Treesearch

Mangroves are ecologically and economically important forested wetlands with the highest carbon (C) density of all terrestrial ecosystems. Because of their exceptionally large C stocks and importance as a coastal buffer, their protection and restoration has been proposed as an effective mitigation strategy for climate change. The inclusion of mangroves in mitigation strategies requires the quantification of C stocks (both above and belowground) and changes to accurately calculate emissions and sequestration. A growing number of countries are becoming interested in using mitigation initiativ...

While mangroves are widely recognized as a significant carbon (C) reservoir and the valued ecosystem services are inextricably linked to the C stocks and fluxes. Modeling tools haven't been available to simulate C dynamics in mangroves to inform assessments, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification for REDD+, or management and restoration prescriptions. The process-based model MCAT-DNDC (Mangrove-Carbon-Assessment-Tool-DeNitrification-DeComposition) was validated using measurements from sites in Quintana Roo, Mexico and Florida, USA. The validated model was then applied to model C sequestrati...

Foresters have long applied the principle of matching site with trees in forestry. Finding suitable sites for a tree species, or finding suitable tree species for a given site, have typically been achieved through comprehensive understanding of plant–soil relationships by observations or correlation analyses. A recent study offered an eye–opening approach of using site calcium supply potentials to evaluate the site quality for tree plantations. When tree growth demand for calcium equals to site calcium supply, the site is then suitable for the tree species. Deviation from this calcium...

Denitrification is the anaerobic, microbial transformation of nitrate (NO3-) into inert, atmospheric nitrogen (N) under ideal conditions. It is a critical process in the management of anthropogenic NO3-, and has been shown to respond to elevated N concentrations within the soil of urban riparian zones. We investigated the relationship between land use / land cover (LULC) classifications on soil denitrification and associated biogeochemistry within coastal, sub-tropical riparian zones. Soil samples were collected from low-order streams throughout Tampa, FL at distances of 0 m, 5 m, and 10 m...

Western United States wildfire increases have been generally attributed to warming temperatures, either through effects on winter snowpack or summer evaporation. However, near-surface air temperature and evaporative demand are strongly influenced by moisture availability and these interactions and their role in regulating fire activity have never been fully explored. Here we show that previously unnoted declines in summer precipitation from 1979 to 2016 across 31-45% of the forested areas in the western United States are strongly associated with burned area variations. The number of...

The flow of ecosystem services derived from forests and grasslands in the Southwestern United States may change in the future. People and communities may be vulnerable if they are exposed, are sensitive, and have limited ability to adapt to ecological changes. Geospatial descriptions of ecosystem services, projected climate-related ecological changes, and socioeconomic conditions are used to assess socioeconomic vulnerability to changes in the provision of ecosystem services by national forests and grasslands in the Southwest. Vulnerability is uneven in the Southwest due to varying...

Increasing evidence suggests that community-level responses to human-induced biodiversity loss start with a decrease of interactions among communities and between them and their abiotic environment. The structural and functional consequences of such interaction losses are poorly understood and have rarely been tested in real-world systems. Here, we analysed how 5 years of progressive, size-selective exclusion of large, medium, and small vertebrates and invertebrates - a realistic scenario of human-induced defaunation - impacts the strength of relationships between above- and belowground...

Western toads (species complex comprised of Anaxyrus boreas, A. canorus, A. exsul, and A. nelsoni) are widely distributed in the western United States but are declining, particularly in the southeastern extent of their range. The subspecies A. b. boreas is listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Reliable and sensitive methods for delineating distributions of western toads are critical for monitoring the status of the species and prioritizing conservation efforts. We developed two qPCR assays for detecting western toad DNA in environmenta...

Native and agricultural forests in the Northern Plains provide ecosystem services that benefit human society—diversified agricultural systems, forest-based products, and rural vitality. The impacts of recent trends in temperature and disturbances are impairing the delivery of these services. Climate change projections identify future stressors of greater impact, placing at risk crops, soils, livestock, biodiversity, and agricultural and forest-based livelihoods. While these native and agricultural forests are also a viable option for providing mitigation and adaptation services to the...

Aquatic contamination caused by loss of soil, nutrients, and pesticides from farm fields is a significant resource concern for the nation’s croplands. To address this concern, the CEAP–Cropland Assessment combines sampling and modeling approaches to estimate the environmental effects of conservation practices that can reduce soil erosion and nutrient export from croplands to streams and aquifers. The assessment uses empirical data on farming and conservation practices for a large representative sample of cropland field points from the National Resources Inventory (NRI) within the framework...