Treesearch

Within the Mid-Atlantic United States, widespread landscape disturbance during European colonization resulted in erosion and subsequent storage of legacy sediments within river valleys and floodplains, altering their form, function, and flora. Previous studies of precolonial river corridors have influenced river restoration designs and targets throughout the region, but the generalizability of these studies into other physiographic settings, such as the Coastal Plain, is unknown. Therefore, our study investigated the physical form and riparian vegetation of precolonial stream corridors...

Forest thinning treatments are expanding in scope and scale to counter increasing wildfire risk. Such treatments are being applied in aquatic-adjacent forests that provide a critical habitat for sensitive amphibians, yet little is known about the impact of these treatments. We used a 5-year (2017–2021) before–after–control–impact experiment to investigate the effects of hand-thinning on pond-breeding amphibian activity around an ephemeral lake in the southern Cascade Range of California. We found that hand-thinning had no detectable negative effects on long-toed salamanders (Ambystoma...

As wolf and grizzly bear populations recover across the American West, livestock producers face renewed challenges of coexistence, prompting increased interest in nonlethal conflict mitigation strategies. One such tool – range riding – uses human presence to prevent depredation and monitor livestock. While range riding is gaining traction among conservation practitioners and producers alike, empirical research on its implementation, effectiveness, and sustainability remains limited. This study examines range riding in the context of the “New West,” focusing on three long-standing programs...

The fire risk of synthetic polymers has emerged as a growing safety issue. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most used polymers in different applications. However, HDPE has some drawbacks, such as low thermal and mechanical properties. To address this challenge, silane-functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), nano boron oxide (B2O3) and nano zinc oxide (ZnO) were incorporated into the HDPE matrix in different percentages (3 %, and 5 %) and weight ratios (1:1, and 1:2). The CNCs were surface modified through silanization process to enhance dispersion and interfacial...

The primary objective of this research was to propose a new methodology for calculating design flows in ungauged catchments, addressing uncertainties associated with outdated empirical formulas. Focusing on four catchments in the eastern USA, the methodology comprises two main steps: (1) determination of peak flow series using the EBA4SUB rainfall-runoff model and (2) calculation of design flows based on the generated series from EBA4SUB, utilizing the best-fitted statistical distribution. Linear scaling was applied to reduce the percent bias (PBIAS) error in design flows. The study...

Spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis(Kirby) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), poses a significant threat to mature spruce (Piceaspp.) in western North America. We evaluated 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH), the primary anti-aggregation pheromone of D. rufipennis, for tree protection at 3.5 and 7 g MCH/tree (SPLAT MCH, ISCA Inc., Riverside, CA) alone and in combination with acetophenone + (E)-2-hexen-1-ol + (Z)-2-hexen-1ol (PLUS) or with linalool + β-caryophyllene + (Z)-3-hexanol (AKB). Dendroctonus rufipenniscolonization and subsequent mortality of individually treated spruce and of untreated...

Rapid ‘ōhi‘a death (ROD), caused by Ceratocystis lukuohiaand C. huliohia, severely impacts ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), a keystone tree species on the Hawaiian Islands. This study examined the ability of these pathogens to colonize ‘ōhi‘a fine roots in a series of root dip experiments under in vitro conditions, focusing on the potential roles of host genetics and root tissue condition in susceptibility. The results showed that both pathogens can colonize and form fruiting bodies on fine roots; however, C. lukuohiahad greater colonization rates and produced more perithecia than...

I compile information on five rare conifer species in the White Mountains: Pinus albicaulis, P. contorta, P. ponderosa, P. jeffreyi, and Juniperus grandis.

Substantial portions of grassland are being converted to managed forest in Uruguay. Long-term paired watershed studies in other continents indicate that water yields from managed forest lands are reduced compared to grasslands. Few such studies have been conducted in South America. This paired watershed study was initiated in 2000 to determine the hydrologic impacts of changing land use from grassland to pine plantation in Uruguay. Outflow rates, water table depths, rainfall, and meteorological variables were continuously measured for a 20-year period on two adjacent watersheds, LC1 (69...

Drylands experience highly variable and potentially unpredictable interannual climate patterns which can cause post-fire seedings to occur during years with unfavorable climatic conditions. Repeated annual seeding combined with higher seeding rates show promise to improve post-wildfire restoration outcomes in drylands by increasing the likelihood that seeding occurs during a year with favorable weather conditions and overcoming potential establishment barriers from lower seeding rates when weather conditions are favorable. While combining these two techniques is an expensive proposition at...