Treesearch

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in South Carolina. Information for this factsheet was updated by means of the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annualized sample design. Each year 20 percent of the sample plots (one panel) in South Carolina are measured by field crews, the data compiled, and new estimates produced. After 5 years of measurements, the full sample (a cycle) is complete and a new survey cycle begins. The most reliable trend information (especially that concerning magnitude of change) comes from comparing two full cycles of data. Estimates...

This resource bulletin consolidates data from the sixth complete survey of Kentucky’s forest resources, which was conducted during the period 2005–09 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program in coordination with the Kentucky Department for Natural Resources Division of Forestry. Data on the extent, condition, and classification of forest land and associated timber volumes, as well as growth, removals, and mortality rates are described and interpreted. Data on forest health and forest landowner characteristics are also evaluated....

During a survey of termites in Wisconsin, one colony was found from a different habitat than the remaining populations. This observation led to further genetic testing which resulted in a determination of Reticulitermes tibialis Banks. This is the first record of a termite species other than Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) to be established in the state.

The moisture transfer effectiveness (or latent effectiveness) of a cross-flow, membrane based energy recovery ventilator is measured and modeled. Analysis of in situ measurements for a full year shows that energy recovery ventilator latent effectiveness increases with increasing average relative humidity and surprisingly increases with decreasing average temperature. A simple finite difference heat and moisture transfer model is developed, which can explain these results and predict energy recovery ventilator latent effectiveness based on simplified physics and material properties. The...

Seed zones and seed transfer guidelines describe where plants are most likely to thrive. Scientists with the Forest Service and Agricultural Research Service undertook a 9-year project to build empirical seed zones for bluebunch wheatgrass, a foundational native grass throughout the West. The research will help the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management accelerate restoration of native grasses and combat invasive species such as cheatgrass. Scientists documented variation in bluebunch populations, looking particularly at traits important for adaptation to drought and cold. Forest...

The joint effects of poplar biomass productivity and land costs on poplar production economics were compared for 12 Minnesota counties and two genetic groups, using a process-based model (3-PG) to estimate productivity. The counties represent three levels of productivity and a range of land costs (annual rental rates) from $128/ha to $534/ha. An optimal rotation age (ORA) was calculated that minimizes the annualized, discounted per-dry Mg biomass cost for each county, genetic group and land cover, and for two discount rates (5 and 10%). The ORA for the lowest-cost county (Todd) with...

The potential hazard and geomorphic significance of shallow landslides depend on their location and size. Commonly applied one-dimensional stability models do not include lateral resistances and cannot predict landslide size. Multi-dimensional models must be applied to specific geometries, which are not known a priori, and testing all possible geometries is computationally prohibitive. We present an efficient deterministic search algorithm based on spectral graph theory and couple it with a multidimensional stability model to predict discrete landslides in applications at scales broader...

Extensive outbreaks of mountain pine beetle (MPB), spruce beetle (SB), and other insects are altering forest stand structure throughout western North America, and thereby contributing to the heterogeneity of fuel distribution. In forested watersheds, conifer-dominated riparian forests frequently occur as narrow linear features in the landscape mosaic and contribute to the spatial complexity of forest stands and fuel complexes. These streamside forests are valued for providing aquatic and terrestrial habitat, serving as sources of instream and floodplain large wood, and maintenance of...

Instream wood is recognized as an integral component of stream morphology in forested areas. However, few studies have evaluated the legacy effects of historic wood removal activities and associated impacts on channel morphology, contemporary wood loading, and recruitment. This study investigates the role of historic tie-driving, a widespread channel disturbance legacy, in shaping present-day stream channel conditions in southern Wyoming.Geomorphic and riparian surveys were used to assess the extent of disturbance and degree of recovery within three sets of paired tie-driven and non-driven...

Climate change threatens native plant populations and plant communities globally. It is critical that land managers have a clear understanding of climate change impacts on plant species and populations so that restoration efforts can be adjusted accordingly. This paper reviews the develop.ment and use of seed transfer guidelines for restoration in the face of global climate change, with an emphasis on the role of common garden studies in predicting climate change impacts. A method is presented for using genecological common garden data to assess population vulnerability to changing...