Treesearch

We recorded activity data for 6 male and 5 female lynx in winter and 3 male and 6 female lynx during summer in western Montana, USA, using motion-sensitive radiocollars. Lynx diel activity appeared to vary by sex, season, and reproductive status. During summer, male lynx exhibited a crepuscular activity pattern, whereas females with kittens remained active throughout the photoperiod. During winter, lynx of both sexes were most active during the afternoon and early evening. Although we observed no evidence that predation risk drove lynx activity patterns, such patterns may be a function of...

Gravel augmentation for the purpose of spawning habitat improvement has been carried out episodically by various government agencies since the 1960’s, and renewed interest in gravel augmentation was generated during the relicensing of numerous hydroelectric projects in the 1990’s. From a scientific and engineering perspective, not much was known about gravel augmentation and consequently, a trial and error approach was often used with varied success.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service reports that driving motor vehicles off-road has become one of the fastest growing activities on national forest lands. The continued growth and use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) has created a demand upon many existing trail systems that were not designed for this level of use. This has challenged the capacity of trails and the ability of recreation managers to schedule and perform basic trail assessments and regular maintenance.

Chromomycin A3 banding and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) have been performed for six Artemisia species with special emphasis on subgenus Tridentatae. Morphometrical data on karyotype characters were calculated and idiograms with the position of GC-rich regions and 18S-5.8S-26S and 5S sites of ribosomal DNA were constructed. These sites were all colocalized. To our knowledge, this is the first time in the large family Asteraceae, indeed in angiosperms in general, that colocalization of the two rDNA regions studied is found at every single marked locus. In addition, transcriptional...

To facilitate delivery and use of the Fuels Planning: Science Synthesis and Integration Project's (Project) products, the Project team engaged in a series of technology transfer activities throughout the life of the project. These included bringing land managers into the design and development phase, funding and staffing a specific delivery phase, and conducting an external evaluation to focus future activities. Our plans were informed by concepts central to the diffusion of the innovation theory; in turn, our activities deepened our understanding of the theory and its application to fuels...

Systemic induced resistance (SIR) is a well-known host defense mechanism against pathogen attack in herbaceous plants, but SIR has only recently been documented in conifers. We tested if inoculation of Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) with Sphaeropsis sapinea (Fr.:Fr.) Dyko and Sutton or Diplodia scrobiculata de Wet, Slippers and Wingfield results in SIR or systemic induced susceptibility (SIS) to subsequent colonization by S. sapinea. Induction at the stem base resulted in significant (P < 0.01) SIR in the upper stem, and induction in the upper stem resulted in significant (P < 0.05)...

Ustilago bullata is frequently encountered on the exotic winter annual grass Bromus tectorum in western North America. To evaluate the biocontrol potential of this seedling-infecting pathogen, we examined the effect of temperature on the infection process. Teliospore germination rate increased linearly with temperature from 2.5 to 25°C, with significant among-population differences. It generally matched or exceeded host seed germination rate over the range 10-25°C, but lagged behind at lower temperatures. Inoculation trials demonstrated that the pathogen can achieve high disease incidence...

This study experimented with common restoration techniques (scarification, soil amendments, mulch, and seeding) on six closed wilderness campsites in subalpine forests in Oregon. Effectiveness in encouraging seedling establishment, growth, and survival was assessed every year for the first 7 years following treatment. Closure and restoration of the campsites increased the density of plants established from seed. Despite an original density of virtually zero, mean density of perennial plants was 55 plants/m2 7 years after closure. All the treatments, with the exception of the biodegradable...

The decline of amphibian populations is a worldwide phenomenon that has received increasing attention since about 1990. In 2004, the World Conservation Union’s global amphibian assessment concluded that 48% of the world’s 5,743 described amphibian species were in decline, with 32% considered threatened (Stuart et al. 2004). Amphibian declines are a significant issue in the western United States, where all native species of frogs in the genus Rana and many toads in the genus Bufo are at risk, particularly those that inhabit mountainous areas (Corn 2003a,b; Bradford 2005).

The 2000 Bitterroot wildfires in Montana burned 124,250 ha of forest and rangelands on the Bitterroot National Forest. Because spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii DC) is common on the Bitterroot National Forest, there is a high potential of expanded knapweed populations following the wildfires. A stratified random sample was used to study forest vegetation development following the wildfires. A total of 283 plots in 71 stands were measured three times during the 5-year period after burning. Knapweed occurred on 19.4% of plots at 1 or 2 years postfire, 26.1% at 3 years, and 37.1% at 5...