Treesearch

The use of bio-based fuels for energy generation can have positive or negative impacts on water and resources. To best understand these impacts, the effects of bioenergy systems on water and soil resources should be assessed as part of an integrated analysis considering environmental, social and economic dimensions. Bioenergy production systems that are strategically integrated in the landscape to address soil and water problems should be promoted where their establishment does not cause other negative impacts that outweigh these benefits. While standardized metrics, such as footprints and...

American Three-toed Woodpeckers Picoides dorsalis are considered a sensitive species by the United States Bureau of Land Management and are on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service’s Watch List. In Idaho, Oregon and Washington, they are of conservation concern due to low abundance and an apparent reliance on disturbed, old-growth forests. This species is strongly associated with Spruce Beetle Dendroctonous rufipennis epidemics, yet their occupancy relation with epidemic conditions have not been described. We studied Three-toed Woodpecker occupancy patterns in spruce–fir forests...

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis James) co-evolved with the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins; MPB) and is now also challenged by the non-native pathogen Cronartium ribicola (J.C. Fisch.) that causes the lethal disease white pine blister rust (WPBR). Previous research suggests that trees infected with WPBR can be preferred hosts for MPB. Using resin duct traits associated with MPB resistance, we tested for a relationship between resistance to MPB and WPBR in limber pine, in the absence of either biological agent. These analyses will help evaluate if MPB historically may have...

In his October 26, 2017 commentary in these pages (Wildfire Magazine 26.4; 4-5), Dr. Tom Zimmerman highlights a number of ongoing and future challenges faced by wildland fire management. To address these challenges he also identifies an important role for science and in particular management-relevant wildland fire research. Here, we first briefly elaborate on Dr. Zimmerman’s challenges and how they relate to new opportunities for the role of science in wildland fire management. Second, we focus on three additional institutional or “cultural” barriers or divides that could helpfully be...

It is hard to miss the #MeToo movement these days. The international movement against sexual harassment and assault is everywhere in conventional and social media as well as water cooler and dinner table conversation. Important in its own right, #MeToo also has been a touchstone for broader conversations about inclusivity, diversity, equity, power dynamics and the challenges of who gets to represent whom in our culture.

The severity of lodgepole pine mortality from mountain pine beetle outbreaks varies with host tree diameter, density, and other structural characteristics, influencing subcanopy conditions and tree regeneration. We measured density and leader growth of shade-intolerant lodgepole pine, shade-tolerant Engelmann spruce, and very shade-tolerant subalpine fir regeneration beneath stands that experienced moderate and high overstory lodgepole pine mortality (average 40% and 85% of total basal area) a decade earlier. Lodgepole comprised >90% of the overstory basal area and mature spruce and fir...

Forest roads are commonly decommissioned and revegetated to decrease erosion, prevent weed encroachment, manage recreation and improve overall watershed condition on federal lands, but may also provide a complementary opportunity to sequester carbon (C) in soils. Soils on decommissioned roads are typically compacted with limited capacity for water retention, decreased mineral nitrogen (N) availability and low organic matter content, impairing revegetation and soil C sequestration efforts. We evaluated the effects of an organic fertilizer, wood strand mulch and a woody biochar on soil...

Over the past few decades, nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations have increased within streams of the central Rockies, a pattern linked to regional N deposition trends. As NO3-N concentrations increase, in-stream biological demand may become saturated and stream N export may increase. In mountain landscapes, streams generally flow through steep, narrow valleys with limited riparian area and strong stream-hillslope connectivity. Interspersed between the narrow valleys are wide segments where substantial floodplain riparian areas can develop. Here, we coupled measures of stream reach NO3-N...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which preserves selected rivers that have outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values. As the Forest Service and other agencies prepare for the next half-century of managing these national treasures, scientists at the Rocky Mountain Research Station and the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute are partnering with National Forests and university collaborators to use new research protocols to help revise river management plans. These social science approaches are helping managers quantify...

Winter recreation is a widely popular activity and is expected to increase due to changes in recreation technology and human population growth. Wildlife are frequently negatively impacted by winter recreation, however, through displacement from habitat, alteration of activity patterns, or changes in movement behavior. We studied impacts of dispersed and developed winter recreation on Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) at their southwestern range periphery in Colorado, USA. We used GPS collars to track movements of 18 adult lynx over 4 years, coupled with GPS devices that logged 2,839 unique...