Keyword: forest succession

First-year postfire and postharvest soil temperatures in aspen and conifer stands

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands are in decline throughout the Interior Western United States because of fire suppression, overbrowsing by domestic livestock and native ungulates, and forest succession.

Fire ecology of the forest habitat types of eastern Idaho and western Wyoming

Provides information on fire as an ecological factor in the forest habitat types occurring in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming. Identifies Fire Groups based on fire's role in forest succession. Describes forest fuels and suggests considerations for fire management.

Using Forest Health Monitoring to assess aspen forest cover change in the southern Rockies ecoregion

Long-term qualitative observations suggest a marked decline in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) primarily due to advancing succession and fire suppression. This study presents an ecoregional coarse-grid analysis of the current aspen situation using Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) data from Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado.

The Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project: How did it happen?

Greg Jones asked last winter if Leslie Weldon and I present a synoptic paper on the early history of the Bitterroot Ecosystem Management/Research Project (BEMRP). I agreed, as did Leslie, but as you can see she is not here. Leslie had other last-minute commitments to deal with so what you see is what you get. There is far more detail about BEMRP than time here permits; I hope this summary suffices.

The effect of time period on point count methodology for monitoring breeding birds

The traditional time period to survey breeding birds in low elevation forests of western Montana is from the middle of May through early July. There are some bird species, however, that begin their breeding cycle before these surveys begin and, therefore, may not be as vocal or active during the traditional survey period.

Silvicultural treatments

Sustainable, ecologically-based management of pine/ fir forests requires silviculturists to integrate several treatments that emulate historic disturbance processes.

Fire applications in ecosystem management

Decades of fire absence from ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests has resulted in overstocked, unhealthy, and severe fireprone stands requiring management attention. Prescribed fire can be used in three general situations during restoration management. First is when fuel loadings are excessive from either natural accumulation or harvest slash. Second is when dense understory conifers are thinned and burned.

Great Basin Research and Management Project: Restoring and maintaining riparian ecosystem integrity

The Great Basin Research and Management Project was initiated in 1994 by the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station’s Ecology, Paleoecology, and Restoration of Great Basin Watersheds Project to address the problems of stream incision and riparian ecosystem degradation in central Nevada. It is a highly interdisciplinary project that is being conducted in cooperation with the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Sequential use of simulation and optimization in analysis and planning

Management activities are analyzed at landscape scales employing both simulation and optimization. SIMPPLLE, a stochastic simulation modeling system, is initially applied to assess the risks associated with a specific natural process occurring on the current landscape without management treatments, but with fire suppression.

Developing an ecosystem diversity framework for landscape assessment

Ecological diversity is being addressed in various research and management efforts, but a common foundation is not explicitly defined or displayed. A formal Ecosystem Diversity Framework (EDF) would improve landscape analysis and communication across multiple scales. The EDF represents a multiple-component vegetation classification system with inherent flexibility for a broad range of applications.