scholarly journals The cumulative effects of forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 2855-2895 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Zhang ◽  
X. Wei
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Forest Disturbance ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Creek Watershed

Abstract. The Baker Creek watershed (1570 km2) situated in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada has been severely disturbed by both human-being logging and natural disturbance, particularly by a recent large-scale mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation (up to 2009, 70.2% of the watershed area was attacked by MPB) and subsequent salvage logging. The concept of equivalent clear-cut area (ECA) was used to indicate the magnitude of forest disturbance with consideration of hydrological recovery following various types of disturbances (wildfire, logging and MPB infestation) cumulated over space and time in the studied watershed. The cumulative ECA was up to 62.2% in 2009. A combined approach of statistical analysis (time series analysis) with modified double mass curve was employed to evaluate the impacts of forest disturbance on hydrology. Our results showed that severe forest disturbance significantly increased annual mean flow. The average increment in annual mean flow caused by forest disturbance was 48.4 mm yr−1, while the average decrease in annual mean flow caused by climatic variability during the same disturbance period was −35.5 mm yr−1. The opposite change directions and magnitudes clearly suggest offsetting effect between forest disturbance and climatic variability, with the absolute influential strength of forest disturbance (57.7%) overriding that from climate variability (42.3%). Forest disturbances also produced significant positive effect on low flow and dry season (fall and winter) mean flow. Implications of our findings for future forest and water resources management are discussed in the context of long-term watershed sustainability.

scholarly journals The effects of cumulative forest disturbance on streamflow in a large watershed in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 2021-2034 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Zhang ◽  
X. Wei
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Forest Disturbance ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Creek Watershed

Abstract. The Baker Creek watershed (1570 km2), situated in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, has been severely disturbed by both logging and natural disturbance, particularly by a recent large-scale mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestation (up to 2009, 70.2% of the watershed area had been attacked by MPB) and subsequent salvage logging. The concept of equivalent clear-cut area (ECA) was used to indicate the magnitude of forest disturbance, with consideration of hydrological recovery following various types of disturbance (wildfire, logging and MPB infestation), cumulated over space and time in the watershed. The cumulative ECA peaked at 62.2% in 2009. A combined approach of statistical analysis (i.e. time series analysis) and graphic method (modified double mass curve) was employed to evaluate the impacts of forest disturbance on hydrology. Our results showed that severe forest disturbance significantly increased annual mean flow. The average increment in annual mean flow caused by forest disturbance was 48.4 mm yr−1, while the average decrease in annual mean flow caused by climatic variability during the same disturbance period was 35.5 mm yr−1. The opposite changes in directions and magnitudes clearly suggest an offsetting effect between forest disturbance and climatic variability, with the absolute influential strength of forest disturbance (57.7%) overriding that from climate variability (42.3%). Forest disturbance also produced significant positive effects on low flow and dry season (fall and winter) mean flow. Implications of our findings for future forest and water resources management are discussed in the context of long-term watershed sustainability.

scholarly journals The Cumulative Effects of Forest Disturbance and Climate Variability on Streamflow in the Deadman River Watershed

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krysta Giles-Hansen ◽  
Qiang Li ◽  
Xiaohua Wei
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Disturbance ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
High Flow ◽  
The Body ◽  
Cumulative Effects ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Mean Flow ◽  
River Watershed

Climatic variability and cumulative forest cover change are the two dominant factors affecting hydrological variability in forested watersheds. Separating the relative effects of each factor on streamflow is gaining increasing attention. This study adds to the body of literature by quantifying the relative contributions of those two drivers to the changes in annual mean flow, low flow, and high flow in a large forested snow dominated watershed, the Deadman River watershed (878 km2) in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. Over the study period of 1962 to 2012, the cumulative effects of forest disturbance significantly affected the annual mean streamflow. The effects became statistically significant in 1989 at the cumulative forest disturbance level of 12.4% of the watershed area. The modified double mass curve and sensitivity-based methods consistently revealed that forest disturbance and climate variability both increased annual mean streamflow during the disturbance period (1989–2012), with an average increment of 14 mm and 6 mm, respectively. The paired-year approach was used to further investigate the relative contributions to low and high flows. Our analysis showed that low and high flow increased significantly by 19% and 58%, respectively over the disturbance period (p < 0.05). We conclude that forest disturbance and climate variability have significantly increased annual mean flow, low flow and high flow over the last 50 years in a cumulative and additive manner in the Deadman River watershed.

Forest disturbance effects on snow and water yield in interior British Columbia

2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Winkler ◽  
Dave Spittlehouse ◽  
Sarah Boon ◽  
Barbara Zimonick
Keyword(s):  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Snow Water Equivalent ◽  
Forest Disturbance ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Snow Accumulation ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Hydrologic Response ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Snow Water

Long-term studies at Mayson Lake (ML) and Upper Penticton Creek (UPC) in British Columbia's southern interior quantify snow-dominated hydrologic response to natural disturbances and logging. Following natural disturbance at ML, changes in snow accumulation related directly to mountain pine beetle attack were measurable by the fifth year following attack, when canopy transmittance had increased 24% due to needlefall. In year 1, April 1 snow water equivalent (SWE) was 48% higher in the clearcut than in the pine forest. This difference was reduced to 23% by year 8. A 3-year lag in snow response was also observed in a nearby burned stand where SWE was on average 27 and 59% higher in the clearcut than in the burn and forest, respectively. At UPC, April 1 SWE averaged 12% more and 12% less in a low and high elevation clearcut than forest, respectively, and snow disappeared ∼10 days earlier in both clearcuts. Partially as a result of snowmelt synchronization from higher with lower elevations after 50% of the treatment watersheds had been clearcut, April water yield increased and June to July yield decreased. Research results improve evaluation of hydrologic response to forest disturbance, including retention of beetle-killed stands versus salvage logging.

Salvage harvesting – past lessons and future issues

2006 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Lindenmayer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Forest Planning ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Natural Resource Managers ◽  
Salvage Harvesting

The increasing prevalence and/or increasing intensity of large-scale natural disturbance events in forests means that post-disturbance salvage logging is becoming more widespread. Salvage logging can have a wide range of environmental impacts, but some of these are not well known or not well understood by policy makers and natural resource managers. Some of these impacts are briefly summarized in this paper. Improved long-term forest planning needs to be embraced that takes into account the not only the environmental but also the social and environmental impacts of salvage harvesting. Past mistakes and future opportunities associated with salvage harvesting are illustrated by a case study from the Lower Cotter Catchment in south-eastern Australia. Key words: salvage harvesting, natural disturbance, environmental impacts, ecologically sustainable forestry, forest planning, long-term forest sustainability

Boreal forest disturbance and streamflow response, northeastern Ontario

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (S2) ◽  
pp. 5-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
J M Buttle ◽  
R A Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Forest Disturbance ◽  
Landsat Imagery ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Small Degree ◽  
Hydrologic Impacts ◽  
Streamflow Response ◽  
Canadian Boreal Forest

The effects of forest disturbance on streamflow from small (<10 km2) basins have been well documented; however, implications of such disturbance for streamflow from relatively large rivers in the Canadian boreal forest are unclear. Landsat imagery was used to determine changes in the type, amount, and location of forest disturbance in northeastern Ontario between 1985 and 1990. These were compared with streamflow responses from medium- and large-scale basins in the region. Harvesting dominated forest disturbance, and total disturbance as of 1990 ranged from 25% of basin area in the northwest part of the region to 5% in the southeast. There was limited streamflow response to land cover changes, with no definitive changes in water year runoff or peak flow magnitude and timing. This likely reflects the ability of relatively large basins to buffer the hydrologic impacts of the small degree of recent forest disturbance, combined with the influence of climatic variability on temporal trends in basin streamflow. However, disturbance was associated with increases in moderate and low flows from medium and large basins, respectively, which occurred largely during summer months.

scholarly journals The 6 August 2010 Mount Meager rock slide-debris flow, Coast Mountains, British Columbia: characteristics, dynamics, and implications for hazard and risk assessment

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1277-1294 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Guthrie ◽  
P. Friele ◽  
K. Allstadt ◽  
N. Roberts ◽  
S. G. Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Debris Flow ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Rock Avalanche ◽  
Volcanic Complex ◽  
Rock Slide ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Coast Mountains ◽  
Creek Watershed ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. A large rock avalanche occurred at 03:27:30 PDT, 6 August 2010, in the Mount Meager Volcanic Complex southwest British Columbia. The landslide initiated as a rock slide in Pleistocene rhyodacitic volcanic rock with the collapse of the secondary peak of Mount Meager. The detached rock mass impacted the volcano's weathered and saturated flanks, creating a visible seismic signature on nearby seismographs. Undrained loading of the sloping flank caused the immediate and extremely rapid evacuation of the entire flank with a strong horizontal force, as the rock slide transformed into a debris flow. The disintegrating mass travelled down Capricorn Creek at an average velocity of 64 m s−1, exhibiting dramatic super-elevation in bends to the intersection of Meager Creek, 7.8 km from the source. At Meager Creek the debris impacted the south side of Meager valley, causing a runup of 270 m above the valley floor and the deflection of the landslide debris both upstream (for 3.7 km) and downstream into the Lillooet River valley (for 4.9 km), where it blocked the Lillooet River river for a couple of hours, approximately 10 km from the landslide source. Deposition at the Capricorn–Meager confluence also dammed Meager Creek for about 19 h creating a lake 1.5 km long. The overtopping of the dam and the predicted outburst flood was the basis for a night time evacuation of 1500 residents in the town of Pemberton, 65 km downstream. High-resolution GeoEye satellite imagery obtained on 16 October 2010 was used to create a post-event digital elevation model. Comparing pre- and post-event topography we estimate the volume of the initial displaced mass from the flank of Mount Meager to be 48.5 × 106 m3, the height of the path (H) to be 2183 m and the total length of the path (L) to be 12.7 km. This yields H/L = 0.172 and a fahrböschung (travel angle) of 9.75°. The movement was recorded on seismographs in British Columbia and Washington State with the initial impact, the debris flow travelling through bends in Capricorn Creek, and the impact with Meager Creek are all evident on a number of seismograms. The landslide had a seismic trace equivalent to a M = 2.6 earthquake. Velocities and dynamics of the movement were simulated using DAN-W. The 2010 event is the third major landslide in the Capricorn Creek watershed since 1998 and the fifth large-scale mass flow in the Meager Creek watershed since 1930. No lives were lost in the event, but despite its relatively remote location direct costs of the 2010 landslide are estimated to be in the order of $10 M CAD.

scholarly journals Determining factors affecting moose population change in British Columbia: an update

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelley Marshall ◽  
Gerald Kuzyk ◽  
Doug Heard ◽  
Chris Procter ◽  
Michael Gillingham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Population Change ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Normal Range ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Moose Population

In response to declining moose numbers in central British Columbia (BC), the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations initiated a five-year (December 2013–March 2018) provincially coordinated, moose-research project. The primary research objective is to identify the causes and rates of cow moose mortality and examine factors that contributed to their increased vulnerability, with particular reference to the landscape-change hypothesis. Cow moose were instrumented with GPS (Global Positioning System) radio collars and monitored in five study areas that were selected based on their moose population trend and landscape conditions, particularly the degree of mountain pine beetle salvage logging and associated road building. Samples were collected during capture for health testing. Rapid-response, mortality-site investigations were the key technique to determining probable cause of death of the collared cows. As of April 19, 2016, 336 cow moose had been fitted with GPS collars. The majority of cow moose were in good body condition, had pregnancy rates within the normal range, and showed no indication of immediate disease or parasite concerns at the population level. During this study period, the status of radio-collared cow moose was: 243 active, 49 failed (i.e., either stopped collecting location data or slipped from moose), and 44 mortalities. Probable cause of death for the 44 mortalities was predation (20), hunting (9; licensed 1, unlicensed 8), apparent starvation (4), vehicle collision (1), natural (1), unknown natural (1), health-related (1), unknown health-related (4), and unknown (3). The combined annual survival rate of cow moose from all study areas was 92 ± 8% in 2013/14, 92 ± 5% in 2014/15 and 88 ± 4% in 2015/16 (to April 19, 2016) — all within the normal range for stable moose populations. Preliminary results determined predation was responsible for 45% of the collared moose mortalities. Health testing is pending on samples collected from these collared moose mortalities which may provide insight on body condition or pre-existing conditions that may have increased their vulnerability to predation.

scholarly journals Mountain pine beetles and emerging issues in the management of woodland caribou in Westcentral British Columbia

Rangifer ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Cichowski ◽  
Patrick Williston
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Woodland Caribou ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetles ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Pine Beetles

The Tweedsmuir—Entiako caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) herd summers in mountainous terrain in the North Tweedsmuir Park area and winters mainly in low elevation forests in the Entiako area of Westcentral British Columbia. During winter, caribou select mature lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests on poor sites and forage primarily by cratering through snow to obtain terrestrial lichens. These forests are subject to frequent large-scale natural disturbance by fire and forest insects. Fire suppression has been effective in reducing large-scale fires in the Entiako area for the last 40—50 years, resulting in a landscape consisting primarily of older lodgepole pine forests, which are susceptible to mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) attack. In 1994, mountain pine beetles were detected in northern Tweedsmuir Park and adjacent managed forests. To date, mountain pine beetles have attacked several hundred thousand hectares of caribou summer and winter range in the vicinity of Tweedsmuir Park, and Entiako Park and Protected Area. Because an attack of this scale is unprecedented on woodland caribou ranges, there is no information available on the effects of mountain pine beetles on caribou movements, habitat use or terrestrial forage lichen abundance. Implications of the mountain pine beetle epidemic to the Tweedsmuir—Entiako woodland caribou population include effects on terrestrial lichen abundance, effects on caribou movement (reduced snow interception, blowdown), and increased forest harvesting outside protected areas for mountain pine beetle salvage. In 2001 we initiated a study to investigate the effects of mountain pine beetles and forest harvesting on terrestrial caribou forage lichens. Preliminary results suggest that the abundance of Cladina spp. has decreased with a corresponding increase in kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) and other herbaceous plants. Additional studies are required to determine caribou movement and habitat use responses to the mountain pine beetle epidemic.

scholarly journals The Application of Behaviour-modifying Chemicals to Contain Infestations of the Mountain Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae

1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 235-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Borden ◽  
L. J. Chong ◽  
K. E. G. Pratt ◽  
D. R. Gray
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Mountain Pine Beetle ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Dendroctonus Ponderosae ◽  
Salvage Logging ◽  
Mountain Pine ◽  
Experimental Block ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Overall Ratio

Five replicates of paired forest blocks containing lodgepole pine, Pinus contorts var. latifolia Engelm., infested by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, were chosen in the spring of 1982 in various interior British Columbia locations. Within the experimental block of each pair, one lodgepole pine every 50 m (4 trees/ha) was baited with the attractive semiochemicals myrcene, trans-verbenol and exo-brevicomin. The baiting program caused the attack in 1982 to be concentrated in and around the baited trees, whereas it was more dispersed in the control blocks. The overall ratio of 1982: 1981 attacked trees was 2.5 in the baited blocks and 1.8 in the controls, suggesting that dispersal of beetles out of the baited blocks was inhibited. Baiting of trees with semiochemicals is recommended to contain infestations within prescribed boundaries when sanitation-salvage logging cannot be completed prior to mid-summer flight of emergent brood beetles.

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