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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
USGS2005

Forestry practices and aquatic biodiversity: Fish

In the Pacific Northwest, fish communities are found in a diverse array of aquatic habitats ranging from the large coastal rivers of the temperate rainforests, to the fragmented and sometimes ephemeral streams of the xeric interior basins, and high-elevation streams and lakes in the mountainous areas (Rieman et al. 2003). Only high-elevation lakes and streams isolated above barriers to fish passage remained historically devoid of fish because they were never invaded following Pleistocene glaciation (Smith 1981). Despite this widespread distribution and once great population abundances, taxonomic diversity of fishes in these forested systems is naturally lower than in aquatic habitats in the eastern U.S. (Reeves, Bisson, and Dambacher 1998). Interactions among factors that influence species richness in aquatic systems (e.g., basin size, long-term stability of habitat, and barriers to colonization; Smith 1981) continue to influence the occurrence and persistence of fishes in these systems today. Consequently, the larger low-elevation rivers and estuaries support the greatest variety of fish species. In the high-elevation tributary streams, fish communities are less complex because these aquatic systems were less climatically and geologically stable, and fish populations were smaller and more prone to local extirpation. Furthermore, barriers to fish passage inhibited dispersal and colonization (Smith 1981). Streams in forested landscapes generally support salmon and trout, Oncorhynchus spp., whitefish Prosopium spp., sculpins Cottus spp., suckers Catostomus spp., and minnows (Cyprinidae), but in some of the colder streams, chars (e.g., Salvelinus confluentus and Salvelinus malma ) and lampreys (Petromyzontidae)may also occur (Rieman et al. 2003). Although biodiversity defined in terms of fish species richness is low in the Pacific Northwest, intraspecific variability is high, and polytypic fish species are common in the diverse aquatic habitats of the region. For example, the salmonids in the coastal rivers and streams, and the larger interconnected streams, rivers, and lakes of the interior exhibit a variety of ecotypes and migratory life histories (Healey 1986; Trotter 1989; Larson and McIntire 1993; Northcote 1997). This life-history variation appears to be associated with adaptation to spatial and temporal variation in environment (e.g., Schaffer and Elson 1975; Carl and Healey 1984; Beacham and Murray 1987), and there is some evidence of the genetic heritability of life-history traits (Carl and Healey 1984; Gharrett and Smoker 1993; Hankin, Nicholas, and Downey 1993). Persistence of any level of biological organization (e.g., life-history type, population, metapopulation, subspecies, species, community) is related to the interaction of environmental and biological components, and intraspecific diversity is a means of spreading risk ( sensu den Boer 1968) of extirpation in dynamic environments (Gresswell 1999). Unfortunately, despite the broad distribution and extensive intraspecific diversity, persistence of native fishes is uncertain in the Pacific Northwest. Many populations of anadromous salmonids, once synonymous with vigorous biological communities throughout the region, are threatened with extinction (Nehlsen, Williams, and Lichatowich 1991; Frissell 1993; Thurow, Lee, and Rieman 1997). Furthermore, over half of the native taxa in the Columbia River Basin are either listed under the Endangered Species Act, are being considered for listing, or are deemed sensitive by the management agencies (Lee et al. 1997; Thurow, Lee, and Rieman 1997). Potamodromous species like bull trout Salvelinus confluentus are estimated to occur as strong populations in less than 5% of their potential range (Rieman, Lee, and Thurow 1997). Although not currently listed under the endangered species list, the coastal cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki is managed as a sensitive species in Oregon and California (Hall, Bisson, and Gresswell 1997). Native non-game fishes have rarely been monitored, but populations of species such as large-scale suckers ( Catostomus macrocheilus ), squawfish ( Ptychocheilus umpquae ), and Pacific lamprey ( Lampetra tridentata ) also are declining in some drainages (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, unpublished data).

Pacific Northwest↗
USGS2021

Habitat associations of breeding conifer-associated birds in managed and regenerating forested stands

Forests are often affected by management that could influence demographics of breeding and post-breeding birds that reside within. Numerous studies have focused on immediate effects from management on wildlife soon after forestry treatment (e.g., 0–5 years), however, fewer studies have examined changes in focal species abundance over longer durations as a forest regenerates after disturbance. We examined how forest management influenced 18 conifer-associated birds during breeding and post-breeding over the forest regeneration period in a landscape dominated by forestry. To achieve this, we paired avian detection data from point count surveys in lowland conifer and mixed-wood forests with Bayesian distance-removal models and an information-theoretic framework. We estimated abundance and associations with seven common forestry treatment categories applied at the stand scale, years-since-harvest (YSH; 5–120+), and seven vegetation variables measured within stands. Forestry treatment categories and YSH were poor predictors of abundance, and none of the 14 species with good-fitting models had associations with these covariates. Twelve of 13 species with good-fitting models had important associations between abundance and vegetation variables. All vegetation variables were associated with abundance of some species, irrespective of the forestry treatment in which the site occurred, including spruce-fir tree composition (seven species), tree basal area (six species), midstory cover (five species), live crown ratio (three species), shrub cover (three species), tree diameter at breast height (two species), and shrub composition (one species). In a companion study, several species assemblages were associated with vegetation variables (i.e., spruce-fir tree composition, tree basal area, and tree diameter at breast height) that varied with YSH and forestry treatments, suggesting that some forestry treatments may indirectly influence avian abundance when certain vegetation outcomes are achieved. Our results suggest that managers should target species-specific vegetation outcomes rather than more broadly categorized forestry treatment types when managing for individual focal species because of large variations in vegetative outcomes across stands within a forest treatment category. Our study informs management and conservation of biodiversity in regions such as the Atlantic Northern Forest where commercial forestry is the dominant human land use.

Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont↗
USGS2023

Diversification of forest management can mitigate wind damage risk and maintain biodiversity

Mitigating future forest risks, safeguarding timber revenues and improving biodiversity are key considerations for current boreal forest management. Alternatives to rotation forestry likely have an important role, but how they will perform under a changing climate remains unclear. We used a boreal forest growth simulator to explore how variations on traditional clear-cutting, in rotation length, thinning intensity, and increasing number of remaining trees after final harvest (green tree retention), and on extent of continuous cover forestry will affect stand-level probability of wind damage, timber production, deadwood volume, and habitats for forest species. We used business-as-usual rotation forestry as a baseline and compared alternative management adaptations under the reference and two climate change scenarios. Climate change increased overall timber production and had lower impacts on biodiversity compared to management adaptations. Shortening the rotation length reduced the probability of wind damage compared to business-as-usual, but also decreased both deadwood volume and suitable habitats for our focal species. Continuous cover forestry, and management with refraining from thinnings, and extension of rotation length represent complementary approaches benefiting biodiversity, with respective effects of improving timber revenues, reducing wind damage risk, and benefiting old-growth forest structures. However, extensive application of rotation length shortening to mitigate wind damage risk may be detrimental for forest biodiversity. To safeguard forest biodiversity over the landscape, shortening of the rotation length could be complemented with widespread application of regimes promoting old-growth forest structures.

European Journal of Forest Research↗
USGS2012

Reconnaissance of land-use sources of pesticides in drinking water, McKenzie River, Oregon

The Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB) provides water and electricity to the City of Eugene, Oregon, from the McKenzie River. In the spring of 2002, EWEB initiated a pesticide monitoring program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey as part of their Drinking Water Source Protection Plan. Approximately twice yearly pesticide samples were collected from 2002 to 2010 at a suite of sampling sites representing varying land uses in the lower McKenzie River basin. A total of 117 ambient samples were collected from 28 tributary and mainstem sites, including those dominated by forestry, urban, and agricultural activities, as well as the mouths of major tributaries characterized by a mixture of upstream land use. Constituents tested included 175 compounds in filtered water (72 herbicides, 43 insecticides, 10 fungicides, and 36 of their degradation products, as well as 14 pharmaceutical compounds). No attempt was made to sample different site types equivalently; sampling was instead designed primarily to characterize representative storm events during spring and fall runoff conditions in order to assess or confirm the perceived importance of the different site types as sources for pesticides. Sampling was especially limited for agricultural sites, which were only sampled during two spring storm surveys. A total of 43 compounds were detected at least once, with many of these detected only at low concentrations (<0.1 micrograms per liter). Nine compounds were detected at the drinking- water intake, and most of these were reported as estimates less than the laboratory reporting level. Human-health benchmark concentrations were consistently several orders of magnitude higher than detected concentrations at the intake, indicating that pesticide concentrations present a negligible threat to human health. The largest number of pesticide detections occurred during spring storm surveys and primarily were associated with urban stormwater drains. Urban sites also were associated with the highest concentrations, occasionally exceeding 1 microgram per liter. Many of the compounds detected at urban sites were relatively hydrophobic (do not mix easily with water), persistent, and suspected of endocrine disruption. In contrast, forestry compounds were rarely detectable in the McKenzie River, even though forest land predominates in the basin and forestry pesticide use was detected in small tributaries draining forested lands following application. Agricultural pesticide runoff was not well characterized by the limited data available, although a large number of compounds was estimated to be used in the basin and concentrations were moderately high in the few samples collected from small tributaries draining agricultural lands. Results from this analysis indicate that urban pesticide use is potentially an important source for pesticides of concern for drinking water, not limited exclusively to storm conditions. Forestry pesticide use is not considered a likely threat to drinking water quality at the present time (2012). A more complete understanding of agricultural chemicals in runoff in the McKenzie River basin requires further investigation. In addition to evaluating the data collected in this study, a conceptual model describing pesticide contamination in the McKenzie River basin is provided, based on current scientific understanding that is consistent with the data analysis presented in this report. This model is intended to provide a foundation for future monitoring in the basin.

Oregon↗
USGS2008

Bird response to silviculture induced change in forest structure within bottomland hardwood forests

Silvicultural treatments prescribed to encourage development of desired stand structure (i.e., wildlife-forestry) should result in increased abundance of many bird species of management concern, especially species using dense understory habitat. Desired forest conditions within bottomland vary among sites, but average 60-70% overstory canopy that is heterogeneously distributed with >5 dominant trees/ha retained, and a basal area of 14-16 m2/ha. Desired mid-story and understory cover are between 25-40%. Cavity trees (small and large) as well as dead and/or stressed trees should be retained, ultimately providing >14 m3/ha coarse woody debris, and shade-intolerant tree regeneration should be present on 30-40% of the area. We assessed avian response to prescribed wildlife-forestry silviculture treatments via distance-adjusted point counts and constant effort mist-netting within forest stands on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Louisiana. More species and individuals were detected within stands 1-13 years post-treatment than within untreated stands. Most species, especially species benefiting from disturbance, increased in density after treatment. A few species decreased in density, yet remained fairly relatively abundant post-treatment. Captures from netting suggested three generalized responses to wildlife-forestry silviculture: (1) species with rapid, short-duration positive response, (2) species with slower but more prolonged positive response, and (3) species which initially declined but had long-term positive population response. We recommend increased use of prescribed wildlife-forestry silvicultural prescriptions to enhance bottomland forest habitat for priority bird species.

Book chapter↗
USGS2003

Surface-Water Quality of the Skokomish, Nooksack, and Green-Duwamish Rivers and Thornton Creek, Puget Sound Basin, Washington, 1995-98

Streamflow and surface-water-quality data were collected from November 1995 through April 1998 (water years 1996-98) from a surface-water network in the Puget Sound Basin study unit of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program. Water samples collected monthly and during storm runoff events were analyzed for nutrients, major ions, organic carbon, and suspended sediment, and at selected sites, samples were analyzed for pesticides and volatile organic compounds. Eleven sites were established in three major watersheds--two in the Skokomish River Basin, three in the Nooksack River Basin, five in the Green-Duwamish River Basin, and one site in Thornton Creek Basin, a small tributary to Lake Washington. The Skokomish River near Potlatch, Nooksack River at Brennan, and Duwamish River at Tukwila are integrators of mixed land uses with the sampling sites locally influenced by forestry practices, agriculture, and urbanization, respectively. The remaining eight sites are indicators of relatively homogeneous land use/land cover in their basins. The site on the North Fork Skokomish River is an indicator site chosen to measure reference or background conditions in the study unit. In the Nooksack River Basin, the site on Fishtrap Creek is an indicator of agriculture, and the Nooksack River at North Cedarville is an indicator site of forestry practices in the upper watershed. In the Green-Duwamish River Basin, Springbrook Creek is an urban indicator, Big Soos Creek is an indicator of a rapidly developing suburban basin; Newaukum Creek is an indicator of agriculture; and the Green River above Twin Camp Creek is an indicator of forestry practices. Thornton Creek is an indicator of high-density urban residential and commercial development. Conditions during the first 18 months of sampling were dominated by above-normal precipitation. For the Seattle-Tacoma area, water year 1997 was the wettest of the 3 years during the sample-collection period. Nearly 52 inches fell (about 14 inches above average) and monthly precipitation was often 200 percent of normal. The wet years kept streamflows generally above normal and contributed to high concentrations of pesticides, nutrients, suspended sediment, and organic carbon in samples. On the basis of chemical concentrations, dissolved oxygen concentrations, and water temperature, the relative quality of water among the 11 study sites ranged from exceptionally high in the North Fork Skokomish and the Green to fair in Springbrook and Thornton. Water in the large rivers (Skokomish, Nooksack, Green-Duwamish) and in two of the small streams in the Puget Sound Lowlands (Big Soos and Newaukum) was characterized by dilute water chemistry with dissolved solids concentrations less than 130 milligrams per liter. Water in three other small streams in the Lowlands (Fishtrap, Springbrook, and Thornton) had dissolved solids concentrations as high as 320 milligrams per liter. Nutrient and pesticide concentrations mostly were higher in the small streams than in the large rivers. Suspended-sediment concentrations, however, were highest in the large rivers, with averages ranging from 85 to 443 milligrams per liter. During storm and flood events, suspended-sediment concentrations in samples from the Nooksack were as much as 2,800 milligrams per liter, and from the Skokomish, 1,500 milligrams per liter. Out of 86 pesticides and 86 volatile organic compounds analyzed, a total of 35 pesticides and 11 volatile organic compounds were detected at concentrations above laboratory reporting levels in samples collected from the four intensively studied sites, the lower Nooksack River, Duwamish River, Fishtrap Creek, and Thornton Creek. Herbicides were detected more frequently than insecticides. The herbicide prometon was detected in 66 percent of all 124 samples collected, followed by simazine (65 percent), atrazine (64 percent), and the insecticide diazinon (50 percent). The detected volatile organic c

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS2019

A bibliometric profile of the Remote Sensing Open Access Journal published by MDPI between 2009 and 2018

Remote Sensing Open Access Journal (RS OAJ) is an international leading journal in the field of remote sensing science and technology. It was first published in the year 2009 and is currently celebrating tenth year of publications. In this research, a bibliometric analysis of RS OAJ was conducted based on 5588 articles published during the 10-year (2009–2018) time-period. The bibliometric analysis includes a comprehensive set of indicators such as dynamics and trends of publications, journal impact factor, total cites, eigenfactor score, normalized eigenfactor, CiteScore, h-index, h-classic publications, most productive countries (or territories) and institutions, co-authorship collaboration about countries (territories), research themes, citation impact of co-occurrences keywords, intellectual structure, and knowledge commutation. We found that publications of RS OAJ presented an exponential growth in the past ten years. From 2010 to 2017 (for which complete years data were available), the h-index of RS OAJ is 67. From 2009–2018, RS OAJ includes publications from 129 countries (or territories) and 3826 institutions. The leading nations contributing articles, based on 2009–2018 data, and listed based on ranking were: China, United States, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Canada, England, Australia, Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland and Austria. The leading institutions, also for the same period and listed based on ranking were: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Normal University, The university of Maryland, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, China University of Geosciences, United States Geological Survey, German Aerospace Centre, University of Twente, and California Institute of Technology. For the year 2017, RS OAJ had an impressive journal impact factor of 3.4060, a CiteScore of 4.03, eigenfactor score of 0.0342, and normalized eigenfactor score of 3.99. In addition, based on 2009–2018, data co-word analysis determined that “remote sensing”, “MODIS”, “Landsat”, “LiDAR” and “NDVI” are the high-frequency of author keywords co-occurrence in RS OAJ. The main themes of RS OAJ are multi-spectral and hyperspectral remote sensing, LiDAR scanning and forestry remote sensing monitoring, MODIS and LAI data applications, Remote sensing applications and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Through author keywords citation impact analysis, we find the most influential keyword is Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), followed, forestry, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), terrestrial laser scanning, airborne laser scanning, forestry inventory, urban heat island, monitoring, agriculture, and laser scanning. By analyzing the intellectual structure of RS OAJ, we identify the main reference publications and find that the themes are about Random Forests, MODIS vegetation indices and image analysis, etc. RS OAJ ranks first in cited journals and third in citing, this indicates that RS OAJ has the internal knowledge flow. Our results will bring more benefits to scholars, researchers and graduate students, who hopes to get a quick overview of the RS OAJ. And this article will also be the starting point for communication between scholars and practitioners. Finally, this paper proposed a nuanced h-index (nh-index) to measure productivity and intellectual contribution of authors by considering h-index based on whether the one is first, second, third, or nth author. This nuanced approach to determining h-index of authors is powerful indicator of an academician’s productivity and intellectual contribution.

Remote Sensing↗
USGS2018

Development of the Wildlife Adaptation Menu for Resource Managers

The Climate Change Response Framework is an example of a collaborative, cross-boundary approach to create a set of tools, partnerships, and actions to support climate-informed conservation and land management. Historically, this effort has focused on the needs of forest managers and forestry professionals. In recent years, however, there has been increasing demand for science and tools to address climate change adaptation in wildlife management and conservation. Not only do wildlife and resource managers need the best available science, it must also be presented in a usable format with feasible options within the purview of an individual manager. The research team is first completing a comprehensive review of peer-reviewed studies to summarize what wildlife-related management actions currently exist in climate change adaptation. They will then develop and test a “menu” of climate change adaptation actions that are suitable for wildlife management in terrestrial ecosystems. This Wildlife Adaptation Menu will be modeled off existing adaptation menus for Forestry and Urban Forestry, and it will be designed to be used in conjunction with the Adaptation Workbook . In addition to a menu of adaption strategies and approaches, the scientists will also identify site-level tactics and develop case studies demonstrating the use and implementation of the menu. To ensure that information and tools meet the needs of managers, the team is involving and integrating input from wildlife managers at every step of the process. Managers will be involved in scoping the project, testing the menu, and implementing the menu.

Final Report↗
USGS2025

Initial responses of songbird communities to forest reclamation on legacy surface mines

Surface coal mining and subsequent reclamation efforts in the Appalachian Mountains, USA, transform the ecological characteristics of natural landscapes. The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a mine reclamation method that emphasizes best management practices in forestry. FRA practices have demonstrated success in establishing native forests and accelerating natural succession on coal mines; however, no studies have empirically examined the effects of the FRA on bird communities. Our study aimed to assess the avian community composition within young forests reclaimed using the FRA after one decade of forest growth. Whereas traditional reclamation practices often support grassland avian guilds, we expected that the FRA would provide habitat for shrubland and young forest avian guilds. Moreover, we sought to determine whether FRA forests would contain known avian indicator species of the native forest land cover. In June 2022, we conducted point count surveys in high-elevation, red spruce-northern hardwood (RS-NH) forests in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. Using Bayesian multispecies occupancy models, we assessed avian guild occupancy and species richness within two FRA forest age classes (2–5 years and 8–11 years). We also examined avian community composition within two older RS-NH reference age classes to predict the future avian composition within FRA forests if reclamation succeeds. We found that the FRA breeding bird community included all of the avian indicator species expected to inhabit a young RS-NH forest. These results suggest that after approximately one decade, legacy mines reclaimed using the FRA are progressing toward a native RS-NH forest that supports associated forest bird communities.

West Virginia↗
USGS1991

The status of the Red Hills salamander Phaeognathus hubrichti, Alabama, USA, 1976–1988

A total of 144 sites in the Red Hills Physiographic Province in south-central Alabama, USA, were surveyed in 1988 for burrows of the Red Hills salamander Phaeognathus hubrichti . Of 92 sites surveyed in 1976, no change occurred in the habitat at 54 sites, conditions improved at 19 sites and deteriorated at 18 sites following selective or clear cutting. An additional 14 of 52 sites not surveyed in 1976 were adversely affected by logging. Burrows were most often found on high ( x &#x304; = 17 m "> x̄= 17 m ), steep ( x &#x304; = 50&#xB0; "> x̄= 50° ), uncut slopes containing a high soil moisture content ( x &#x304; = 57% "> x̄= 57% ) and full tree canopy. Slope angle and soil pH did not affect burrow abundance. Burrow openings averaged 10·9 mm high × 15·3 mm wide. Burrow angle was negatively correlated with burrow width and slope angle but low r 2 values indicate that little of the variation was explained by these variables. Burrows were most often found on the upper two-thirds of slopes; burrows on slopes affected by cutting were found in the middle of the slope where they were less prone to disturbance and desiccation. Although most timber companies claim to no longer cut steep slopes in order to protect salamanders, detrimental forestry practices are still occuring. In some instances, Red Hills salamanders survive selective and clear cutting, but the persistence and viability of affected populations remain unknown. Suggestions are made to reduce impacts from forestry operations. Acquisition of 25 sites containing viable salamander populations and retention as a threatened species under United States federal law are recommended.

Alabama↗
USGS2021

Surface-air mercury fluxes and a watershed mass balance in forested and harvested catchments

Forest soils are among the world’s largest repositories for long-term accumulation of atmospherically deposited mercury (Hg), and understanding the potential for remobilization through gaseous emissions, aqueous dissolution and runoff, or erosive particulate transport to down-gradient aquatic ecosystems is critically important for projecting ecosystem recovery. Forestry operations, especially clear-cut logging where most of the vegetaiton is removed, can influence Hg mobility/fluxes, foodweb dynamics, and bioaccumulation processes. This paper measured surface-air Hg fluxes from catchments in the Pacific Northwest, USA, to determine if there is a difference between forested and logged catchments. These measurements were conducted as part of a larger project on the impact of forestry operations on Hg cycling which include measurements of water fluxes as well as impacts on biota. Surface-air Hg fluxes were measured using a commonly applied dynamic flux chamber (DFC) method that incorporated diel and seasonal variability in elemental Hg (Hg 0 ) fluxes at multiple forested and harvested catchments. The results showed that the forested ecosystem had depositional Hg 0 fluxes throughout most of the year (annual mean: −0.26 ng/m 2 /h). In contrast, the harvested catchments showed mostly emission of Hg 0 (annual mean: 0.63 ng/m 2 /h). Differences in solar radiation reaching the soil was the primary driver resulting in a shift from net deposition to emission in harvested catchments. The surface-air Hg fluxes were larger than the fluxes to water as runoff and accounted for 97% of the differences in Hg sequestered in forested versus harvested catchments.

Oregon↗
USGS2013

Structure and development of old-growth, unmanaged second-growth, and extended rotation Pinus resinosa forests in Minnesota, USA

The structure and developmental dynamics of old-growth forests often serve as important baselines for restoration prescriptions aimed at promoting more complex structural conditions in managed forest landscapes. Nonetheless, long-term information on natural patterns of development is rare for many commercially important and ecologically widespread forest types. Moreover, the effectiveness of approaches recommended for restoring old-growth structural conditions to managed forests, such as the application of extended rotation forestry, has been little studied. This study uses several long-term datasets from old growth, extended rotation, and unmanaged second growth Pinus resinosa (red pine) forests in northern Minnesota, USA, to quantify the range of variation in structural conditions for this forest type and to evaluate the effectiveness of extended rotation forestry at promoting the development of late-successional structural conditions. Long-term tree population data from permanent plots for one of the old-growth stands and the extended rotation stands (87 and 61 years, respectively) also allowed for an examination of the long-term structural dynamics of these systems. Old-growth forests were more structurally complex than unmanaged second-growth and extended rotation red pine stands, due in large part to the significantly higher volumes of coarse woody debris (70.7 vs. 11.5 and 4.7 m 3 /ha, respectively) and higher snag basal area (6.9 vs. 2.9 and 0.5 m 2 /ha, respectively). In addition, old-growth forests, although red pine-dominated, contained a greater abundance of other species, including Pinus strobus , Abies balsamea , and Picea glauca relative to the other stand types examined. These differences between stand types largely reflect historic gap-scale disturbances within the old-growth systems and their corresponding structural and compositional legacies. Nonetheless, extended rotation thinning treatments, by accelerating advancement to larger tree diameter classes, generated diameter distributions more closely approximating those found in old growth within a shorter time frame than depicted in long-term examinations of old-growth structural development. These results suggest that extended rotation treatments may accelerate the development of old-growth structural characteristics, provided that coarse woody debris and snags are deliberately retained and created on site. These and other developmental characteristics of old-growth systems can inform forest management when objectives include the restoration of structural conditions found in late-successional forests.

Minnesota↗
USGS2018

Stream mercury export in response to contemporary timber harvesting methods (Pacific Coastal Mountains, Oregon, USA)

Land-use activities can alter hydrological and biogeochemical processes that can affect the fate, transformation, and transport of mercury (Hg). Previous studies in boreal forests have shown that forestry operations can have profound, but variable effects on Hg export and methylmercury (MeHg) formation. The Pacific Northwest is an important timber producing region that receives large atmospheric Hg loads, but the impact of forest harvesting on Hg mobilization has not been directly studied and was the focus of our investigation. Stream discharge was measured continuously and Hg and MeHg concentrations measured monthly for 1.5 years following logging in three paired harvested and un-harvested catchments. There was no significant difference in particulate-bound Hg concentrations or loads in the harvested and unharvested catchments which may have resulted from the best management practices aimed at minimizing erosion. However, the harvested catchments had significantly higher discharge (32%), filtered Hg concentrations (28%), filtered Hg loads (80%), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loads (40%) compared to forested catchments. MeHg concentrations were low (mostly <0.05 ng L-1) in both harvested, un-harvested and downstream samples due to well-drained/unsaturated soil conditions and steep slopes with high energy eroding stream channels that were not conducive to the development of anoxic conditions. These results have important implications for the role forestry operations have in affecting catchment retention and export of Hg pollution.

Oregon↗
USGS2013

High-resolution global maps of 21st-century forest cover change

Quantification of global forest change has been lacking despite the recognized importance of forest ecosystem services. In this study, Earth observation satellite data were used to map global forest loss (2.3 million square kilometers) and gain (0.8 million square kilometers) from 2000 to 2012 at a spatial resolution of 30 meters. The tropics were the only climate domain to exhibit a trend, with forest loss increasing by 2101 square kilometers per year. Brazil’s well-documented reduction in deforestation was offset by increasing forest loss in Indonesia, Malaysia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Zambia, Angola, and elsewhere. Intensive forestry practiced within subtropical forests resulted in the highest rates of forest change globally. Boreal forest loss due largely to fire and forestry was second to that in the tropics in absolute and proportional terms. These results depict a globally consistent and locally relevant record of forest change.

Science↗
USGS2023

Living with wildfire in Emigration Canyon, Utah: 2022 data report

Located in North Central Utah, Emigration Canyon is a prominent and historic canyon that runs northeast from Salt Lake City into the higher elevations of the Wasatch Mountains. The Wasatch Range is characterized by steep, rocky slopes and 26-44 millimeters of annual rainfall, both of which contribute to a high threat of wildfire. The area’s landscape is diverse with oak woodland at the lower elevations up to a conifer forest type including ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, and subalpine fir. The Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (UWRAP) rates the fire danger in Emigration Canyon as “Extreme.” Resultantly, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands, as well as adjacent land management agencies, have identified this wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone as a high priority. The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands website describes WUI as “the zone where structures and other human development meet and intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.”

Utah↗
USGS1998

Water-quality and algal conditions in the North Umpqua River Basin, Oregon, 1992-95, and implications for resource management

This report describes the results of a synoptic water-quality and algal investigation during July 1995 at 36 stream sites in a 1,350 square-mile area of the North Umpqua River Basin, Oregon. The study area includes a headwaters hydroelectric project area, a Wild and Scenic reach in the main stem immediately downstream, and the watersheds of several major tributaries. Additional data from previous investigations are reviewed, and impacts on water quality in the Wild and Scenic reach from resource management, including forestry and reservoir operations, are inferred where sufficient data exist. Water-quality standards were occasionally exceeded for dissolved oxygen and pH, and daily maximum stream temperatures in the Wild and Scenic reach were higher than both the 1996 standard for the State of Oregon and the optimal temperature ranges for many anadromous fish. Dissolved oxygen in the basin was controlled more by stream temperature and reaeration than by primary production. Arsenic concentrations in the river during low flow (1 &micro;g/L [microgram per liter]) indicate a potential cancer risk of between 1:5,000 and 1:20,000 for people using the river as a source of drinking water and fish for consumption. Streambed-sediment concentrations of arsenic, chromium, copper, manganese, and nickel were approximately double the sediment-quality criteria values adopted by New York State and by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. High concentrations of phosphorus in bed sediments indicated that much of the phosphorus observed in the water column throughout the basin (medians: 32, 9, and 50 &micro;g/L in the main stem, tributaries, and hydroelectric project areas, respectively) could have been geologically derived. Inorganic and organic nitrogen concentrations in water were mostly below minimum reporting limits (5 and 200 &micro;g/L, respectively), indicating severe nitrogen limitation at most locations. Benthic algal biomass, biovolume, and chlorophyll a concentrations were highest at the sites directly below impoundments and at one headwater tributary (medians: 46 grams per square meter, 821 million cubic micrometers per square centimeter, and 126 milligrams per square meter, respectively), and were also somewhat elevated downstream in the Wild and Scenic reach compared with those in similar streams in the Pacific Northwest. Classification of the algal taxa indicated that, among all sites sampled, alkaliphilic taxa, nitrogen fixing taxa, and eutrophic taxa were the most abundant on the basis of biovolume and density. Cold-water taxa, facultative nitrogen heterotrophs, and oligotrophic taxa constituted the remainder of the taxa. Multivariate analyses indicated that algal communities at the hydroelectric-project-affected sites were distinct from communities at sites on the main stem and Steamboat Creek. At many locations, the river&rsquo;s algal community might be compensating for the low nitrogen concentrations by fixation of atmospheric nitrogen or through heterotrophic assimilation of organic nitrogen. Water quality in the Wild and Scenic reach is dominated by water released from the hydroelectric project area during summer. Effects of the hydroelectric project include seasonal control of streamflow, water temperature, and phosphorus concentrations, and the possible release of low but ecologically important concentrations of organic nitrogen. A review of available data and literature suggests that the reservoirs can increase the interception of sediments and large organic debris, and promote their conversion into fine-grained particulate and dissolved organic matter for downstream transport. These effects could be compounded by the effects of forestry in the basin, including alteration of hydrologic cycles, changes in sediment and nutrient runoff, reductions of the transport of large woody debris, and degradation of habitat quality. It is hypothesized that, in the North Umpqua River, these processes have induced a fundamental shift in the river&rsquo;s food web, from a detritus-based system to a system with a 2 higher emphasis on algal production. Confirmation of these changes and their effects on higher trophic levels are needed to properly manage the aquatic resources for all designated beneficial uses in the basin.

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