Treesearch

Conifers possess a suite of physiochemical defenses that protect their subcortical tissues from bark beetle -fungal complexes. These defenses include rapid induction of terpenoids and phenolics at the site of attack. Studies of the distribution, induction, and bioactivity of conifer terpenoids have focused heavily on monoterpenes. We assessed induction of diterpene acids in white spruce (Picea glauca) and red pine (Pinus resinosa) to fungal associates of two bark beetles, and the responses of four spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis)—associated fungi to three diterpene acids. Constitutiv...

Patches of live, dead, and dying trees resulting from bark beetle-caused mortality alter spatial and temporal variability in the canopy and surface fuel complex through changes in the foliar moisture content of attacked trees and through the redistribution of canopy fuels. The resulting heterogeneous fuels complexes alter within-canopy wind flow, wind fluctuations, and rate of fire spread. However, there is currently little information about the potential influence of different rates and patterns of mortality on wind flow and fire behavior following bark beetle outbreaks. In this study, we...

Electrical impedance spectra of wood taken at macroscopic scales below the fibre saturation point have led to inferences that the mechanism of charge conduction involves a percolation phenomenon. The pathways responsible for charge conduction would necessarily be influenced by wood structure at a variety of sub-macroscopic scales – at a mesoscale – but these questions have not yet been addressed. The goal of this work is to explore if mesoscale anatomical features in wood affect impedance spectra. Small (0.5mmdiameter) needles were used as electrodes and were configured such that the line...

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis) mortality is increasing across the West as a result of the combined stresses of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola; WPBR), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), and dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium cyanocarpum) in a changing climate. With the continued spread of WPBR, extensive mortality will continue with strong selection against trees that lack genetic resistance to the disease. Naturally-occurring resistance to the non-native fungal pathogen C. ribicola is present in limber pine and is the cornerstone of restoration strategies. Disease...

The elegance of classification lies in its ability to compile and systematize various terminological conventions and masses of information that are unattainable during typical research projects. Imagine a discipline without standards for collection, analysis, and interpretation; unfortunately, that describes much of 20th-century vegetation ecology.

Long-term moisture performance is a critical consideration for design and construction of building envelopes in energy-efficient buildings, yet field measurements of moisture characteristics for highly insulated wood-frame walls in mixed-humid climates are lacking. Temperature, relative humidity, and moisture content of wood framing and oriented strand board (OSB) structural panel sheathing were measured over a period from mid-November 2011 through March 2013 in both north- and south-facing orientations in test structures near Washington, DC, USA. Wall configurations varied in exterior...

Invasions from alien species can jeopardize the economic, environmental or social benefits derived from biological systems. Biosecurity measures seek to protect those systems from accidental or intentional introductions of species that might become injurious. Pest risk maps convey how the probability of invasion by an alien species or the potential consequences of that invasion vary spatially. These maps inform strategic and tactical decisions for invasive species management. Pest risk modellers must contend with the challenges of developing models that forecast the course or consequence...

Topographic analysis of watershed-scale soil and hydrological processes using digital elevation models (DEMs) is commonplace, but most studies have used DEMs of 10 m resolution or coarser. Availability of higher-resolution DEMs created from light detection and ranging (lidar) data is increasing but their suitability for such applications has received little critical evaluation. Two different 1 m DEMs were re-sampled to 3, 5, and 10 m resolutions and used with and without a low-pass smoothing filter to delineate catchment boundaries and calculate topographic metrics. Accuracy was assessed...

Even while emissions are in decline, sulfur released into the air primarily by coal- and oil-burning power plants continues to acidify streams in the eastern United States, stressing vegetation and harming aquatic life. Watersheds rich in base cations—nutrients that attract and bind acidic molecules—naturally buffer streams against acidification. These watersheds can be identified by their soils, vegetation, and other physical properties. Mitigating stream acidification depends on knowing how much sulfuric acid falls on a landscape over time, but also on accurate predictions of base cation...

The previous published record for oldest male and female G. insculpta in the wild was 42 and 46 years old, respectively. Both individuals were from a population in Pennsylvania (Ernst 2001. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 4:94-99). Here, we report 3 males and 22 females in Minnesota, USA, that exceed the published longevity records (specific locations withheld in compliance with state of Minnesota data practices law).