Treesearch

Environmental restoration projects are widely used as a means to reverse the degradation and damage done to an ecosystem by a range of different disturbances. Literature shows that engaging the public in restoration projects is important to long-term success; therefore, it is important to understand who participates in stewardship of these projects and why. Here, researchers investigate what aspects of individuals' environmental knowledge, environmental identity, demographics, views of and engagement in their community, and current civic stewardship might predict willingness to engage in...

Genetic resistance to white pine blister rust (WPBR) will play a critical role in the future trajectory of whitebark pine and the other high elevation white pines. However, as we found during the field trips at the WPEF Science Conference in September, the terminology associated with genetic disease resistance can get confusing, e.g. not all seed trees are plus trees and not all plus trees have genetic resistance.

Separating symbioses from incidental associations is a major obstacle in symbiosis research. In this survey of fungi associated with Asian bark and ambrosia beetles, we used quantitative culture and DNA barcode identification to characterize fungal communities associated with co-infesting beetle species in pines (Pinus) of China and Vietnam. To quantitatively discern likely symbioses from coincidental associations, we used multivariate analysis and multilevel pattern analysis (a type of indicator species analysis). Nearly half of the variation in fungal community composition in beetle...

Many socioeconomic constraints exist for biomass removals from federal lands in the western U.S. We examine several issues of importance, including biomass supply chains and harvesting costs, innovative new uses for bioenergy products, and the policy framework in place to provide incentives for biomass use. Western states vary greatly in the extent and utilization of forest resources, the proportion of land under federal ownership, and community and stakeholder structure and dynamics. Our research—which focused on the socioeconomic factors associated with biomass removal, production, and...

Naturally-durable wood species are offered as an alternative to chemically-treated wood for decking and siding. Restrictions on imports due to non-sustainable forest practices often limit the availability of tropical hardwoods, many of which are considered durable. The Forest Products Laboratory is evaluating native naturally-durable woods for use in covered bridge repair and rehabilitation in conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration to provide native alternatives to tropical hardwoods. Six wood species that are considered either invasive or underutilized were selected for both...

Wildland managers and law enforcement organizations devote significant resources attending to the consequences of illegal firesetting across many parts of the world. Intentional wildfires may be set for reasons of malice, as acts of protest, or as pure vandalism. Incendiary wildfires result in deaths, property, and resource damages that exceed rates found for fires of accidental or natural origin. In fact, there is a great concern with how such fires tend to occur nearer populations and values at risk. Extensive evidence suggests that arsonists were behind many of the deadly wildfires that...

Simulations of stream temperatures showed a wide range of future thermal regimes under a warming climate — from 2.9°C warmer to 7.6°C cooler than current conditions — depending primarily on shade from riparian vegetation. We used the stream temperature model, Heat Source, to analyze a 37‐km study segment of the upper Middle Fork John Day River, located in northeast Oregon, USA. We developed alternative future scenarios based on downscaled projections from climate change models and the composition and structure of native riparian forests. We examined 36 scenarios combining future changes in...

Recurrent environmental changes often prompt animals to alter their behavior leading to predictable patterns across a range of temporal scales. The nested nature of circadian and seasonal behavior complicates tests for effects of rarer disturbance events like fire. Fire can dramatically alter plant community structure, with important knock‐on effects at higher trophic levels, but the strength and timing of fire's effects on herbivores remain unclear. We combined prescribed fire treatments with fine‐scale location data to quantify herbivore responses to fire across three temporal scales....

Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) garners international interest with increasingly taller wood structures built of robust, rigid panels. For seismic resilience of multistory platform construction, this study prototypes a CLT rocking wall system with an elliptical boundary profile. Curvilinear cuts to the load-bearing edges of a rectangular CLT panel produce smoother lateral response to earthquakes, with gravity-driven passive re-centering ability and reduced crushing damage at wall corners. Stiffness and ductility of the rocking wall can be tuned by proportioning the ellipse profile. Connections...

Kraft lignin was catalytic graphitized by iron at 1000 C in argon, hydrogen, CO2, methane, and natural gas atmospheres, respectively. The effect of atmospheric agent types on product distribution (gas, liquid, and solid carbon yields) was analyzed. The solid products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Raman, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Experimental results have shown that the degree of graphitization of Kraft lignin depends not only on the highest temperature, but also the type of ambient gas phase during heat treatment. Methane...