Tardigrades in the Canopy: Associations with Tree Vole Nests in Southwest Oregon

Tardigrades live in many ecosystems, but local dispersal mechanisms and the influence of ecological gradients on tardigrade communities are not fully understood. Here we examine tardigrade communities in nests of the red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus True), an arboreal mammal occupying the canopy of coniferous forests in western Oregon and northwestern California. We found 12 species of tardigrades from resin ducts sampled from 43 nests along a transect that spanned the east-west range of the tree vole in southern Oregon. Tardigrade occurrence was more likely in larger trees and species numbers were significantly higher in areas that received more precipitation. At sites where they occurred, tardigrades were more abundant in tree vole nests at greater heights within the forest canopy. Of the 12 species of tardigrades that were found, seven have not been previously reported in Oregon. Our results suggest that tardigrades in forest canopies in the Pacific Northwest are impacted by regional precipitation gradients as well as local environmental variables, and that nest building by small mammals may facilitate dispersal of tardigrades within the forest canopy.

Download Full-text

Effects of variable-density thinning on non-native understory plants in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119699 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 502 ◽

pp. 119699

Author(s):

Yianna Bekris ◽

Janet S. Prevéy ◽

Leslie C. Brodie ◽

Constance A. Harrington

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Variable Density ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Understory Plants ◽

The Pacific

Download Full-text

Spatial distribution of ectomycorrhizal mats in coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/bf00015421 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 180 (1) ◽

pp. 147-158 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Robert P. Griffiths ◽

Gay A. Bradshaw ◽

Barbara Marks ◽

George W. Lienkaemper

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

The Pacific

Download Full-text

Evergreen Coniferous Forests of the Pacific Northwest

Science ◽

10.1126/science.204.4400.1380 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 204 (4400) ◽

pp. 1380-1386 ◽

Cited By ~ 356

Author(s):

R. H. Waring ◽

J. F. Franklin

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

The Pacific

Download Full-text

Gap Characteristics and Vegetation Response in Coniferous Forests of the Pacific Northwest

Ecology ◽

10.2307/1940198 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 70 (3) ◽

pp. 543-545 ◽

Cited By ~ 145

Author(s):

Thomas A. Spies ◽

Jerry F. Franklin

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Vegetation Response ◽

The Pacific ◽

Gap Characteristics

Download Full-text

The Effects of Disturbance and Climate on Carbon Storage and the Exchanges of CO2 Water Vapor and Energy Exchange of Evergreen Coniferous Forests in the Pacific Northwest: Integration of Eddy Flux, Plant and Soil Measurements at a Cluster of Supersites. Final report

10.2172/1024861 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Beverly E. Law ◽

Christoph K. Thomas

Keyword(s):

Water Vapor ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Carbon Storage ◽

Energy Exchange ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Final Report ◽

Eddy Flux ◽

The Pacific ◽

Soil Measurements

Download Full-text

Simulating snowmelt processes during rain-on-snow over a semi-arid mountain basin

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756401781819751 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 32 ◽

pp. 195-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

Danny Marks ◽

Tim Link ◽

Adam Winstral ◽

David Garen

Keyword(s):

Snow Cover ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Forest Cover ◽

Big Sagebrush ◽

The Pacific ◽

Flooding Event ◽

Reynolds Creek ◽

Heat Exchanges ◽

Winter Rain

AbstractIn the Pacific Northwest of North America, significant flooding can occur during mid-winter rain-on-snow events. Warm, wet Pacific storms caused significant floods in the Pacific Northwest in February 1996, January 1997 and January 1998. Rapid melting of the mountain snow cover substantially augmented discharge during these flood events. An energy-balance snowmelt model is used to simulate snowmelt processes during the January 1997 event over a small headwater basin within the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed located in the Owyhee Mountains of southwestern Idaho, U.S.A. This sub-basin is 34% forested (12% fir, 22% aspen and 66% mixed sagebrush (primarily mountain big sagebrush)). Data from paired open and forested experimental sites were used to drive the model. Model-forcing data were corrected for topographic and vegetation canopy effects. The event was preceded by cold, stormy conditions that developed a significant snow cover over the sub-basin. The snow cover at sites protected by forest cover was slightly reduced, while at open sites significant snowmelt occurred. The warm, moist, windy conditions during the flooding event produced substantially higher melt rates in exposed areas, where sensible- and latent-heat exchanges contributed 60–90% of the energy for snowmelt. Simulated snow-cover development and ablation during the model run closely matched measured conditions at the two experimental sites. This experiment shows the sensitivity of snowmelt processes to both climate and land cover, and illustrates how the forest canopy is coupled to the hydrologic cycle in mountainous areas.

Download Full-text

Level and pattern of overstory retention influence rates and forms of tree mortality in mature, coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest, USA

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2013.07.021 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 308 ◽

pp. 116-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Lauren S. Urgenson ◽

Charles B. Halpern ◽

Paul D. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Tree Mortality ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

The Pacific

Download Full-text

Spider Community Variability and Response to Restoration in Arid Grasslands of the Pacific Northwest, USA

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030249 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 249

Author(s):

Lauren A. Smith DiCarlo ◽

Sandra J. DeBano

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Biological Soil Crust ◽

Invasive Grass ◽

Restoration Planning ◽

Litter Cover ◽

Passive Restoration ◽

The Pacific ◽

Spider Community ◽

Spider Communities

Grassland restoration in North America has intensified but its impact on major invertebrate groups, including spiders, is unclear. We studied three grassland locations in the Pacific Northwest, USA, to (1) describe variability in spider communities, (2) identify environmental variables that may underlie patterns in spider communities, and (3) determine whether spiders and environmental variables differ between actively (removal of disturbances, then plant with natives) vs. passively restored sites (removal of disturbance only). We found spider richness, diversity, and composition differed among the three locations but abundance did not. Sites with more litter and invasive grass cover had more spiders while sites at higher elevation and with more forb and biological soil crust cover had increased spider richness and diversity. Spider community composition was associated with elevation and litter cover. Surprisingly, no spider community or environmental variables differed between actively and passively restored sites, except that litter cover was higher in passively restored sites. This study demonstrates that even in superficially similar locations, invertebrate communities may differ greatly and these differences may prevent consistent responses to active vs. passive restoration. If increasing biodiversity or the abundance of invertebrate prey are goals, then environmental factors influencing spider communities should be taken into account in restoration planning.

Download Full-text

Response of Nontarget Species to Underground Strychnine Baiting for Pocket Gopher in Southwest Oregon

Western Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/wjaf/17.1.9 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 9-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dale L. Nolte ◽

Abderrahim El Hani ◽

J. Russell Mason ◽

Stephen Bulkin

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

Pocket Gopher ◽

Mammal Species ◽

Spermophilus Lateralis ◽

The Pacific ◽

Nontarget Species ◽

Yellow Pine ◽

Release Program ◽

Southwest Oregon

Abstract Pocket gophers (Thomomys spp.) impede reforestation efforts in the Pacific Northwest and strychnine baiting is used to reduce their populations. We conducted a capture and release program in southern Oregon to determine whether strychnine baiting negatively impacted nontarget small mammal species. Two nontarget species dominated the program: golden mantled ground squirrels (Spermophilus lateralis) and yellow pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus). There was a short-term decline in ground squirrel populations after baiting, but yellow pine chipmunk populations were not adversely affected. We conclude that underground baiting with 0.5% strychnine treated grain is unlikely to cause long-term adverse effects on nontarget wildlife species in southwest Oregon. West. J. Appl. For. 17(1):9–13.

Download Full-text