Treesearch

The synergistic effects of climate change, wildfires, fire suppression, and past forest management are challenging efforts to protect and recover Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in the North Cascades of Washington, USA. Canada lynx is a threatened species in the United States and a focal species used to gain insights into the structure and function of boreal forest ecosystems. To understand how multiple stressors are influencing lynx populations and the boreal forest in Washington, we developed a spatially explicit carrying capacity model in HexSim using local data on lynx resource selection...

In this study, we evaluated alternative methods for comparing the provision of ecosystem services among urban areas, stressing how the choice of comparison method affects the ability to compare the ecosystem service outcomes, in order to improve the management actions in urban green areas, reduce environmental inequality, and ensure satisfactory levels of human well-being. For the analysis, ten spatial indicators were quantified to assess the provision of urban ecosystem services in Barcelona, Spain, and Santiago, Chile. Two comparison methods were applied in both cities to evaluate the...

Background: Wildfires are increasing in incidence, size, and severity in the USA along with associated firefighting costs. Evaluation of firefighting containment and mop-up activities are crucial to reduce costs and to inform safe and effective wildfire response. As geospatial technologies advance, fireline effectiveness metrics have continued to be updated and improved. However, to develop standard analysis protocols and performance evaluations, there is a need to understand how widely metrics vary within and across fire events and are dependent on the different sources and accuracy of...

Phenology of diameter growth in trees has been studied for many years but generally using a limited number of sites and genotypes. In this project provenances of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) planted across a wide range of environments were used to evaluate diameter growth and phenology to an extreme heat event and to seasonal conditions. Sampling was done in nine common gardens in western Oregon and Washington, USA that included a coastal site, a low elevation interior site, and high elevation interior site on three latitude bands. In 2021, three provenances at four...

Over 65 million years ago, the planet experienced a cooling period, and as a result, temperate forests sprang up around the globe. Today, temperate forests blanket approximately 10 million square kilometers (3.1 million square miles) of the Earth's surface and are the most managed forest type worldwide. In the face of climate change, these forests have emerged as a critical player in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.

Context Tropical forests in mainland Southeast (MSEA) have important conservation values and provide critical ecosystem functioning and services. With climate change and increasing anthropogenic activities, these forests can be lost to other land use types or degraded. Objectives We aim to understand how these forests have changed under the context of MSEA’s rapidly changing physical and socioeconomic environments in recent decades. Methods We employed satellite-derived tree cover products, primarily the MODIS-based Vegetation continuous field (VCF) data, to investigate changes in forest...

Using genetic material from what may be the largest DNA database of its kind on cougars, researchers mapped the connectivity of these wild cat populations across Washington and into British Columbia, Canada. One of the big reveals from tracking how cougar genes flow across the state is: Cougars on the Olympic Peninsula - especially males - are not likely to mingle with other populations.

What are the market conditons for woodworkers involved in construction-based sectors and how do they plan to improve their capabilities? For perspective, the total value of private construction (residential and nonresidential) put in place in the United States was nearly $1.5 trillion ($1,435 billion) in 2022, up 12.1% from 2021. Spending increased in all residential categories: 4.4% for single family, 4.4% for multi-family, and 31.4% for residential improvements. Spending on nonresidential construction also increased by 9.8%. However, the increases in private construction spending...

The principal findings of the 11th forest survey of Alabama (2020) and changes that have occurred since the previous surveys are presented. Topics examined include forest area, ownership, forest-type groups, stand structure, basal area, timber volume, growth, removals, mortality, and timber products. Alabama’s contribution to the Nation’s forest resources and regional comparisons are detailed.

The problem of biological invasions is largely an inadvertent result of globalization. Global trade and human travel have resulted in the accidental movement of organisms across geographic barriers such as oceans and major mountain ranges that previously compartmentalized the world's flora and fauna through millions of years of evolution. Most non-native organisms established outside their range are inconsequential, with little noticeable impact on invaded ecosystems. However, a fraction of non-native species become extremely abundant and/or greatly alter ecosystem processes and properties...