Treesearch

Stand-replacing natural disturbances in mature forests are traditionally seen as events that cause forests to revert to early stages of succession and maintain species diversity. In some cases, however, such transitions could be an artifact of salvage logging and may increase biotic homogenization. We present initial (two-year) results of a study of the effects of tornado damage and the combined effects of tornado damage and salvage logging on environmental conditions and ground cover plant communities in mixed oak–pine forests in north central Mississippi. Plots were established in...

In order to better understand the relationship between vegetation communities and water table in the uppermost portions (ephemeral–intermittent streams) of headwater systems, seasonal plot-based field characterizations of vegetation were used in conjunction with monthly water table measurements. Vegetation, soils, and water table data were examined to determine potential indicator species of near-surface water that could be used in rapid delineation of Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) by forest managers. Twelve watersheds were instrumented with three hundred screened wells, installed in...

Fluon PTFE is a fluoropolymer dispersion applied as a surface conditioner to cross-vane panel traps to enhance trap efficiency for cerambycid beetles. We describe the results of three experiments to further optimize cerambycid traps of different designs and to test the effect of Fluon over time. We tested Fluon with Lindgren funnel and panel traps fitted with either wet or dry collection cups on catches of cerambycid beetles and how the effect of Fluon on panel traps persisted. Fluon-treated funnel traps with wet collection cups captured ~ 6X more beetles than the untreated funnel traps...

Biological invasions represent a major threat to the function and composition of ecosystems. Although the degree of invasion success of a non-native species and the consequent damage it causes can vary among and within invading species, the absence or presence of natural enemies associated with the invader can also play roles in the invasion dynamics. We used newly established, spatially isolated populations of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), on some of the islands within the archipelago of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in northwestern Wisconsin, USA, to study the establishm...

This publication provides an overview of nonnative invasive plants found in forests of the State of South Carolina based on an annual inventory conducted by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program at the Southern Research Station (SRS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in cooperation with the South Carolina Forestry Commission. These estimates and coverage maps will be updated on a periodic basis. For more information regarding past inventory reports for this State, inventory program information, field sampling methodology, and estimation procedures, please refer...

The concept of "spacial synchrony" refers to the tendency of tbe densities of spatially disjunct populations to be correlated in time (Bjornstad et al. 1999a, Liebhold et al. 2004). Oucbreaking forest insects offer many of the classic examples of this phenomenon (Figure 6.1). The spatial extent of synchrony of outbreaks is probably one of the most important - yet most underappreciated - characteristics that cause certain insect species to be classified as noxious pests. Locally eruptive population behavior alone would rarely qualify a species for "outbreak" status. Rather, regionalization...

Efficacies for two herbicide stem injection treatments on American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) and impacts to nontarget residual trees were evaluated in central West Virginia. The treatments consisted of hack-and-squirt injection of all beech stems ≥1.0 in. to 9.9 in. diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) with either imazapyr as ArsenalTM (28.7 percent) or glyphosate as Razor ProTM (41 percent) in water carriers. The treatments were applied in September 2008 and evaluated 12 months after treatment. Complete control of injected stems was achieved with both treatments; however, treatment...

Currently, techniques for managing western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), infestations are limited to tree removals (thinning) that reduce stand density and presumably host susceptibility, and/or the use of insecticides to protect individual trees. There continues to be significant interest in developing an effective semiochemical-based tool for protecting trees from D. brevicomis attack, largely as an alternative to conventional insecticides. The responses of D. brevicomis to tree volatiles and verbenone were documented in eight...

Forest fragmentation threatens the sustainability of forest interior environments, thereby endangering subordinate ecological attributes and functions. We analyzed the spatial patterns of forest loss and gain for the conterminous United States from 2001 to 2006 to determine whether forest interior environments were maintained at five spatial scales. A 1.1% net loss of total forest area translated to net losses of 3.2% to 10.5% of forest interior area over spatial scales of 4.41 ha to 5,310 ha. At the 65.6-ha scale, the reduction of forest interior area was 50,000 km2 – almost double the...