Treesearch

The total value of private construction (residential and nonresidential) put in place in the United States was over a trillion dollars ($1,245 billion) in 2021, up 12.4% from $1,108 billion in 2020. Spending in all residential categories increased in 2021, including a 33.0% increase for single family, a 15.6% increase for multi-family, and a 13.7% increase for residential improvements. Spending on nonresidential construction, however, declined by 2.1%. The number of single family housing units started in 2021 was 1,127,200 an increase of 13.8% from 2020 and the tenth consecutive increase...

The present study seeks to investigate the use of husbandry waste and sawdust in the construction of degradable pots as a suitable alternative to plastic pots. Six mixture ratios of cattle manure and sawdust (85:15, 80:20, 75:25, 70:30, 65:35, and 60:40) were used along with three types of natural binders (sheep’s wool, cornstarch, and sheep's wool:cornstarch) in phase I of the project. Phase I was replicated in triplicate to identify the best composition for each binding agent. International standards dictate that evaluations of biological pots include investigations into thickness...

Walnut genetic improvement and orchard management would significantly benefit from accurate prediction of critical yield-related traits. In this study, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy interface system (ANFIS) was used to predict walnut kernel percentage and kernel quality. ANFIS uses principles of artificial neural network (ANN) learning as well as fuzzy principles. A total of 14 morphological characteristics of 100 walnut genotypes from Golestan province in Iran were used as model inputs. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were tested for their ability to reduce the model...

This resource update is a brief look at some of the basic metrics that describe the status of and changes to forest resources in Arkansas. This information is based on field data collected using the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annualized sample design, and it is updated yearly.

This resource update is a brief look at some of the basic metrics that describe the status of and changes to forest resources in Georgia. This information is based on field data collected using the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) annualized sample design, and it is updated yearly.

The degree to which ozone (O3) exposure and drought affect stomatal control of water loss and respond to environmental stimuli such as varying light is poorly characterized. To that end, we exposed Pima cotton to chronic O3 exposure (month-long daytime exposures) with and without sufficient water, as well as short term acute O3 exposure and varying light levels to understand stomatal kinetics. Chronic, month-long exposure to moderately high O3 (~114 ppb) reduced daytime steady state stomatal conductance (gs), as did water deficit. Both stomatal opening and closing displayed dose specific,...

Landowners value and care for their forests for reasons that include improved wildlife habitat, aesthetics, recreation, and timber. In Washington, 15% of forested lands are owned by small forest landowners (2-2500 acres). As such, the management decisions of small forest landowners can have implications for all of Washington's forests. Understanding the impacts of climate change can help small forest landowners make management decisions that build climate resilience on their lands and throughout Northwest forests. To assist landowners in making climate-smart management decisions, the...

Climate forecasts and disturbance mapping increasingly inform strategies for ecological restoration practices. Our study objectives were to understand how a postfire rehabilitation seed mix responds to fire, seeding timing, and changes in fall precipitation timing due to climate change. We planted seeds commonly used in the Great Basin Desert of North America on soil cores in a randomized block design. We imposed two experimental treatments, experimental fire (burned seedbeds or unburned seedbeds) and timing of seeding with simulated precipitation (early September vs. mid-October) in a...

May 2022 data softness was concentrated in housing starts and permits, on a month-over-month basis. Year-over-year data indicated an improvement; however, single-family permits were negative again. This marks the third consecutive month of single-family starts and permits declining. This suggests further moderation in single-family activity in the upcoming months. Increased borrowing costs combined with rising house prices resulted in a major setback for new house sales. The number of potential buyers is dwindling quickly, and first-time buyers also are being constrained by increasing...

The USDA Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) is a process-based soil erosion prediction model. WEPP uses three soil erodibility parameters: rill erodibility (Kr), interrill erodibility (Ki), and critical hydraulic shear stress (τc). In this study, a new parameterization approach for estimating erodibility was developed for WEPP applications on rangelands. Data from overland flow experiments on disturbed and undisturbed rangelands were used to develop empirical equations to predict rill erodibility variation as a function of vegetation cover and soil texture. Data from rainfall simulatio...