Treesearch

Climate profoundly shapes forests. Forest species composition, productivity, availability of goods and services, disturbance regimes, and location on the landscape are all regulated by climate. Much research attention has focused on the problem of projecting the response of forests to changing climate, elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, and nitrogen deposition, deepening our understanding since the publication of the last forest sector assessment (Ryan et al. 2008). We have many new examples of how changes in climate over the period 1971–2000 have affected forest...

Human concerns about the effects of climate change on forests are related to the values that forests provide to human populations, that is, to the effects on ecosystem services derived from forests. Service values include the consumption of timber products, the regulation of climate and water quality, and aesthetic and spiritual values. Effects of climate change on ecological systems are expected to change service flows, people’s perception of value, and their decisions regarding land and resource uses. Thus, social systems will adapt to climate changes, producing secondary and tertiary...

These proceedings are a compilation of 20 papers that were presented at the regional meetings of the forest and conservation nursery associations and the Intertribal Nursery Council meeting in the United States in 2011. The Joint Meeting of the Southern Forest Nursery Association and Northeastern Forest and Conservation Nursery Association was held at the Pullman Plaza Hotel, Huntington, WV, July 25 to 28, 2011. Subject matter for the technical sessions included history and current status of tree planting and nursery production, mine reclamation research and implementation, American...

Global trade increases the likelihood of introduction of non-native, invasive species which can threaten native species and their associated ecosystems. This has led to significant impacts to forested landscapes, including extensive tree mortality, shifts in ecosystem composition, and vulnerabilities to other stresses. With the increased appreciation of the importance of healthy ecosystems for watershed protection, wildlife habitat, and aesthetics, we present a new management approach specifically designed for the long-term sustainability of ecosystems challenged by non-native pests for...

This volume is a state-of-knowledge synthesis of monitoring and research conducted on the Upper Verde River (UVR) of Arizona. It contains information on the history, hydrology, soils, geomorphology, vegetation, and fish fauna of the area that can help land managers and other scientists in successfully conducting ecosystem management and future monitoring and research in this important Southwest river ecosystem. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the UVR's location, vegetation, climate, soils, and watersheds. A historical and pictorial perspective of the UVR is presented in Chapter 2....

This bibliography is a compendium of state-of-knowledge publications about the threats affecting western U.S. riparian ecosystems and is a companion to the website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/boise/AWAE/publications/bibliography.shtml#riparian. The website contains abstracts and access to many of the publications via PDFs, or it directs the readers to websites where PDFs of the publication can be viewed or obtained. The bibliography is ordered alphabetically and the type of threats discussed in each publication is highlighted. These threats include agriculture, climate change, dam construct...

Premise of the study: Hybridization has played an important role in the evolution and ecological adaptation of diploid and polyploid plants. Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) tetraploids are extremely widespread and of great ecological importance. These tetraploids are often taxonomically identified as A. tridentata subsp. wyomingensis or as autotetraploids of diploid subspecies tridentata and vaseyana. Few details are available as to how these tetraploids are formed or how they are related to diploid subspecies.

Successful re-establishment of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) on surface-mined lands in the western United States is problematic because the species generally regenerates vegetatively by sprouting from parent roots in the soil; however, topsoil is removed in the mining process. Previous attempts to plant aspen on reclaimed mine sites have failed because transplanted root sprouts or seedlings do not have an extensive root system to access water and nutrients. This study identified factors that limit the survival and growth of aspen on reclaimed surface-mined lands by examining planted...

Comparison of projected future water demand and supply across the conterminous United States indicates that, due to improving efficiency in water use, expected increases in population and economic activity do not by themselves pose a serious threat of large-scale water shortages. However, climate change can increase water demand and decrease water supply to the extent that, barring major adaptation efforts, substantial future water shortages are likely, especially in the larger Southwest. Because further global temperature increases are probably unavoidable, adaptation will be essential in...

Bioclimatic models predict large reductions in native trout across the Rocky Mountains in the 21st century but lack details about how changes will occur. Through five case histories across the region, we explore how a changing climate has been affecting streams and the potential consequences for trout. Monitoring records show trends in temperature and hydrographs consistent with a warming climate in recent decades. Biological implications include upstream shifts in thermal habitats, risk of egg scour, increased wildfire disturbances, and declining summer habitat volumes. The importance of...