Treesearch

Many invasive grasses drastically transform the ecosystems they invade, putting native communities across the globe at risk (Fusco et al., 2019). Climate change will likely increase invasion risks for many regions as climates in temperate zones become warmer (Bellard et al., 2012) and tropical and semi-tropical species are able to expand their distributions. However, other axes of environmental variation could delay invasions. For example, invaders from low-latitude-adapted source populations may not flower at higher latitudes because of differences in photoperiod sensitivity (Brandes,...

The excessive application of nitrogen in cucumber cultivation may lead to nitrate accumulation in fruits with potential toxicity to humans. Harvested fruits of agricultural crops should be evaluated for residual nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) nutrient levels. This is necessary to avoid nutrient toxicity from the consumption of fresh produce with excessive nutrient levels. Electronic noses are instruments well-suited for the nondestructive detection of fruit and vegetable quality based on volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. This proof-of-concept study wasdesigned to test...

A major problem associated with the development of medicinal plant products is the lack of quick, easy, and inexpensive methods to assess and monitor product quality. Essential oils are natural plant-derived volatile substances used worldwide for numerous applications. The important uses of these valuable products often induce producers to create fraudulent or lower quality products. As a result, consumers place a high value on authentic and certified products. Mint is valued for essential oil used in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and health industries. This study investigatedthe use...

Data on wildfire growth are useful for multiple research purposes but are frequently unavailable and often have data quality problems. For these reasons, we developed a protocol for collecting daily burned area time series from the InciWeb website, Incident Management Situation Reports (IMSRs), and other sources. We apply this protocol to create the Warehouse of Multiple Burned Area Time Series (WoMBATS) data, which are a collection of burned area time series with cross-check data for 514 wildfires in the United States for the years 2018–2020. We compare WoMBATS derived distributions of...

Current forest monitoring technologies including satellite remote sensing, manned/piloted aircraft, and observation towers leave uncertainties about a wildfire's extent, behavior, and conditions in the fire's near environment, particularly during its early growth. Rapid mapping and real-time fire monitoring can inform in-time intervention or management solutions to maximize beneficial fire outcomes. Drone systems' unique features of 3D mobility, low flight altitude, and fast and easy deployment make them a valuable tool for early detection and assessment of wildland fires, especially in...

Modern forest management generally relies on thinning treatments to reduce fuels and mitigate the threat of catastrophic wildfire. They have also been proposed as a tool to augment downstream flows by reducing evapotranspiration. Warming climates are causing many forests to transition from snow-dominated to rain-dominated precipitation regimes—in which water stores are depleted earlier in the summer. However, there are relatively few studies of these systems that directly measure the hydrologic impacts of such treatments during and following snow-free winters. This work compares the...

Pitch canker, caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium circinatum, is a global disease affecting many Pinus spp. Often fatal, this disease causes significant mortality in both commercially grown and natural pine forests and is an issue of current and growing concern.F. circinatum isolates collected from three locations in the U.S. state of Florida were shown to be virulent on both slash and loblolly pine, with two of causing equivalent and significantly larger lesions than those caused by the third isolate during pathogenicity trials. In addition, significant genetic variation in lesion...

Fishes include some of the most threatened vertebrate species globally. As such, efforts to effectively conserve and manage fish populations and their habitats are vast. Here, we present conceptual tools from behavioural ecology to establish a framework for studies of fish conservation and management, connecting questions relevant to managers and practitioners with behavioural theories and methodologies. We apply predictions developed from a theory to diet choice, patch use, habitat selection, movement, and social behaviours. We present questions and issues in fisheries management and...

Recent research and development on nondestructive testing technologies has brought the in-forest assessments of wood and fiber properties of standing trees into forest management, resource evaluation, harvesting operation, and efficient wood utilization. Significant values are associated with the wood and fiber quality of our forests for the production of structural lumber, engineered wood products (such as glulam, LVL, and CLT), and pulping and paper. Rapid and nondestructive measurements on trees allow this value to be realized through better silvicultural practices, as well as the...