Treesearch

Wood has thousands of uses and the industry plays an important role in the US economy. There are many sectors within the industry such as the lumber, engineered wood products, pulp and paper products, and reclaimed lumber sectors. However, most consumers are unaware of the importance and the diversity of the industry. Reclaimed lumber is one particular sector that can have a great economic and environmental impact among communities. In 2021, an online survey was conducted to assess consumer knowledge of the reclaimed lumber sector and perceptions and attitudes toward the sector and...

In a changing climate, the future survival and productivity of species rely on individual populations to respond to shifting environmental conditions. Many tree species, including northern red oak (Quercus rubra), exhibit phenotypic plasticity, the ability to respond to changes in environmental conditions at within-generation time scales, through varying traits such as leaf phenology. Phenotypic plasticity of phenology may vary among populations within a species’ range, and it is unclear if the range of plasticity is adequate to promote fitness. Here, we used a 58-year-old common garden to...

Purpose of Review: Global urban land area is growing faster than the urban population, raising concerns that sprawling, low-density development will reduce biodiversity and human wellbeing. The sparing-sharing framework, adapted from agroecology, provides one approach to assessing alternative urban growth patterns. It compares ecological outcomes in landscapes matched for total population and land area, but differing in configuration: land sparing (partitioned between densely urbanized and undeveloped areas) or land sharing (low-density development throughout). We reviewed the urban...

Catastrophic wind disturbances can greatly impact the economic and ecological values of working forests worldwide. For example, Hurricane Michael caused severe economic damage in 2018 to commercial loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and slash (Pinus elliotti Engelm.) planted pine stands in the southeastern U.S. This project examined the relative importance of prior management activities, stand characteristics, and soil and terrain attributes in predicting stand damage from a catastrophic hurricane event. We assembled data from land managers in coastal Alabama, the Florida panhandle, and South...

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is an increasingly popular wood-based alternative for large building applications. CLT panels are typically not treated due in part to a perceived lack of efficient and effective methods for treating large panels and a lack of information on what effect treatment processes may have on the panels’ mechanical properties. We propose that treating CLT panels with borate solution, applied under vacuum in flexible bags, could provide a practical and effective option for providing preservative protection for interior applications. Samples were cut from commercially...

In September, month-over-month data were negative in several categories. Year-over-year data were similar. Single-family permits and starts decreased again, month-over-month and year-over-year. The impact of increasing borrowing costs and slow income growth combined with still elevated house prices resulted in a major obstacle for new and existing house sales. September was the eighth consecutive monthly decrease for existing house sales. Single-family construction spending decreased for the fourth straight month.

Tree allergenicity has been documented as a relevant ecosystem disservice, a tradeoff to the many co-benefits of urban trees. However, information on the allergenic tree dynamics in Neotropical urban environments is scarce. We used species-level Allergenic Potential Value (APV) and pollen-emission capacity as well as data on treestructure and diversity to explore the spatial dynamics of tree allergenicity in Bogota Colombia's public urban forest. We then statistically and spatially analyzed this data along with socioeconomic and vulnerability information to better understand tree allergenic...

Livestock grazing supports a considerable amount of economic activity across the United States. Federal grazing permits support numerous ranching operations by providing relatively low-cost grazing on federal lands. While grazing supports employment, labor income, and economic activity within a given state, the extent to which federal grazing permits play a role remains uncertain. In this paper we develop a method for estimating state-level economic contributions of livestock grazing for cattle grazing, as well as sheep and goat grazing, that is applicable to both the US Forest Service and...

Food web ecology has revolutionized our understanding of ecological processes, but the drivers of food web properties like trophic position (TP) and food chain length are notoriously enigmatic. In terrestrial ecosystems, above-and belowground systems were historically compartmentalized into “green” and “brown” food webs, but the coupling of these systems by animal consumers is increasingly recognized, with potential consequences for trophic structure. We used stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of individual amino acids to trace the flow of essential biomolecules and jointly measure...

There are increasing concerns about the declining population trends of small mammalian carnivores around the world. Their conservation and management are often challenging due to limited knowledge about their ecology and natural history. To address one of these deficiencies for western spotted skunks (Spilogale gracilis), we investigated their diet in the Oregon Cascades of the Pacific Northwest during 2017–2019. We collected 130 spotted skunk scats opportunistically and with detection dog teams and identified prey items using DNA metabarcoding and mechanical sorting. Western spotted skunk...