Treesearch

Forest managers recognize that proactive management strategies, such as forest assisted migration (FAM) of tree species, intended to accelerate the pace of forest adaptation, may be necessary to maintain resilient forests and combat the stressors of climate change. However, the impact of interactions between climate change and ungulate browsers of trees, both of which have profound effects on the landscape, on the success of FAM efforts is unknown. We used a forest landscape model (LANDIS‐II) to simulate assisted migration and browsing by ungulate (white‐tailed deer [ Odocoileus virginianus...

Conifers have been widely planted to stabilize soils and promote site recovery on former hardwood sites that were cleared for agriculture. Decades of confer occupancy may have lasting effects on nutrient availability, organic matter cycling, soil acidity, and soil buffering capacity. In many areas of eastern North America, conifer plantings consisted of non-native Pinus species planted on abandoned agricultural land that was once mesophytic hardwood forest. To investigate the long-term effect of Pinus occupancy on former hardwood soils, we compared the soil chemistry of P. echinata and P....

We studied the effects of trapping intensity and lure combinations on Scolytinae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) collections, using funnel traps at 16 sites including forests and Christmas tree farms near Erie, Pennsylvania and Toledo, Ohio, United States of America. In 2002, using 16 or 64 traps per site, all baited with α-pinene + ethanol, we collected 146 627 specimens from 40 species altogether. With 16 traps, 15–24 scolytine species were collected per site, whereas 28–31 species were collected with 64 traps. On average, 55% of all scolytine species collected with 16 traps were collected...

Background: Frequent low-intensity fires historically shaped forest composition and structure in the southeastern United States of America (USA). However, in modern times, fire suppression has inadvertently facilitated the recruitment of mesophytic trees and potentially the invasion of non-native woody plants. In this study, we selected twelve woody broadleaved plants from forested areas of South Carolina and categorized them into three groups: (1) non-native invasive species, (2) native pyrophytic species, and (3) native mesophytic species. We used these categories to examine bark...

Project VITAL (Vacant Lot Improvement to Transform Adolescent Lives) is a study designed to evaluate the impact of revitalized vacant lots on adolescent health in Baltimore, Maryland. We implemented a mixed-methods research approach, which included surveys of 14- to 19-year-olds, observations of nearby vacant lots, and street block assessments during 2023–2024. The aim was to understand how greening vacant lots affected adolescent mental health, experiences of violence, and food insecurity. Linear regression models were used to examine the association between living near a maintained...

Climate-change adaptation planning processes and tools are increasing in number and evolving rapidly. During times of innovation and proliferation, a potential danger is incoherence, when well-intended contributions can overwhelm, create confusion, or mask complementarities. A shared vision is needed to avoid duplication, reduce misunderstandings, and facilitate work across jurisdictions to steward resources undergoing profound changes. Such a vision would document fundamental tools and approaches while allowing flexibility to match highly varied management contexts and organizational...

While many tree professionals recognize the importance of planting quality stock and a diversity of species to enhance longevity and increase urban forest resiliency, the availability of such stock is often limited.To address this disconnect, we conducted 3 focus groups with growers, designers, urban foresters, and other technical experts from the Chesapeake Bay watershed region (USA) to identify challenges and opportunities for growing greater numbers of high-quality, underused species.Contract growing was seen as a key opportunity for increasing quality and diversity. Additionally,...

The Beetles of Michigan project started in 2019 when Bob and I were writing up the results of a beetle survey at Grass River Natural Area that we had done the two previous years (Haack and Ruesink 2020). We wanted to say if anything we found there was a new state record for Michigan, and we discovered that the most recent list of Michigan beetles was published in 1878 (Hubbard and Schwarz 1878). So, we decided to update their list and asked Gary Parsons to join us as a third investigator.

Background: Forest soils are a globally significant carbon-store, including in deep layers (> 30 cm depth). However, there is high uncertainty regarding the response of deep soil organic carbon (DSOC) to climate change and the resulting impact on the total OC budget for forest ecosystems. Managed forests have an opportunity to reduce the risk of DSOC loss with climate change, however, the basic understanding of DSOC is lacking. Planted forests in New Zealand are managed with very limited knowledge of DSOC, both in the amount and the capacity of the soil to continue to store carbon with...

Longstanding theories and models classify mineral-associated organic matter as the large ( ~ 60%) but slow-cycling and persistent portion of soil organic matter. Strong physico-chemical interactions and diffusion limitations restrict the turnover of mineral-associated organic matter, allowing carbon and nitrogen bound therein to persist in soil for as long as centuries to millennia. However, mineral associated organic matter is a chemically and functionally diverse pool with a substantial portion cycling at relatively fast (i.e., minutes to years) timescales. Despite a growing body of...