR4302) (guest lecturer)
• Advanced Meteorological Observation and Instrumentation (ATM SC 4500) (guest lecturer)
• Landscape Ecology (FOR4395) (guest lecturer)
• Wood Technology (FOR3240) (guest lecturer)
• Forest Surveying (FOR2540) (instructor)

Publications

• Guyette, R.P., M.C. Stambaugh, D.C. Dey, and R. Muzika. (in review). Calibrating and estimating historic fire intervals of the continental U.S.
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, E.R. McMurry, E.R. Cook, D.M. Meko, and A.R. Lupo. (in review). Drought duration and frequency in the U.S. Corn Belt during the last millennium (AD 992-2004).
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, R. Godfrey, E.R. McMurry, and J.M. Marschall. 2009. Fire, drought, and human history near the western terminus of the Cross Timbers, Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma. Fire Ecology 5(2):51-65.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C. and R.P. Guyette. 2009. Progress in constructing a long oak chronology from the central United States. Tree-ring Research 65(2):147-156. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, E.R. McMurry, and J.M. Marschall. 2008. Six centuries of fire history at Devils Tower National Monument with comments on region-wide temperature influence. Great Plains Research 18: 177-187.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2008. Pioneer Forest: in the heart of roughness. In: Guldin, James M.; Iffrig, Greg F.; Flader, Susan L., eds. Pioneer Forest- a half century of sustainable uneven-aged forest management in the Missouri Ozarks. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-108. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: 61-64.
• Bale, A.M., Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2008. Fire regime of a montane longleaf pine ecosystem, Alabama. Pages 54-59 In: Third Montane Longleaf Conference Proceedings; 2008 March 11-12; Auburn, AL. School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University. 88 pp.
• Guyette, R.P., D.C. Dey and M.C. Stambaugh. 2008. The temporal distribution and carbon storage of large oak wood in streams and floodplain deposits. Ecosystems 11: 643-653.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, E.R. McMurry, and D.C. Dey. 2008. Lessons from fire history, past and future: a regional workshop on eastern U.S. fire history. Missouri Wildlife 69(2):6.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C. and R.P. Guyette. 2008. Predicting spatio-temporal variability in fire return intervals using a topographic roughness index. Forest Ecology and Management 254: 463-473.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., R. Muzika, and M.C. Stambaugh. 2007. Tree rings: natural areas historians. Missouri Natural Areas Newsletter 8(2): 10-11. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, and D.C. Dey. 2007. What fire frequency is appropriate for shortleaf pine regeration and survival? In: Kabrick, John M.; Dey, Daniel C.; Gwaze, David, eds. Shortleaf pine restoration and ecology in the Ozarks: proceedings of a symposium; 2006 November 7-9; Springfield, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-15. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 121-128.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C. and R. Muzika 2007. Successional trends of six mature shortleaf pine forests in Missouri. In: Kabrick, John M.; Dey, Daniel C.; Gwaze, David, eds. Shortleaf pine restoration and ecology in the Ozarks: proceedings of a symposium; 2006 November 7-9; Springfield, MO. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-15. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 59-67.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, and D.C. Dey. 2007. Forest fuels and landscape-level fire risk assessment of the Ozark Highlands, Missouri. Pages 258-266 In (Buckley, D.S. and Clatterbuck, W.K., Eds.) Proceedings of the 15th Central Hardwood Forest Conference 2006, Feb. 27 - March 1; Knoxville, TN. GTR-SRS-101. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station.(PDF)
• McMurry, E.R., M.C. Stambaugh, R.P. Guyette, and D.C. Dey. 2007. Fire scars reveal source of New England's 1780 Dark Day. International Journal of Wildland Fire 16(3): 266-270.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., M.A. Spetich, and M.C. Stambaugh. 2007. Erratum to "Historic fire regime dynamics and forcing factors in the Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA" [Forest Ecol. Manage. 234 (2006)293-304]. Forest Ecology and Management 239: 222-223. (PDF)
• Voelker, S.L., R. Muzika, R.P. Guyette, and M.C. Stambaugh. 2006. Evidence for historic C0₂ enhancement of tree-ring growth shows a decline through age in Quercus velutina, Quercus coccinea and Pinus echinata. Ecological Monographs 76(4):549-564.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., M.C. Stambaugh, A. Lupo, R. Muzika, and D.C. Dey. 2006. Oak growth in Midwestern North American linked with post-glacial climate epochs in the North Atlantic. PAGES (Past Global Changes) News, 14(2):21-22. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, K. Grabner, and J. Kolaks. 2006. Understanding Ozark forest litter variability through a synthesis of accumulation rates and fire events. Pages 321-332 In (Butler, B.W and Andrews, P.L., comps) Fuels Management- How To Measure Success: Conference Proceedings. 2006, 28-30 March; Portland, OR. Proceedings RMRS-P-41. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C. and R.P. Guyette. 2006. Fire regime of an Ozark Wilderness Area, Arkansas. American Midland Naturalist 156: 237-251.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., D.C. Dey, M.C. Stambaugh, R. Muzika. 2006. Fire scars reveal variability and dynamics of eastern fire regimes. In Dickinson, M. B., (ed.) Fire in eastern oak forests: delivering science to land managers, proceedings of a conference; 2005 November 15-17; Columbus, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-1. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 304 p. (PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., M.C. Stambaugh, R. Muzika and E.R. McMurry. 2006. Fire history at the southwestern Great Plains margin, Capulin Volcano National Monument. Great Plains Research 16: 161-172. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, E.R. McMurry, and D.C. Dey. 2006. Fire history at the eastern Great Plains margin, Missouri River loess hills. Great Plains Research 16: 149-159. (PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., M.A. Spetich, and M.C. Stambaugh. 2006. Historic fire regime dynamics and forcing factors in the Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 234: 293-304.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.P. Guyette, and C. Putnam. 2005. Fire in the pines: a 341-year history of wildland fire at Big Spring Pines Natural Area, Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Park Science 23(2):43-47. (PDF)
• Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2004. Fire history of Panther Cave Hollow (MOFEP 9). Pages 27-39 in SRM 2002: Proceedings of the Savanna/Woodland Symposium, (G. Hartman, S. Holst, and B. Palmer, eds). Missouri Dept. of Conservation Press, Jefferson City, MO.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., M.C. Stambaugh, and D.C. Dey. 2004. Ancient oak climate proxies from the agricultural heartland. EOS 85(46):483.
• Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2004. Post oak fire scars as a function of diameter, growth, and tree age. Forest Ecology and Management, 198:183-192.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., Muzika, R., Kabrick, J. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2004. A perspective on Quercus life history characteristics and forest disturbance. Pages 138-142 in Proceedings of the Upland Oak Ecology Symposium, (M. Spetich, ed.) Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-73. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 311 p. (PDF)
• Dey, D.C., Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2004. Fire history of a forest, savanna, and fen mosaic at White Ranch State Forest. Pages 132-137 in Proceedings of the Upland Oak Ecology Symposium, (M. Spetich, ed.) Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-73. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 311 p.(PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C. and R.P. Guyette. 2004. Long-term growth and climate response of shortleaf pine. 14th Annual Central Hardwoods Conference Proceedings, Wooster Ohio, March 2004. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report, GTR-NE-316. pp.448-458. (PDF)
• Guyette, R.P. and M.C. Stambaugh. 2003. The age and density of ancient and modern oak wood in streams and sediments. International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) Journal 24(4):345-353.(PDF)
• Guyette, R.P., Dey, D.C. and Stambaugh, M.C. 2003. Fire and Human History of a Barren-Forest Mosaic in Southern Indiana. American Midlands Naturalist 149:21-34. (PDF)
• Stambaugh, M.C., R.M. Muzika, R.P. Guyette. 2002. Disturbance characteristics and overstory composition of an old growth shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) forest within the Ozark Highlands, Missouri, USA. Natural Areas Journal, 22(2):108-119.(PDF)