John Butnor
Research Plant Physiologist
Forest Genetics & Biological Foundations
81 Carrigan Drive, Aiken Center, University of VT
Aiken Center, Room 210, University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
Aiken Center, Room 210, University of Vermont
Burlington, VT 05405
United States
Featured Publications
- Zhou, Yong ; Singh, Jenia ; Butnor, John R.; Coetsee, Corli ; Boucher, Peter B.; Case, Madelon F.; Hockridge, Evan G.; Davies, Andrew B.; Staver, A. Carla.. 2022. Limited increases in savanna carbon stocks over decades of fire suppression
- Prakash, Anoob ; DeYoung, Sonia ; Lachmuth, Susanne ; Adams, Jacquelyne L.; Johnsen, Kurt ; Butnor, John R.; Nelson, David M.; Fitzpatrick, Matthew C.; Keller, Stephen R.. 2022. Genotypic variation and plasticity in climate-adaptive traits after range expansion and fragmentation of red spruce ( Picea rubens Sarg.)
- Gu, Huijie ; Liu, Liantao ; Butnor, John R.; Sun, Hongyong ; Zhang, Xiying ; Li, Cundong ; Liu, Xiuwei. 2021. Electrical capacitance estimates crop root traits best under dry conditions a case study in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)
- Capblancq, Thibaut ; Munson, Helena ; Butnor, John R.; Keller, Stephen R.. 2021. Genomic drivers of early-life fitness in Picea rubens
- Liu, Xinbo ; Guo, Li ; Cui, Xihong ; Butnor, John R.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; Yang, Dedi ; Chen, Jin ; Fan, Bihang. 2022. An automatic processing framework for in situ determination of ecohydrological root water content by ground-penetrating radar
- Capblancq, Thibaut ; Butnor, John R.; Deyoung, Sonia ; Thibault, Ethan ; Munson, Helena ; Nelson, David M.; Fitzpatrick, Matthew C.; Keller, Stephen R.. 2020. Whole exome sequencing reveals a long term decline in effective population size of red spruce ( Picea rubens )
- Liu, X. ; Chen, J. ; Butnor, J. R.; Qin, G. ; Cui, X. ; Fan, B. ; Lin, H. ; Guo, L.. 2020. Noninvasive 2D and 3D Mapping of Root Zone Soil Moisture Through the Detection of Coarse Roots With Ground Penetrating Radar
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Maier, Christopher A.; Nelson, C. Dana.. 2020. Intra-annual variation in soil C, N and nutrients pools after prescribed fire in a Mississippi longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) plantation
Patents
- Butnor, John; Maier, Christopher; Johnsen, Kurt - 2004 - Automated Carbon Efflux System
Other Publications
- Butnor, John ; Verrico, Brittany ; Johnsen, Kurt ; Maier, Christopher ; Vankus, Victor ; Keller, Stephen R.. 2019. Phenotypic variation in climate-associated traits of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) along elevation gradients in the southern Appalachian Mountains
- Butnor, John ; Johnsen, Kurt ; Anderson, Peter ; Hall, Kevin ; Halman, Joshua ; Hawley, Gary ; Maier, Christopher ; Schaberg, Paul G.. 2019. Growth, Photosynthesis, and Cold Tolerance of Eucalyptus benthamii Planted in the Piedmont of North Carolina
- Butnor, John R.; Verrico, Brittany M.; Vankus, Victor; Keller, Stephen R.. 2018. Ethanol exposure can inhibit red spruce ( Picea rubens ) seed germination
- Anderson, Peter H.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Butnor, John R.; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos A.; Samuelson, Lisa J.. 2018. Predicting longleaf pine coarse root decomposition in the southeastern US
- Liu, Xiuwei; Dong, Xuejun; Xue, Qingwu; Leskovar, Daniel I.; Jifon, John; Butnor, John R.; Marek, Thomas. 2018. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) detects fine roots of agricultural crops in the field
- Bain, John; Day, Frank; Butnor, John. 2017. Experimental evaluation of several key factors affecting root biomass estimation by 1500 MHz ground penetrating radar
- Schaberg, Paul G.; Murakami, Paula F.; Butnor, John R.; Hawley, Gary J.. 2017. Experimental branch cooling increases foliar sugar and anthocyanin concentrations in sugar maple at the end of the growing season
- Butnor, John R.; Samuelson, Lisa J.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Anderson, Peter H.; Gonzalez Benecke, Carlos A.; Boot, Claudia M.; Cotrufo, M. Francesca; Heckman, Katherine A.; Jackson, Jason A.; Stokes, Thomas A.; Zarnoch, Stanley J.. 2017. Vertical distribution and persistence of soil organic carbon in fire-adapted longleaf pine forests
- Samuelson, Lisa J.; Stokes, Thomas A.; Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos A.; Martin, Timothy A.; Cropper, Wendell P.; Anderson, Pete H.; Ramirez, Michael R.; Lewis, John C.. 2017. Ecosystem carbon density and allocation across a chronosequence of longleaf pine forests
- Hardiman, Brady; Gough, Christopher; Butnor, John; Bohrer, Gil; Detto, Matteo; Curtis, Peter. 2017. Coupling fine-scale root and canopy structure using ground-based remote sensing
- Maier, Christopher; Anderson, Peter; Butnor, John R.; Dougherty, Phillip M.; Johnsen, Kurt; Mcinnis, Daniel. 2016. Temporal and spatial patterns of soil CO2 efflux, soil carbon, and root biomass associated with bedding in young loblolly pine plantations
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Nelson, C. Dana. 2016. Changes in soil chemistry six months after prescribed fire in a longleaf pine plantation in Mississippi
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Wear, Dave; Oren, R.; Teskey, R.O.; Sanchez, Felipe; Will, R.; Butnor, John; Markewitz, D.; Richter, D.; Rials, T.; Allen, H.L.; Seiler, J.; Ellsworth, D.; Maier, Christopher; Katul, G.; Dougherty, P.M.. 2001. Meeting global policy commitments: carbon sequestration and southern pine forests
- Gonzalez-Benecke, C.A.; Samuelson, L.J.; Martin, T.A.; Cropper Jr, W.P.; Johnsen, Kurt; Stokes, T.A.; Butnor, John; Anderson, P.H.. 2015. Modeling the effects of forest management on in situ and ex situ longleaf pine forest carbon stocks
- Butnor, John R.; Samuelson, Lisa J.; Stokes, Thomas A.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Anderson, Peter H.; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos A.. 2016. Surface-based GPR underestimates below-stump root biomass
- Berryman, Erin; Marshall, John D.; Rahn, Thom; Litvak, Marcie; Butnor, John. 2013. Decreased carbon limitation of litter respiration in a mortality-affected pinon-juniper woodland
- Samuelson, Lisa; Stokes, Tom; Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos A.; Anderson, Pete; Jackson, Jason; Ferrari, Lorenzo; Martin, Tim A.; Cropper, Wendell P.. 2014. Ecosystem carbon stocks in Pinus palustris forests
- Day, Frank; Schroeder, Rachel; Stover, Daniel; Brown, Alisha; Butnor, John; Dilustro, John; Hungate, Bruce; Dijkstra, Paul; Duval, Benjamin; Seiler, Troy; Drake, Bert; Hinkle, Ross. 2013. The effects of 11 yr of CO2 enrichment on roots in a Florida scrub-oak ecosystem
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Keyser, Tara L.; Butnor, John R.; Gonzalez-Beenecke, Carlos A.; Kaczmarek, Donald J.; Maier, Chris A.; McCarthy, Heather R.; Sun, Ge.. 2014. Productivity and carbon sequestration of forests in the southern United States
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Sanchez, Felipe G; Nelson, C. Dana. 2012. Impacts of pine species, stump removal, cultivation, and fertilization on soil properties half a century after planting
- Runion, G. Brett; Butnor, John R.; Prior, S. A.; Mitchell, R. J.; Rogers, H. H.. 2012. Effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on soil CO2 efflux in a young longleaf pine system
- Oishi, A. Christopher; Palmroth, Sari; Butnor, John; Johnsen, Kurt; Oren, Ram. 2013. Spatial and temporal variability of soil CO2 efflux in three proximate temperate forest ecosystems
- Butnor, John R.; Campbell, John L.; Shanley, James B.; Zarnoch, Stanley. 2014. Measuring soil frost depth in forest ecosystems with ground penetrating radar
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Nelson, C. Dana. 2012. Exploring genetic diversity, physiologic expression and carbon dynamics in longleaf pine: a new study installation at the Harrison Experimental Forest
- Butnor, John R.. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial southern silvicultural research conference
- Butnor, John. 2011. Book Review of Soil carbon dynamics: an integrated methodology
- Munoz Del Valle, Patricio R.; Huber, Dudley A.; Butnor, John R.. 2011. Phenotypic analysis of first-year traits in a pseudo-backcross {(slash x loblolly) x slash} and the ope-pollinated families of the pure-species progenitors
- Samuelson, Lisa J.; Eberhardt, Thomas L.; Butnor, John R.; Stokes, Tom A.; Johnsen, Kurt H.. 2010. Maximum growth potential in loblolly pine: results from a 47-year-old spacing study in Hawaii
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Butnor, John R.; Kush, John S.; Schmidtling, Ronald C.; Nelson, C. Dana. 2009. Hurricane Katrina winds damaged longleaf pine less than loblolly pine
- Butnor, J.R.; Pruyn, M.L.; Shaw, D.C.; Harmon, M.E.; Mucciardi, A.N.; Ryan, M.G.. 2009. Detecting defects in conifers with ground penetrating radar: applications and challenges
- Doolittle, James. 2009. Soils, peatlands, and biomonitoring
- Busse, Matt D.; Sanchez, Felipe G.; Ratcliff, Alice W.; Butnor, John R.; Carter, Emily A.; Powers, Robert F.. 2009. Soil carbon sequestration and changes in fungal and bacterial biomass following incorporation of forest residues
- Butnor, John; Johnsen, Kurt; Samuelson, Lisa; Pruyn, Michele. 2009. Current applications of GPR in forest research
- Palmroth, Sari; Oren, Ram; McCarthy, Heather R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Finzi, Adrien C.; Butnor, John R.; Ryan, Michael G.; Schlesinger, William H.. 2006. Aboveground sink strength in forests controls the allocation of carbon below ground and its CO2 -induced enhancement
- Stover, Daniel B.; Day, Frank P.; Butnor, John R; Drake, Bert G.. 2007. Effect of elevated CO2 on coarse-root biomass in Florida scrub detected by ground-penetrating radar
- Johnsen, Kurt; Teskey, Bob; Samuelson, Lisa; Butnor, John; Sampson, David; Sanchez, Felipe; Maier, Chris; McKeand, Steve. 2004. Carbon Sequestration in loblolly pine plantations: Methods, limitations, and research needs for estimating storage pools
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Wikstrom, Per; Lundmark, Tomas; Linder, Sune. 2006. Imaging tree roots with borehole radar
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Sanchez, Felipe G.. 2006. Whole-tree and forest floor removal from a loblolly pine plantation have no effect on forest floor CO2 efflux 10 years after harvest
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Maier, Chris A.. 2005. Soil properties differently influence estimates of soil CO2 efflux from three chamber-based measurement systems
- Ma, Siyan; Chen, Jiquan; Butnor, John R.; North, Malcolm; Euskirchen, Eugénie S.; Oakley, Brian. 2005. Biophysical controls on soil respiration in the dominant patch types of an old-growth, mixed-conifer forest
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.. 2004. Calibrating soil respiration measures with a dynamic flux apparatus using artificial soil media of varying porosity
- Lai, Chun-Tai; Katul, Gabriel; Butnor, John; Ellsworth, David; Oren, Ram. 2002. Modelling night-time ecosystem respiration by a constrained source optimization method
- Maier, Chris A.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Butnor, John; Kress, Lance W.; Anderson, Peter H.. 2002. Branch growth and gas exchange in 13-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees in response to elevated carbon dioxide concentration and fertilization
- Butnor, J.R.; Seiler, J.R.; Gray, J.A.. 2000. Influence of Procerum Root Disease on the Water Relations of Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus L.)
- Butnor, John; Roth, Brian; Johnsen, Kurt. 2005. Feasibility of using ground-penetrating radar to quantify root mass in Florida's intensively managed pine plantations
- Butnor, John R.; Doolittle, J.A.; Kress, L.; Cohen, Susan; Johnsen, Kurt H.. 2001. Use of ground-penetrating radar to study tree roots in the southeastern United States
- Butnor, John R.; Doolittle, J.A.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Samuelson, L.; Stokes, T.; Kress, L.. 2003. Utility of Ground-Penetrating Radar as a Root Biomass Survey Tool in Forest Systems
- Butnor, John R.; Johnsen, Kurt H.; Oren, Ram; Katul, Gabriel G.. 2003. Reduction of forest floor respiration by fertilization on both carbon dioxide-enriched and reference 17-year-old loblolly pine stands
- Johnsen, Kurt H.; Wear, David N.; Oren, R.; Teskey, R.O.; Sanchez, Felipe; Will, Rodney E.; Butnor, John; Markewitz, D.; Richter, D.; Rials, T.; Allen, H.L.; Seiler, J.; Ellsworth, D.; Maier, Christopher; Katul, G.; Dougherty, P.M.. 2001. Meeting global policy commitments carbon sequestration and southern pine forests
- Johnsen, Kurt; Maier, Chris; Sanchez, Felipe; Anderson, Peter; Butnor, John; Waring, Richard; Linder, Sune. 2007. Physiological girdling of pine trees via phloem chilling: proof of concept
- Samuelson, Lisa J.; Butnor, John; Maier, Chris; Stokes, Tom A.; Johnsen, Kurt; Kane, Michael. 2008. Growth and physiology of loblolly pine in response to long-term resource management: defining growth potential in the southern United States
Research Highlights

Quantifying and Managing Carbon Sequestration in Longleaf Pine Ccosystems.
Year: 2014
Forests can offset greenhouse gas emissions by sequestering carbon dioxide in tree biomass, understory vegetation, forest floor litter, detritus, soils and wood products. In partnership with Auburn University and the University of Florida, Forest Service scientists are assessing soil carbon pools an...