Treesearch

Vegetation type, soils, climate, and conversion ratios influence estimates of terrestrial C. Our objectives were to (i) determine carbon to organic matter (C/OM) ratios for brown cubical rotten wood, litter, surface humus, soil wood, and mineral soils; (ii) evaluate the validity of using 0.58 and 0.50 ratios for estimating C in mineral and organic soil components, respectively; and (iii) determine if C/OM relationships were applicable across broad geographic areas. The study sites were located from the southern to northern Rocky Mountains. They differed in vegetation, soil parent material,...

The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), is a northern latitude, forest dwelling raptor. In the Western United States, goshawks live in most forests, including those dominated by western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud.), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.), and western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt). It preys on a variety of small birds and mammals that require an array of forest conditions. Fire, being the primary disturbance mechanism throughout the Western United States, provided landscapes that contained and...

Soil organic components are important factors in the health and productivity of Inland Northwest forests. Timber harvesting and extensive site preparation (piling, windrowing, or scalping) reduces the amount of surface organic material (woody residues and forest floor layers) over large areas. Some wildfires and severe prescribed burns can have similar consequences. Such organic matter reductions can have important implications for soil chemical, biological and physical properties. A number of studies have linked substantial reduction in mycorrhizae development and tree growth to high...

The 883,225 acres in the Uinta National Forest encompass 552,021 acres of forest land, made up of 68 percent (377,651 acres) "timberland" and 32 percent (174,370 acres) "woodland." The other 331,204 acres of the Uinta are nonforest (fig. 1). This report discusses forest land only. In the Uinta, 7 percent of the total area and 4 percent of the forest land is in reserved status such as Wilderness or Research Natural Areas. Unless otherwise stated, lands of both reserved and nonreserved status are included in the following statistics. Field crews sampled 258 field plots on the Uinta.

The 1,215,219 acres in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest encompass 863,906 acres of forest land, made up of 90 percent (776,239 acres) "timberland" and 10 percent (87,667 acres) "woodland." The other 351,313 acres of the Wasatch-Cache are nonforest or water (fig. 1). This report discusses forest land only. In the Wasatch-Cache, 26 percent of the total area and 23 percent of the forest land is in reserved status such as Wilderness or Research Natural Areas. Unless otherwise stated, lands of both reserved and nonreserved status are included in the following statistics. Field crews sampled...

The 1,372,787 acres in the Ashley National Forest encompass 887,230 acres of forest land, made up of 88 percent (779,348 acres) "timberland" and 12 percent (107,882 acres) "woodland." The other 485,557 acres of the Ashley are nonforest (fig. 1). This report discusses forest land only. In the Ashley, 21 percent of the total area and 17 percent of the forest land is in reserved status such as Wilderness or Research Natural Areas. Unless otherwise stated, lands of both reserved and nonreserved status are included in the following statistics. Field crews sampled 383 field plots on the Ashley.

ECO-Report is an annual Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) publication which contains a set of articles showcasing the Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project (BEMRP) research projects and activities. The articles are concise, user-friendly, and designed to inform a broad range of audiences interested in ecosystem management. Articles featured in this issue: Collaboration at the Heart of the Job; Summer field Trips - Mark Your Calendar!; Riparian Areas: Small Sites, Big Treasures; Stevensville Ranger Selects Management for Eosystem Restoration; Planners Put Models to Work; The...

The Kappa statistic is frequently used to characterize the results of an accuracy assessment used to evaluate land use and land cover classifications obtained by remotely sensed data. This statistic allows comparisons of alternative sampling designs, classification algorithms, photo-interpreters, and so forth. In order to make these comparisons, it is important to know how far in error the estimate might reasonably be. This is accomplished by constructing confidence intervals around the point estimate. The decision to use either the asymptotic variance formulae or bootstrapping variance...

Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator), in the winter, primarily, slept 42% of the time, fed 30%, swam 12%; and preened 7%. Comparisons of swan activities among die periods during the winter indicated they increased feeding throughout the day into night, when they fed at their highest rate. Swans spent more time sleeping as winter temperatures decreased; feeding mostly ceased when temperatures fell below approximately -17 C. Dominant activities in spring included feeding (45%), sleeping (17%), swimming (13%); and preening (12%). During spring, swans fed at a high rate throughout day and...

The Northern Goshawk (hereafter referred to as Goshawk) is a large forest raptor, occupying boreal and temperate forests throughout the Holarctic. In North America, it breeds from Alaska to Newfoundland and south (Fig. 1). This partial migrant winters throughout its breeding range including occasionally the Great Plains and southeastern states; some individuals undergo short movements to lower elevations during winter, apparently in search of food. Irruptive movements of northern birds to the south occurs at approximately 10-year intervals that coincide with population lows of snowshoe...