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Keyword: Larix occidentalis

Initiating climate adaptation in a western larch forest

Publications Posted on: September 10, 2019
Western larch forests are iconic in the interior northwest, and here we document the preemptive steps that scientists and managers are taking to steward these forests into the future. Changing climate is forecast to have acute and chronic impacts on growth and disturbance in western larch forests.

Stand density in relation to biological functions in young western larch forests

Publications Posted on: August 17, 2018
Dynamic change - that is what we see in the establishment and development of western larch (Larix occidentalis) forests. Spawned by traumatic events such as fire, harvesting, or post- harvest treatments that prepare receptive seedbeds, larch regenerates promptly and more often than not, excessively over much of its natural range (Schmidt and others 1976).

Density-dependent woody detritus accumulation in an even-aged, single-species forest

Publications Posted on: August 17, 2018
Deadwood in forests influences fire intensity, stores carbon and nutrients, and provides wildlife habitat. We used a 54-year-old density management experiment in Larix occidentalis Nutt. forests to evaluate density dependence of woody detritus accumulation. Based on self-thinning theory, we expected woody detritus produced by the current stand to increase with stand density.

Cone and seed production of western larch in response to girdling and nitrogen fertilization - an update

Publications Posted on: May 11, 2018
Western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) is a sporadic cone and seed producer. Because the species is such an important component of the -Northern Rocky Mountain forests, methods of increasing seed production are needed. Girdling, fertilizing, and a combination of the two were used on 75-year-old western larch in northern Idaho.

Early forest thinning changes aboveground carbon distribution among pools, but not total amount

Publications Posted on: January 12, 2017
Mounting concerns about global climate change have increased interest in the potential to use common forest management practices, such as forest density management with thinning, in climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Long-term effects of forest density management on total aboveground C are not well understood, especially for precommercial thinning (PCT) implemented very early in stand development.

The making of a scar: How fire scars develop in trees

Science Spotlights Posted on: September 12, 2016
When trees are injured they develop physical and chemical boundaries around the injury wound to resist infection. Trees also grow new wood to close over the injured place. Injuries caused by fires result in fire scars and we use the patterns of scarring among many trees to understand when and how often fires burn.  This research helps to understand the biological process of fire scar formation and use it to improve fire history analysis.

Fertilization in western larch forests

Documents and Media Posted on: August 20, 2015
Forest fertilization is effective as one means of increasing timber production. This report describes the status of fertilization research in the western larch type in Montana, and lists the locations of established experimental forest fertilization plots. Document Type: White Papers

Larix occidentalis Nutt.: Western larch

Documents and Media Posted on: August 20, 2015
Western larch (Larix occidentalis), a deciduous conifer, is also called tamarack and western tamarack; less commonly used names are hackmatack, mountain larch, and Montana larch. It is largest of the larches and is the most important timber species of the genus. Western larch is used for lumber, fine veneer, poles, ties, mine timbers, and pulpwood. Document Type: Other Documents

Why do larches turn yellow?

Pages Posted on: May 05, 2015
Larches are one of the few coniferous trees to change colors and lose their needles in the fall. West

Resin duct size and density as ecophysiological traits in fire scars of Pseudotsuga menziesii and Larix occidentalis

Publications Posted on: October 03, 2014
Resin ducts (RDs) are features present in most conifer species as defence structures against pests and pathogens; however, little is known about RD expression in trees following fire injury.

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