Treesearch

Meticulous chemical analysis of decaying xylem and linking it to corresponding anatomical modification at the cellular level can improve our understanding of the decay process. The aim of this study was to monitor the histological, chemical, photochemical, and progression of wood degradation by two white-rot fungi at different intervals. Oriental beech wood (Fagus orientalis) blocks were exposed to Pleurotus ostreatus and Trametes versicolor to investigate the degradation capabilities of these two fungi. Light microscopy was used to study the decay patterns in wood. Decayed wood samples...

Quantifying reproductive parameters is essential for developing effective conservation plans for species of concern; however, studying reproduction in wild settings can be challenging and local data are frequently unavailable. The fisher (Pekania pennanti) is an elusive forest-dwelling carnivore of conservation concern that occurs across much of boreal North America and reaches the southernmost limit of its distribution in the southern Sierra Nevada (SSN) in California. Data on fisher reproduction in this region are limited and applicability of parameters from other areas is uncertain. To...

Water availability is one of the most critical issues facing southern California. Consequently, the role and management of intact watersheds on public lands that supply water are paramount. We undertake the first regional study of climate impacts on hydrological services (runoff, recharge, and climatic water deficit) across the four national forests of southern California—the Angeles, Los Padres, Cleveland and San Bernardino. We assess the exposure, sensitivity, and vulnerability of water resources by comparing current conditions (1981–2010) to mid-century (2040–2069) and end-of-century...

The Sierra Nevada is one of the most striking features of the state of California, extending from the southern Cascade Mountains in the north to the Tehachapi Mountains and Mojave Desert 620 km (435 mi) to the south (Map14.1). The Central Valley forms the western boundary of the Sierra Nevada bioregion, and the Great Basin is on the east. The bioregion includes the central mountains and foothills of the Sierra Nevada Section and the Sierra Nevada Foothills Section of Miles and Goudey (1997). The area of the bioregion is 69,560 km2 (26,442 mi2), approximately 17% of the state. Significant...

Oak woodlands are dependent on frequent fire to maintain the low stem density and diverse understories that typify these ecosystems. Without this recurrent disturbance, fire-sensitive conifer competitors encroach on oaks, reducing their vigor, and diminishing habitat quality. In fire-excluded oak woodlands, stand-replacing wildfire can trigger shifts in canopy dominance from seed-generated conifers to oaks, which are capable of vigorous sprouting following topkill. We examined the occurrence and sprouting dynamics of California black oak (Quercus kelloggiiNewb.) following repeated wildfires...

Veratrum woodii, a long-lived herbaceous perennial species, has a fragmented distribution with populations scattered in the southeastern and lower midwestern USA. In Georgia, the species has a protection status of rare. This preliminary study focused on verifying historic and/or unvouchered populations in Georgia and characterizing variation and genetic structure within and among all populations in the state. We analyzed AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) data as dominantly inherited markers for 16 populations sampled from Georgia, Florida, and Missouri. Our results suggest that...

Barred owls (Strix varia) have reached high densities within the range of the northern spotted owl (S. occidentalis caurina) and are rapidly increasing in number within the range of the California spotted owl (S. o. occidentalis). Encroaching populations of barred owls pose a significant competitive threat to the viability of both spotted owl subspecies in California. In response, the Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) convened the California Barred Owl Science Team (BOST) to identify and address the threat posed by barred owls to spotted owls in California....

In 2009, the U.S. Congress designated Fossil Creek as a wild and scenic river (WSR), making it one of 209 rivers across 40 states and Puerto Rico with such a designation.1 It became a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System through the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act in 2009 (Public Law 111-11). This designation amended the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA) (Public Law 90-542), which states: “It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkabl...

This draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) documents the environmental effects analysis of six alternatives (including a “no action” alternative) that were developed for the draft Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP) for the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River. To meet the requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, this project proposes a CRMP that formally designates the boundaries of the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River; describes Fossil Creek’s river values (free flow, water quality, and outstandingly remarkable values); addresses user capacities; provides programmatic...

Background: Crown fires are often intense and fast spreading and hence can have serious impacts on soil, vegetation, and wildlife habitats. Fire managers try to prevent the initiation and spread of crown fires in forested landscapes through fuel management. The minimum fuel conditions necessary to initiate and propagate crown fires are known to be strongly influenced by four stand structural variables: surface fuel load (SFL), fuel strata gap (FSG), canopy base height (CBH), and canopy bulk density (CBD). However, there is often a lack of quantitative data about these variables, especially...