http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/scifi.shtml Pacific Northwest Research Station - Science Findings en-us http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi213.pdf The marbled murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is a threatened coastal bird that feeds on fish and nests in old-growth forests. In northwest Washington, murrelet populations are declining despite protections provided by the Northwest Forest Plan. Lorenz, Teresa J.; Raphael, Martin; Bloxton, Thomas Tue., 01 Feb 2019 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 213. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi211.pdf Wildfires consume existing forest fuels but also leave behind dead shrubs and trees that become fuel to future wildfires. Harvesting firekilled trees is sometimes proposed as an economical approach for reducing future fuels and wildfire severity. Postfire logging, however, is controversial. Some question its fuel reduction benefits and its ecological impacts. Peterson, David W. Tue., 01 Nov 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 211. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi210.pdf Diameter growth is seasonal in Douglas-fir, the evergreen tree found in much of western Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Initiation and cessation of diameter growth are both triggered by environmental cues. The tree responds to these cues to improve its chances of growing under favorable conditions. As environmental conditions change, however, land managers want to know how warmer summers and falls may affect diameter growth in Douglas-fir. Harrington, Connie; St. Clair, Brad; Ford, Kevin Tue., 01 Oct 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 210. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi209.pdf Accurate measurements of natural resources are a prerequisite for resource assessment. Demetrios Gatziolis, a scientist with the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, and his colleagues with Washington State University developed and tested protocols for using structure-from-motion photogrammetry to obtain data that can be used to construct 3-dimensional (3-D) representations of trees, other vegetation, and down wood. This type of photogrammetry is a remote-sensing technique based on a sequence of digital images or video footage. Gatziolis and his colleagues focused on developing protocols for using it under the forest canopy. Their method can serve as a guide for others interested in obtaining inexpensive, precise 3-D data of trees in field plots. The researchers continue to perfect the technology so it can be reliably deployed by field crews with a minimal amount of training. Gatziolis, Demetrios Tue., 01 Sep 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 209. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi208.pdf Millions of people head to federal lands every year for recreation—891 million visits in 2016 alone. These visits have significant economic implications, not only for restaurants, resorts, outfitters, and other businesses near recreation sites, but also for the people actually participating in outdoor recreation. White, Eric; Kline, Jeffrey Tue., 01 Jul 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 208. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi207.pdf Although burned trees are the most visible damage following a wildfire, a forest’s soil can also be damaged. The heat generated by a wildfire can alter the soil’s physical properties and kill the fungi and bacteria that are responsible for nutrient cycling and other ecosystem services. What isn’t well understood is the extent of the heating within the soil and how quickly the soil recovers. Smith, Jane E.; Cowan, Ariel D.; Jumpponen, Ari Tue., 01 Jun 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 207. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi206.pdf Increasing the population of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in Washington state’s Methow River is a goal of the Upper Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Recovery Plan. Spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead are listed as endangered and threatened, respectively, under the Endangered Species Act. Bellmore, J. Ryan; Benjamin, Joseph; Baxter, Colden Tue., 01 Apr 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 206. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi205.pdf Air quality is a critical issue affecting the health of billions of people worldwide, yet often little is known about what is in the air we breathe. To reduce air pollution’s health impacts, pollution sources must first be reliably identified. Otherwise, it is impossible to design and effectively enforce environmental standards. However, urban networks of air quality monitors are often too widely spaced to identify the sources of air pollutants, especially for pollutants that do not disperse far from their sources. Developing high-resolution pollution maps with data from these widely spaced monitors is problematic. Jovan, Sarah; Gatziolis, Demetrios; Monleon, Vicente Tue., 01 Mar 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 205. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi204.pdf Resource managers have long mapped biophysical forest data. Often lacking, however, is relevant social science data for understanding the variety of human needs a given landscape fulfills. Cerveny, Lee Tue., 01 Feb 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 204. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi203.pdf A balanced diet and regular exercise are fundamental for good health, and a daily dose of nature may be equally important. Nearly 40 years of research has demonstrated that “metro nature”—nature found in urban environments, such as parks or tree-lined streets—provides positive and measurable health benefits and improves people’s quality of life. Wolf, Kathleen Tue., 01 Jan 2018 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 203. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi202.pdf With the passage of the Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960, the U.S. Forest Service has managed its 193 million acres of forest and grassland for multiple uses, including timber, watersheds, and wildlife. Using today’s terminology, some of these purposes are considered ecosystem services, which encompass a breadth of benefits provided by forests, including their ability to absorb and store atmospheric carbon, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. Spies, Thomas; Kline, Jeffrey; Cohen, Warren Tue., 01 Nov 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 202. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi200.pdf Interest in landscape-scale approaches to fire management and forest restoration is growing with the realization that these approaches are critical to maintaining healthy forests and protecting nearby communities. However, coordinated planning and action across multiple ownerships have been elusive because of differing goals and forest management styles among landowners. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research Station and their colleagues recognized that working at the landscape scale requires integrating the biophysical, social, and economic dimensions of the problem, and this necessitates collecting new types of information and inventing new tools. Charnley, Susan; Spies, Thomas; Kline, Jeff; White, Eric Tue., 01 Sep 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 200. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi199.pdf Woodpeckers and other cavity-excavating birds worldwide are keystone species. These birds excavate their nests out of solid wood, and because their nests are often well protected against predators and the environment, other species use and compete for their old, vacant nests. The presence of cavity-excavating birds in forests has far-reaching effects on species richness and ecosystem health. Lorenz, Teresa Tue., 01 Aug 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 199. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi198.pdf In the Pacific Northwest, native salmon and trout are some of the toughest survivors on the block. Over time, these fish have evolved behavioral adaptations to natural disturbances, and they rely on these disturbances to deliver coarse sediment and wood that become complex stream habitat. Powerful disturbances such as wildfire, postfire landslides, and debris flows may be detrimental to fish populations in the short term, but over time, they enrich instream habitats, enhancing long-term fish survival and productivity. Flitcroft, Rebecca; Reeves, Gordon; Hessburg, Paul Tue., 01 Jul 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 198. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi197.pdf Landscape exposure to multiple stressors can pose risks to human health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Attempts to study, control, or mitigate these stressors can strain public and private budgets. An interdisciplinary team of Pacific Northwest Research Station and Oregon State University scientists created maps of the conterminous United States that indicate landscape exposure to concentrated wildfire potential, insects and disease risk, urban and exurban development, and climate change. The maps, which show where these stressors might occur and overlap, provide a valuable resource for regional and national land use, land management, and policymaking efforts by helping to guide resource prioritization. Kerns, Becky; Kim, John; Kline, Jeff Tue., 01 Jun 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 197. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi196.pdf Alaska’s Arctic tundra is one of the most rapidly warming regions in the world. For years, scientists have been working to interpret the effects of its changing climate and determine what these changes may mean for the rest of the planet. Coarse-scale satellite imagery of much of this region shows the tundra is becoming greener. This has been widely attributed to shrub expansion. Pattison, Robert Tue., 01 May 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 196. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Mervin Leigh http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi195.pdf As a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United States annually compiles a report on the nation's carbon flux—the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere compared to the amount stored by terrestrial landscapes. Gray, Andrew; Whittier, Thomas Tue., 04 Apr 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 195. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi194.pdf Societies use biologically active chemicals as medicines and pesticides to protect human and agricultural health. But widespread use of synthetic compounds raises concerns about their safety, and resistance development in targeted pests. Kelsey, Rick; Karchesy, Joe Wed., 01 Mar 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 194. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi193.pdf In recent decades, dam removal has emerged as a viable national and international strategy for river restoration. Grant, Gordon Wed., 01 Feb 2017 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 193. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi192.pdf Martens are small forest carnivores associated with dense, mature forests. Moriarty, Katie Thur., 29 Dec 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 192. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi191.pdf Land use and climate change are two key factors with the potential to affect stream conditions and fish habitat. Since the 1950s, Washington and Oregon have required forest practices designed to mitigate the effects of timber harvest on streams and fish. Penaluna, Brooke; Dunham, Jason Wed., 30 Nov 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 191. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi190.pdf Mount St. Helens' explosive eruption on May 18, 1980, was a pivotal moment in the field of disturbance ecology. Crisafulli, Charlie Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 190. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi189.pdf Effectively addressing wildfire risk to communities on large multi-owner landscapes requires an understanding of the biophysical factors that influence risk, such as fuel loads, topography, and weather, and social factors such as the capacity and willingness for communities to engage in fire-mitigation activities. Ager, Alan; Kline, Jeff; Fischer, Paige Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 189. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi188.pdf Since 1960, the Forest Service has been guided by the multiple-use concept, which recognizes five major uses for public lands-timber, water, range, recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat-and mandates that all five should be equally considered in management plans. Deal, Robert; Smith, Nikola; Blahna, Dale; Kline, Jeff Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 188. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi187.pdf Much of the water supply in the Pacific Northwest originates in national forests. It sustains the region’s aquatic ecosystems, agriculture, hydroelectric power, and community water supplies. Grant, Gordon; Safeeq, Mohammad Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 187. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi186.pdf Higher global temperatures are changing ecosystems in the Arctic. They are becoming greener as the climate and land become more hospitable to taller vegetation. Marcot, Bruce Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 186. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi185.pdf Sustainable working landscapes are critical to the conservation of biodiversity in the American West and its cultures of rural ranching and forestry. Charnley, Susan Wed., 19 Oct 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 185. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi184.pdf Earth's climate is changing, as evidenced by warming temperatures, increased temperature variability, fluctuating precipitation patterns, and climate-related environmental disturbances. Peterson, David W.; Kerns, Becky Tue., 05 Apr 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 184. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi183.pdf Trees bursting forth with new leaves signal the arrival of spring. Budburst for most temperate tree species occurs after a tree has been exposed to a sufficient number of chilling and forcing hours over the winter. Watts, Andrea; Harrington, Connie; Gould, Peter. Tue., 01 Mar 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 183. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi182.pdf The Chugach and Tongass National Forests are changing, possibly in response to global warming. Barrett, Tara MonTue., 02 Feb 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 182. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi181.pdf National forests and grasslands are home to a diverse array of wildlife. Rowland, Mary; Vojta, Christina Tue., 05 Jan 2016 12:00:00 PST Science Findings 181. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p. Tiffany Chau