Treesearch

Bayesian network (BN) modeling is a rapidly advancing field. Here we explore new methods by which BN model development and application are being joined with other tools and model frameworks. Advances include improving areas of Bayesian classifiers and machine-learning algorithms for model structuring and parameterization, and development of time-dynamic models. Increasingly, BN models are being integrated with: management decision networks; structural equation modeling of causal networks; Bayesian neural networks; combined discrete and continuous variables; object-oriented and agent-based...

Slow ecological processes challenge conservation. Short-term variability can obscure the importance of slower processes that may ultimately determine the state of a system. Furthermore, management actions with slow responses can be hard to justify. One response to slow processes is to explicitly concentrate analysis on state dynamics. Here, we focus on identifying drivers of Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) territorial occupancy dynamics across 11 study areas spanning their geographic range and forecasting response to potential management actions. Competition with Barred...

Geospatial inventories of protected areas and information regarding additional conservation mechanisms that were established to protect natural resources are useful in evaluating conservation effectiveness and supporting conservation planning at broader scales. The lack of a single inventory and common terminology among stakeholders in Puerto Rico was identified as a major limitation in planning and monitoring conservation effectiveness across the island. This report describes the multiagency/organization effort to facilitate communication among managers and stakeholders of protected areas...

Los inventarios geoespaciales de áreas protegidas y la información sobre otros mecanismos de conservación que se establecen para proteger los recursos naturales son útiles para evaluar la efectividad de las medidas de conservación y apoyar la planificación de la conservación a gran escala. En Puerto Rico, la falta de un inventario detallado y de una terminología común entre las diferentes partes interesadas son las principales limitaciones en la planificación y el monitoreo de la efectividad de las estrategias de conservación. Este informe describe el esfuerzo de múltiples agencias...

The linkages among forests, water, and people have long been recognized by natural resource professionals and policymakers in the United States. Indeed, among the primary purposes of the US Forest Service Organic Act in 1897 was “securing favorable conditions of water flows, and to furnish a continuous supply of timber for the use and necessities of citizens of the United States”; the 1911 Weeks Act was prompted, at least in part, by observations of the need to protect and restore degraded forest watersheds in the eastern United States. Over the next 100+ years, forest research resulted in...

We examined traditional knowledge of fire use by the Ichishikin (Sahaptin), Kitsht Wasco (Wasco), and Numu (Northern Paiute) peoples (now Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, CTWS) in the eastside Cascades of Oregon to generate insights for restoring conifer forest landscapes and enhancing culturally-valued resources. We examined qualitative and geospatial data derived from oral history interviews, participatory GIS focus groups, archival records, and historical forest surveys to characterize cultural fire regimes (CFRs) –an element of historical fire regimes– of moist mixed conifer (MMC),...

Recreating on public land is increasingly popular in the Pacific Northwest. Recreation management requires balancing opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors with mitigating the effects on wildlife and other natural resources. Recreation and wildlife managers grappling with these issues asked Forest Service scientists to quantify the impacts of motorized and nonmotorized recreation on elk. Elk are highly valued for hunting and viewing by the public, and as large herbivores, they play a critical role in many ecosystems of the Intermountain West.A large fenced area within the Starkey...

The pore size distribution of cell walls in softwood pulps was studied using the pressure plate technique and mercury intrusion porosimetry, which together make it possible to cover the range from 101 to 106 nm in pore sizes (mesopores and macropores). The differences in pore size distribution between never-dried pulp from a fiber line, industrially-dried pulp, and laboratory-dried pulps were evaluated. The results showed an increase in the relative pore volume (100 to 2,000 nm) between industrial washing and bleaching stages. Also, mercury porosimetry showed a broadening of the pore size...

Chemical modification of the hydroxyl groups of wood can improve the properties of wood by providing moisture and biological resistance, as well as dimensional stability. Southern pine solid wood was chemically modified to various weight percentage gains (WPG) with epoxybutene (EpB, 8%-38% WPG). After modification, specimens were extracted with a toluene: ethanol (2:1) solution for 2 hours or water leached for 2 weeks. The equilibrium moisture content (EMC) at 30%, 65% and 90% relative humidity (RH) and 27°C was determined on all specimens. Laboratory soil block decay evaluations against...

Utilization of cellulose nanofibril (CNF) material for light weight and high strength structural composites has attracted considerable attention in the recent years. CNF aerogels have a microporous structure that could have potential properties, such as ultra-low density, high porosity, high specific surface area, high flexibility, and low thermal conductivity. However, producing such a product is still somewhat problematic. In this study, an epoxy/CNF (EP/CNF) nanocomposite foam with micro-rib structures has been developed using emulsification combined with freeze-dried processes. The...