Amphibian biodiversity of the Pacific Northwest with special reference to old-growth stands

The history of canopy disturbances over the lifetime of an old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand in the western Cascade Range of southern Washington was reconstructed using tree-ring records of cross-dated samples from a 3.3-ha mapped plot. The reconstruction detected pulses in which many western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) synchronously experienced abrupt and sustained increases in ringwidth, i.e., "growth-increases", and focused on medium-sized or larger ([Formula: see text]0.8 ha) events. The results show that the stand experienced at least three canopy disturbances that each thinned, but did not clear, the canopy over areas [Formula: see text]0.8 ha, occurring approximately in the late 1500s, the 1760s, and the 1930s. None of these promoted regeneration of the shade-intolerant Douglas-fir, all of which established 15001521. The disturbances may have promoted regeneration of western hemlock, but their strongest effect on tree dynamics was to elicit western hemlock growth-increases. Canopy disturbances are known to create patchiness, or horizontal heterogeneity, an important characteristic of old-growth forests. This reconstructed history provides one model for restoration strategies to create horizontal heterogeneity in young Douglas-fir stands, for example, by suggesting sizes of areas to thin in variable-density thinnings.

Download Full-text

A contingent valuation study of the value of reducing fire hazards to old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest

10.2737/psw-rp-229 ◽

1996 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

John B. Loomis ◽

Armando González-Cabán ◽

Robin Gregory

Keyword(s):

Contingent Valuation ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Old Growth ◽

Contingent Valuation Study ◽

Fire Hazards ◽

The Pacific ◽

Old Growth Forests ◽

Valuation Study

Download Full-text

Astrosclereids In Needles Of Old-Growth Douglas-Fir Trees

Microscopy and Microanalysis ◽

10.1017/s1431927600019528 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 5 (S2) ◽

pp. 1240-1241

Author(s):

M. Apple ◽

A. Soeldner ◽

R. Hamill ◽

K. Tiekotfer

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Cell Walls ◽

Douglas Fir ◽

Old Growth ◽

Mesophyll Cells ◽

Mesophyll Tissue ◽

The Pacific ◽

And Function ◽

Development Structure

Old-growth Douglas-fir trees in the Pacific Northwest are venerable giants that often live for 500 years and reach heights of over 75 meters. Their needles are relatively ephemeral and small but have the important role of interacting with the atmosphere in order to transpire and photosynthesize. Within the photosynthetic mesophyll tissue of Douglas-fir needles, there are large, non-living cells with lignified secondary cell walls that are known as astrosclereids. Apparent channels in the secondary wall may provide a route for exchange or transport of materials between the astrosclereid lumen and mesophyll cells or the vascular cylinder. Astrosclereids may be involvev d in storage of secondary metabolites such as tannin and may develop in response to fungi, mistletoe, or other pathogens. More knowledge is needed about the development, structure and function of astrosclereids.Needles were collected from sapling and old-growth Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, (Mirb.) Franco, trees at the Wind River Canopy Crane in Carson, Washington and from three sites in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon in 1997 and 1998.

Download Full-text

The Demise of Community and Ecology in the Pacific Northwest: Historical Roots of the Ancient Forest Conflict

Sociological Perspectives ◽

10.2307/1389313 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 277-300 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Clayton W. Dumont

Keyword(s):

Cultural Heritage ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Sense Of Community ◽

Local Economy ◽

The Political ◽

Old Growth ◽

The Pacific ◽

Ancient Forest ◽

The Future ◽

Political Economic

The Pacific Northwest has become the site of a bitterly fought struggle over the future of the remaining 10% of the region's ancient, or “old growth,” forests. The remaining stands of these forests are important components of the local economy and of the region's ecology. The article begins with a brief description of the economic and ecological crises which are now coming to fruition as a result of the loss of 90% of these forests. It then provides a description of the cultural heritage and sense of community which is being lost in the small, timber-dependent communities of the region—a social crisis resulting from the economic and ecological crises. In conclusion, the article argues that all of these crises should be understood as resulting from the political, economic, and historical circumstances which facilitated the emergence of the largest and wealthiest timber ownership.

Download Full-text

Monitoring late-successional forest biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc82364-3 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 82 (3) ◽

pp. 364-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Thomas A Spies ◽

Jon R Martin

Keyword(s):

Endangered Species ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Satellite Imagery ◽

Ecosystem Management ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Old Growth ◽

Monitoring Plan ◽

Effectiveness Monitoring ◽

The Pacific ◽

Old Growth Forests

The era of ecosystem management for federal forest lands in the Pacific Northwest began in 1994 with the adoption of the Northwest Forest Plan. This plan was designed to maintain and restore species and ecosystems associated with late successional and old-growth forests on over 10 million ha of federal lands in Washington, Oregon and California. The plan called for implementation monitoring, effectiveness monitoring, and validation monitoring for a variety of ecological and socio-economic components. Monitoring has become a central part of management of the federal forests in the region and managers and scientists have gained considerable experience in implementing this large and complex program. The components of the monitoring plan include late-successional/old growth vegetation, northern spotted owls, marbled murrelets, aquatic habitat and social conditions. The monitoring plan is strongly based on vegetation layer created with TM satellite imagery and on a regional grid of forest inventory plots. The lessons learned from the implementation of this monitoring plan include: 1) agencies need to devote considerable resources to insure that effective monitoring will occur at broad scales; 2) aggregation of local monitoring efforts is not a substitute for a designed regional monitoring plan; 3) vegetation structure and composition, measured with satellite imagery and inventory plots, is a cost-effective, broad-scale indicator of biological diversity; 4) some species, such as threatened and endangered species, are not necessarily covered with habitat approaches and may require population monitoring; 5) our scientific understanding of monitoring components will vary widely as will the approaches to data collection and analysis; 6) monitoring requires research support to develop and test metrics and biodiversity models; 7) links of monitoring to decision-making (adaptive management) are still being forged. Key words: aquatic ecosystems, endangered species, old-growth forests, Pacific Northwest, USA, regional ecosystem management

Download Full-text

Calicium sequoiae, a new lichen species from north-western California, USA

The Lichenologist ◽

10.1017/s0024282908007615 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 185-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Cameron B. WILLIAMS ◽

Leif TIBELL

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

New Species ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Its Region ◽

Sequoia Sempervirens ◽

Old Growth ◽

The Pacific ◽

Secondary Substance ◽

North Western ◽

A New Species

Abstract:We describe Calicium sequoiae as a new species of lichenized Ascomycota from north-western California, USA. The species is distinguished morphologically from other known members of Calicium by its stalks that react I+ blue, mature ascospores that are ornamented with spiral ridges, and apothecia that produce prominent white pruina. It is also the only Calicium known to produce thamnolic acid as a major secondary substance. Sequences from the ITS-region showed C. sequoiae to be unique among calicioid Physciaceae, and phylogenetic analysis positioned it close to C. adspersum, C. chlorosporum, C. lenticulare, Cyphelium notarisii, and C. tigillare. Thus far, Calicium sequoiae has been collected only from old-growth redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests, where it occurred on thick, fibrous bark of large redwood trees. A key to the 12 species of Calicium known from the Pacific Northwest is provided.

Download Full-text

Comparison of Coastal Fringe and Interior Forests as Reserves for Marbled Murrelets on Vancouver Island

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/102.4.915 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 102 (4) ◽

pp. 915-920

Author(s):

Alan E. Burger ◽

Volker Bahn ◽

Angeline R. M. Tillmanns

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Structural Diversity ◽

Vancouver Island ◽

Old Growth ◽

Brachyramphus Marmoratus ◽

Marbled Murrelet ◽

The Pacific ◽

Using Data ◽

Associated Species ◽

Marbled Murrelets

Abstract Much of the protected habitat available to the threatened Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus and other old-growth associated species in the Pacific Northwest is in narrow strips along the coast (e.g., parks and scenic fringes). Using data over two years from three watersheds on southwest Vancouver Island, we show that such shoreline strip forests represent suboptimal habitat for murrelets. Murrelet detections, including circling and subcanopy behaviors, were significantly lower at 30 coastal stations (20–250 m from the shoreline edge) than at 30 interior stations (1.5–21.0 km inland). Densities of predators were significantly higher at the coastal stations. The coastal trees were of similar mean height and diameter, but they had lower structural diversity and provided fewer and less suitable (thinner epiphyte cover on large boughs) nesting platforms than trees in the interior. When possible, reserves for Marbled Murrelets should be placed in interior and not shoreline forests.

Download Full-text

A clinical study of goiter in the Pacific Northwest, with special reference to the state of the heart

American Heart Journal ◽

10.1016/s0002-8703(32)90026-x ◽

1932 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 41-54 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Noble W. Jones ◽

Dean B. Seabrook ◽

Frank R. Menne

Keyword(s):

Clinical Study ◽

Special Reference ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

The State ◽

The Pacific

Download Full-text

Leaf-level physiology in four subalpine plants in tephra-impacted forests during drought

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2017-0361 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 431-441 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Abby J. Watt ◽

Dylan G. Fischer ◽

Joseph A. Antos ◽

Donald B. Zobel

Keyword(s):

Water Potential ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Plant Species ◽

Timber Harvest ◽

The United States ◽

Ecological Impacts ◽

Old Growth ◽

Subalpine Forests ◽

Clear Cut ◽

The Pacific

Ecological impacts of climate change in the Pacific Northwest may hinge on acclimation to drier summers, highlighting the importance of plant physiological studies in forests. Evaluating dominant forest plant species under old-growth and managed forest conditions is similarly important as timber harvest might change microclimates and alter drought effects on plants. We examined water potential and gas exchange rates of four dominant plant species in understories of subalpine forests of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States during 2015 — a year with drought conditions representative of future climate projections. We examined two conifer species (Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes and Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and two huckleberry species (Vaccinium membranaceum Douglas ex Torr. and Vaccinium ovalifolium Sm.) in old-growth and formerly clear-cut forests at two elevations. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of hydraulic stress, and there were no significant differences between old-growth and clear-cut stands, consistent with an edaphic buffering effect in this volcanic landscape. Variation in stem elongation rates among years also indicated the lack of a strong drought response in 2015. Water potential, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance varied among species and among elevations. In combination, our results help constrain expected physiological activity of understory species in subalpine forests and emphasize the importance of the edaphic context (e.g., tephra deposits) in framing expectations for the responses to drought.

Download Full-text