Treesearch

We present a classification of duff, litter, fine woody debris, and logs that can be used to stratify a project area into sites with fuel loading that yield significantly different emissions and maximum soil surface temperature. Total particulate matter smaller than 2.5?m in diameter and maximum soil surface temperature were simulated using the First Order Fire Effects Model. Simulation results were clustered into 10 Effects Groups using an agglomerative routine where each Effects Group defined a unique range of soil temperature and emissions. Classification tree analysis was used to...

The Rodeo-Chediski Wildfire, the largest in Arizona's history, damaged or destroyed ecosystem resources or disrupted ecosystem functioning in a mostly mosaic pattern throughout the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests exposed to the burn. Impacts of the wildfire on the occurrence of birds and their diversities were studied on two watersheds in the area, one burned by a high severity (stand-replacing) fire, while the other was burned by a low severity (stand-modifying) fire. This paper reports on the results of a five-year (2002-2007) evaluation of this wildfire on the bird species and...

The cottonwood bosques along the Middle Fork of the Rio Grande (MRG) form a ribbon of surviving habitat in this once vast ecosystem. Historically, the channel had a multi-threaded and braided configuration that created a rich mosaic of habitats, including mixed-aged cottonwood forests, meadows, and willow-dominated riparian wetlands and backwaters (Crawford et al. 1993). While the characteristic cottonwood gallery forest still exists throughout the remaining corridor, these systems have been highly modified and many stands of cottonwood survive only as relics of a past ecological regime.

Analyses of molecular and quantitative genetic data demonstrate the existence of congruent climate-related patterns in western white pine (Pinus monticola). Two independent studies allowed comparisons of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers with quantitative variation in adaptive traits. Principal component analyses were conducted on seedling traits in common gardens collected from 58 sites; principal coordinate analyses were conducted on AFLP data from 15 sites. Collection site eigenvector means were regressed on 35 climate variables to produce a genecological prediction...

Presently, little is known about the worldwide genetic structure, diversity, or evolutionary relationships of the white-pineblister-rust fungus, Cronartium ribicola. A collaborative international effort is underway to determine the phylogeographic relationships among Asian, European, and North American sources of C. ribicola and closely related taxa. Here, we present preliminary information on phylogenetic relationships among selected Eurasian and North American populations of C. ribicola using DNA sequences from four nuclear loci totaling over 2,100 bp. Geographic regions included eastern...

Combustion experiments were performed over a flat-flame burner that provided the heat source for multiple leaf samples. Interactions of the combustion behavior between two leaf samples were studied. Two leaves were placed in the path of the flat-flame burner, with the top leaf 2.5 cm above the bottom leaf. Local gas and particle temperatures, as well as local oxygen concentrations, were measured along with burning characteristics of both leaves. Results showed that the time to ignition of the upper leaf was not significantly affected by the presence of the lower leaf. The major difference...

Dryocoetes confusus Swaine, the western balsam bark beetle, is an important bark beetle associated with Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. (subalpine fir) in western North America. Little information is available on the life cycle and ecology of this insect in Colorado. In this study in north central Colorado, we examined its flight periodicity, attack patterns, and life cycle in downed trees. Flight season, as indicated by pheromone-trap catches, began in early June. Peak flight was observed during early to mid-July. A second peak in flight was observed in some years, but its occurrence was...

The most sustainable and best quality fresh water sources in the world originate in forest ecosystems. The biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of forest soils are particularly well suited to delivering high quality water to streams, moderating stream hydrology, and providing diverse aquatic habitat. Forest soils feature litter layers and high organic contents, both of which contribute to an abundant and diverse micro- and macro-fauna. Root systems under forests are extensive and relatively deep compared to agricultural lands and grasslands. Together, these biological...

Fertilization is an integral component of nursery culture for production of high quality seedlings for afforestation and reforestation because it can enhance plant growth, nutrient storage reserves, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses (Landis, 1985). While fertilizer is conventionally applied during spring and summer in accordance with the active growing period, fall fertilization has also been used to further enhance seedling quality in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.) (Boivin et al., 2004), loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) (Sung et al., 1997; VanderSchaaf and McNabb,...

Applications of LiDAR remote sensing are exploding, while moving from the research to the operational realm. Increasingly, natural resource managers are recognizing the tremendous utility of LiDAR-derived information to make improved decisions. This review provides a cross-section of studies, many recent, that demonstrate the relevance of LiDAR across a suite of terrestrial natural resource disciplines including forestry, fire and fuels, ecology, wildlife, geology, geomorphology, and surface hydrology. We anticipate that interest in and reliance upon LiDAR for natural resource management,...