Treesearch

This resource update is a brief look at some of the basic metrics that describe the status of and changes to forest resources in Kansas. 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.Tables for Forests of Kansas, 2019 can be found at https://doi.org/10.2737/FS-RU-248-TablesThe FIA one-click application that generated this report can be found at https://doi.org/10.2737/FIA-One-Click-State-Report-v1.2.

• Wood formation was present in early angiosperms, but has been highly modified through evolution to generate the anatomical diversity seen in extant angiosperm lineages. In this project, we modeled changes in gene coexpression relationships associated with the evolution of wood formation in a phylogenetic survey of 13 angiosperm tree species. • Gravitropic stimulation was used as an experimental treatment to alter wood formation and also perturb gene expression. Gene transcript abundances were determined using RNA sequencing of developing wood tissues from upright trees, and from the top...

This study was undertaken to examine the relationship between lumber grain angle and the energy loss characteristics of structural lumber. A random sample of 100 spruce–pine–fir lumber specimens was obtained from a local lumber yard. Grain angle was measured at numerous locations for each specimen with equipment that uses a dielectric nondestructive testing technique. A commonly used free transverse vibration test, in which the specimens were simply supported in a flatwise bending mode, was used to determine the energy loss characteristics of the specimens. Increases in grain angle...

AbstractThe study summarized in this research note was conducted to examine the relationships between nondestructive evaluation (NDE) parameters, tensile modulus of elasticity (MOE), and strength of spruce–pine–fir structural lumber. Samples were procured from a local lumber yard using a random selection process and were conditioned at the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, to 10% equilibrium moisture content. Static bending and vibration (transverse and longitudinal) nondestructive tests were conducted on each specimen and MOE was calculated. The relationship between static...

Fetterbush (Lyonia lucida) grows in the southern states of the United States. The chemical components in fetterbush are highly concentrated with phenolic compounds. These compounds contribute to the toxicity of the plant and could possibly be igniters for wildfire. In this study, liquid extractions were obtained from fresh Fetterbush samples. Two-dimensional gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS 4D) were used to characterize the chemical compositions in the liquid extractions. GC×GC technology has existed for more than 30 years. This technique opens the peak...

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a native tree in southeastern United States. The wood from this tree is known for resistance to decay and excellent longevity even in soil contact. It is a durable species used for fence post material. It is also known for the stilbene chemicals resveratrol and piceatannol. These chemicals exhibit biological activities, mainly antioxidant properties. Identifying the chemicals that contribute to the durability of black locust could lead to the development of relevant medicinal alternatives and other products. In this study, black locust wood and bark...

Backcasting is a Futures method that starts with a preferred future and works back to the present, identifying actions over time needed to achieve the preferred future. But there are few specifics in the Backcasting literature on how to develop the pathway that connects a preferred future to the present. This article describes a participatory process for Backcasting that uses a structure similar to the Futures Wheel to develop the pathway from the preferred future back to the present. A case study of U.S. Forest Service organizational planning is used to illustrate the method.

Hyperspectral reflectance tools have been used to detect multiple pathogens in agricultural settings and single sources of infection or broad declines in forest stands. However, differentiation of any one disease from other sources of tree stress is integral for stand and landscape-level applications in mixed species systems. We tested the ability of spectral models to differentiate oak wilt, a fatal disease in oaks caused by Bretziella fagacearum "Bretz", from among other mechanisms of decline. We subjected greenhouse-grown oak seedlings (Quercus ellipsoidalis"E.J. Hill" and Quercus...

The ventilation index (VI) is an index that describes the potential for smoke or other pollutants to disperse from a source. In this study, a Lagrangian particle dispersion model was utilized to examine smoke dispersion and the diagnostic value of VI during a September 2018 prescribed fire in southwestern Colorado. Smoke dispersion in the vicinity of the fire was simulated using the FLEXPART-WRF particle dispersion model, driven by meteorological outputs from Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) simulations of the background (non-fire) conditions. Two research questions are posed:...

Tropical peatlands are a major, but understudied, biophysical feedback factor on the atmospheric greenhouse effect. The largest expanses of tropical peatlands are located in lowland areas of Southeast Asia and the Amazon basin. The Loreto Region of Amazonian Peru contains ~63,000 km2 of peatlands. However, little is known about the biogeochemistry of these peatlands, and in particular, the cycling of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), and their responses to hydrometeorological forcings. To address these knowledge gaps, we established an eddy covariance (EC) flux tower in a natural...