Treesearch

Woody biomass could be used to generate energy in the western US if the utilization process is both economically feasible and ecologically sustainable. The purpose of the RMRS-led Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI) is to develop technologies, approaches, and new science that will help to make this possible. This issue of the Bulletin is focused on research addressing challenges of the biomass supply chain, from the time that a forest treatment is initiated to the time that the biomass residue reaches an end user (a later issue will address the technology of biomass conversio...

Forest erosion can lead to topsoil loss, and also to damaging deposits of sediment in aquatic ecosystems. For this reason, forest managers must be able to estimate the erosion potential of both planned management activities and catastrophic events, in order to decide where to use limited funds to focus erosion control efforts. To meet this need, scientists from RMRS (and collaborators) have spent over a decade developing a suite of online tools that can be used to predict erosion potential of forest alterations such as road building, forest management, and wildfire, as part of the Forest...

The summer of 2013 was drier than normal along the Front Range, so when rain started falling on the northern end on September 9, 2013, some greeted it with enthusiasm. Others tempered their enthusiasm when the five-day forecast revealed an anomalous lineup of raincloud icons. In fact, a stationary low pressure system had developed over the Great Basin, to the west of the Rocky Mountains, and began to pull monsoonal tropical moisture from the Pacific Ocean as well as more moist air off the Gulf of Mexico. This circulation pattern directed and focused these moisture plumes toward the Front...

Climate change is causing rapid changes to stream habitats across the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest as warmer air temperatures and changes in precipitation increase stream temperatures, alter stream hydrology, and increase the extent and magnitude of natural disturbances related to droughts and wildfires. These changes are affecting trout, salmon, and other fish populations, many of which are already subject to substantial non-climate stressors. Fish habitats at lower elevations - near the downstream edges of species distributions - are particularly vulnerable. However, three Rocky...

Dalmatian and yellow toadflax are aesthetically pleasing weeds wreaking havoc in rangelands across the western United States. These non-native forbs spread rapidly into fields following fire, tilling, construction, or other disturbances. They are successful and stubborn invaders, producing massive quantities of seeds each year and rapidly re-sprouting from root fragments. Eight non-native toadflax feeding insect species have been intentionally released or accidentally introduced in North America. Stem mining weevils, Mecinus spp., serve as particularly powerful "weed whackers" against...

Planning for hazardous fuels reduction can be challenging, given that land managers must balance multiple resource objectives. To help managers with planning and implementing fuel treatments, the Rocky Mountain Research Station, with support from the Joint Fire Science Program, has published A Comprehensive Guide to Fuel Management Practices for Dry Mixed Conifer Forests in the Northwestern United States (RMRS-GTR- 292). Developed in close consultation with managers, the guide contains a synthesis of the best information on the management community’s most frequently asked questions about...

Riparian ecosystems, the interface of terrestrial and aquatic systems, are zones of high biodiversity (Naiman et al., 1993), rapid biogeochemical activity (Vidon et al., 2010), complex hydrologic activity (Mayer et al., 2010a), and offer solace that can bestow significant mental health benefits (Alcock et al., 2014). Yet, many riparian zones also represent intersections of policy disputes, economic tradeoffs, and environmental degradation. A clearer understanding of science is necessary to establish better resource policy, identify economic values, stave off environmental impacts to...

We compared plants used as sites for nests and survival of nests of black-chinned hummingbirds (Archilochus alexandri) along two rivers in New Mexico. Along the free-flowing Gila River which was dominated by native plants, most nests were constructed in boxelder (Acer negundo). Along the flow-restricted Middle Rio Grande which was dominated by nonnative plants, most nests were constructed in nonnative plants such as Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) and saltcedar (Tamarix). Mean nest height varied among species of plants used as nesting sites but was about 4 m at each study area....

I've written the Climate-Aquatics Blog the last several years as a means of rapidly and broadly distributing peer-reviewed research pertaining to climate change and its effects on aquatic ecosystems. My intent in doing so has been to raise awareness, stimulate healthy debates and information exchanges, and engage with those concerned about this global phenomenon across a diversity of backgrounds and aquatic science disciplines. So far, so good, as the blog mailing list continues to grow and I've enjoyed dialogues with people all over the world. Based on the feedback I receive, blogging is...

These proceedings are a compilation of 14 papers that were presented at the regional meetings of the forest and conservation nursery associations in the United States in 2013. The Joint Northeast and Southern Forest Nursery Conference was held at the Holiday Inn City Centre, Lafayette, Indiana, July 22 to 25, 2013. Subject matter for the technical sections included nursery fertilization, black walnut research, and exploring the threat of hybrid Phytopthoras (and how to prevent this). Field trips included tours of the Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, the Hardwood Tree...