Treesearch

Information on the pattern and rate of spread for invasive wood- and phloem-feeding insects, including the emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), is relatively limited, largely because of the difficulty of detecting subcortical insects at low densities. From 2008 to 2011, grids of girdled and subsequently debarked ash (Fraxinus spp.) detection trees were established across a >390 km2 area encompassing two recently established EAB infestations in Michigan as part of the SLow Ash Mortality (SLAM) Pilot Project. Ash distribution and abundance were inventoried across the...

Several studies have observed that trap captures of longhorned beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) can be increased by treating the surface of intercept traps with a lubricant. In addition to being expensive, these treatments can alter the spectral properties of intercept traps when applied neat. These surface treatments, particularly Fluon, are commonly used diluted as a low friction coating to prevent insects from climbing out of rearing containers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of diluting Fluon on the spectral properties of treated corrugated plastic traps and the...

A fire weather index (FWI) is developed using wildfire occurrence data and Automated Surface Observing System weather observations within a subregion of the northeastern United States (NEUS) from 1999 to 2008. Average values of several meteorological variables, including near-surface temperature, relative humidity, dewpoint, wind speed, and cumulative daily precipitation, are compared on observed wildfire days with their climatological average ("climatology") using a bootstrap resampling approach. Average daily minimum relative humidity is significantly lower than climatology on wildfire...

In this article we present a model to examine the optimal location, size, and budget of open space conservation and the resulting impact on land values and local fiscal conditions in an urban area. Results indicate that open space conservation can transform the defining features of an urban landscape. A well-designed open space conservation program can improve municipal services, increase total property values, and attract households to the city without substantially increasing tax burdens, while an improperly designed open space program can have the opposite effects. Results also reveal...

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition may be an important determinant of its fate in freshwaters, but little is known about temporal variability in DOM composition and the biodegradability of DOM in northern temperate watersheds. We measured biodegradable dissolved organic carbon (BDOC) via incubation assays and DOM composition using optical indices on 11 dates in three Lake Superior tributaries. Percent BDOC (%BDOC) and BDOC concentrations were seasonally synchronous across these watersheds, despite that they vary in size by orders of magnitude (1.7 to 3400km2). Relative to %BDOC,...

Devastating. Catastrophic. Unprecedented. This is how white-nose syndrome of bats (WNS) is characterized. It is one of the deadliest wildlife diseases ever observed and could have significant impacts on outdoor recreation, agriculture and wildlife management.

The New England region of the northeastern United States has a land use history characterized by forest clearing for agriculture and other uses during European colonization and subsequent reforestation following widespread farm abandonment. Despite these broad changes, the potential influence on local and regional climate has received relatively little attention. This study investigated wintertime (December through March) climate impacts of reforestation in New England using a high-resolution (4 km) multiphysics ensemble of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. In general, the...

The fiber saturation point (FSP) is an important concept in wood– moisture relations that differentiates between the states of water in wood and has been discussed in the literature for over 100 years. Despite its importance and extensive study, the exact theoretical definition of the FSP and the operational definition (the correct way to measure the FSP) are still debated because different methods give a wide range of values. In this paper, a theoretical definition of the FSP is presented based on solution thermodynamics that treats the FSP as a phase boundary. This thermodynamic interpret...

We partitioned the soil carbon dioxide flux (Rs) into its respective autotrophic and heterotrophic components in a mature temperate-boreal forest (Howland Forest in Maine, USA). We combined automated chamber measurements of Rs with two different partitioning methods: (1) a classic root trenching experiment and (2) a radiocarbon (14C) mass balance approach. With a model-data fusion approach, we used these data to constrain a parsimonious ecosystem model (FöBAAR), and we investigated differences in modeled C fluxes and pools under both current and future climate scenarios. The trenching...

A comparative analysis of the impacts of prescribed fire on three upland forest stands in the Northeastern Atlantic Plain, NJ, USA, was conducted. Effects of prescribed fire on water use and gas exchange of overstory pines were estimated via sap-flux rates and photosynthetic measurements on Pinus rigida Mill. Each study site had two sap-flux plots, one experiencing prescribed fire and one control (unburned) plot for comparison before and after the fire. We found that photosynthetic capacity in terms of Rubisco-limited carboxylation rate and intrinsic water-use efficiency was unaffected,...