Senior Research Scientist/Graduate Faculty (Statistics, Forest Biometrics) Plantation Management Research Cooperative (PMRC) Prior Positions: Assistant/Associate Research Scientist, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia. 2008-2017. Research Professional, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia. 2005-2008. Postdoctoral Research Associate, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. 2003-2005. Visiting Professor, Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, Canada. 1998-1999. Assistant/Associate Professor, Nanjing Forestry University, China. 1989-1998. Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award (honors scientists who have contributed significantly to quantitative southern forestry), 2021 SOMENS NTTF Research Excellence Award, 2023 University of Georgia 2023 USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Director's Award Awards, Honors and Recognitions: UGA Graduate Council (8. 2016 - 9.2019) UGA Research Scientist Promotion Committee (8.2018 - 8.2021) UGA University Council - Faculty Affairs Committee and Human Resources Committee (2022 - 2025) Education Education: PhD, University of Georgia - Forest Biometrics/Management MS, University of Georgia - Statistics MS, Nanjing Forestry University - Forest Biometrics BS, Nanjing Forestry University - Forest Science Research Selected Publications: * Corresponding Author Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, M. Wang, E.D. Dickens. 2024. Whole-tree green density equations for loblolly and slash pine trees. Forest Science. 70(4): 271-282. Zhao, D.*, E.D. Dickens, D. Clabo, D. Markewitz, B.P. Bullock, D.C. Pederson. 2024. Soil-based assessment of site productivity for southern pine plantations in the coastal plain of the southeastern US: (I) loblolly pine. Forest Ecology and Management 565, 122054. Dickens, E.D., D. Zhao*, D. Clabo, D. Markewitz, B.P. Bullock, D.C. Pederson. 2024. Soil-based assessment of site productivity for southern pine plantations in the coastal plain of the southeastern US: (II) slash pine. Forest Ecology and Management 566, 122093. Westfall, J.A., J.W. Coulston, A.N. Gray, J.D. Shaw, P.J. Radtke, D.M. Walker, A.R. Weiskittel, D.W. MacFarlane, D.L.R. Affleck, D. Zhao, H. Temesgen, K.P. Poudel, J.M. Frank, S.P. Prisley, Y. Wang, A.J. Sánchez Meador, D. Auty, G.M. Domke. 2024. A national-scale tree volume, biomass, and carbon modeling system for the United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. WO-104. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. 44 p. https://doi.org/10.2737/WO-GTR-104. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, M. Wang. 2023. Long-term dynamics of aboveground carbon stocks in managed loblolly pine plantations in the southeast United States. Forest Ecology and Managment 546, 121384. Subedi, M.R., D. Zhao, P. Dwivedi, B.E. Costanzo, J.A. Martin. 2023. Site index models for loblolly pine forests in the southern United States developed with Forest Inventory and Analysis data. Forest Science. 69(6): 389-399. Zhu,W., D. Zhao, N. Di, D. Li, Q. Zhou, Y. Sun, L. Jia, C. Ding, B. Xi. 2023. Matching root water uptake patterns to fine root and soil water distributions. Plant and Soil. 495: 499-516. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes, M. Wang. 2022. Production, tree size inequality and growth dominance in loblolly pine plantations under different silvicultural management regimes. Forest Ecology and Management 526, 120594.Huang, Y.K., R. Bawa, P. Dwivedi, D. Zhao. 2022. Stochastic dynamic optimization for forest rotation with uncertain stumpage prices. Forest Science 68(4): 389–399.Wang, M., C.R. Montes, B.P. Bullock, D. Zhao. 2022. An inverse growth curve representation of the Clutter-Jones stand survival model. Forest Science 68(3): 389–399.Zhao, D.*, T. Lynch, J. Westfall, J. Coulston. 2022. Addition biomass estimation alternatives: nonlinear two- and three-stage least squares and full information maximum likelihood for slash pine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 52(5): 780– 793. Zhao, D.*, C.R. Montes, B.P. Bullock, M. Wang, W.D. Greene, B. Borders. 2022. Effects of intensive fertilization, complete competition control and site quality on aboveground net primary production (ANPP) dynamics of loblolly pine plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 506, 119986. He, Y.L., B.Y. Xi, G.D. Li, Y. Wang, L.M. Jia, D. Zhao*. 2021. Influence of drip irrigation, nitrogen fertigation, and precipitation on soil water and nitrogen distribution, tree seasonal growth and nitrogen uptake in young triploid poplar (Populus tomentosa) plantations. Agricultural Water Management 243, 106460. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes, M. Wang, J. Westfall, J. Coulston. 2020. Long-term dynamics of loblolly pine crown structure and aboveground net primary production as affected by site quality, planting density and cultural intensity. Forest Ecology and Management 472, 118259. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes, M. Wang. 2020. Rethinking maximum stand basal area and maximum SDI from the aspect of stand dynamics. Forest Ecology and Management 475, 118462. He, Y.L., B.Y. Xi, M. Bloomberg, L.M. Jia, D. Zhao*. 2020. Effects of drip irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on stand growth and biomass allocation in young Populus tomentosa plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 461, 117937. G. Quinonez-Barraza, D. Zhao, H.M. De Los Santos-Posadas. 2020. Height-diameter-age equation systems for Pinus arizonica Engelmann and Pinus durangensis Martinez in mixed-species stands in Durango, Mexico. Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente 26(2): 221-240. Wang, M.L., B.P. Bronson, C.R. Montes, D. Zhao. 2020. An empirical examination of dominant height projection accuracy using difference equation models. Forest Science 63(3): 267-274. G. Quinonez-Barraza, D. Zhao, H.M. De Los Santos-Posadas, J.J. Corral-Rivas. 2020. An approximate growth heights and site index model for Quercuc sideroxyla Bonpl. in mixed-species forests of Durango Mexico. Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente 26(1): 53-69. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes, M. Wang, D. Greene, L. Sutter. 2019. Loblolly pine outperforms slash pine in the southeastern United States - A long-term experimental comparison study. Forest Ecology and Management 450: 117532. G. Quinonez-Barraza, D. Zhao, H.M. De Los Santos-Posadas. 2019. Compatible taper and stem volume equations for five pine species in mixed-species forests in Mexico. Forest Science 65(5): 602-613. G. Quinonez-Barraza, D. Zhao, H.M. De Los Santos-Posadas, W. Santiago-García, J.C. Tamarit-Urías, J.A. Najera-Luna. 2019. Compatible taper, volume, green weight, biomass and carbon concentration system for Quercus sideroxyla Bonpl. Revista Chapingo Serie Ciencias Forestales y del Ambiente 25 (1): 49-69. Zhao, D.*, J. Westfall, J. Coulston, T.B. Lynch, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes. 2019. Additive biomass equations for slash pine trees: Comparing three modeling approaches. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 49: 27-40. Zhao, D.*, T.B. Lynch, J. Westfall, J. Coulston, M. Kane, D.E. Adams. 2019. Compatibility, development and estimation of taper and volume equation systems. Forest Science 65(1): 1-13. Zhu, W., L.X. Yu, D. Zhao, L.M. Jia. 2019. Architectural analysis of root systems of mature trees in sandy loam soils using the development classification. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology 43(2): 119-130. G. Quinonez-Barraza, D. Zhao, H.M. De Los Santos-Posadas, J.J. Corral-Rivas. 2018. Considering neighborhood effects improves individual dbh-growth models for natural mixed-species forests in Mexico. Annals of Forest Science 75: 78. Gonzalez-Benecke, C., D. Zhao, L. Samuelson, T. Martin, D. Leduc, S. Jack. 2018. Local and general above-ground biomass functions for Pinus palustris trees. Forests 9(6), 310. Ingwers, M.W., D. Zhao, M. Kane, D. Markewitz, R. Teskey. 2018. Relationships among growth, δ13C, foliar nitrogen concentration, foliar nitrogen content and intercepted radiation at different cultural intensities, planting densities and site indices reveal important of water use efficiency in mid-rotation loblolly pine stands. Forest Ecology and Management 422: 233-240. Wang, X., D. Zhao, G. Li, C. Yang, R. Teskey. 2018. Additive tree biomass equations for Betula platyphylla Suk. plantations in northeast China. Annals of Forest Science 75, 60. Wang, M., M. Kane, D. Zhao. 2017. Correlation-regression analysis for understanding dominant height projection accuracy. Forest Science 63(6): 549-558. Lynch, T.B., D. Zhao, H. Will, J.P. McTague. 2017. Deriving compatible taper functions from volume ratio equations based on upper-stem height. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 47: 1424-1431. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane. 2017. New variable-top merchantable volume and weight equations derived directly from cumulative relative profiles for loblolly pines. Forest Science 63(3): 261-269. Yan, X.L., T.F. Dai, D. Zhao, L.M. Jia. 2016. Combined surface drip irrigation and fertigation significantly increase biomass and carbon storage in a Populus x euramericana cv. Guariento plantation. Journal of Forest Research 21: 280-290. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, R. Teskey, D. Markewitz. 2016. Modeling aboveground biomass components and volume-to-weight conversion ratios for loblolly pine trees. Forest Science 62(5): 463-473. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, R. Teskey, T.R. Fox, T.J. Albaugh, H.L. Allen, R. Rubilar. 2016. Maximum response of loblolly pine plantations to silvicultural management in the southern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 375: 105-111. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, D. Markewitz, R. Teskey, M. Clutter. 2015. Additive tree biomass equations for mid-rotation loblolly pine plantations. Forest Science 61(4): 613-623. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, R. Teskey, D. Markewitz, D. Greene, B. Borders. 2014. Impact of management on nutrients, carbon, and energy in aboveground biomass components of mid-rotation loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations. Annals of Forest Science 71: 843-851. Wang, M., M. Kane, B. Borders, D. Zhao. 2014. Direct variance-covariance modeling as an alternative to the traditional guide curve approach for prediction of dominant heights. Forest Science 60(4): 652-662. Akers, M., M. Kane, D. Zhao, R. Teskey, R.F. Daniels. 2013. Effects of planting density and cultural intensity on stand and crown attributes of mid-rotation loblolly pine plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 310: 468–475. Bryars, C; Maier, C; Zhao, D; Kane, M; Borders, B; Will, R; and Teskey, R. 2013. Fixed physiological parameters in the 3-PG model produced accurate estimates of loblolly pine growth on sites in different geographic regions. Forest Ecology and Management 289:501-514. Zhao, D* and Kane, M. 2012. Differences in growth dynamics of loblolly and slash pine plantations in the southeastern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 281:84-92. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; Borders, B; Subedi, S; and Akers, M. 2012. Effects of cultural intensity and planting density on stand-level aboveground biomass production and allocation of 12-year old loblolly pine plantations in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the southeastern United States.Canadian Journal of Forest Research 42 (1):111-122. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; and Borders, B. 2012. Crown ratio and relative spacing relationships for loblolly pine plantations. Open Journal of Forestry 2(3):107-112. Subedi, S; Kane, M; Zhao, D; Borders, B; and Greene, D. 2012. Cultural intensity and planting density effects on aboveground biomass of 12-year-old loblolly pine trees in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the southeastern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 267:157-162. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; and Borders, B. 2011. Growth responses to planting density and management intensity in loblolly pine plantations in the southeastern United States lower coastal plain. Annals of Forest Science 68:625-635. Zhang, Y; Adams, J; and Zhao, D. 2011. Does insect folivory vary with latitude among temperate deciduous forests?. Ecological Research 26:377-383. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; and Borders, B. 2010. Development and applications of the relative spacing model for loblolly pine plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 259:1922-1929. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; Borders, B; and Harrison, M.W. 2009. Long-term effects of site preparation treatments, complete competition control and repeated fertilization on growth of slash pine plantations in the flatwoods of the southeastern United States. Forest Science 55:403-410. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; Borders, B; Harrison, M; and Rheney, J. 2009. Site preparation and competing vegetation control affect loblolly pine long-term productivity in the southern Piedmont/Upper Coastal Plain of the United States. Annals of Forest Science 66 (705). 9p. Zhao, D*; Kane, M; Borders, B; and Harrison, M. 2008. Pine growth response to different site-preparation methods with or without post-plant herbaceous weed control on North Florida's Lower Coastal Plain. Forest Ecology and Management 255:2512-2523. Borders, B; Wang, M; and Zhao, D. 2008. Problems of scaling plantation plot diameter distributions to stand level. Forest Science 54:349-355. Wang, M; Borders, B; and Zhao, D. 2008. Parameter Estimation of Base-age Invariant Site Index Models: Which Data Structure to use? - Reply Forest Science 54:129-133. Wang, M; Borders, B; and Zhao, D. 2008. An empirical comparison of two subject-specific approaches to dominant heights modeling: The dummy variable method and the mixed model method. Forest Ecology and Management 255:2659-2669. Zhao, D*; Borders, B; Wang, M; and Kane, M. 2007. Modeling mortality of second-rotation loblolly pine plantations in the Piedmont/Upper Coastal Plain and Lower Coastal Plain of the southern United States. Forest Ecology and Management 252:132-143. Wang, M; Borders, B; and Zhao, D. 2007. Parameter estimation of based-age invariant site index models: which data structure to use?. Forest Science 53(5):541-551. Zhao, D*; Allen, B; and Sharitz, R.R. 2006. Twelve-year response of an old-growth southeastern floodplain forest to disturbance of hurricane Hugo. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 36:3136-3147. Zhao, D*; Borders, B; and Wang, M. 2006. Survival models for fusiform rust infected loblolly pine plantations with and without mid-rotation understory vegetation control. Forest Ecology and Management 235:232-239. Zhao, D*; Borders, B; Wilson, M; and Rathbun, S.L. 2006. Modeling neighborhood effects on the growth and survival of individual trees in a natural temperate species-rich forest. Ecological Modelling 196:90-102. Zhao, D*; Wilson, M; and Borders, B. 2005. Modeling response curves and testing treatment effects in repeated measures experiments: a multilevel nonlinear mixed-effects model approach. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 35:122-132. Zhao, D*; Borders, B; and Wilson, M. 2005. A density-dependent matrix model for bottomland mixed-species hardwood stands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Ecological Modelling 184:381-395. Zhao, D*; Borders, B; and Wilson, M. 2004. Individual-tree diameter growth and mortality models for bottomland mixed-species hardwood stands in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Forest Ecology and Management 199:307-322. Plantation Management Research Cooperative (PMRC) Technical Reports: Wang, M. B.P. Bullock, D. Zhao, T. Queiroz, S. Kinane. 2024. PMRC Thinning and Mid-Rotation Treatment Sttudy: Analysis of Results Through six Years Since Thinning on Lower Coastal Plain Loblolly Pine First-Thin Plots. PMRC Technical Report. 2024-1. 36 pp. Wang, M., D. Zhao, C. Montes, B.P. Bullock. 2023. Coastal plain culture/density study: age 24 analysis on non-thinned loblolly plots and slash plots. PMRC Technical Report. 2023-1. 68 pp. Wang, M., C.R. Montes, B.P. Bullock, D. Zhao. 2021. An inverse growth curve representation of the Clutter-Jones Stand Survival Model. PMRC Technical Report. 2021-4. 17 pp. Zhao, D.*, C. Montes, B. Bullock, M. Wang. 2020. Culture-Density studies: Results through age 21 on non-thinned loblolly pine plots. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2020-1. 49 pp. Zhao, D.*, B. Bullock, C. Montes. 2018.Taper, merchantable volume, and biomass equations for slash pine trees. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2018-1. 37 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane. 2016. Loblolly pine tree equations for volume-to-weight conversion ratios, aboveground biomass and biomass allocation. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2016-1. 42 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, M. Wang. 2015. Comparison of loblolly pine and slash pine plantation performance through Age 18 in the Lower Coastal Plain. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2015-2. 31 pp. Kane. M., M. Wang, J. Rheney, D. Zhao. 2015. Western Gulf Culture Density Study: Results through Age 12. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2015-1. 55 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane. 2014. Coastal Plain Culture/Density Study: Age 18 Analysis for Loblolly pine. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2014-3. 42 pp. Borders, B., D. Zhao, M. Wang, M. Kane. 2014. Growth and Yield Models for Second/Third Rotation Loblolly Pine Plantations in the Piedmont/Upper Coastal Plain and Lower Coastal Plain of the Southeastern U.S. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2014-1. 49 pp. Wang, M., M. Kane, D. Zhao. 2014. SAGS Culture/Density Study: Age 15 Results. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2014-2. 82 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane. 2013. Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain Loblolly Pine Site Preparation Study: Results through Age 25. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2013-1. 40 pp. Kane, M.,M. Wang, D. Zhao, J. Rheney, M. Messina. 2013. Western Gulf Culture Density Study: Results through Age 10. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2013-2. 54 pp. Zhao, D.*, Kane, M. 2011. Coastal Plain culture/density study: Age 15 analysis. UGA/PMRC TTechnical Report 2011-2. 62 pp. Kane, M., D. Zhao, J. Rheney, N. Chappell, M. Messina. 2011. Western Gulf culture/ density study: results through age 8 on non-thinned plots. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2011-1. 52 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane. 2010. SAGS culture and density study: Age 12 results. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2010-1. 35 pp. Kane, M., M. Harrison, D. Zhao. 2009. Slash pine improved planting stock-vegetation control study: Age 21 results. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2009-3. 63 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, B. Borders. 2009. Crown ratio and relative spacing relationship for loblolly pine plantations. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2009-2. 26 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, B. Borders. 2009. Development and applications of the relative spacing model for loblolly pine plantations. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2009-1. 29 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, M, Harrison. 2008. SAGS Culture/Density Study: Results Through Age 10. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2008-3. 33 pp. Zhao, D.*; M. Kane, B. Borders, M. Harrison. 2007. Slash Pine Site Preparation Study: Results through Age 26. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2007-3. 63 pp. Zhao, D.*, B. Borders, M. Wang, M. Kane. 2007. Modeling Mortality of Second-Rotation Loblolly Pine Plantations in the Piedmont/Upper Coastal Plain and Lower Coastal Plain of the Southeastern United States. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2007-5. 31 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, B. Borders, M. Harrison. 2007.Piedmont Loblolly Pine Site Preparation Study: Results through Age 21. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 007-4. 50 pp. Zhao, D.*, M. Kane, B. Borders, M. Harrison. 2007. Growth Response of Slash and Loblolly Pine Plantations to Different Site-Preparation Treatments with or Without Post-plant Herbaceous Weed Control on Lower Coastal Plain Sites of North Florida. UGA/PMRC Technical Report 2007-2. 30 pp. Zhao, D.*, B.P. Bullock, C.R. Montes, M. Wang. 2022. Production, tree size inequality and growth dominance in loblolly pine plantations under different silvicultural management regimes. Forest Ecology and Management 526, 120594. Huang, Y.K., R. Bawa, P. Dwivedi, D. Zhao. 2022. Stochastic dynamic optimization for forest rotation with uncertain stumpage prices. Forest Science 68(4): 389–399. Wang, M., C.R. Montes, B.P. Bullock, D. Zhao. 2022. An inverse growth curve representation of the Clutter-Jones stand survival model. Forest Science 68(3): 389–399. Zhao, D.*, T. Lynch, J. Westfall, J. Coulston. 2022. Addition biomass estimation alternatives: nonlinear two- and three-stage least squares and full information maximum likelihood for slash pine. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 52(5): 780– 793. Grants "An Improved biomass and carbon database for US tree species" USDA-FIA. 2019-2021. (UGA portion $30,000. PI) "An Improved biomass and carbon database for US tree species" USDA-FIA. 2018-2019. (UGA portion $35,000. PI) "An Improved biomass and carbon database for US tree species" USDA-FIA. 2016-2017. (UGA portion $77,500. PI) "An Improved biomass and carbon database for US tree species" USDA-FIA. 2013 -2016. (UGA portion $248,586. PI) . "Biomass Model System for Intensively Managed Loblolly Pine Plantations" TIP-FRP. 07/01/2009-06/30/2010. $70,833. PI. "Plantation Management Research Cooperative: 2016-2020" 01/01/2016 - 12/31/2020. $1,750,000. Co-PI. "Silviculture and Growth and Yield of Southern Pine Plantations" Plantation Management Research Cooperative 2011 - 2015. $1,659,165. Co-PI. "Center for Advanced Forestry Systems University of Georgia Site Phase II" NSF 04/15/2014 - 03/31/2019. $300,000. Co-PI. "Modification and Development of Growth and Yield Models for Genetically Enhanced Loblolly Pine Plantations" TIP-FRP. 07/01/2009-06/30/2010. $52,671. Co-PI "High Density Southern Pine Feedstock Production and Carbon Sequestration" USDA AFRI. 01/01/2011-12/31/2016. $887,379.00. Co-PI "Integrating research, education, and extension for enhancing southern pine climate change mitigation and adaption" USDA NIFA. 01/01/2011-12/31/2016. $20,000,000. (UGA portion $1,340,000). Co-PI "Mechanisms of Responses to Mid-Rotation Thinning, Fertilization and Release in Loblolly Pine Plantations". McIntire-Stennis Project. 2013-2018. Co-PI Others BookZhao, D. 2011. MODELING MIXED SPECIES FOREST STANDS - Empirical Modeling Strategies. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. 148 pp. Area of Specialty: Forest Biology Ecology Forest Management Biometrics Inventory Silviculture Sustainability Analysis Research Areas: Forestry Research Interests: Growth and Yield Modeling; Ecological Modeling; Advanced Statistical Analysis; Sampling Techniques; Forest Inventory; Quantitative Management; Quantitative Silviculture; Biomass Production and Carbon Sequestration
