Professional Documents
Culture Documents
We are highly sought for our scientific leadership and impartial knowledge.
Our mission is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand
and make informed choices about people, natural resources, and the environment.
Contents
4 Pacific Northwest Research Station: The Setting
6 8 Learning Events
76 Publications
77 Finances and Workforce
We are highly sought for our scientific leadership and impartial knowledge.
Our mission is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand
and make informed choices about people, natural resources, and the environment.
6
5 Seattle
Wenatchee
Pacific Northwest Research Station: The Setting
Olympia
•
Experimental Areas
1. Bonanza Creek Experimental Forest
Washington
7
3
Juneau
Sitka
4
The Setting 5
A M E SS AG E F RO M T H E S TAT I O N D I R E C TO R
Rooster Rock State Park, Oregon
© Miles Hemstrom
Looking back, I see that 2009 was a We also celebrated the new Alaska
Tim LeBarge
year of hard work and celebration at the Coastal Rainforest Center, a collabo-
Pacific Northwest Research Station. The rative venture of the University of Alaska
hard work by our scientists, technicians, Southeast, University of Alaska Fairbanks,
administrative support staff, partners, the station, the Forest Service’s Alaska
and volunteers allowed us to continue Region, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
generating information that is used by land vice’s Alaska Region, and the City and
managers and policymakers to address Borough of Juneau. The center, located in
pressing questions about climate change, the Juneau Forestry Science Laboratory, will
carbon accounting, fuel treatments, and provide formal and informal education at
more. For example, station scientists and the university and community school levels
collaborators developed a GIS-based system as well as professional training relating to
for downscaling commonly available gridded coastal rain forest ecosystems.
climate data to 100 meters. The Olympic This year, the station received $13.4
National Forest used this new method to million under the American Recovery and
simulate effects of climate change across its Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This stimulus
complex, mountainous terrain. money is being used to fund nine projects, Station Director Bov B. Eav
The station celebrated the 100th anni- including the installation of energy-efficient
versary of the Forest Service experimental windows at the Olympia Forestry Sciences
forest network. Experimental forests provide In 2009, the station completed a realign-
Laboratory and new stream gauging equip-
unique opportunities for long-term research, ment process that began with an evaluation
ment at the South Umpqua Experimental
and the experiments conducted at these sites of the station’s ability to implement the
forest in Oregon. Another project will
over the decades have yielded invaluable strategic business plan, which, among other
restore community ecosystems while pro-
information about forest management and things, outlines our future research priori-
moting green jobs in the Puget Sound area.
ecosystem processes. The station welcomed ties and areas of emphasis. The net effect
Other projects will yield valuable informa-
two new sites into the experimental forest is six new research programs that optimize
tion about fish and aquatic habitat, fire and
network and decommissioned the inactive the station’s capacity to produce relevant,
fuels, and how the forests of Alaska, Cali-
Young’s Bay Experimental Forest on quality science and attract stakeholder
fornia, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington
Admiralty Island in southeast Alaska. It support. With this new groundwork in
are adapting to and mitigating the effects
was replaced by Héen Latinee near Juneau, place, I’m confident in our ability to do
of climate changes. All these projects were
which is more accessible and has a higher timely research with long-term value.
selected based on their ability to create jobs
potential for research among our own and promote economic recovery, especially
scientists and our university partners in in those areas most impacted by the reces-
Juneau. The second new site is the Olympic sion. These projects also will help the Forest
Experimental State Forest on Washington’s Service achieve management practices
Olympic Peninsula, a result of a new part- that promote and provide clean air, clean Bov B. Eav
nership between the station and the Wash- water, wildlife habitat, and recreational Station Director
ington Department of Natural Resources. opportunities.
Frank Vanni
Dubbed “lands for learning,”
experimental forests and
ranges are set aside specifically
for short- and long-term
research. Researchers can
establish experiments on
these lands that may require
Canopy crane at Wind River Experimental Forest, Washington, by Frank Vanni
decades or even centuries to
run their course. These living
laboratories become prime sites
for collaboration, facilitating
100 YEARS OF research-management
Visitors learn about past and current research
at Wind River Experimental Forest.
EXPERIMENTAL FORESTS
partnerships among the national and state outreach activities, like field tours and established in 1909, and site of the first
forests that host them, state agencies, workshops. permanent tree growth plots west of the
universities, and other research institutions. The Pacific Northwest Research Station Mississippi River. Today, Wind River is
These partners are central to the success of celebrated the centennial with a day-long known as the “cradle of forestry research in
experimental forests and ranges, contributing event at Wind River Experimental Forest, the Pacific Northwest.” Wind River’s scien-
staff and funding for studies and research the station’s oldest experimental forest. It tists pioneered many silvicultural practices
facilities and sponsoring many important was home to the region’s first tree nursery, still used today.
phrase meaning “River Watcher.” It was now the largest site in the national network
given to the experimental forest by a group and the only representative of the Olympic
of Tlingit elders whose traditional territory Peninsula temperate rain forest ecosystem
encompassed the area. The name honors and type, which is known for its extreme rainfall
acknowledges the Tlingit as the traditional and growth rates. The state trust land will
custodians of the land and also reflects the continue to be managed by the Washington
purpose of this experimental forest—a place Department of Natural Resources as a work-
for watching natural processes unfold and for ing forest, and the station will coordinate the
learning through experiments. research opportunities.
Partnerships with the University of Alaska
Southeast, the University of Alaska at
Pete Bisson
Fairbanks, local schools, native tribes, other
federal agencies, and the City of Juneau will
Héen Latinee Experimental Forest.
lead to a variety of learning opportunities.
Héen Latinee Experimental Forest Olympic Experimental State Forest
Héen Latinee Experimental Forest, 25,000 A memorandum of understanding between
acres within the Tongass National Forest in the station and Washington Department
southeast Alaska, spans glacial to marine of Natural Resources added a second new
environments over a short distance, allowing experimental forest to the Forest Service’s
for studies crossing many different landscape national network. About 20 people attended
Olympic Experimental State Forest.
GOAL 1: Develop
We are a fundamental
highly sought for our scientific leadership and impartial knowledge.
understanding
Our mission of
is toecological,
generate and social, and scientific knowledge that helps people understand
communicate
economic and
systems and their
make informed interactions
choices about people, natural resources, and the environment.
© Miles Hemstrom
Key Findings
• Properly placed shade trees reduce electricity use and thus reduce
carbon emissions from electricity generation.
• Changes in forest conversion rates and land transfers between forestry
and agriculture substantially impact forest carbon sequestration.
• Improved methods for estimating down woody biomass yield more
accurate estimates of carbon stocks and fuel levels in forests.
• Climate is a principal environmental control on wildfire.
• Invasive plants may be less competitive than native plants in
more severely burned sites where organic matter, plant nutrients,
and soil microbes are lost to intense heat.
• Relying on streams in old-growth forests to provide the best
habitat for fish may not produce expected conservation benefits.
• Hydrologic connection to hillslope explains seasonal patterns of
runoff and streamflow.
• Scientists develop site- to landscape-scale criteria for linking head-
water habitat across ridgelines to help retain habitat connectivity for
amphibians, arthropods, and other biota in Pacific Northwest forests.
• Cross-site analysis of long-term data from experimental forests
reveals similarities and differences in stream chemistry responses
to harvest and other disturbances.
• An analysis of historical data on old-growth Douglas-fir trees
suggests structural differences in young and old trees of similar
large diameter. This is valuable information when designing
management strategies that attempt to accelerate development
of conditions associated with older forest.
• New method for genome sequencing provides a detailed, accurate
picture of population and evolutionary history. This information
can be used in conservation efforts.
• Enormous variability exists within Forest Service and among
federal land management agencies regarding processes associated
with the National Environmental Policy Act.
Ralph Alig
District, the Sacramento
use in 460 homes in Sacramento, Califor-
Tree Foundation, the
nia. This is the first study to analyze
City of Portland’s Urban
Use: electricity bills to deter-
Forestry Program, Port-
Sacramento mine the actual impact
land Friends of Trees, and
Municipal Utility shade trees have on energy
District uses findings ECONorthwest.
use. Researchers found that
to help homeowners Contact: Geoffrey Donovan,
a tree’s location influences
reduce energy use. gdonovan@fs.fed.us, Goods,
the magnitude of the effect Services, and Values Program
of shade trees on summertime electricity Partners: National Institute
use. Trees on the west and south side of a of Standards and Technology,
Sacramento Municipal Utility
dwelling reduced electricity use in the District
Land use competition among forestry, agriculture, and development
summer, whereas trees on the east side had influences the amount of terrestrial carbon storage.
12 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
© Miles Hemstrom
landowners engaged in forestry or agri- example, it is estimated that the
culture can substantially affect future land volume of down logs is about
use patterns, levels of terrestrial carbon 45 percent of the volume of
sequestration, forest resource conditions, live forest trees. Scientifically
agricultural production trends, and bio- defensible estimates of these
energy production. quantities are essential for
The Environmental Protection Agency estimating stocks of biomass and
(EPA), USDA’s Global Change Program stored carbon. This information
Office, and U.S. Congressional staff have is also important to those
used the models and findings from this describing forest structure and
work to analyze legislative proposals that wildlife habitat and to the fire
address climate change and new policies community because fire behavior
that impact land use, such as the 2007 is largely determined by the
Energy Independence and Security Act and amount and type of fuel present.
the Conservation Reserve provisions of the Current sampling protocols
2008 farm bill. The research is also being and statistical methods for
used to inform decisionmaking under the estimating the volume of woody
Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program, debris involve several assump-
and it has attracted international recogni- tions. Given the increasing
tion. Australia consulted with the scientists interest nationwide for accurate
for advice on addressing climate change, estimates of forest biomass,
and spinoff modeling systems have been researchers evaluated and
developed in Europe and elsewhere. quantified the bias that results
Contact: Ralph Alig, ralig@fs.fed.us, from two of the key assumptions.
Goods, Services, and Values Program Based on their findings, they
Partners: Oregon State University, Duke suggested changes in protocol
University, Texas A&M University
and other improvements that
may result in more accurate
estimates of volume, biomass,
Improved methods yield better and carbon stocks.
estimates of forest carbon stocks Down wood and other woody debris stores carbon but also can fuel a wildfire.
Contact: Vicente Monleon,
Interest in woody debris—the vjmonleon@fs.fed.us, Resource
downed logs and other smaller wood Monitoring and Assessment Program
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 13
Tool: Carbon Offset Analysis
Tool: Carbon offset analysis with ArcFuels
with ArcFuels
Description: ArcFuels is a library of command
functions (macros) within ArcMap® GIS software
developed to streamline fire behavior modeling To begin answering these questions,
Description:
New method quantifies
and spatial analyses for fuel treatment planning. scientists developed a risk-based approach
ArcFuels
potential effects of fuel
ArcFuelsisnowa library of command
includes functions
new analytical functions to determine expected offsets from
(macros)
treatments on carbon stocks
that allowwithin
usersArcMap® GISexpected
to analyze softwarecarbon
developed
offsets landscape-scale fuel management activi-
to streamline
from fire behavior
fuel treatments modeling
and other and spatial
management Do fuel reduction treatments result in a
ties. The approach is being tested on the
analyses
activities.for fuel treatment planning. ArcFuels net gain or loss of carbon stored in forests?
198,000-acre Drews Watershed of the
now includes
Uses: Land new analytical
managers can functions that allow
examine detailed If fuel treatments reduce future fire severity,
Fremont-Winema National Forest. Prelimi-
users
carbontobudgets
analyze forexpected
stands carbon offsets from
and landscapes and fuel then less carbon dioxide is released to the
nary results suggest that in this particular
treatments
examine theand otherofmanagement
effects activities. on
proposed management atmosphere, and the treatments could result
forest ecosystem, there were extensive
carbon stocks. in carbon gains. When considered individu-
Use: carbon benefits outside the treatment area
How to get it:canhttp://www.fs.fed.us/wwetac/ ally, however, thinning and underburning
Land managers examine detailed carbon in terms of reduced likelihood of wildfire,
arcfuels/ for stands and landscapes and examine treatments result in a net loss of carbon,
budgets but the carbon loss specifically from treat-
but what is their effect on carbon storage
theContact:
effects ofAlan Ager, aager@fs.fed.us,
proposed management on Western
carbon ment activities resulted in an overall loss of
Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment outside the treatment units?
stocks. carbon on the entire landscape. Over time,
Center
How to get it:
Tom Iraci
http://www.fs.fed.us/wwetac/arcfuels/
Contact:
Alan Ager, aager@fs.fed.us, Western Wildland
Environmental Threat Assessment Center
A new risk-based approach may help managers determine expected carbon offsets from landscape-scale
fuel management activities.
14
depending on decomposition rates in the
dead trees and rates of regeneration, the
carbon loss within the treated area could
be reversed. These methods will help forest
managers balance demands for reduced
fire risk and increasing carbon storage as a
climate change mitigation strategy.
Contact: Alan Ager, aager@fs.fed.us, Western
Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center
Partners: Oregon Department of Forestry; USDA
Forest Service Fremont-Winema National Forest,
Rocky Mountain Research Station, and Forest Climate mapping at ultra-fine resolutions better captures the microclimates found in
Health Enterprise Technology Team; West Coast mountainous areas. Here, climate data from the Olympic Mountains were downscaled
Regional Sequestration Partnership (WESTCARB) from 800 meters (left) to 80 meters (right).
the Olympic Peninsula and other regions affect the Earth’s climate, limited sampling
New system yields climate- within the Western United States with has been done to determine the rates of
change simulations at complex terrain. The complete downscaling exchange for soil uptake and production for
100-meter resolution system was delivered to Forest Service users several major ecosystems.
Increasing requirements for climate- and training was provided. Station scientists conducted the first
change simulations at ultra-fine resolu- Contact: Ron Neilson, rneilson@fs.fed.us, study to report methane uptake rates by
tion has created the need for methods to Ecological Process and Function Program forest soil in the Pacific Northwest. Meth-
downscale existing gridded climate data sets Partner: Oregon State University ane uptake was measured five times over a
with resolution of about 13-month period from three Douglas-fir
Use:
Olympic National 1 kilometer to about 100 stands in the Coast Range of Oregon.
Forest simulates meters. This ultra-fine Soils in Douglas-fir plantations in Uptake was similar across the sites, and was
effects of climate scale is needed to simu- the Oregon Coast Range have high compared with most other coniferous
change across late the effects of climate high rates of methane uptake forests globally. This is most likely due to
complex terrain. the well-drained, highly porous, volcanic
change on ecosystems in Methane is a particularly potent green-
regions with complex topography where the house gas. Since the 1750s, the increase in soils at the sites. The overall high rates
slope of the terrain and direction it faces methane in the atmosphere has contributed suggest these forests offset methane emis-
creates microclimates based on differences to about 20 percent of the enhanced green- sions more than coniferous forests outside
in exposure to sunlight. house effect. Forest soils are both a source the region. This information on rates of
To meet this need, station scientists and a sink for the gas. Methane is a by- methane uptake can be used in greenhouse
and collaborators developed a GIS-based product of chemical reactions occurring in gas accounting efforts.
system for downscaling commonly avail- very wet, anaerobic soil, but it is absorbed Contact: Heather Erickson, heerickson@fs.fed.us,
during different chemical reactions occur- Focused Science Delivery Program
able gridded climate data. The system was
ring in drier soils. Despite its potential to Partner: U.S. Geological Survey
tested on existing grids of climate data for
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 15
Tool: Framework for Predicting Postfire Forest Change
in Interior Alaska
Climate is a principal
Description:
J. Johnstone
This set of tools provides
environmental control
forest managers with a
on wildfire
rule-based framework Station scientists, working with
for predicting what type university collaborators, demonstrated
of forest will regenerate that the area of wildfire burned in the
after fire in interior American West was significantly controlled
Alaska. The forests by climate (combinations of precipitation,
of interior Alaska are temperature, and drought) during most of
currently dominated by the 20th century (1916–2003). Climate-fire
black spruce, and stand- relationships differed by vegetation type,
replacing wildfires are the represented by 16 ecoprovinces (broad
main form of disturbance. geographic regions with similar ecological
The fire regime in the properties) across the West. Fire in most
region is changing, The fire regime in interior Alaska is changing and may lead to different forest mountainous ecoprovinces, except in the
types. Above is a stand, 1 year after fire, that was previously dominated by
however, and further black spruce.
arid Southwest, is driven by low precipita-
changes are expected tion, dry conditions, and high temperatures
with climate warming. These changes may Use: in the summer fire season. Fire in arid
lead to more deciduous tree cover in areas Managers from the Alaska Fire Service, Alaska ecoprovinces, or those dominated by grasses
previously dominated by black spruce. These Division of Forestry, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or shrubs, is strongly associated with
forest types differ dramatically in their potential and National Park Service are using these tools precipitation or drought in the previous
fire behavior and provision of wildlife habitat to help design fire management actions and to year, which affects the amount of fuel for
and other forest resources. Postfire successional predict the effects of recent and future fires on the current year. Despite the influences of
trajectories in black spruce forests of interior postfire forest cover. fire exclusion, other land use changes, or
Alaska can be predicted based on prefire both, the amount of burned area is still
Contact:
species composition, fire severity, and site substantially controlled by climate. In the
Teresa Hollingsworth, thollingsworth@fs.fed.us,
moisture. future, this will likely depend on ecosys-
Ecological Process and Function Program
tem-specific seasonal variation in climate
The framework includes four tools: (1) a Partners:
key to classifying potential site moisture, University of Alaska Fairbanks; University of
(2) a summary of conditions that favor Saskatchewan Saskatoon
black spruce self-replacement, (3) a key
For more information:
to predicting postfire forest recovery in
Johnstone, J.F.; Hollingsworth, T.N.; Chapin, F.S.,
recently burned stands, and (4) a set of
III. 2008. A key for predicting postfire succes-
photos that serve as a visual reference tool.
sional trajectories in black spruce stands of
interior Alaska. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-767.
Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.
37 p.
16
Rick Woodsmith
and its effects on fuel conditions in north-
ern mountainous ecosystems and fuel
availability in arid ecosystems.
Understanding fire-climate relationships,
which differ for different ecosystems, will
help land managers anticipate changing
fire regimes in response to global warming
and predict fire patterns associated with
multiannual and interdecadal climatic vari-
ability. Despite the overarching influence
of climate, it will be important to link this
understanding of climate drivers to land
use changes and broad-scale management
strategies.
Contact: Don McKenzie, donaldmckenzie
@fs.fed.us, Threat Characterization and
Management Program
Partners: University of Washington;
University of California, Merced
Effects of severe wildfire on A newly installed weather station on the Entiat Experimental Forest provides data for ongoing studies.
watershed processes may last
for decades Preliminary results indicate that the processes after a major disturbance. These
Rare, high-quality historical data are wildfire resulted in initial peak flow findings are informing management
being used for model formulation, calibra- increases in runoff of 100 percent or decisions regarding the need and strategies
tion, and testing to evaluate effects of a more from the burned area, and that for postfire rehabilitation. They lay
severe 1970 wildfire on flow regime and these increases resulted from decreased the foundation for future investigation
maintenance of water quantity and quality evapotranspiration—the process through of hydrologic effects of fuel-reduction
from streams draining forested headwaters. which plants draw up water—increased treatments.
Following more than 25 years of inactivity snow accumulation, and more rapid Contact: Richard D. Woodsmith,
at the Entiat Experimental Forest in eastern snowmelt. The effects of wildfire on rwoodsmith@fs.fed.us, Threat Characterization
and Management Program
Washington, study watersheds were rein- watershed processes may be long lived and
Partners: Oregon State University; Stockholm
strumented in 2004 with stream gauging, depend, in part, on rehabilitation actions. University, Sweden; USDA Forest Service
water quality, and meteorological stations This ongoing research is providing Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
to assess rate of recovery toward prefire predictive capability regarding effects of
conditions. severe wildfire and hydrologic recovery
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 17
Topography controlled patterns of historical fire over space and Invasive plants appear less
historical fire patterns in time by tuning a few key parameters. They competitive than native plants
eastern Washington discovered mathematical relationships that in more severely burned sites
reveal (1) the topographic complexity of
Station scientists and collaborators Reestablishing native vegetation
fire-prone landscapes and (2) the relative
have analyzed historical data for fires that after severe fire is an ongoing
influences of climate, topography, and fuels
burned between 1700 and 1900 in eastern challenge for land managers. Postfire
across multiple spatial and temporal scales.
Washington. These fires predate the fire landscapes have been shown to facilitate
This analysis yielded two pieces of
suppression efforts of the 20th century establishment of invasive, nonnative
information that are unprecedented in fire-
and, therefore, provide valuable informa- plants, yet the role of fire severity on their
history research: (1) statistical properties
tion about the historical fire regime in establishment and growth is unclear.
of topographic controls (such as ridges or
this mountainous region that experienced Exposure of soil to intense fire that
canyons) on fire spread and (2) estimates of
frequent, low-severity fires. By using these completely burns large pieces of decaying
historical fire-size distributions. The 200-
data, scientists developed computer simu- wood during wildfire greatly reduces
year data set, precise information on fire
lation models that replicate complicated soil microbes and nutrients, potentially
locations, spatial statistics, and
facilitating invasion by nonnative plant
these simulations are enabling
species. Such severely burned soils show a
Miles Hemstrom
18 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
rock surface, making the minerals trapped
Doni McKay
inside accessible. The so-called “biofilms”
and other structures create spaces where
microbes and plant roots are in intimate
contact with mineral surfaces, and released
elements are not lost through the soil water.
This process likely increases plant produc-
tivity and carbon sequestration in plants
and soils.
Researchers found that fungi and bacteria
alone also can chemically weather rocks, but
experiments using pine seedlings suggest
that plants and microbes work together to
speed the weathering process. Managing a
disturbed landscape to assure the presence
of important plant-microbe associations
may lead to a more rapid recovery of critical
ecosystem processes, soil productivity, and
enhanced carbon sequestration.
Contact: Bernard Bormann, bbormann@fs.fed.us,
Land and Watershed Management Program
Researchers measure soil respiration as part of postfire study on the Deschutes National Forest. Partner: Washington State University
and to take advantage of postfire conditions lost at different rates after disturbance, and
where native plants may out-compete non- similarly, build back in the soil at differ- Managing for single condition
native species. ent rates. Some of the drivers behind the may not be best fit for
Contact: Jane E. Smith, jsmith01@fs.fed.us, reacquisition processes, however, are not dynamic aquatic ecosystems
Land and Watershed Management Program well known. High-quality fish habitat and
Partners: Oregon State University, USDA Through a series of laboratory and field strong, diverse populations of wild
Forest Service Deschutes National Forest
experiments, researchers determined that salmon and trout are often considered
pioneer plant-microbe associations play synonymous with old-growth forests
a key role in acquiring nutrients directly (forests dominated by trees more than 200
Plant-microbe associations from rock particles rather than simply years old) in the Pacific Northwest. The
release key nutrients from rocks through free-moving soil water. Interactions attributes of streams that run through these
It has long been observed that chemical between photosynthesizing green plants forests are used as standards to assess the
elements in soil such as potassium, calcium, and fungi and bacteria associated with plant impact of management actions and for
and nitrogen, essential to plant growth, are roots produce organic acids that dissolve the
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 19
Tool: NetMap
Steve Wondzell
and the Oregon Department of Forestry is using
it to plan timber management.
Contact:
Gordon Reeves, greeves@fs.fed.us, Land and
Watershed Management Program
Researchers hike to study sites in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest in Montana.
20
landscape is necessary for forecasting flood station scientists developed criteria for link- consideration in forest management plan-
behavior and for understanding how land ing headwater habitat to provide overland ning at the stand to landscape scale.
use affects water quality and quantity. Most connectivity for headwater amphibians and Contact: Deanna H. Olson, dedeolson@fs.fed.us,
research on streamflow generation and other biota that benefit from intact forest Land and Watershed Management Program
routing focuses on storms and peak flow habitat conditions that allow terrestrial Partner: USDI Bureau of Land Management
responses. This study, however, focused dispersal among watersheds.
on connections between hillslopes and
streams across the full range of hydrologi- Local conditions influence
Kathryn Ronnenberg
cal conditions. Researchers found that in salmon demographics
most locations, hillslopes are only hydro- Climate, geology, and regional species
logically connected to the stream during pools define ecoregions. In the Wenatchee
major storms or during spring snowmelt. subbasin of the Columbia River, association
In the few locations where hillslope drain- with a relatively dry ecoregion led to
age converges from large hillslope hollows, higher abundance of salmon and trout
hillslopes remain hydrologically connected compared to a relatively wet ecoregion of
to the stream over most of the year. These the subbasin. Demographic parameters
patterns of connectivity explain the seasonal such as growth and emigration also were
patterns of runoff observed across water- Linked buffers, as diagrammed here, provide locally influenced. Population density of
sheds of different shapes and sizes. dispersal corridors for salamanders and other fish in headwaters was correlated with fish
species.
Contact: Steve Wondzell, swondzell@fs.fed.us, density in corresponding main tributaries
Land and Watershed Management Program of individual watersheds. By contrast,
Habitat links can take into account target
Partners: Montana State University, Pennsylvania temporal variation of density in headwaters
State University, U.S. Geological Survey species locations, existing protections,
land ownership patterns, climate change and main tributaries did not correspond
predictions (e.g., retaining habitats along beyond the timescale of a single season.
north-south or altitudinal gradients), and Thus, large-scale influence (ecoregions,
Providing habitat links across
the natural disturbance regime such as watersheds) was limited to overall density
ridgelines lets headwater species differences, whereas population dynamics
traverse watersheds landslide-prone areas. Creating habitat links
may be especially critical among watersheds are under local control with limited input
Fragmented habitat prevents from ecoregions. The observed difference
with no aquatic connections. At the stand
species from moving across the in emigration rates between ecoregions
scale, forest management activities that
landscape. In managed forest landscapes, could be due to different physical habitat
extend and connect stream buffers can cre-
riparian buffers provide key habitat for characteristics or behavioral differences
ate habitat links.
aquatic and terrestrial species. These buf- between the dominant salmonid species in
This design creates a web of connectivity
fers are generally limited to the streamside each ecoregion.
across a forest landscape, reducing forest
and thus do not meet the habitat needs of Salmon are critical to the ecology of the
fragmentation and providing dispersal
amphibians and other species that tend to Pacific Northwest and have high economic
corridors for a host of species. It is a tool for
also use the upland forest. To remedy this,
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 21
and cultural values. These findings sup- Wetlands are sources of In ongoing research on the biogeo-
port efforts to enhance fish habitat and downstream productivity chemistry of wetlands and streams,
production. Strategies to manage for salmon researchers found that soil type and
Dissolved organic matter, including
production may benefit from an ecoregional hydrologic pathways control the amount
carbon and associated nutrients, is a critical
context because local conditions appear to and biodegradability of dissolved organic
component in stream ecosystems. As a
control salmon population dynamics, and matter exported by rain-forest streams.
food source for stream micro-organisms,
ecoregions appear to define the range of They also found that the quantity and
it supports the productivity of the entire
variation in metrics related to population quality of the organic matter transferred
food web. In southeast Alaska, the down-
dynamics. downstream to estuaries was greatest during
stream transfer of dissolved organic matter
Contact: Karl M. Polivka, kpolivka@fs.fed.us, storms, and that the amount and form
from wetlands to estuaries and the Gulf of
Land and Watershed Management Program of carbon in the organic matter changes
Alaska stimulates food webs that support
Partners: Bonneville Power Administration, seasonally.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration important sport and commercial fisheries.
Understanding the controls on organic
matter transfers to marine ecosystems is
Tom Iraci
a first step in predicting the impact of
climate-induced changes in stream hydro-
logy and soil processes.
Contact: Rick Edwards, rtedwards@fs.fed.us,
Land and Watershed Management Program
Partners: University of Alaska Southeast; U.S.
Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service Program
22 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
responses in water quality and recovery time
Sherri Johnson
in forested watersheds following distur-
bances such as fire and insect infestation.
Contact: Sherri L. Johnson, sherrijohnson
@fs.fed.us, Ecological Process and Function
Program
Partners: National Council for Air and Stream
Improvement; Oregon State University; University
of Alaska-Fairbanks; University of New Hampshire;
USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station,
Pacific Southwest Research Station, Rocky
Mountain Research Station, and Southern
Research Station
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 23
This may lead to a greater predominance of with comparable girth. This is valuable Branch architecture and wood
superficial fine roots of yellow-cedar rela- information for forest managers design- density determine leaf functional
tive to redcedar, which makes yellow-cedar ing management strategies that attempt to traits in tropical trees
more susceptible to freezing injury. accelerate the growth of younger forests to
Rates of photosynthesis, transpira-
The cedar-nitrate hypothesis provides a create habitat for organisms associated with
tion, and efficiency of water movement
means to design focused experiments to test old forests. The variability in tree crowns
through leaves differ by tree species. These
this hypothesis and understand the pos- documented in the historical data set also
functional traits provide valuable informa-
sible successional pathways of cedars related underscores the importance of avoiding
tion about how a species might respond to
to soil nutrient cycles. The interaction of small samples from a few locations when
different environmental conditions, and
cedars with soil nutrient cycles expands the attempting to draw inferences about the
when examined collectively, how the entire
potential interactions that must be consid- crown architecture of Douglas-fir trees.
ecosystem may respond. In tropical forests,
ered in understanding yellow-cedar decline, The new analysis offers evidence that
however, the sheer number of different tree
as well as the ecology of cedars in general. investment in research can pay dividends
species presents daunting challenges for
Contact: David D’Amore ddamore@fs.fed.us, over decades, and that old studies can shed
interpreting and predicting the functional
Land and Watershed Management Program light on contemporary questions.
traits of the forest canopy based on a small
Partners: USDA Forest Service Forest Health Contact: Susan Hummel, shummel@fs.fed.us,
Protection, Northern Research Station, and State subset of species.
Goods, Services, and Values Program
and Private Forestry; University of Vermont
24 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Trees rely on two principal Leaves are the first line of
David Woodruff
mechanisms for avoiding hydraulic defense in conifers
hydraulic failure and other woody species
As water is pulled from the roots to the The hydraulic efficiency of leaves
leaves under negative pressure, or tension, decreases as drought stress increases,
air bubbles known as emboli may enter and eventually resulting in reduced photo-
block the water-conducting xylem tissue. synthesis. By using various techniques,
Previous studies on the ways in which including detection of ultrasonic acoustic
plants avoid embolism have focused primar- emissions and imaging of dehydrated leaves
ily on the role of xylem structure in avoid- flash-frozen in liquid nitrogen, researchers
ing catastrophic hydraulic failure. A new determined that water-stress-induced loss
The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute analysis of more than 100 woody species of leaf hydraulic efficiency in two pine
canopy crane in a seasonally dry forest in suggests that there is actually a continuum species and two shrubs was directly related
Panama is being used to gather data on tree
functional traits. of relative reliance on two main mecha- to emboli—or air bubbles—in the leaf
nisms that confer hydraulic safety. Species xylem. They also found that emboli formed
Therefore, researchers looked for com- with low water storage capacity and denser daily in field-grown plants and that the
mon denominators that would be relatively wood experience greater daily maximum process was reversed in the afternoon and
easy to measure, yet would still provide the xylem tension and appear to rely primarily overnight. Rapidly reversible embolism in
needed information. Working along a rain- on xylem structural features to avoid embo- leaves may constitute part of an essential
fall gradient across the Isthmus of Panama, lism. Species with high water storage capac- hydraulic signal that triggers stomatal
researchers found that wood density and ity and low wood density appear to avoid closure, ensuring the integrity of water
simple architectural features such as leaf embolism by relying on transient release transport in the stems upstream from
area to sapwood area ratio accounted for a of stored water to constrain transpiration- the leaves.
large fraction of the variation in leaf and induced fluctuations in xylem tension.
Daniel Johnson
stem functional traits among tree species. The findings are fundamental to under-
This information will help tree physi- standing how trees maintain safety margins
ologists, plant ecologists, and vegetation in the face of environmental stress. Find-
modelers who are interested in develop- ings will result in more realistic modeling
ing common rules to better describe the of tree species distribution and performance
behavior of trees and complex, multispecies under different climate regimes.
ecosystems under a variety of environmental Contact: Rick Meinzer, fmeinzer@fs.fed.us,
conditions. Ecological Process and Function Program
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 25
The findings provide insights into the The highest quantities were found in seed- pine. Future research will examine if trees
mechanisms by which plants respond to lings originating along the western margin with higher alkaloid levels are more resis-
and cope with environmental stresses such of ponderosa pine’s range in California, tant to attack from insects or pathogens.
as drought. Oregon, and Washington. The lowest Contact: Rick Kelsey, rkelsey@fs.fed.us,
Contact: Daniel Johnson, danieljohnson quantities were observed in seedlings from Threat Characterization and Management
Program or Brad St. Clair, bstclair@fs.fed.us,
@fs.fed.us, or Rick Meinzer, fmeinzer@fs.fed.us, regions either in, or east of, the Cascades Land and Watershed Management Program
Ecological Process and Function Program
and Sierra Nevada mountains. No latitudi-
Partner: Oregon State University
nal gradient was detected among regions.
The contribution of various seedling New genome sequencing
growth parameters and climatic conditions method reveals a species’
Genetics regulate concentrations at the sites of parental seed sources were
of potential defense compounds evolutionary history
evaluated for their influence on the vari-
in ponderosa pine ability of alkaloid levels but were found to
Organelle genomes from plants,
Research clearly demonstrated that animals, and fungi are used as genetic
be only marginally important.
genetics regulate the concentrations of foliar markers to track maternal diversity, histori-
Measurements of alkaloid concentrations
piperidine alkaloids in ponderosa pine. cal migration, and maternally inherited
have the potential to function as an inde-
These alkaloids are potential tree defense fitness traits in wild popu- Use:
pendent physiological indicator of tree or
compounds against insects or pathogens. lations. These genomes, New genome
stand vigor and overall health for ponderosa
which range in size from sequencing
15,000 to 1,000,000 method aids fisher
Brad St. Clair
26 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ecologically and evolutionarily distinct from These findings support treating the
John Rohrer
red foxes living elsewhere. The scientists montane red foxes as evolutionarily distinct.
used genetic analyses to test this hypothesis. In California, the Sierra Nevada red fox
They found that the montane red foxes is a state-listed threatened species, and
were derived from populations that had their decline in the Sierra Nevada has been
colonized North America from Asia during documented over several decades. The
the penultimate glaciation and became status of montane red fox populations in
isolated in ice-free refugia in the contiguous the Cascade Range and Rocky Mountains
Wolverine.
United States during the last glaciation. is unknown, but given the likely impacts
The new method for genome sequencing These results indicate that the montane of climate change on suitable habitat, this
is being used by geneticists at the Pacific red foxes are specialized to subalpine and study may provide information for their
Northwest and Rocky Mountain Research alpine habitat conditions and do not cross future conservation.
Stations to re-address estimates of popula- intervening habitat areas. Contact: Keith B. Aubry, kaubry@fs.fed.us,
tion distinctiveness for fisher and wolverine Given their long-term isolation and the Ecological Process and Function Program
in the Pacific Northwest. Results will help extreme climatic conditions they occupy, Partners: California Polytechnic State University,
Kansas State University, University of California
guide proposed reintroduction efforts by the montane red foxes may possess physiological at Davis
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. adaptations that other populations lack.
Contact: Richard Cronn, rcronn@fs.fed.us,
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 27
different populations. Scientists tested States may need to be modified to be
Gene Paul
multiple populations throughout the effective against populations in Mexico.
distribution of this beetle for genetic Contact: Jane Hayes, jlhayes@fs.fed.us, Threat
differences and found that Douglas-fir Characterization and Management Program
beetle has high intra- and inter-population Partners: Eastern Oregon University, Instituto
Politecnico Nacional de Mexico
genetic variation compared with several
other bark beetles. These analyses also
suggest that the genetic structure of this
bark beetle species is strongly influenced by
Population density of North
isolation resulting from geographic distance American elk significantly
between populations. The observed genetic influences vegetation diversity
differences between northern (Canada- Large herbivores, such as elk and
United States) and southern (Mexico) deer, are common across western North
populations confirm that these two sets America. Their impacts generally have
of populations correspond to previously been ignored in most management docu-
assigned subspecies. Because of these ments because their effects vary across
A researcher removes bark from an infested landscapes. However, what herbivores eat
Douglas-fir tree to collect Douglas-fir beetles
differences between subspecies, beetle
north of La Grande, Oregon. management tools that have been used and the resulting changes this brings to
successfully in Canada and the United the diversity in understory plant species
Scientists identify genetic
differences between populations
of Douglas-fir beetle
The Douglas-fir bark beetle occurs in
Douglas-fir forests in northern Mexico,
western United States, and southwestern
Canada. The beetle is a significant source of
mortality for Douglas-fir. It is a particular
problem in Mexico where Douglas-fir is
considered a threatened species.
Scientists identified a new subspecies
of Douglas-fir beetles from a population
in northern Mexico, based primarily on
differences in physical characteristics.
Variation within bark beetle species is
important because it can mean different
control tactics could be effective against
Elk herd.
28 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
and plant productivity may have cascading Researchers con-
Rolando Mendez
effects on other organisms, overall biodiver- ducted two NEPA-
sity, and on forest productivity. related studies. One
In a study conducted on the Starkey examined the different
Experimental Forest in eastern Oregon, approaches district
scientists observed significant indirect rela- rangers adopt when
tionships between the number of herbivores managing environ-
in an area and plant productivity and plant mental assessment and
diversity. Those subtle effects of herbivory disclosure processes
may have strong effects on ecosystem under NEPA require-
functioning, even in plant communities ments. They found
that are relatively resilient to herbivory. that district rangers
This information may help land managers differed greatly in
develop sustainable management practices their decisionmaking
for forest and range land including stocking processes and how they
levels of herbivores. adapt their manage-
Line officers on the Deschutes National Forest shared insights to their
Contact: Brian Dick, bldick@fs.fed.us, ment style to particular decisionmaking processes under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Ecological Process and Function Program circumstances. Some
Partners: Idaho State University, view NEPA activities as risk factors in the positively viewed practices included using
University of Nevada, Reno
management of other unit processes. They a dedicated staff writer to orchestrate the
tend to avoid initiating projects where completion of NEPA documents, more
environmental assessments will be needed, direct inclusion of U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Agency approaches to or conversely, will commit significant staff on interdisciplinary teams, and early
NEPA differ widely resources to it. Others view NEPA activi- and informal public involvement. The
The National Environmental ties as a negotiation process that creates an breadth of conflicting ideas about NEPA
Policy Act (NEPA) influences all opportunity to meet the needs and values of revealed within this small sample of agency
aspects of federal land management. It a variety of stakeholders. Results from this personnel suggests that an even wider
requires federal agencies to consider the study are being used to update training for range of interpretations of the act and its
Use: environmental impacts of Forest Service line officers. processes exists. This study highlights
Forest Service proposed actions and to The second study compared the pathways of inquiry that could be highly
uses findings to offer reasonable alternatives approaches used by the Army Corps of relevant in charting a course for future
update NEPA to those actions. Planning Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, implementations of NEPA requirements.
training course related to NEPA can be Forest Service, and National Park Service. Contact: David Seesholtz, dseesholtz@fs.fed.us,
for line officers.
expensive. It is the Forest Researchers found little consensus Focused Science Delivery Program
Service’s second largest area of expenditure regarding best practices for navigating Partners: MacGregor-Bates Consultants, Virginia
after firefighting. Polytechnic Institute and State University
NEPA processes. Some of the most
GOAL 1: Develop a fundamental understanding of ecological, social, and economic systems and their interactions 29
Study reveals trends in
Keith Routman
30 GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Tool: Current and future
habitat suitability maps for
invasive tamarisk species
Communities in north-central checked plants for invasive potential before
Colorado and eastern Oregon purchase or planting, and a small minority
Description:
are concerned about invasive had attempted to remove or reduce estab-
Tamarisk species are shrubs or small trees consid-
plants lished invasive plant species. Another study
ered by some to be among the most aggressively
in eastern Oregon found that family forest
In Colorado, natural and human-caused invasive and potentially detrimental exotic plants
owners in the ponderosa pine ecosystem
disturbances, such as bark beetle outbreaks, in the United States. Climate change has the
are most concerned about Canada thistle,
housing development, and recreation exac- potential to significantly affect the species habitat
leafy spurge, and knapweed, but are not
erbate plant invasions. This study assessed and distribution. These maps illustrate where
very concerned about exotic weeds as a fire
public awareness and concern about inva- tamarisk currently grows in Idaho, Oregon, and
hazard. Building awareness about invasive
sive plants in a forested region. About 88 Washington, and where future habitat conditions
plants is key to encouraging helpful public
percent of those surveyed reported having may facilitate its spread.
behaviors.
heard about invasive plants. However,
Contact: Susan Charnley, scharnley@fs.fed.us, Use:
respondents were unlikely to have heard
Goods, Services, and Values Program Public land managers and private landowners will
about specific, locally problematic plants
Partners: University of Illinois find these maps useful. Understanding invasive
targeted for control. Most respondents had
species distribution and habitat is critical for
early detection and to coordinate management
Tom Iraci
responses and eradicate species before they
become widely established.
Contact:
Becky K. Kerns, bkerns@fs.fed.us, Western Wildland
Environmental Threat Assessment Center