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• 1. [Article] Road Ecology Course and Seminar Series

  The American road network is a major economic investment that is a major organizing force for human activity. The road system has profoundly altered ecological processes and, as a result, it is also an ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Road Ecology Course and Seminar Series Author: Sytsma, Mark D. Year: 2008 The American road network is a major economic investment that is a major organizing force for human activity. The road system has profoundly altered ecological processes and, as a result, it is also an important organizing force for ecosystems. Understanding the ecological consequences of road system design and use is critical to effective engineering and management of road systems to minimize impacts. I propose a new course within Environmental Science and Resources at PSU that will expose upper division undergraduate and graduate students to the fundamental concepts of road ecology through discussion, guest speakers, and field trips. I propose a student-led discussion course focusing on the book Road Ecology, edited by Forman et al. This book provides an introduction to the basic concepts underlying road impacts on the environment. Students will be required to read the book; discussion of each chapter will be led by a student who will make a presentation on results of a search of the primary literature on the subject of each chapter. The classroom discussion will be supplemented with guest speakers that will bring real- world examples to the classroom. Potential topics for guest speakers include: impacts of highway runoff and roadside spraying on water quality, impacts of roads on erosional processes, impacts of culverts on anadromous fish passage, mitigation of habitat fragmentation and road impacts on animal movements, and role of maintenance activities in facilitating weed invasions. Invited speakers will also be requested to provide a departmental seminar to communicate road ecology principles to a wider audience of undergraduate and graduate students in Environmental Science and Resources. Field trips to observe road impacts and mitigation measures will add to students understanding of road ecology. We will schedule field trips to observe impacts as well as efforts to mitigate environmental effects of roads. Students performance will be evaluated by participation in class discussions and field trips, and a term paper. Undergraduates will be required to write a literature review on an aspect of road ecology of their choosing. Graduate students will be required to write a proposal to investigate some aspect of road ecology. Following completion of the course students will have a broad understanding of the environmental impacts of road systems on ecological processes and methods of mitigating impacts. Graduate students will have a research proposal that may be appropriate for submittal to OTREC for funding. Title: Road Ecology Course and Seminar Series Author: Sytsma, Mark D. Year: 2008 The American road network is a major economic investment that is a major organizing force for human activity. The road system has profoundly altered ecological processes and, as a result, it is also an important organizing force for ecosystems. Understanding the ecological consequences of road system design and use is critical to effective engineering and management of road systems to minimize impacts. I propose a new course within Environmental Science and Resources at PSU that will expose upper division undergraduate and graduate students to the fundamental concepts of road ecology through discussion, guest speakers, and field trips. I propose a student-led discussion course focusing on the book Road Ecology, edited by Forman et al. This book provides an introduction to the basic concepts underlying road impacts on the environment. Students will be required to read the book; discussion of each chapter will be led by a student who will make a presentation on results of a search of the primary literature on the subject of each chapter. The classroom discussion will be supplemented with guest speakers that will bring real- world examples to the classroom. Potential topics for guest speakers include: impacts of highway runoff and roadside spraying on water quality, impacts of roads on erosional processes, impacts of culverts on anadromous fish passage, mitigation of habitat fragmentation and road impacts on animal movements, and role of maintenance activities in facilitating weed invasions. Invited speakers will also be requested to provide a departmental seminar to communicate road ecology principles to a wider audience of undergraduate and graduate students in Environmental Science and Resources. Field trips to observe road impacts and mitigation measures will add to students understanding of road ecology. We will schedule field trips to observe impacts as well as efforts to mitigate environmental effects of roads. Students performance will be evaluated by participation in class discussions and field trips, and a term paper. Undergraduates will be required to write a literature review on an aspect of road ecology of their choosing. Graduate students will be required to write a proposal to investigate some aspect of road ecology. Following completion of the course students will have a broad understanding of the environmental impacts of road systems on ecological processes and methods of mitigating impacts. Graduate students will have a research proposal that may be appropriate for submittal to OTREC for funding. Close

• 2. [Article] Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community

  With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community Author: Gonsalves, Sydney Marie Year: 2016 With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, and changes in biodiversity. However, urban green spaces, including green roofs, can also provide important pools of biodiversity and contribute to regional gamma diversity, while novel species assemblages can enhance some ecosystem services. Green roofs may also mitigate species loss in urban areas and have been shown to support a surprising diversity of invertebrates, including rare and endangered species. In the first part of this study I reviewed the literature on urban invertebrate communities and diversity to better understand the role of green roofs in providing habitat in the context of the larger urban mosaic. My review concluded that, while other factors such as surrounding land use and connectivity are also important to specific invertebrate taxa, local habitat variables contribute substantially to the structure and diversity of urban invertebrate communities. The importance of local habitat variables in urban green spaces and strong support for the habitat complexity hypothesis in a number of other ecosystems has led to proposals that "biodiverse" roofs--those intentionally designed with varied substrate depth, greater plant diversity, or added elements such as logs or stones--would support greater invertebrate diversity, but there is currently limited peer reviewed data to support this. In order to address the habitat complexity hypothesis in the context of green roofs, in the second part of this study I surveyed three roofs designed primarily for stormwater management, three biodiverse roofs, and five ground-level green spaces, from March until September of 2014 in the Portland metropolitan area. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sampled bi-weekly as representatives of total species diversity. Biodiverse roofs had greater richness, abundance, and diversity of beetle species compared to stormwater roofs, but were not more diverse than ground sites. Both biodiverse roofs and ground sites had approximately 20% native beetle species while stormwater roofs had only 5%. Functional diversity was also higher on biodiverse roofs with an average of seven trophic groups represented, while stormwater roofs averaged only three. Ground sites, biodiverse roofs, and stormwater roofs each grouped distinctively in terms of beetle community composition and biodiverse roof communities were found to be positively correlated with roof age, percent plant cover, average plant height, and plant species richness. These results support the findings of previous studies on the importance of local variables in structuring urban invertebrate communities and suggest that biodiverse design can reliably increase greenroof diversity, with the caution that they remain no replacement for ground level conservation. Title: Green Roofs and Urban Biodiversity: Their Role as Invertebrate Habitat and the Effect of Design on Beetle Community Author: Gonsalves, Sydney Marie Year: 2016 With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban areas represent one of earth's few ecosystems that are increasing in extent, and are sites of altered biogeochemical cycles, habitat fragmentation, and changes in biodiversity. However, urban green spaces, including green roofs, can also provide important pools of biodiversity and contribute to regional gamma diversity, while novel species assemblages can enhance some ecosystem services. Green roofs may also mitigate species loss in urban areas and have been shown to support a surprising diversity of invertebrates, including rare and endangered species. In the first part of this study I reviewed the literature on urban invertebrate communities and diversity to better understand the role of green roofs in providing habitat in the context of the larger urban mosaic. My review concluded that, while other factors such as surrounding land use and connectivity are also important to specific invertebrate taxa, local habitat variables contribute substantially to the structure and diversity of urban invertebrate communities. The importance of local habitat variables in urban green spaces and strong support for the habitat complexity hypothesis in a number of other ecosystems has led to proposals that "biodiverse" roofs--those intentionally designed with varied substrate depth, greater plant diversity, or added elements such as logs or stones--would support greater invertebrate diversity, but there is currently limited peer reviewed data to support this. In order to address the habitat complexity hypothesis in the context of green roofs, in the second part of this study I surveyed three roofs designed primarily for stormwater management, three biodiverse roofs, and five ground-level green spaces, from March until September of 2014 in the Portland metropolitan area. Beetles (Coleoptera) were sampled bi-weekly as representatives of total species diversity. Biodiverse roofs had greater richness, abundance, and diversity of beetle species compared to stormwater roofs, but were not more diverse than ground sites. Both biodiverse roofs and ground sites had approximately 20% native beetle species while stormwater roofs had only 5%. Functional diversity was also higher on biodiverse roofs with an average of seven trophic groups represented, while stormwater roofs averaged only three. Ground sites, biodiverse roofs, and stormwater roofs each grouped distinctively in terms of beetle community composition and biodiverse roof communities were found to be positively correlated with roof age, percent plant cover, average plant height, and plant species richness. These results support the findings of previous studies on the importance of local variables in structuring urban invertebrate communities and suggest that biodiverse design can reliably increase greenroof diversity, with the caution that they remain no replacement for ground level conservation. Close

• 3. [Article] Carbon Sequestration in the New Jersey Pine Barrens Under Different Scenarios of Fire Management

  The New Jersey Pine Barrens (NJPB) is the largest forested area along the northeastern coast of the United States. The NJPB are dominated by pine (Pinus spp.) and oak (Quercus spp.) stands that are fragmented ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Carbon Sequestration in the New Jersey Pine Barrens Under Different Scenarios of Fire Management Author: Scheller, Robert M., Van Tuyl, Steve, Clark, Kenneth L., Hom, John, La Puma, Inga Year: 2011 The New Jersey Pine Barrens (NJPB) is the largest forested area along the northeastern coast of the United States. The NJPB are dominated by pine (Pinus spp.) and oak (Quercus spp.) stands that are fragmented and subject to frequent disturbance and forest management. Over long time periods (>50 years), the balance between oak and pine dominance is determined by fire frequency. As a consequence, the ability of the NJPB to sequester carbon may be contingent upon management activities as well as patterns of historic land use. We simulated 100 years of carbon change using three scenarios: (1) contemporary management as reflected in the recent (1991–2006) fire records, (2) an increase in the fire ignitions within the wildland urban interface areas of the NJPB reflecting increased prescribed fires, and (3) a longer response time to wildfires, reflecting a more liberal burning policy by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. We used the LANDIS-II model coupled with CENTURY and the Dynamic Fire and Dynamic Biomass Fuels extensions to estimate forest carbon sequestration based on these three scenarios. Calibration and validation via comparison to monthly flux tower data indicated that the model reasonably captured the timing and magnitude of net ecosystem exchange in the absence of Gypsy moth defoliation (r2 = 0.89). Under all scenarios, our simulations suggest that forests of the NJPB will continue to accumulate carbon over the next 100 years under current climatic conditions. Although above ground net primary productivity, live carbon, and detrital carbon were roughly constant or increased only modestly, soil organic carbon continued to increase through time for all forest types except the highly xeric pine plains. Our simulated changes in management reflected only minor alterations to the fire regime and thus management may have only minor effects on total forest carbon budgets in the immediate future particularly when compared to recovery from historic disturbance patterns. Title: Carbon Sequestration in the New Jersey Pine Barrens Under Different Scenarios of Fire Management Author: Scheller, Robert M., Van Tuyl, Steve, Clark, Kenneth L., Hom, John, La Puma, Inga Year: 2011 The New Jersey Pine Barrens (NJPB) is the largest forested area along the northeastern coast of the United States. The NJPB are dominated by pine (Pinus spp.) and oak (Quercus spp.) stands that are fragmented and subject to frequent disturbance and forest management. Over long time periods (>50 years), the balance between oak and pine dominance is determined by fire frequency. As a consequence, the ability of the NJPB to sequester carbon may be contingent upon management activities as well as patterns of historic land use. We simulated 100 years of carbon change using three scenarios: (1) contemporary management as reflected in the recent (1991–2006) fire records, (2) an increase in the fire ignitions within the wildland urban interface areas of the NJPB reflecting increased prescribed fires, and (3) a longer response time to wildfires, reflecting a more liberal burning policy by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. We used the LANDIS-II model coupled with CENTURY and the Dynamic Fire and Dynamic Biomass Fuels extensions to estimate forest carbon sequestration based on these three scenarios. Calibration and validation via comparison to monthly flux tower data indicated that the model reasonably captured the timing and magnitude of net ecosystem exchange in the absence of Gypsy moth defoliation (r2 = 0.89). Under all scenarios, our simulations suggest that forests of the NJPB will continue to accumulate carbon over the next 100 years under current climatic conditions. Although above ground net primary productivity, live carbon, and detrital carbon were roughly constant or increased only modestly, soil organic carbon continued to increase through time for all forest types except the highly xeric pine plains. Our simulated changes in management reflected only minor alterations to the fire regime and thus management may have only minor effects on total forest carbon budgets in the immediate future particularly when compared to recovery from historic disturbance patterns. Close

• 4. [Article] Predicting global change effects on forest biomass and composition in south-central Siberia

  Multiple global changes such as timber harvesting in areas not previously disturbed by cutting and climate change will undoubtedly affect the composition and spatial distribution of boreal forests, which ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Predicting global change effects on forest biomass and composition in south-central Siberia Author: Gustafson, Eric J., Shvidenko, Anatoly Z., Sturtevant, Brian R., Scheller, Robert M. Year: 2010 Multiple global changes such as timber harvesting in areas not previously disturbed by cutting and climate change will undoubtedly affect the composition and spatial distribution of boreal forests, which will, in turn, affect the ability of these forests to retain carbon and maintain biodiversity. To predict future states of the boreal forest reliably, it is necessary to understand the complex interactions among forest regenerative processes (succession), natural disturbances (e.g., fire, wind, and insects), and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., timber harvest). We used a landscape succession and disturbance model (LANDIS-II) to study the relative effects of climate change, timber harvesting, and insect outbreaks on forest composition, biomass (carbon), and landscape pattern in south-central Siberia. We found that most response variables were more strongly influenced by timber harvest and insect outbreaks than by the direct effects of climate change. Direct climate effects generally increased tree productivity and modified probability of establishment, but indirect effects on the fire regime generally counteracted the direct effects of climate on forest composition. Harvest and insects significantly changed forest composition, reduced living aboveground biomass, and increased forest fragmentation. We concluded that: (1) Global change is likely to significantly change forest composition of south-central Siberian landscapes, with some changes taking ecosystems outside the historic range of variability. (2) The direct effects of climate change in the study area are not as significant as the exploitation of virgin forest by timber harvest and the potential increased outbreaks of the Siberian silk moth. (3) Novel disturbance by timber harvest and insect outbreaks may greatly reduce the aboveground living biomass of Siberian forests and may significantly alter ecosystem dynamics and wildlife populations by increasing forest fragmentation. Title: Predicting global change effects on forest biomass and composition in south-central Siberia Author: Gustafson, Eric J., Shvidenko, Anatoly Z., Sturtevant, Brian R., Scheller, Robert M. Year: 2010 Multiple global changes such as timber harvesting in areas not previously disturbed by cutting and climate change will undoubtedly affect the composition and spatial distribution of boreal forests, which will, in turn, affect the ability of these forests to retain carbon and maintain biodiversity. To predict future states of the boreal forest reliably, it is necessary to understand the complex interactions among forest regenerative processes (succession), natural disturbances (e.g., fire, wind, and insects), and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., timber harvest). We used a landscape succession and disturbance model (LANDIS-II) to study the relative effects of climate change, timber harvesting, and insect outbreaks on forest composition, biomass (carbon), and landscape pattern in south-central Siberia. We found that most response variables were more strongly influenced by timber harvest and insect outbreaks than by the direct effects of climate change. Direct climate effects generally increased tree productivity and modified probability of establishment, but indirect effects on the fire regime generally counteracted the direct effects of climate on forest composition. Harvest and insects significantly changed forest composition, reduced living aboveground biomass, and increased forest fragmentation. We concluded that: (1) Global change is likely to significantly change forest composition of south-central Siberian landscapes, with some changes taking ecosystems outside the historic range of variability. (2) The direct effects of climate change in the study area are not as significant as the exploitation of virgin forest by timber harvest and the potential increased outbreaks of the Siberian silk moth. (3) Novel disturbance by timber harvest and insect outbreaks may greatly reduce the aboveground living biomass of Siberian forests and may significantly alter ecosystem dynamics and wildlife populations by increasing forest fragmentation. Close

• 5. [Article] Creating Useful and Usable Climate Tools for Sagebrush Land Management Through Scientist and Manager Collaboration

  The sagebrush ecosystem, home to numerous plant and animal species including big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and the endemic greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), has endured fragmentation ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Creating Useful and Usable Climate Tools for Sagebrush Land Management Through Scientist and Manager Collaboration Author: Brown, Melanie The sagebrush ecosystem, home to numerous plant and animal species including big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and the endemic greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), has endured fragmentation and degradation of both quantity and quality due to the cumulative and synergistic relationships between an abundance of individual disturbances including grazing, invasive annuals and fire. Climate change may now be an additional threat that poses the greatest risk to these imperiled habitats. Natural resource agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) seek to conserve sagelands through land management activities that ensure the survival of sage-grouse and continuity of the sagebrush biome. Web-based climate tools can help convey climate information that may be necessary for long-term land management, but these tools may not agree with the needs of land managers, may be too complex, or may be misinterpreted. To overcome barriers of user compatibility, the participation of both climate scientists and land managers is necessary during tool development. With the collaboration of Oregon and Idaho BLM sagebrush land managers and climate scientists, this study sought to assess land manager needs and define the criteria for useful and useable climate tools. Using an initial online survey, individual phone interviews with land managers, and a follow-up online survey, a series of land management activities and related climate variables were identified, and several web-based climate tools were assessed. Most managers perform vegetation management through a variety of means including seeding and herbicide application. Such activities are affected by the magnitude and timing of precipitation and temperature, as well as other variables, on seasonal and annual timeframes. For planning purposes land managers also need information on long-term 10-20 year climate trends. The act of listening to the needs of land managers uncovered communication barriers, and provided feedback on existing climate tools emphasizing accessibility, dependability and consistency, clear explanation of terminology, effective visualizations, and relevant spatial and temporal scales to the scope of management activities. We also identified a need for basic information and education on the location of existing climate tools and climate impacts, and a need for near-term forecasting tools that could bridge the gap between weather (≤ 6 months) and climate (≥ 30 years) projections. Title: Creating Useful and Usable Climate Tools for Sagebrush Land Management Through Scientist and Manager Collaboration Author: Brown, Melanie The sagebrush ecosystem, home to numerous plant and animal species including big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and the endemic greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), has endured fragmentation and degradation of both quantity and quality due to the cumulative and synergistic relationships between an abundance of individual disturbances including grazing, invasive annuals and fire. Climate change may now be an additional threat that poses the greatest risk to these imperiled habitats. Natural resource agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) seek to conserve sagelands through land management activities that ensure the survival of sage-grouse and continuity of the sagebrush biome. Web-based climate tools can help convey climate information that may be necessary for long-term land management, but these tools may not agree with the needs of land managers, may be too complex, or may be misinterpreted. To overcome barriers of user compatibility, the participation of both climate scientists and land managers is necessary during tool development. With the collaboration of Oregon and Idaho BLM sagebrush land managers and climate scientists, this study sought to assess land manager needs and define the criteria for useful and useable climate tools. Using an initial online survey, individual phone interviews with land managers, and a follow-up online survey, a series of land management activities and related climate variables were identified, and several web-based climate tools were assessed. Most managers perform vegetation management through a variety of means including seeding and herbicide application. Such activities are affected by the magnitude and timing of precipitation and temperature, as well as other variables, on seasonal and annual timeframes. For planning purposes land managers also need information on long-term 10-20 year climate trends. The act of listening to the needs of land managers uncovered communication barriers, and provided feedback on existing climate tools emphasizing accessibility, dependability and consistency, clear explanation of terminology, effective visualizations, and relevant spatial and temporal scales to the scope of management activities. We also identified a need for basic information and education on the location of existing climate tools and climate impacts, and a need for near-term forecasting tools that could bridge the gap between weather (≤ 6 months) and climate (≥ 30 years) projections. Close

• 6. [Article] Broad-scale patterns of invertebrate richness and community composition in temporary rivers: effects of flow intermittence

  To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by John Wiley ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Broad-scale patterns of invertebrate richness and community composition in temporary rivers: effects of flow intermittence Author: Larned, S. T., Bogan, M. T., Wood, P. J., Santos, A. N., Meyer, E. I., Datry, T., Fritz, K. M. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1600-0587. Title: Broad-scale patterns of invertebrate richness and community composition in temporary rivers: effects of flow intermittence Author: Larned, S. T., Bogan, M. T., Wood, P. J., Santos, A. N., Meyer, E. I., Datry, T., Fritz, K. M. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and can be found at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1600-0587. Close

• 7. [Article] Managing wildlife habitats in forested ecosystems

  Published March 1996. Reprinted August 2006. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Managing wildlife habitats in forested ecosystems Author: Edge, W. Daniel, Oregon State University. Extension Service Published March 1996. Reprinted August 2006. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Title: Managing wildlife habitats in forested ecosystems Author: Edge, W. Daniel, Oregon State University. Extension Service Published March 1996. Reprinted August 2006. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog Close

• 8. [Article] Intercomparison of MODIS albedo retrievals and in situ measurements across the global FLUXNET network

  This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Elsevier and can be found at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/remote-sensing-of-environment/#description. To the best of our ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Intercomparison of MODIS albedo retrievals and in situ measurements across the global FLUXNET network Author: Yang, Xiaoyuan, Vannan, Suresh K. Santhana, Law, Beverly E., Richardson, Andrew D., Roman, Miguel O., Moors, Eddy, Matteucci, Giorgio, Migliavacca, Mirco, Seufert, Guenther, Ciais, Philippe, Cook, Robert B., Schaaf, Crystal B., Pan, Jerry Yun, Cescatti, Alessandro, Marcolla, Barbara This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Elsevier and can be found at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/remote-sensing-of-environment/#description. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. Title: Intercomparison of MODIS albedo retrievals and in situ measurements across the global FLUXNET network Author: Yang, Xiaoyuan, Vannan, Suresh K. Santhana, Law, Beverly E., Richardson, Andrew D., Roman, Miguel O., Moors, Eddy, Matteucci, Giorgio, Migliavacca, Mirco, Seufert, Guenther, Ciais, Philippe, Cook, Robert B., Schaaf, Crystal B., Pan, Jerry Yun, Cescatti, Alessandro, Marcolla, Barbara This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by Elsevier and can be found at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/remote-sensing-of-environment/#description. To the best of our knowledge, one or more authors of this paper were federal employees when contributing to this work. Close

• 9. [Article] Historical change in channel form and riparian vegetation of the McKenzie River, Oregon

  This study examined channel structure and position and riparian vegetation and land use on the upper 70 km of the McKenzie River, Oregon in the 1940s, compared the 1940s conditions to present conditions, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Historical change in channel form and riparian vegetation of the McKenzie River, Oregon Author: Minear, Paula J. This study examined channel structure and position and riparian vegetation and land use on the upper 70 km of the McKenzie River, Oregon in the 1940s, compared the 1940s conditions to present conditions, and explored the processes driving change in this system and the implications for aquatic habitat. The hydrologic record was analyzed, and field surveys were conducted and compared to historical habitat surveys. Riparian characteristics and channel features were digitized from aerial photographs from 1945/49 and 1986 and imported into Arcinfo GIS for analysis. Types of data digitized from the aerial photos included locations and length or area of wetted channel, active channel, tributaries, side channels, large woody debris, exposed gravel bars, roads, and dominant vegetation or land use within 200 m of the active channel. Construction of dams on the mainstem Mckenzie River and two major tributaries, Blue River and South Fork, in the 1960s has altered the flow regime and sediment supply to the mainstem Mckenzie, decreasing the frequency, mean and variation of peak flows, reducing the competence of flows to move existing bedload, and cutting off sediment from over half of the drainage area. Mean peak flows decreased 44% and competence of peak flows with a 2-yr recurrence interval declined approximately 29% after dams were constructed upriver. Adjustments to reduced sediment supply and flow alteration by dams in this system included 57% decrease in exposed gravel bars, 40% decrease in side channel length, and possible substrate coarsening (as compared to historical estimates). Channel straightening occurred in each of three instances of channel change during the study period, and sinuosity decreased one half of the amount needed to produce a straight channel in the most susceptible, unconstrained reach. Human actions prior to high flow events played a role in the direction of channel change in each case. Over the entire study area, 7% of the main channel changed position by 30 m or more and little or no change in channel position was noted in reaches constrained by valley floors. Additional channel constraint has been produced by road construction near the channel and riprapping for roads, bridges, and residences. Less large woody debris was observed in the 1986 channel than in the 1949 channel, indicating a reduction in pool-forming agents and channel roughness elements. Frequency of large pools ([greater than or equal to] 2 m depth and >40 m² area) decreased 19% over the study area. The greatest loss in pools (73%) was noted in the unconstrained reach that exhibited two areas of channel change and an increase in exposed gravel bars. Increased human use of the riparian area for roads and residential purposes has led to an increased fragmentation of the riparian landscape. Density of residential or developed patches within the riparian area has increased 215% as more and smaller areas are converted from natural vegetation to human use. Riparian area devoted to roads and residential uses has nearly doubled since the 1940s. Mean vegetation or land-use patch size has decreased from 2.2 ha to 1.6 ha as larger patches have been sub-divided, and patch and edge densities have increased. Agriculture and clearcuts for timber removal have decreased within the riparian area while continuing upslope. Riparian area in mature conifers has decreased 44% from levels in the 1940s while hardwoods have increased 45% in the riparian area. Future wood loading to the channel is reduced by a decline in mature riparian vegetation, especially mature conifers. Channel and riparian changes noted in this study have implications for fish populations. Channel straightening, reduction in side channels, and loss of pool-forming agents reduce habitat heterogeneity and off-channel refugia. Ecosystem management of watersheds requires evaluation of conditions across scales of time and space. The use of GIS in this study made it possible to detect changes in channel form and riparian conditions during four decades, along a 70-m channel and 90-m riparian area and to analyze the large data sets relevant to understanding functions and change in channels and riparian areas. Title: Historical change in channel form and riparian vegetation of the McKenzie River, Oregon Author: Minear, Paula J. This study examined channel structure and position and riparian vegetation and land use on the upper 70 km of the McKenzie River, Oregon in the 1940s, compared the 1940s conditions to present conditions, and explored the processes driving change in this system and the implications for aquatic habitat. The hydrologic record was analyzed, and field surveys were conducted and compared to historical habitat surveys. Riparian characteristics and channel features were digitized from aerial photographs from 1945/49 and 1986 and imported into Arcinfo GIS for analysis. Types of data digitized from the aerial photos included locations and length or area of wetted channel, active channel, tributaries, side channels, large woody debris, exposed gravel bars, roads, and dominant vegetation or land use within 200 m of the active channel. Construction of dams on the mainstem Mckenzie River and two major tributaries, Blue River and South Fork, in the 1960s has altered the flow regime and sediment supply to the mainstem Mckenzie, decreasing the frequency, mean and variation of peak flows, reducing the competence of flows to move existing bedload, and cutting off sediment from over half of the drainage area. Mean peak flows decreased 44% and competence of peak flows with a 2-yr recurrence interval declined approximately 29% after dams were constructed upriver. Adjustments to reduced sediment supply and flow alteration by dams in this system included 57% decrease in exposed gravel bars, 40% decrease in side channel length, and possible substrate coarsening (as compared to historical estimates). Channel straightening occurred in each of three instances of channel change during the study period, and sinuosity decreased one half of the amount needed to produce a straight channel in the most susceptible, unconstrained reach. Human actions prior to high flow events played a role in the direction of channel change in each case. Over the entire study area, 7% of the main channel changed position by 30 m or more and little or no change in channel position was noted in reaches constrained by valley floors. Additional channel constraint has been produced by road construction near the channel and riprapping for roads, bridges, and residences. Less large woody debris was observed in the 1986 channel than in the 1949 channel, indicating a reduction in pool-forming agents and channel roughness elements. Frequency of large pools ([greater than or equal to] 2 m depth and >40 m² area) decreased 19% over the study area. The greatest loss in pools (73%) was noted in the unconstrained reach that exhibited two areas of channel change and an increase in exposed gravel bars. Increased human use of the riparian area for roads and residential purposes has led to an increased fragmentation of the riparian landscape. Density of residential or developed patches within the riparian area has increased 215% as more and smaller areas are converted from natural vegetation to human use. Riparian area devoted to roads and residential uses has nearly doubled since the 1940s. Mean vegetation or land-use patch size has decreased from 2.2 ha to 1.6 ha as larger patches have been sub-divided, and patch and edge densities have increased. Agriculture and clearcuts for timber removal have decreased within the riparian area while continuing upslope. Riparian area in mature conifers has decreased 44% from levels in the 1940s while hardwoods have increased 45% in the riparian area. Future wood loading to the channel is reduced by a decline in mature riparian vegetation, especially mature conifers. Channel and riparian changes noted in this study have implications for fish populations. Channel straightening, reduction in side channels, and loss of pool-forming agents reduce habitat heterogeneity and off-channel refugia. Ecosystem management of watersheds requires evaluation of conditions across scales of time and space. The use of GIS in this study made it possible to detect changes in channel form and riparian conditions during four decades, along a 70-m channel and 90-m riparian area and to analyze the large data sets relevant to understanding functions and change in channels and riparian areas. Close

• 10. [Article] Regional changes in landscape pattern and carbon stores in the interior of British Columbia as determined by satellite imagery

  The detection and mapping of large scale changes to forested landscapes is increasingly important in ecology and management. I used Landsat TM and MSS imagery to map forest cover in 1992 for a 4.2 million ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Regional changes in landscape pattern and carbon stores in the interior of British Columbia as determined by satellite imagery Author: Sachs, Donald The detection and mapping of large scale changes to forested landscapes is increasingly important in ecology and management. I used Landsat TM and MSS imagery to map forest cover in 1992 for a 4.2 million ha area of the interior of British Columbia with an overall classification accuracy of 79%. A combination of unsupervised and supervised classification allowed mapping of forested pixels into closed conifer, semi-open conifer, deciduous, and mixed deciduous and coniferous forest classes. The closed conifer class was further subdivided into old (> 140 years), mature (60 - 140 years), and young (< 60 years) age classes. Unsupervised classification of a combined image containing the Tasseled Cap indices from 1975 and 1992 imagery allowed accurate mapping of disturbances during the period. I examined changes in landscape pattern from 1975 - 1992 by calculating indices that describe overall landscape pattern and that of each cover class. The B.C. biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification map was used as an overlay to calculate landscape pattern and changes by biogeoclimatic zone. Analysis showed that 11.4% of the forested area outside provincial parks was disturbed during the 17 - year period. Disturbed areas were consistently much smaller than conifer patches in all biogeoclimatic zones and had a lower percentage of interior area. Conifer patch shape complexity varied between zones, but the size and shape of disturbed areas were similar in all zones. Results indicated the early stages of fragmentation of this landscape. Models of stand level carbon storage and carbon stores in forest products were used in conjunction with British Columbia Ministry of Forests inventory data to calculate a carbon budget for the Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir forests of the study area. Based on inventory data, the net flux of carbon from these forests to the atmosphere averaged 0.14 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹ between 1975 and 1992. Assuming no harvesting during this period, these forests would have been a net carbon sink averaging 0.39 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹. Calculating the carbon budget using satellite data showed a slight net carbon sink of 0.15 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹ for 1975 - 1992. The major difference between satellite- and inventory-based carbon budgets was due to differences in the simulation of the detrital carbon pool and timing of harvests. The satellite-based estimate failed to account for recovering areas harvested before 1975, and assumed a constant harvest rate. Title: Regional changes in landscape pattern and carbon stores in the interior of British Columbia as determined by satellite imagery Author: Sachs, Donald The detection and mapping of large scale changes to forested landscapes is increasingly important in ecology and management. I used Landsat TM and MSS imagery to map forest cover in 1992 for a 4.2 million ha area of the interior of British Columbia with an overall classification accuracy of 79%. A combination of unsupervised and supervised classification allowed mapping of forested pixels into closed conifer, semi-open conifer, deciduous, and mixed deciduous and coniferous forest classes. The closed conifer class was further subdivided into old (> 140 years), mature (60 - 140 years), and young (< 60 years) age classes. Unsupervised classification of a combined image containing the Tasseled Cap indices from 1975 and 1992 imagery allowed accurate mapping of disturbances during the period. I examined changes in landscape pattern from 1975 - 1992 by calculating indices that describe overall landscape pattern and that of each cover class. The B.C. biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification map was used as an overlay to calculate landscape pattern and changes by biogeoclimatic zone. Analysis showed that 11.4% of the forested area outside provincial parks was disturbed during the 17 - year period. Disturbed areas were consistently much smaller than conifer patches in all biogeoclimatic zones and had a lower percentage of interior area. Conifer patch shape complexity varied between zones, but the size and shape of disturbed areas were similar in all zones. Results indicated the early stages of fragmentation of this landscape. Models of stand level carbon storage and carbon stores in forest products were used in conjunction with British Columbia Ministry of Forests inventory data to calculate a carbon budget for the Engelmann spruce - subalpine fir forests of the study area. Based on inventory data, the net flux of carbon from these forests to the atmosphere averaged 0.14 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹ between 1975 and 1992. Assuming no harvesting during this period, these forests would have been a net carbon sink averaging 0.39 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹. Calculating the carbon budget using satellite data showed a slight net carbon sink of 0.15 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹ for 1975 - 1992. The major difference between satellite- and inventory-based carbon budgets was due to differences in the simulation of the detrital carbon pool and timing of harvests. The satellite-based estimate failed to account for recovering areas harvested before 1975, and assumed a constant harvest rate. Close