Articles

Scientists are looking at the link between environmental conditions, wildlife, and animal-borne pathogens to predict how natural and human-caused changes may influence disease. A new framework explores the dynamics of these diseases over large spatial and temporal scales.

Wildflowers offer a diverse array of nutrients from pollen and nectar which are important for wild pollinator communities. A new study shows that different wild bee species have a range of nutritional needs, requiring nutritionally diverse plant communities to better support them.

A new online modeling tool for predicting impacts of introduced species using the case study of preying mantid invasions in western Montana grasslands is available.

A new project examines various combinations of fuel reduction treatment activities across the elevational gradient of forest types along the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains to understand how burn severity is altered when challenged with wildfire.

Where can managers maximize restoration work for High-Five pine species? Using 30 years of field data and current knowledge of blister rust, new models developed by Forest Service scientists identify areas likely to be at risk and help prioritize areas for restoration and maintenance of healthy populations.

Forest managers have continued challenges with exotic plant species following timber harvest. A new project looks at understory responses for seven years post-timber harvest across ten timber sales on the Black Hills National Forest.

Researchers are working to get ahead of smooth brome invasion and determine management options for both the public and private land managers.

Educational materials and demonstrations by smaller NGOs may help landowners consider the benefits of prescribed fire on or near the Dakota Prairie Grassland.

Fire-managed forests of the past provide an alternative option for management.

Ongoing work with the belowground plant community is improving our insights into ecological theory to provide managers with a more comprehensive picture of nutrient acquisition and storage from a whole-plant perspective.

What can ranch managers expect in terms of forage quality after prescribed fire in the Great Plains? Initial findings from a new comprehensive study in the mixed grass prairie detail how adaptive management can help.

Producers are dealing with swings in forage availability for their livestock. A new resource called the South Dakota Drought Tool supports increased efficiency in herd production.

A new project reconstructs the historical vegetation of Kentucky - without frequent surface fires, fire-tolerant oaks have experienced a severe decline.

National Forests and Grasslands currently are estimated to store around 57 percent of their carbon potential. Planting riparian forests can more than double initial carbon accumulation rates versus natural regeneration, suggesting restoration of these areas can be highly impactful for land managers.

Western Forbs synthesizes knowledge gained from decades of research and practical experience with more than 50 native forb species.

Historical fire regimes are a useful but imperfect guide to future management for ecological integrity. Direct plant and animal data, where available, can reveal management targets that historical estimates alone would miss.

Armillaria root disease is widespread across western North American forests, in part because it is hard to detect before significant damage has already occurred. Fortunately, thanks to advances in DNA sequencing, just a teaspoon of soil now opens up a giant window into the complex ecosystems of microbes, revealing potential management strategies.

SlashScan is a new mobile application for iPhone and iPad that field-going foresters, fuels managers, and contractors can use to simultaneously estimate slash pile volume and generate location data in real time without additional equipment.

For 25 years, ranchers in South Dakota have used the South Dakota Drought Tool to estimate forage productivity of grazing lands. This crucial information helps them gauge whether to increase or decrease their herd size the following year.

Ecological restoration and fuel hazard reduction are compatible—variable retention treatments that create structural heterogeneity for wildlife and plant diversity can achieve substantial fire behavior reductions when surface fuels and small trees are treated.