Modeling

Ecological models often provide lots of information across large areas. However, obtaining information for local areas can require custom tools and processing to automate the extraction of information and the creation of specialized reports. The techniques developed for examining potential changes to habitat suitability can often be applied to other research issues. Below are descriptions of several projects or tools that forest managers, scientists, and the public can use to improve their understanding of the ecosystems they work in:

• Integrated Moisture Index: The Integrated Moisture Index provides information on the potential soil moisture of a site based on terrain and soil characteristics. Developed for an area in southeast Ohio, it has been applied to other states to stratify the landscape. 
• Oak restoration: Contributed to the central Appalachian plateau Fire and Fire Surrogates Study, analyzed forest inventory records to promote oak habitat, mapped forest communities related to oak and hickory forests. 
• Invasive pest modeling: Modeling the distribution of Ailanthus altissima in southeastern Ohio helps to understand its preference for site conditions and development of management plans to remove and prevent it on the landscape. 
• Section, subsection, and landtypes for southeastern Ohio: Defining and mapping ecological regions within a hierarchical structure helps land managers understand site conditions, vegetation communities, and wildlife taxa based on certain environmental conditions.