scholarly journals Ecoregion-Based Local Volume Equations for Appalachian Hardwoods

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Brooks ◽  
Harry V. Wiant
Keyword(s):  
Single Species ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Inventory Analysis ◽  
Hardwood Species ◽  
Central Appalachia ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Forest Service ◽  
Simple Power Function ◽  
Appalachian Hardwoods ◽  
Volume Equations

Abstract Local merchantable board foot, cubic foot, and weight equations are developed for six economically important hardwood species in central Appalachia. Equations were based on a simple power function and were fit to volumes from the US Forest Service Forest Inventory Analysis data for West Virginia and parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky. Five ecoregions were identified and the volume equations were tested to determine whether differences by ecoregion were statistically significant. Results varied by species, volume type, and ecoregion. Average bias between a single-species region-wide model and specific ecoregion forms ranged from −9.1 to 8.5% for gross board foot volume (International ¼ in.), −3.5 to 9.2% for gross merchantable cubic foot volume, and −9.5 to 16.7% for merchantable drybole weight (pounds).

Timber Losses from West Fork Complex Fire in Southwest Colorado

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 272-277
Author(s):  
Laren Cyphers ◽  
Kurt Mackes ◽  
Kevin Duda
Keyword(s):  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Inventory Analysis ◽  
The West ◽  
San Juan Mountains ◽  
West Fork ◽  
Spruce Beetle ◽  
Value Loss ◽  
Actual Damage

Abstract This article provides an assessment of fire effects on timber burned in the West Fork Complex fire area, located in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The West Fork Complex fire burned 109,615 acres in 2013, and suppression costs alone totaled $33.2 million. Much of the fire occurred in spruce–fir forests that were previously affected by spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis). Several timber sales were actively occurring within the fire footprint, and more were anticipated to begin in subsequent years. To provide a more accurate valuation estimate, base log stumpage data from 2003 through 2017 were included in this study to show high degrees of variation over time. With base log stumpage values determined, estimates of total hundred cubic feet of each significant species were calculated using geospatial and forest inventory analysis data. This study determined the timber value loss resulting from the coupled disturbance events of the spruce beetle epidemic and a wildland fire to be $19,083,102. This estimate will allow for a more accurate valuation of the actual damage resulting from the West Fork Complex fire. This study may also be useful in supporting the literary basis for salvage and fuels management after a beetle outbreak to prevent such timber value losses from occurring.

scholarly journals Financial and Wildlife Benefits from Crop Tree Release in Pole-Sized Central Hardwood Oak Stands

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Morrissey ◽  
Michael R. Saunders ◽  
William L. Hoover
Keyword(s):  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Importance Value ◽  
The Us ◽  
Multiobjective Approach ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Us Forest Service ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Forest Values ◽  
Returns On Investment

Abstract We simulated growth and development from 481 plots within 21 even-aged, mixed hardwood stands (21‐35 years old) under no treatment and crop tree release (CTR) treatments using the new Central States Variant of the US Forest Service Forest Vegetation Simulator. We assumed a multiobjective approach focused on financial returns (timber production) and wildlife benefits (provision of species that produce hard mast) in crop tree selection. We compared simulation results by age class, site variables, and species groups. All age classes showed returns on investment (ROI) of 7.8% or greater, but stands 26‐35 years old exhibited greater net present values (NPVs). CTR treatments across site, as delineated by aspect and slope positions, also exhibited higher NPVs, with ROI of 8.4% or greater. North and east aspects yielded higher NPVs than south and west aspects within both no-thinning and CTR treatments, and no strong patterns of NPV or ROI emerged among slope positions. CTR treatment delayed financial maturity by 5‐10 years because of increased growth rates and assumed higher quality stems. Desirable overstory mast trees for wildlife habitat, primarily oaks (Quercus spp.) and hickory (Carya spp.), increased in importance value, and mortality of crop trees declined with CTR in all age classes. Simulated CTR treatments indicated potential benefits to enhance financial and wildlife forest values in even-aged, mixed hardwood stands.

Measurements, datasets and preliminary results from the RxCADRE project – 2008, 2011 and 2012

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger D. Ottmar ◽  
J. Kevin Hiers ◽  
Bret W. Butler ◽  
Craig B. Clements ◽  
Matthew B. Dickinson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Service Research ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Eastern United States ◽  
Fire Modelling ◽  
The Us ◽  
Us Forest Service ◽  
Research Experiment ◽  
Science Disciplines

The lack of independent, quality-assured field data prevents scientists from effectively evaluating and advancing wildland fire models. To rectify this, scientists and technicians convened in the south-eastern United States in 2008, 2011 and 2012 to collect wildland fire data in six integrated core science disciplines defined by the fire modelling community. These were fuels, meteorology, fire behaviour, energy, smoke emissions and fire effects. The campaign is known as the Prescribed Fire Combustion and Atmospheric Dynamics Research Experiment (RxCADRE) and sampled 14 forest and 14 non-forest sample units associated within 6 small replicate (<10 ha) and 10 large operational (between 10 and 1000 ha) prescribed fires. Precampaign planning included identifying hosting agencies receptive to research and the development of study, logistics and safety plans. Data were quality-assured, reduced, analysed and formatted and placed into a globally accessible repository maintained by the US Forest Service Research Data Archive. The success of the RxCADRE project led to the commencement of a follow-on larger multiagency project called the Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE). This overview summarises the RxCADRE project and nine companion papers that describe the data collection, analysis and important conclusions from the six science disciplines.

scholarly journals Advancing ecosystem management strategies for the Gulf of Mexico's fisheries resources: implications for the development of a fishery ecosystem plan

2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-640
Author(s):  
Andrea Dell'Apa ◽  
Joshua P Kilborn ◽  
William J Harford
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Ecosystem Management ◽  
Fishery Management ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Large Marine Ecosystems ◽  
The Us

Recent global improvements to fisheries sustainability have been made through the adoption of more holistic management frameworks, such as the ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) and ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM), and a concurrent transition from a focus on single species or stocks to multispecies and ecosystems. In the US, federal and regional fisheries management encompass multiple layers of comprehensive, ecosystem focused management strategies for living marine resources within its network of large marine ecosystems (LMEs). Here, we provide an overview for the US portion of the Gulf of Mexico large marine ecosystem (GOM-LME) by examining multiple aspects of its fishery management scheme through the lenses of EAFM, EBFM, and the integrated ecosystem assessment (IEA) framework that has been used worldwide to advise, inform, and operationalize ecosystem management. The US-GOM's fishery management and ecosystem community appears to be keeping pace with other US regional efforts. However, more tools like fishery ecosystem plans (FEPs), which are conducive to the effective integration of ecosystem considerations into fishery management processes, are needed to inform and guide the work of regional managers, decision-makers, and stakeholders. Therefore, we propose a structured planning process aimed at advancing the development and implementation of a GOM-FEP, and describe two case studies of EAFM and EBFM applications, respectively, that can help to navigate through our proposed planning process. This work offers strategic guidance and insights to support efforts of regional fishery managers to translate ecosystem management principles, approaches, and objectives into an "action oriented" FEP in the GOM-LME.

scholarly journals Pulling on multiple threads of evidence to reveal tree species coexistence

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon G McNickle ◽  
Morgan V Ritzi ◽  
Kliffi M.S. Blackstone ◽  
John J Couture ◽  
Taylor Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Species Coexistence ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
United States Department ◽  
Hardwood Species ◽  
Niche Differences ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Multiple Threads ◽  
Occurrence Patterns

Understanding drivers of species coexistence is a central challenge in ecology. Coexistence cannot be observed directly, and while species co-occurrence in time and space is necessary for coexistence, it is not sufficient to prove coexistence. Species exclusion from a region is potentially observable, but can take decades to occur, and still might occur stochastically. Thus, ecologists generally use theory to identify indirect observations that are indicative of mechanisms driving coexistence or exclusion. Various methods have been developed to indirectly infer coexistence, each of which requires different data, and none of which are usually conclusive on their own. Here, we demonstrate agreement using three different approaches examining coexistence of multiple hardwood species. First, in an experimental planting of three mature tree species we found no relationship between productivity and species diversity, which could be due to a lack of niche differences among species. Second, we used modern coexistence theory to calculate niche and fitness differences for each pair of species, which confirmed the lack of niche differences among species, and showed high fitness differences that could create a neutral distribution of species in nature. Third, we used the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Inventory and Analysis data to examine co-occurrence patterns of our species across thousands of natural forest stands and found that indeed, these three species were distributed randomly throughout the USA. Given that these independent methods agree, we take this as strong evidence about a lack of coexistence.

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