Kathleen Knight

Research Ecologist
Genetics, Biological Control, and Management of Invasive Species
359 Main Road
Delaware, OH 43015
United States
Delaware, OH 43015
United States
Phone
740-368-0101
Current Research
My current research deals with the effects of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) on forest communities. Short-term effects, such as ash (Fraxinus) decline trajectories and responses of native and exotic species, are being monitored in a network of plots across Ohio and Michigan. An ash decline transition matrix will be created from this data and will allow managers to predict yearly ash decline and mortality in forest stands. Preliminary matrices show the potential for rapid mortality. Long-term responses of forests will be modeled using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS), which I am modifying to include invasive shrub species. FVS will also be used to examine effects of management, such as invasive shrub removal and native tree planting, in forests where ash is the dominant species
Education
- University of Minnesota Ph.D., Ph.D., Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, 2006
- Hiram College, B.A., Biology and Music Performance, 2001
Professional Organizations
- Ecological Society of America, Current
- Ohio Invasive Plants Network, Current
Featured Publications
- Kathleen S. Knight, John P. Brown, Robert P. Long. 2013. Factors affecting the survival of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees infested by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- Charles E. Flower, Kathleen S. Knight, Miquel Gonzalez-Meler. 2013. Impacts of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) induced ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality on forest carbon cycling and successional dynamics in the eastern United States
- Jennifer L. Koch, David W. Carey, Kathleen S. Knight, Therese Poland, Daniel A. Herms, Mary E. Mason. 2012. Breeding strategies for the development of emerald ash borer - resistant North American ash
- Kathleen S. Knight, Daniel Herms, Reid Plumb, Eileen Sawyer, Daniel Spalink, Elizabeth Pisarczyk, Bernadette Wiggin, Rachel Kappler, Emily Ziegler, Karen Menard. 2012. Dynamics of surviving ash (Fraxinus spp.) populations in areas long infested by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- James M. Slavicek, Kathleen S. Knight. 2012. Generation of American elm trees with tolerance to Dutch elm disease through controlled crosses and selection
- Kathleen S. Knight, James M. Slavicek, Rachel Kappler, Elizabeth Pisarczyk, Bernadette Wiggin, Karen Menard. 2012. Using Dutch elm disease-tolerant elm to restore floodplains impacted by emerald ash borer
- Alejandro A. Royo, Kathleen S. Knight. 2012. White ash (Fraxinus americana) decline and mortality: the role of site nutrition and stress history
- Robert R. Kula, Kathleen S. Knight, Joanne Rebbeck, Leah S. Bauer, David L. Cappaert, Kamal J.K. Gandhi. 2010. Leluthia astigma (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae) as a parasitoid of Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Agrilinae), with an assessment of host associations for nearctic species of Leluthia Cameron.
- Kathleen S. Knight. 2010. Ash seed collection: slingshot method
- Kathleen S. Knight, Robert P. Karrfalt, Mary E. Mason. 2010. Methods for collecting ash (Fraxinus spp.) seeds
Other Publications
- Samuel P. Reed, Alejandro Royo, Alexander T. Fotis, Kathleen S. Knight, Charles Flower, Peter S. Curtis. 2022. The long‐term impacts of deer herbivory in determining temperate forest stand and canopy structural complexity
- Brian M. Hoven, Kathleen S. Knight, Valerie E. Peters, David L. Gorchov. 2022. Woody seedling community responses to deer herbivory, introduced shrubs, and ash mortality depend on canopy competition and site wetness
- Eyyüb Y. Kıbış, İ Esra Büyüktahtakın, Robert G. Haight, Najmaddin Akhundov, Kathleen Knight, Charles E. Flower. 2021. A Multistage Stochastic Programming Approach to the Optimal Surveillance and Control of the Emerald Ash Borer in Cities
- G. Schrader, R. Baker, Y. Baranchikov, L. Dumouchel, K.S. Knight, D. G. McCullough, M. J. Orlova‐Bienkowskaja, S. Pasquali, G. Gilioli. 2021. How does the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) affect ecosystem services and biodiversity components in invaded areas?
- Brian M. Hoven, Kathleen S. Knight, Valerie E. Peters, David L. Gorchov. 2020. Release and suppression: forest layer responses to emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)-caused ash death
- Jennifer L. Koch, David W. Carey, Mary E. Mason, Jeanne Romero-Severson, Therese M. Poland, Kathleen S. Knight, Charles Tubesing, Roger Gettig. 2020. Restoring Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica): Breeding for Resistance to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- Kathleen Knight, Rachel H. Kappler, Karen V Root, Jennifer L. Koch, Charles E. Flower. 2020. Monitoring of Ash Mortality Patterns Informs Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Resistance Breeding Efforts: Integrated Pest Management for EAB
- Charles E. Flower, Cornelia C. Pinchot, Kathleen S. Knight, Keith Woeste, James M. Slavicek. 2020. Back from the Brink: Forest Service Efforts to Create Dutch Elm Disease Tolerant Trees for Use in Urban and Rural Restoration
- R.H. Kappler, K.S. Knight, R. Bienemann, K.V. Root. 2020. Recovery potential for a green ash floodplain forest using various emerald ash borer management strategies in a population viability analysis
- R.H. Kappler, K.S. Knight, K.V. Root. 2019. Evaluating the population viability of green ash trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) before and after the emerald ash borer beetle (Agrilus planipennis) invasion
- Kathleen S. Knight, Charles E. Flower, Mark D. Nelson. 2019. A Forest Death in Three Acts: From Woodpeckers to Water, the Emerald Ash Borer's Effects are Widespread
- Andrzej M. Jagodziński, Marcin K. Dyderski, Paweł Horodecki, Kathleen S. Knight, Katarzyna Rawlik, Janusz Szmyt. 2019. Light and propagule pressure affect invasion intensity of Prunus serotina in a 14-tree species forest common garden experiment
- Kim C. Steiner, Lake E. Graboski, Kathleen S. Knight, Jennifer L. Koch, Mary E. Mason. 2019. Genetic, spatial, and temporal aspects of decline and mortality in a Fraxinus provenance test following invasion by the emerald ash borer
- Rachel Kappler, Kathleen Knight, Jennifer Koch, Karen Root. 2018. Neighboring Tree Effects and Soil Nutrient Associations with Surviving Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) in an Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Infested Floodplain Forest
- Michael P. Ricketts, Charles E. Flower, Kathleen S. Knight, Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler. 2018. Evidence of Ash Tree (Fraxinus spp.) Specific Associations with Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Functional Capacity
- Charles Flower, Jeremie Fant, Sean Hoban, Kathleen Knight, Laura Steger, Elijah Aubihl, Miquel Gonzalez-Meler, Stephen Forry, Andrea Hille, Alejandro Royo. 2018. Optimizing conservation strategies for a threatened tree species: In situ conservation of white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) genetic diversity through insecticide treatment
- Charles E. Flower, Douglas J. Lynch, Kathleen S. Knight, Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler. 2018. Biotic and Abiotic Drivers of Sap Flux in Mature Green Ash Trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Experiencing Varying Levels of Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) Infestation
- K.C. Costilow, Kathleen Knight, Charles Flower. 2017. Disturbance severity and canopy position control the radial growth response of maple trees (Acer spp.) in forests of northwest Ohio impacted by emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- Cornelia C. Pinchot, Kathleen S. Knight, Linda M. Haugen, Charles E. Flower, James M. eds..Slavicek. 2017. Proceedings of the American elm restoration workshop 2016
- Kathleen S. Knight, Linda M. Haugen, Cornelia C. Pinchot, Paul G. Schaberg, James M. Slavicek. 2017. American elm (Ulmus americana) in restoration plantings: a review
- C.C. Pinchot, C.E. Flower, K.S. Knight, C. Marks, R. Minocha, D. Lesser, K. Woeste, P.G. Schaberg, B. Baldwin, D.M. Delatte, T.D. Fox, N. Hayes-Plazolles, B. Held, K. Lehtoma, S. Long, S. Mattix, A. Sipes, J.M. Slavicek. 2017. Development of new Dutch Elm disease-tolerant selections for restoration of the American Elm in urban and forested landscapes
- Charles E. Flower, Elijah Aubihl, Jeremie Fant, Stephen Forry, Andrea Hille, Kathleen S. Knight, William K. Oldland, Alejandro A. Royo, Richard M. Turcotte. 2017. In-situ genetic conservation of white ash (Fraxinus americana) at the Allegheny national forest
- Matt Higham, Brian M. Hoven, David L. Gorchov, Kathleen S. Knight. 2017. Patterns of Coarse Woody Debris in Hardwood Forests across a Chronosequence of Ash Mortality Due to the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- Brian M. Hoven, David L. Gorchov, Kathleen S. Knight, Valerie E. Peters. 2017. The effect of emerald ash borer-caused tree mortality on the invasive shrub Amur honeysuckle and their combined effects on tree and shrub seedlings
- J.L. Koch, D.W. Carey, M.E. Mason, T.M. Poland, K.S. Knight. 2015. Intraspecific variation in Fraxinus pennsylvanica responses to emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis)
- D.A. Herms, D. Cipollini, K.S. Knight, J.L. Koch, T.M. Poland, C.M. Rigsby, J.G.A. Whitehill, P. Bonello. 2015. The quest for ash resistance to emerald ash borer: Towards a mechanistic understanding
- Louis Iverson, Kathleen S. Knight, Anantha Prasad, Daniel A. Herms, Stephen Matthews, Matthew Peters, Annemarie Smith, Diane M. Hartzler, Robert Long, John Almendinger. 2015. Potential species replacements for black ash (Fraxinus nigra) at the confluence of two threats: Emerald ash borer and a changing climate
- Charles E. Flower, Jennifer E. Dalton, Kathleen S. Knight, Marie Brikha, Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler. 2015. To treat or not to treat: Diminishing effectiveness of emamectin benzoate tree injections in ash trees heavily infested by emerald ash borer
- Kathleen S. Knight. 2014. Outlook for ash in your forest: results of emerald ash borer research and implications for management
- Kathleen S. Knight, Britton P. Flash, Rachel H. Kappler, Joel A. Throckmorton, Bernadette Grafton, Charles E. Flower. 2014. Monitoring ash (Fraxinus spp.) decline and emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) symptoms in infested areas
- Charles E. Flower, Lawrence C. Long, Kathleen S. Knight, Joanne Rebbeck, Joel S. Brown, Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler, Christopher J. Whelan. 2014. Native bark-foraging birds preferentially forage in infected ash (Fraxinus spp.) and prove effective predators of the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire)
- Kathleen S. Knight, Alejandro A. Royo. 2014. Chapter 13 - Searching high and low: Patterns of White Ash health across topographic gradients in the Allegheny region (Project NE-EM-09-02)
- Charles E. Flower, Kathleen S. Knight, Joanne Rebbeck, Miquel A. Gonzalez-Meler. 2013. The relationship between the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and ash (Fraxinus spp.) tree decline: Using visual canopy condition assessments and leaf isotope measurements to assess pest damage
- Alejandro A. Royo, Kathleen S. Knight, Jamie M. Himes, Ashley N. Will. 2012. White ash (Fraxinus americana) health in the Allegheny plateau region, Pennsylvania: Evaluating the relationship between FIA phase 3 crown variables and a categorical rating system
- Kathleen S. Knight, Daniel A. Herms, John Cardina, Robert Long, Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Catharine P. Herms. 2011. Emerald ash borer aftermath forests: the future of ash ecosystems
- Mary E. Mason, Daniel A. Herms, David W. Carey, Kathleen S. Knight, Nurul I. Faridi, Jennifer Koch. 2011. Update on exotic ash collection for hybrid breeding and survey for EAB-resistance in native North American species
- Jennifer L. Koch, Kathleen Knight, Therese Poland, David W. Carey, Daniel A. Herms, Mary E. Mason. 2011. Strategies for selecting and breeding EAB-resistant ash
- Louis Iverson, Anantha Prasad, Kathleen S. Knight, Daniel A. Herms, Stephen Matthews, Matthew Peters, Annemarie Smith, Robert Long. 2011. Potential replacements for northwoods black ash in a changing climate: the confluence of two challenges
- Charles E. Flower, Douglas J. Lynch, Kathleen S. Knight, Miquel A. Gonzales-Meler. 2011. EAB induced tree mortality impacts ecosystem respiration and tree water use in an experimental forest
- Kathleen S. Knight, Robert P. Long, Joanne Rebbeck, Daniel A. Herms, John Cardina, Catherine P. Herms, Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Annemarie Smith, Kyle C. Costilow, Lawrence C. Long, David L. Cappaert. 2010. Effects of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) on forest ecosystems
- Kathleen S. Knight, Daniel A. Herms, John Cardina, Robert Long, Joanne Rebbeck, Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Annemarie Smith, Wendy S. Klooster, Catherine P. Herms, Alejandro A. Royo. 2010. Emerald ash borer aftermath forests: The dynamics of ash mortality and the responses of other plant species
- Jennifer L. Koch, Mary E. Mason, David W. Carey, Kathleen Knight, Therese Poland, Daniel A. Herms. 2010. Survey for tolerance to emerald ash borer within North American ash species
- Daniel A. Herms, Kamal J.K. Gandhi, Annemarie Smith, John Cardina, Kathleen S. Knight, Catherine P. Herms, Robert P. Long, Deborah G. McCullough. 2009. Ecological impacts of emerald ash borer in forests of southeast Michigan
- Kathleen S. Knight, Jacek Oleksyn, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Peter B. Reich, Marek Kasprowicz. 2008. Overstorey tree species regulate colonization by native and exotic plants: a source of positive relationships between understorey diversity and invasibility
- Kathleen S. Knight, Robert P. Long, Joanne Rebbeck, Annemarie Smith, Kamal Gandhi, Daniel A. Herms. 2008. How fast will trees die? A transition matrix model of ash decline in forest stands infested by emerald ash borer
- Kathleen S. Knight, Robert P. Long, Joanne Rebbeck. 2007. Predicting emerald ash borer-induced changes in forest tree species composition