Treesearch

This unreplicated case study evaluates the impact of rainfall on large woody fuels over time. We know that one rainfall event may decrease the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, but this study shows no real increase in fuel moisture in 1,000- hour fuels after just one rainfall. Several rain events over time are required for the moisture content of large woody fuels to increase thereby impacting fire behavior.

Increasing numbers of nonnative invasive plant species and the expansion of existing nonnative plant populations provide challenges for land managers trying to achieve commercial and restoration goals. Some methods used to achieve these goals, e.g., prescribed fire and mechanical treatments, may result in disturbances that promote the establishment and spread of invasive species. Natural disturbances, e.g., insect infestations, can also provide opportunities for nonnative plant expansion. We examined the effects of fuel-reduction treatments on the occurrence and abundance of nonnative...

A long-term study of fuel-reduction treatments (mechanical fuel removal, prescribed burning, and the combination of mechanical treatment and burning) was begun in 2000 and 2001 for sites located in the Piedmont of South Carolina and the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, respectively. During this time multiple natural disturbances [southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) infestations and ice storms] occurred that allowed us to observe effects that fuel-reduction treatments had on impacts from these disturbances at these two sites. After 8 years and multiple natural...

Approximately two-thirds of the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) (RCW) groups at Fort Benning, GA, depend on loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) stands for nesting or foraging. However, loblolly pine stands are suspected to decline. Forest managers want to replace loblolly pine with longleaf pine (P. palustris), but they must do this gradually to continuously supply RCW habitats. Knowledge of the current decline status and causal factors is therefore needed. We analyzed recent forest inventory data (until 2006) covering 8403 ha of naturally regenerated loblolly pine (LB) and 554 ha of...

Extensive research has been conducted on headwater streams in regions with high topographic variation. However, relatively few studies have examined low-gradient headwater stream systems, such as those existing in much of the southeastern Coastal Plain. The focus of this study is to investigate spatial and temporal variation of headwater stream hydrology in a low-gradient forested watershed and determine their effect on the transport of suspended and dissolved sediment. Stream discharge and sediment loads were monitored from December 2005 to April 2007 throughout a central Louisiana...

Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) once occurred on 6.6 million acres in the State of Missouri, but by the 1970s only 400,000 acres had shortleaf pine. Since 1935 seeds and seedlings have been sold to the public in the State, as well as planted on public lands, for habitat improvement, timber production, and increasing biodiversity. In Missouri, as in many other States, the majority of forest land (approximately 85 percent) is privately owned. In essence, if shortleaf pine restoration efforts are to succeed, they must do so on private land. In 2007 and 2008 a series of nine focus groups...

The effects of inundation on growth of cypress (Taxodium spp.) and tupelo (Nyssa spp.) trees have been extensively researched, but conclusions are often complicated by attendant effects on stand development. Flooding affects development of cypress-tupelo stands by limiting seedling germination and survival, truncating species richness, and reducing site quality. Persistence of the cypress-tupelo type therefore depends on flood stress sufficient to prevent establishment of other species, and sufficient stability of hydrologic regime to prevent mortality. This research investigated the role...

The Kentucky lady’s slipper orchid (Cypripedium kentuckiense C.F. Reed) is a tall, stately perennial plant with the largest flowers of any Cypripedium known. Its range includes much of the Southeastern United States, though it is rare throughout its range due to specific edaphic and climatic habitat requirements. In Louisiana, a few plants are located on four sites within the 600,000-acre Kisatchie National Forest (KNF). This effort is to increase populations of one of the most spectacular orchids native to the region. A high school student located a flowering orchid in the KNF, caused it...

Urban particulate air pollution is a serious health issue. Trees within cities can remove fine particles from the atmosphere and consequently improve air quality and human health. Tree effects on PM2.5 concentrations and human health are modeled for 10 U.S. cities. The total amount of PM2.5 removed annually by trees varied from 4.7 tonnes in Syracuse to 64.5 tonnes in Atlanta, with annual values varying from $1.1 million in Syracuse to $60.1 million in New York City. Most of these values were from the effects of reducing human mortality. Mortality reductions were typically around 1 person...

As mud season gives way to spring in New England, the pace of plant development quickens. We see that from the visual cues of plant phenology, the sequence and timing of biological events. The big early season events are upon us as the maple sap has run, buds swell, bud dormancy breaks, and leaves and flowers emerge. This is a good time for arborists to dust off their notebooks and record the calendar dates for phenological events. Trees don’t know much about the Gregorian versus the Mayan calendar, but they are acutely aware of the sequence of events.