Treesearch

Developing wood product LCI data helps construct product LCAs that are then incorporated into developing whole building LCAs in environmental footprint software such as the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings (ASMI 2015). Conducting whole building LCAs provide for points that go toward green building certification in rating systems such as LEED v4, Green Globes, and the ICC-700 National Green Building Standard 2012.

It has been well established that stainless steel nails have superior corrosion performance compared to carbon steel or galvanized nails in treated wood; however, their mechanical fastening behavior is unknown. In this paper, the performance of stainless steel nails is examined with respect to two important properties used in wood connection design: withdrawal strength and nail bending yield strength. Different nail diameters, wood specific gravities, and nail manufacturers were examined. The current withdrawal design equations, developed from carbon steel nail data, overpredict the...

We examine how water contamination risk from an inactive hazardous waste site is capitalized into surrounding vacant land prices. After public knowledge of the first instance of off-site contamination, we find that shallow groundwater contamination potential is negatively capitalized into land prices, as is proximity to a known contaminated well. Public knowledge of off-site contamination and associated land price changes occur after the North Carolina’s 10-year statute of repose. Our findings raise questions concerning such statutes when environmental contamination has a long latency...

We assessed area sensitivity of overwintering Peucaea aestivalis (Bachman's Sparrow), Ammodramus savannarum (Grasshopper Sparrow), and A. henslowii (Henslow's Sparrow) within utility rights-of-way (ROWs) at the US Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. We compared sparrow abundance among 4 ROW-width classes (25–44.9 m, 45–64.9 m, 65–84.9 m, and >85 m) and used landform index (LFI; a measure of topography and environmental exposure) as a covariate in our analyses to assess potential effects of abiotic characteristics. Total number of sparrows flushed/ha....

The predatory species Laricobius nigrinus (Fender) and Laricobius osakensis (Shiyake and Montgomery) (Coleoptera: Derodontidae) have been released for biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae; Hemiptera: Adelgidae) in eastern North America. L. osakensis is native to Japan, whereas L. nigrinus is endemic to the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada. After release, L. nigrinus was found to hybridize with the native eastern species, Laricobius rubidus (LeConte). The purpose of this study is to observe prey location behaviors of these three Laricobius species...

The 1.8 million ha of forest south of the Caspian Sea represent a remarkably intact ecosystem with numerous old-growth features and unique species assemblages. To protect these forests, Iranian authorities recently passed a law which protects healthy trees but permits the removal of injured, dying and dead trees. To quantify the biodiversity effects of this strategy, we sampled saproxylic beetles and true bugs in 24 plots across the entire altitudinal gradient of Oriental beech. The composition of these communities as well as their overall richness and the richness of endemic and old-growth...

The importance of dead wood for biodiversity is widely recognized but strategies for conservation exist only in some regions worldwide. Most strategies combine knowledge from observational and experimental studies but remain preliminary as many facets of the complex relationships are unstudied. In this first global review of 79 experimental studies addressing biodiversity patterns in dead wood, we identify major knowledge gaps and aim to foster collaboration among researchers by providing a map of previous and ongoing experiments. We show that research has focused primarily on temperate...

1. Understanding the population dynamics of exotic pests and associated natural enemies is important in developing sound management strategies in invaded forest ecosystems. The emerald ash borer (EAB) Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire is an invasive phloem-feeding beetle that has killed tens of millions of ash Fraxinus trees in North America since first detected in 2002. 2. We evaluated populations of immature EAB life stages and associated natural enemies over a 7-year period (2008–2014) in six stands of eastern deciduous forest in southern Michigan, where Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang and...

This report provides an overview of forest resources in Connecticut based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Northern Research Station. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design. Results are for the measurement years 2009-2014 with comparisons made to 2005-20091 (see footnote on bottom of page 2). Forest resource measurements were taken on 306 plots with about 20 percent of the plots measured each year. Estimates will be updated and published annually.

This report provides an overview of forest resources in Massachusetts based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Northern Research Station. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design. Results are for the measurement years 2009-2014 with comparisons made to 2005-20091 (see footnote on bottom of page 2). Forest resource measurements were taken on 524 plots with about 20 percent of the plots measured each year. Estimates will be updated and published annually.