Treesearch

Northern hardwood stands in the Great Lakes region are often managed using single-tree selection, which generally favors regeneration of shade-tolerant species, especially sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and may reduce regeneration of midtolerant and shade-intolerant species. These forests also tend to have lower microsite diversity than old-growth stands, which may negatively affect the regeneration of light-seeded species, including yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton). The objective of this research was to determine the initial effects of gap size and gap cleaning on tree...

Land system science can inform decision making to address societally important issues, including food, energy, and water security, livelihoods and lifestyles, biodiversity loss, and climate change. There is growing experience among scientists and practitioners with land systems as a transdisciplinary science. Most often, this experience has accumulated through short-term projects. However, there is a need for durable, longterm land system science platforms to address diverse types of complex, wicked problems, from immediate crises and emergencies over days and weeks; to sudden events over...

In Focus: Hunter, M. D., & Kozlov, M. V. (2019) The relative strengths of rapid and delayed density-dependence acting on a terrestrial herbivore change along a pollution gradient. Journal of Animal Ecology, 88, 665–676. Teasing apart the interactions between biotic and abiotic factors affecting animal population dynamics is a difficult task when based solely on the analysis of natural populations. Experimental manipulations of systems using microcosm studies can be powerful tools for probing such interactions, but microcosms are ultimately limited by their lack of complexity compared with...

Poorly planned development, resource over-exploitation to feed expanding per capita consumption, and climate change interact to diminish native biodiversity, degrade natural resources, and compromise human well-being in urban and urbanizing environments. Because urban dwellers are expected to represent 60 percent of people on Earth by 2030 (UNFP 2007), these impacts are extensive. Innovative approaches to reducing impacts of urban living are being sought across the United States, providing compelling counter-examples of how communities are creatively meeting challenges by enhancing...

Massive social-ecological disturbance and disasters have struck the United States within recent years. In 2017 alone, the country dealt with devastation, destruction, and displacement from three major hurricanes, a nearly unprecedented wildfire season, and senseless acts of violence and terrorism. The scope and scale of these disasters requires appropriate, large-scale coordinated emergency response and recovery efforts. Many of our colleagues have expressed, through their experiences in this book, that there is a need to acknowledge that longer-term mitigation and adaptation are critical...

Kitty and Tom Stoner traveled to London some years ago, but arrived too early to check into their hotel. Deciding to take a walk, they discovered a small park. The modest but beautiful garden was nestled within a ring of buildings near the city center, similar to spaces found in cities throughout the world. The Stoners were enthralled by this simple place and chance encounter, and made follow-up visits. The space offered a comforting enclosure, and distinct entryways marked transition from a hectic streetscape to a quiet enclave. Informal paths encouraged movement throughout the space,...

More than half of the world's population lives in urban areas. By 2050, that number is expected to increase to at least 70 percent—and the densest of these areas will be concentrated in Asia and Africa. Cities around the world are feeling the strain of increasing population density. Unplanned urban growth has placed heavy pressures on resources and infrastructure. This intensification has led to land use and tenure issues, rising poverty and unemployment, an increasing gap in wealth distribution, and further marginalization of disinvested populations. Approximately 1 billion urban (and...

ArtPlace America (ArtPlace) is a 10-year consortium of a number of foundations, federal agencies, and financial institutions that works to position arts and culture as a core sector of comprehensive community planning and development. We do this work to help strengthen the social, physical, and economic fabric of communities. ArtPlace’s efforts are largely focused around "creative placemaking," which describes projects in which art plays an intentional and integrated role in place-based community planning and development. This brings artists, arts organizations, and artistic activity into...

Coastal wetlands are shrinking rapidly due to land-use activities. Accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) associated to the warming climate is also affecting coastal wetlands, particularly in islands with limited coastal plains.We analyzed coastal wetland changes in Puerto Rico by applying the Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model under two scenarios by 2100.We also analyzed mortality and recruitment in a freshwater swamp dominated by the tree Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. in the context of landscape saltwaterintrusion and drought. Our results indicate mangroves and estuarine water would replace the...

From Seattle to Boise and Memphis to Boston, city agencies, civic institutions, and community residents are collaborating with neighbors to reinvent their public spaces. In many cities, shrinking budgets and outdated policies make public space investments challenging. In areas where there is little funding for formal parks and squares, which require large capital budgets and costly maintenance, local residents and stakeholders are focusing on small spaces that have been overlooked or forgotten: the abandoned lot in the neighborhood, the patch of green next to the formal park, or the bus...