Treesearch

The loose-equilibrium concept (LEC) predicts that ecological assemblages change transiently but return towards an earlier or average structure. The LEC framework can help determine whether assemblages vary within expected ranges or are permanently altered following environmental change. Long-lived, slow-growing animals typically respond slowly to environmental change, and their assemblage dynamics may respond over decades, which transcends most ecological studies. Unionid mussels are valuable for studying dynamics of long-lived animals because they can live >50 years and occur in dense,...

As the climate changes over the 21st century, the people, trees, and green spaces of Detroit, Michigan will face physical, biological, health, and indirect impacts. This assessment evaluates the vulnerability of the urban forest in the Detroit region. We synthesized and summarized information on the contemporary landscape, provided information on past climate trends and projected future climates, and illustrated climate impacts on a range of topics. We used models of habitat suitability for trees native to the Detroit area and used projected shifts in plant hardiness zones and heat zones...

Nonnative invasive plant species (NNIPS) cause significant damage to the native forest ecosystems in the southern United States forestlands, such as habitat degradation, ecological instability, and biodiversity loss. Taking the state of Alabama as an example, we used more than 5,000 permanent United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) plots measured between 2001 and 2019 over three measurement cycles to test the suitable modeling unit for quantifying invasion patterns and associated factors for regional NNIPS monitoring and management....

Currently, no multiple century fire scar records have been constructed in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, USA, a region where historical vegetation ranged from prairies and oak-dominated woodlands in the south to conifernorthern hardwood forests and swamps to the north. The western portion of the Huron-Manistee National Forests is located within this strong vegetation transition (i.e., "Tension Zone") and, based on this study, has well-preserved remnant red pine trees dating back to at least the late 1400s with fire scars dating back to 1523. From fire scar records constructed at four...

This proceedings from the 2022 Central Hardwood Forest Conference in Morgantown, WV contains 19 papers and extended abstracts pertaining to research conducted on the conifer component, forest health, growth and yield, the herbaceous component, restoration, silviculture, social and economic dimensions, and soils of the Central Hardwood region. The Central Hardwood region is broadly defined as the part of the continental United States where deciduous hardwood trees dominate the species composition. This region, which includes many physiographic provinces, supports a variety of culturally and...

Volatile products from thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass have been well characterized, but the solid- and liquid-phase reactions during the early stages of decomposition are largely unknown. Here the initial solid-phase biomass thermal deconstruction reactions were analyzed in situ and with high particle heating rates, delineating how these processes occur. A variety of instrumentation was used to quantify the extent and relative rates of deconstruction, demonstrating that biopolymers resist the thermally energetic conditions to differing degrees, even when ensconced in...

People love to live near forests, lakes, open space, and scenic beauty. These natural settings draw people to build homes in areas classified as the wildland-urban interface (WUI): spaces where human development meets the natural world. Although houses in the WUI are built on private land, they are often close to national forests, within inholdings (patches of private land within national forests), or close to other public land. Tracking and understanding WUI growth therefore has implications for forest health and management across public and private lands.

Recognizing the involvement of various stakeholders in managing pests, diseases, and forest disturbances is critical for managing forest health. Although there has been substantial focus on the biological and ecological aspects of forest health in the peer-reviewed literature, there is a significant gap in understanding the human dimensions of forest health, especially from the perspective of foresters and loggers. These two groups—foresters, who write silvicultural prescriptions, and loggers, who implement them—are vital but understudied participants.

Neighborhoods are one of the key determinants of health disparities among young people in the United States. While neighborhood deprivation can exacerbate health disparities, amenities such as quality parks and greenspace can support adolescent health. Existing conceptual frameworks of greeninghealth largely focus on greenspace exposures, rather than greening interventions. In this paper, we develop and propose a Greening Theory of Change that explains how greening initiatives might affect adolescent health in deprived neighborhoods. The theory situates greening activities and possible...