Treesearch

Forest dynamics in the United States differ substantially from those in the developing world and thus present unique monitoring requirements. While deforestation and conversion to semipermanent agriculture dominate tropical forest dynamics, the area of forest land in the United States has remained fairly constant for the last 50-60 years (Birdsey and Lewis 2003). Although the United States experienced rapid deforestation during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, much of the eastern clearing regrew during the twentieth century as marginal agricultural land was abandoned.

Lidar height data collected by the Geosciences Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) from 2002 to 2008 has the potential to form the basis of a globally consistent sample-based inventory of forest biomass. GLAS lidar return data were collected globally in spatially discrete full waveform "shots," which have been shown to be strongly correlated with aboveground forest biomass. Relationships observed at spatially coincident field plots may be used to model biomass at all GLAS shots, and well-established methods of model-based inference may then be used to estimate biomass and variance for specific...

The world's forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Between 2000 and 2010 the net annual loss of the world's forests was 6.4 million ha (0.13%). While the rate of forest cover loss has slowed compared to the period of 1990-2000 (net annual loss of 8.3 million ha year-1) (FAO 2011) , it is still severe enough to warrant a concerted effort to slow or reverse this trend. This is especially true in the tropical regions, where net forest losses increased from 6.3 million ha year-1 in the 1990s to 8.0 million ha year-1 between 2000 and 2005 (FAO 2011)

Mountain pine beetle has always been a significant disturbance agent in ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests in Colorado. Most studies have examined the impacts to forest structure associated with epidemic populations of a single disturbance agent. In this paper we address the role of endemic populations of mountain pine and their interactions with dwarf mistletoe infections in forest structure and, the accumulation of coarse woody debris. We also discuss how mixed forests in the Colorado Front Range have shifted over the last 1,000 years and discuss how we may be able to learn about...

In recent years, advances in molecular genetics have provided powerful tools to address critical issues in forest pathology to help promote resilient forests. Although molecular genetic tools are initially applied to understand individual components of forest pathosystems, forest pathosystems involve dynamic interactions among biotic and abiotic components of the environment. More sophisticated and holistic molecular genetic approaches are now available to better understand dynamic interactions of forest pathosystems. This presentation will describe how advanced molecular genetic technologi...

The Interior West Forest Inventory and Analysis (IWFIA) Program of the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, as part of our National Forest System cooperative inventories, conducted a forest resource inventory on the Idaho Panhandle National Forest (IPNF) using a nationally standardized mapped-plot design (for more details see "The inventory methods" section). This report presents the highlights of the 2001 inventory using variables and summaries commonly requested by IWFIA users. The data could be summarized in other ways for different purposes (see "For further information...

Armillaria species display diverse ecological behaviors from beneficial saprobe to virulent pathogen. Armillaria solidipes, a causal agent of Armillaria root disease (ARD), is a virulent primary pathogen with a broad host range. ARD is responsible for reduced forest productivity as a result of direct tree mortality and non-lethal cryptic infections that impact growth. It is typically more severe in intensively managed forests and in maladapted trees. Armillaria isolates collected from more than 500 climatically diverse, georeferenced plots established throughout the western USA were...

We surveyed black spruce stands within 0.5 miles of US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots and compared dwarf mistletoe status with that of the FIA and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forest inventories. Our results differed from FIA results in 3 of 16 stands with FIA plots, with FIA most often not recording dwarf mistletoe in infested stands. The infestation status of 140 of 202 surrounding stands was the same as recorded for the nearby FIA plot. Minnesota DNR forest inventory identified dwarf mistletoe in only 26 of 112 infested stands. Using only the...

The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS, www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/) has been providing reviews of scientific knowledge about fire effects since 1986. FEIS is an online collection of literature reviews on more than 1,100 species and their relationships with fire. Reviews cover plants and animals throughout the United States, providing a wealth of information for landowners and resource managers.

Aligning a rancher's business plan goals with the capability of the ranch's rangeland resources improves the viability and sustainability of family ranches. Strategically monitoring the condition of soil, water, vegetation, wildlife, livestock production, and economics helps inform business plan goals. Business planning and resource monitoring help keep ranchers on the land, support the well-being of rangeland-dependent communities, and conserve the rural way of life. To work toward this goal, the Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable (SRR)i, Wyoming Business Council (WBC), Wyoming State...