Jeffery B. Cannon 

Education

• 2011–present PhD in Plant Biology in progress, University of Georiga, Athens, GA.

• 2009–2011 MSc in Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS.

• 2005–2009 BSc in Biological Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS.

 

Research Experience

2011–present Doctoral Student, UGA Plant Biology Dept

I am currently investigating potential mechanisms explaining the complex interactions between wind and fire disturbances in temperate forests. I am also developing methods to assess the landscape patterns created when forests are stuck bytornados.

 

2009–2011 Master of Science, UM Dept of Biology

Examined the effects of tornado damage, post-tornado logging, and prescribed fire on forest regeneration in Mississippi to assess the potential use of tornado damage combined with prescribed fire as a method to facilitate restoration of oak woodlands. 2009–

 

2011 Physical Science Technician, US Dept of Agriculture

Characterized the chemical composition of various essential oils using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry to evaluate their suitability to be grown locally.

 

2008–2011 Herbarium Assistant Curator, Institute for Botanical Exploration

Curated a neglected, private botanical collection that specialized in Mississippi and Amazonian species.

 

2007–2009 Undergraduate Research, MSU Dept of Biological Sciences

Plant Ecology Research Lab. Assessed the morphological variation and stress response in prickly pear cacti. Analyzed geographic data from hundreds of herbarium specimens, creating maps of their distribution.

 

Peer-Reviewed Publications

2013 Cannon, J, and Brewer, J. Effects of tornado damage, prescribed fire, and salvage logging on natural oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration in a xeric southern USA coastal plain oak–pine forest. Natural Areas Journal 33 (2013), 39–49 2013

 

Cannon, J, Cantrell, C., Astatkie, T., and Zheljazkov, V. Modification of yield and composition of essential oils by distillation time. Industrial Crops and Products 41 (2013), 214–220 2012

 

Brewer, J., Bertz, C., Cannon, J, Chesser, J., and Maynard, E. Do natural disturbances or the forestry practices that follow them convert forests to early-sucessional communities? Ecological Applications 22 (2012), 442–458 2011

 

Zheljazkov, V., Cantrell, C., Astatkie, T., and Cannon, J. Lemongrass productivity, oil content, and composition as a function of nitrogen, sulfur, and harvest time. Agronomy Journal 103 (2011), 805–812

 

Contributed Conference Oral Presentations

2014 Cannon, J, Peterson, C., and Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. Oh the damage done: Assessing patterns of wind damage in the Great SmokyMountains. Presented at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Science Colloquium, Gatlinburg, TN 2013

 

Cannon, J, Snyder, L., Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., and Peterson, C. Landscape-scale patterns of forest tornado damage in mountainous terrain. Presented at the Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL 2013

 

Peterson, C., Cannon, J, and Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. Carbon transferred from living to decomposing in the late April 2011 tornado outbreak. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA 2012

 

Brewer, J., and Cannon, J. Can disturbance increase competition? Presented at the Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR Contributed

 

Conference Poster Presentations

2013 Peterson, C., Cannon, J, and Hepinstall-Cymerman, J. Carbon transferred from living to decomposing in the late April 2011 tornado outbreak. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA 2013

 

Barrett, M., Cannon, J, Snyder, L., and Peterson, C. Experimentally evaluating tree stability in the Central Georgia Piedmont. Presented at the Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL

 

2013 Peterson, C., Cannon, J, and Snyder, L. Estimated biomass and carbon committed to decomposition in a north Georgia tornado swath. Presented at the North American Carbon Program, All-Investigators Meeting, Albuquerque, NM

 

2012 Cannon, J, Hepinstall-Cymerman, J., Snyder, L., and Peterson, C. Patch characteristics of forest tornado damage in rugged terrain. Presented at the Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR

 

2012 Barrett, M., Cannon, J, Khan, S., and Peterson, C. Windfirmness of loblolly pine trees, tested by static winching. Presented at the Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Portland, OR

 

2010 Cannon, J, and Brewer, J. Effects of tornado damage and salvage logging on recruitment in an upland oak–shortleaf pine forest in Mississippi. Presented at the Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting, Pittsburg, PA

 

2009 Cannon, J, and Ervin, G. Soil texture effects on Opuntia pusilla morphology. Presented at the Mississippi State University Biology Undergraduate Research Showcase, Mississippi State, MS

 

Grants, Scholarships, and Fellowships

• 2013 National Park Service Climate Change Youth Initiative Fellowship ($18,921)

• 2013 Plant Biology Graduate Student Association Research Grant ($400)

• 2013 Haines Family Field Botany Award ($1,434)

• 2012 Jaworski Research Grant for Travel ($1,050)

• 2012 Plant Biology Graduate Student Association Research Grant ($250)

• 2012 Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research ($550)

• 2011 UGA Graduate School Fellowship (2 years)

• 2008 William Gardiner Scholarship for Undergraduate Research in Plant Biology

• 2008 Sudduth Scholarship for Upperclassmen2005 Mississippi State Academic Scholarship (4 years)

• 2005 Mississippi Eminent Scholar's Grant (4 years)

 

Honors and Awards

• 2012 2nd place Poster Presentation, Plant Biology Symposium, University of Georgia

• 2010 Honorary Membership in the Mississippi Native Plant Society

• 2009 2nd place Poster Presentation, Biology Undergraduate Research Showcase, MSU

• 2009 Graduated 1st in class out of 6029 seniors, Mississippi State University

• 2008 Inducted into Mississippi State Society of Scholars

• 2008 Inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

• 2005 Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement, MSU Honors Program

• 2005 Graduated 4th in class with Honors, Olive Branch High School

• 2001 1st Degree Black Belt, Shiloh Martial Arts

 

Professional and Community Affiliations

• 2013 Volunteer Wildland Firefighter (Certified FFT2), US Fish & Wildlife Service

• 2013 Georgia Science and Engineering Fair Junior Division Judge

• 2010–present Ecological Society of America, Member

• 2010–present Mississippi Native Plant Society, Honorary Member

• 2011–2012 Regional Mississippi Science and Engineering Fair Botany Judge

• 2010–2011 Oxford Natural History Club, Member

• 2011–2009 Graduate Student Council Senate, Senator for Biology Dept

• 2008–2009 MSU Society of Scholars, Inductee

• 2008–2009 Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Member

• 2005–2009 Mississippi State Honors Program