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• 41. [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

• 42. [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

• 43. [Article] Impacts of post-fire salvage logging on soil chemistry, physical properties and bacterial community composition in a mixed-conifer forest in central Oregon

  Land managers, scientists, and the interested public are confronted with uncertainty about the impacts of salvage logging on soil productivity. In recent years, stand-replacing wildfires in the western ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Impacts of post-fire salvage logging on soil chemistry, physical properties and bacterial community composition in a mixed-conifer forest in central Oregon Author: Jennings, Tara Nicolle Land managers, scientists, and the interested public are confronted with uncertainty about the impacts of salvage logging on soil productivity. In recent years, stand-replacing wildfires in the western United States have increased in frequency, prompting the need to evaluate the effect of post-fire treatments on forest ecosystem recovery. This study examined whether compaction and subsoiling after post-fire salvage logging impacted the structure, metabolism, and function of soil bacterial communities, which were assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and Biolog Ecoplates. Supporting data for these salvage logging effects included soil biological activities, soil chemistry, and physical soil properties in a mixed conifer forest in central Oregon. Post-fire salvage logging treatments had little effect on soil bacterial community richness, suggesting that soil bacteria in these post-fire landscapes are both tolerant of the occurrence of fires and resilient to disturbance. However, even though a statistically significant difference in bacterial species richness was not detected among treatments, a greater cumulative mean number of species was found across six sampling seasons in the compacted soil treatment compared to the fire-only and subsoiled treatments. This trend may be due to less predation on the soil bacteria by microbivores in the soil pores reduced in size by compaction. Additionally, there was a significant decline in the mean number of species after the spring 2007 sampling. A NMS ordination of the mean number of species suggested that the bacterial community composition changed after spring 2007. Furthermore, the lack of difference in mean number of species among treatments suggests that time since fire had a stronger effect on the structure of the soil bacterial community than did logging disturbance. Plant-available phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations were lower in the mechanically disturbed treatments than in the fire-only treatment. Soil respiration and soil phosphatase rates both were higher in the fire-only treatment. Mechanical disturbance may have long-lasting effects in an already nutrient limited system. No other differences among treatments for soil chemical properties were detected. Soil bulk density was lowest in the subsoiled treatment. Microbial community responses to burning and compaction caused by harvesting can be negative, neutral, or positive. While many factors, in addition to soil chemical and physical properties, affect the microbial community richness and functional diversity, our results support other recent studies showing that soil bacteria are resilient in disturbed environments. Title: Impacts of post-fire salvage logging on soil chemistry, physical properties and bacterial community composition in a mixed-conifer forest in central Oregon Author: Jennings, Tara Nicolle Land managers, scientists, and the interested public are confronted with uncertainty about the impacts of salvage logging on soil productivity. In recent years, stand-replacing wildfires in the western United States have increased in frequency, prompting the need to evaluate the effect of post-fire treatments on forest ecosystem recovery. This study examined whether compaction and subsoiling after post-fire salvage logging impacted the structure, metabolism, and function of soil bacterial communities, which were assessed using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and Biolog Ecoplates. Supporting data for these salvage logging effects included soil biological activities, soil chemistry, and physical soil properties in a mixed conifer forest in central Oregon. Post-fire salvage logging treatments had little effect on soil bacterial community richness, suggesting that soil bacteria in these post-fire landscapes are both tolerant of the occurrence of fires and resilient to disturbance. However, even though a statistically significant difference in bacterial species richness was not detected among treatments, a greater cumulative mean number of species was found across six sampling seasons in the compacted soil treatment compared to the fire-only and subsoiled treatments. This trend may be due to less predation on the soil bacteria by microbivores in the soil pores reduced in size by compaction. Additionally, there was a significant decline in the mean number of species after the spring 2007 sampling. A NMS ordination of the mean number of species suggested that the bacterial community composition changed after spring 2007. Furthermore, the lack of difference in mean number of species among treatments suggests that time since fire had a stronger effect on the structure of the soil bacterial community than did logging disturbance. Plant-available phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations were lower in the mechanically disturbed treatments than in the fire-only treatment. Soil respiration and soil phosphatase rates both were higher in the fire-only treatment. Mechanical disturbance may have long-lasting effects in an already nutrient limited system. No other differences among treatments for soil chemical properties were detected. Soil bulk density was lowest in the subsoiled treatment. Microbial community responses to burning and compaction caused by harvesting can be negative, neutral, or positive. While many factors, in addition to soil chemical and physical properties, affect the microbial community richness and functional diversity, our results support other recent studies showing that soil bacteria are resilient in disturbed environments. Close

• 44. [Article] Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens

  Supplemental material (Appendices A and B) available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00536.1.sm

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens Author: Carrlson, Kaylan M., Winder, Virginia L., Hagen, Christian A., et al., Gregory, Andrew J. Supplemental material (Appendices A and B) available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00536.1.sm Title: Factors affecting female space use in ten populations of prairie chickens Author: Carrlson, Kaylan M., Winder, Virginia L., Hagen, Christian A., et al., Gregory, Andrew J. Supplemental material (Appendices A and B) available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES14-00536.1.sm Close

• 45. [Article] Habitat selection, reproductive success, and site fidelity of burrowing owls in a grassland ecosystem

  I used a comparative and experimental approach to examine nest habitat selection, reproductive success, and nest site fidelity of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in a large, non-fragmented grassland ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Habitat selection, reproductive success, and site fidelity of burrowing owls in a grassland ecosystem Author: Ronan, Noelle A. I used a comparative and experimental approach to examine nest habitat selection, reproductive success, and nest site fidelity of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in a large, non-fragmented grassland in southwest California. In 1999, I compared habitat characteristics between nest sites (n = 31) and randomly selected, unoccupied burrows (n = 31) in the local vicinity of the nest (paired burrows). In 2000, I compared habitat characteristics between nest sites (n = 33) and randomly selected, unoccupied burrows (n 32) within the study area (unpaired burrows). I examined reproductive success and variation in nest habitat characteristics, diet quality, and intraspecific competition using data from 1998, 1999, and 2000. I experimentally (n = 11 control and 11 treatment nests) assessed the effect of satellite burrow (multiple auxiliary burrows near the nest) use on productivity and behavior. I found little variation in habitat between nest sites and unoccupied burrows. Habitat selection was not strong when nests and unoccupied burrows were spatially correlated (paired burrows). However, nest sites had a larger number of large diameter burrows, satellite burrows, and perches than the unpaired burrows. Nest success ( I young fledged) and productivity (the number of young alive at 14 -21 days) varied substantially among some years, though the habitat variables I tested did not explain reproductive success when both failed and successful nests were evaluated. When nests were successful, productivity was influenced by rodent consumption. Nest fidelity within the breeding season was highly correlated with nest success. Nest abandonment occurred at 83% (n = 15 of 18), 92% (n = 12 of 13), and 83% (n = 20 of 24) of the failed nests in 1998, 1999, and 2000, respectively. Results of the experimental manipulation of satellite burrow access showed that productivity did not differ between groups but demonstrated that burrowing owls will adjust their behavior to use satellites. Owls in the treatment group (71%; n = 5 of 7) responded by moving their families to areas with access to satellite burrows but none of the control group owl families moved. This study illustrates the importance of identifying critical factors affecting reproductive success of burrowing owls in large grasslands. Maintenance of burrowing mammal populations to provide nest and satellite burrows will be important for protecting burrowing owls. Also, temporal dynamics influenced reproductive success. Habitat characteristics that enhance foraging ability may benefit productivity, especially in years of low rodent numbers. Furthermore, temporal variation in nest success may lead to low nest site fidelity. Title: Habitat selection, reproductive success, and site fidelity of burrowing owls in a grassland ecosystem Author: Ronan, Noelle A. I used a comparative and experimental approach to examine nest habitat selection, reproductive success, and nest site fidelity of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in a large, non-fragmented grassland in southwest California. In 1999, I compared habitat characteristics between nest sites (n = 31) and randomly selected, unoccupied burrows (n = 31) in the local vicinity of the nest (paired burrows). In 2000, I compared habitat characteristics between nest sites (n = 33) and randomly selected, unoccupied burrows (n 32) within the study area (unpaired burrows). I examined reproductive success and variation in nest habitat characteristics, diet quality, and intraspecific competition using data from 1998, 1999, and 2000. I experimentally (n = 11 control and 11 treatment nests) assessed the effect of satellite burrow (multiple auxiliary burrows near the nest) use on productivity and behavior. I found little variation in habitat between nest sites and unoccupied burrows. Habitat selection was not strong when nests and unoccupied burrows were spatially correlated (paired burrows). However, nest sites had a larger number of large diameter burrows, satellite burrows, and perches than the unpaired burrows. Nest success ( I young fledged) and productivity (the number of young alive at 14 -21 days) varied substantially among some years, though the habitat variables I tested did not explain reproductive success when both failed and successful nests were evaluated. When nests were successful, productivity was influenced by rodent consumption. Nest fidelity within the breeding season was highly correlated with nest success. Nest abandonment occurred at 83% (n = 15 of 18), 92% (n = 12 of 13), and 83% (n = 20 of 24) of the failed nests in 1998, 1999, and 2000, respectively. Results of the experimental manipulation of satellite burrow access showed that productivity did not differ between groups but demonstrated that burrowing owls will adjust their behavior to use satellites. Owls in the treatment group (71%; n = 5 of 7) responded by moving their families to areas with access to satellite burrows but none of the control group owl families moved. This study illustrates the importance of identifying critical factors affecting reproductive success of burrowing owls in large grasslands. Maintenance of burrowing mammal populations to provide nest and satellite burrows will be important for protecting burrowing owls. Also, temporal dynamics influenced reproductive success. Habitat characteristics that enhance foraging ability may benefit productivity, especially in years of low rodent numbers. Furthermore, temporal variation in nest success may lead to low nest site fidelity. Close

• 46. [Article] Potential carbon storage at the landscape scale in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A.

  Estimates of potential carbon (C) storage can be used to constrain predictions of future carbon sequestration and to understand the degree to which disturbances, both natural aid anthropogenic, affect ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Potential carbon storage at the landscape scale in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. Author: Smithwick, Erica Ann Hoffa Estimates of potential carbon (C) storage can be used to constrain predictions of future carbon sequestration and to understand the degree to which disturbances, both natural aid anthropogenic, affect C storage. An upper bound on C storage in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States was estimated using field data from old-growth forests, which are near steady-state conditions and have been relatively undisturbed for long periods of time. The sites were located across a broad, biogeographical gradient in western Washington and Oregon, allowing comparison of potential carbon storage given a wide range of climate, soils, and vegetation conditions. Total ecosystem carbon (TEC) ranged from 195 Mg C ha' in eastern Oregon to 1127 Mg C ha1 at the Oregon coast. A simple, area-weighted average of TEC to a soil depth of 1 m was 671 Mg C ha1. Compared to estimates of current C storage, up to 338 Mg C ha1 could be stored in addition to current stores in this region. A new model called MAXCARB was developed to predict potential carbon storage over a large area (approximately 1 0 ha), in part to better understand the role of disturbances on potential carbon storage. MAXCARB simulates the effects of climate, soils, or vegetation on potential carbon storage at steady state, for a range of natural and anthropogenic disturbance regimes. Initial results indicate that as the average interval between disturbance events increased, the steady-state C stores at the landscape scale increased. Predictions were well correlated to observed C stores in the PNW. Spatial interactions affect C flux processes at multiple levels of spatial interactions. Using another model, STANDCARB, the relative effect of edge-induced, tree mortality (mainly due to wind), and light limitations, on C dynamics were assessed for several artificial forest landscapes. Emergent behaviors resulting from the interaction of these processes were present at all levels of spatial interaction (stand and landscape). However, the magnitude of the emergent behaviors depended on the spatial structure of the landscape and the level of spatial interaction that was considered. When wind- mortality was high (8 times above natural mortality rates), the dynamics of C processes in fragmented landscapes was not captured using an additive approach. The spatial arrangement of patches on the landscape led to emergent behaviors for one case. However, in many cases, emergent behaviors were mt significant or could be accounted for with traditional modeling methods. Title: Potential carbon storage at the landscape scale in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. Author: Smithwick, Erica Ann Hoffa Estimates of potential carbon (C) storage can be used to constrain predictions of future carbon sequestration and to understand the degree to which disturbances, both natural aid anthropogenic, affect C storage. An upper bound on C storage in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States was estimated using field data from old-growth forests, which are near steady-state conditions and have been relatively undisturbed for long periods of time. The sites were located across a broad, biogeographical gradient in western Washington and Oregon, allowing comparison of potential carbon storage given a wide range of climate, soils, and vegetation conditions. Total ecosystem carbon (TEC) ranged from 195 Mg C ha' in eastern Oregon to 1127 Mg C ha1 at the Oregon coast. A simple, area-weighted average of TEC to a soil depth of 1 m was 671 Mg C ha1. Compared to estimates of current C storage, up to 338 Mg C ha1 could be stored in addition to current stores in this region. A new model called MAXCARB was developed to predict potential carbon storage over a large area (approximately 1 0 ha), in part to better understand the role of disturbances on potential carbon storage. MAXCARB simulates the effects of climate, soils, or vegetation on potential carbon storage at steady state, for a range of natural and anthropogenic disturbance regimes. Initial results indicate that as the average interval between disturbance events increased, the steady-state C stores at the landscape scale increased. Predictions were well correlated to observed C stores in the PNW. Spatial interactions affect C flux processes at multiple levels of spatial interactions. Using another model, STANDCARB, the relative effect of edge-induced, tree mortality (mainly due to wind), and light limitations, on C dynamics were assessed for several artificial forest landscapes. Emergent behaviors resulting from the interaction of these processes were present at all levels of spatial interaction (stand and landscape). However, the magnitude of the emergent behaviors depended on the spatial structure of the landscape and the level of spatial interaction that was considered. When wind- mortality was high (8 times above natural mortality rates), the dynamics of C processes in fragmented landscapes was not captured using an additive approach. The spatial arrangement of patches on the landscape led to emergent behaviors for one case. However, in many cases, emergent behaviors were mt significant or could be accounted for with traditional modeling methods. Close

• 47. [Article] The Influence of fire on the Radiocarbon Signature and Character of Soil Organic Matter in the Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon, USA

  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 Association ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Influence of fire on the Radiocarbon Signature and Character of Soil Organic Matter in the Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon, USA Author: Powers, Heath, Swanston, Chris, Law, Beverly, Campbell, John, Heckman, Katherine 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 Association for Fire Ecology and can be found at: http://fireecology.org/. Title: The Influence of fire on the Radiocarbon Signature and Character of Soil Organic Matter in the Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon, USA Author: Powers, Heath, Swanston, Chris, Law, Beverly, Campbell, John, Heckman, Katherine 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 Association for Fire Ecology and can be found at: http://fireecology.org/. Close

• 48. [Article] Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991

  The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991 Author: Allen, Tracy Hunter The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44 years. This research examines the distribution of wetland types and their patterns of change, developing regional models which rank areas most conducive to potential wetland recovery or restoration efforts. The length of the study area totals 234 river kilometers, from the mouth of the Columbia River to Bonneville Dam. The width includes the active channel and an approximately three-kilometer swath on either side of the river. Aerial photography was the primary means for interpreting historical extent of wetlands, using five photo dates (1948, 1961, 1973, 1983, and 1991), based upon their time interval, coverage, and photo quality. For each photo throughout the entire study site, land uses and wetland habitats greater than one hectare were identified and classified. Each classified polygon was digitized and spatially analyzed using a Geographic Information System. This study indicates that wetland habitats which were once contiguously draped upon the linear features of the river are decreasing in size and becoming fragmented. There have been both increases and decreases in specific wetland habitat areas which vary by river reach, even though wetlands have diminished overall. The estuarine section of the LCR experienced a 25% net decrease in wetland area between 1948 and 1991, while the riverine tidal section fostered a 1% increase. The riverine lower perennial section sustained the greatest loss of wetlands, which decreased by 37%. Causes for wetland losses in the estuarine section were largely related to in-water activities, such as channelization, while the causes for declines in the riverine lower perennial section were correlated with rapid urbanization. Wetland increases in the riverine tidal section were generally influenced by significant growth in palustrine and forested wetlands associated with the establishment of wildlife refuges and the incremental increase of upstream flood storage capacity. This research provides a template for identifying degraded or displaced wetlands. Through the use of a GIS, each historical wetland was ranked in either low, moderate, or high categories for restoration potential. GIS technology permits focused, sequentially-refined queries to identify potential restoration or recovery sites. In the estuarine section, 74 historical wetland sites were ranked high for restoration potential, while in the riverine tidal and riverine lower perennial sections, there were 178 and 105, respectively. Overall, these sites represent only 25% of the area occupied by wetlands in 1948. While this study advocates restoration potential, restoration is not a surrogate for responsible ecosystem-wide stewardship of the riparian zone. Restoration will not succeed unless degrading factors are mitigated or eliminated. Title: Areal distribution, change, and restoration potential of wetlands within the lower Columbia River riparian zone, 1948-1991 Author: Allen, Tracy Hunter The lower Columbia River (LCR) riparian zone is rich in habitat diversity. However, the natural beauty and species diversity along the river have increasingly become affected by human activity. This study quantifies the areal extent and degree of wetlands change and associated causes along the LCR over the past 44 years. This research examines the distribution of wetland types and their patterns of change, developing regional models which rank areas most conducive to potential wetland recovery or restoration efforts. The length of the study area totals 234 river kilometers, from the mouth of the Columbia River to Bonneville Dam. The width includes the active channel and an approximately three-kilometer swath on either side of the river. Aerial photography was the primary means for interpreting historical extent of wetlands, using five photo dates (1948, 1961, 1973, 1983, and 1991), based upon their time interval, coverage, and photo quality. For each photo throughout the entire study site, land uses and wetland habitats greater than one hectare were identified and classified. Each classified polygon was digitized and spatially analyzed using a Geographic Information System. This study indicates that wetland habitats which were once contiguously draped upon the linear features of the river are decreasing in size and becoming fragmented. There have been both increases and decreases in specific wetland habitat areas which vary by river reach, even though wetlands have diminished overall. The estuarine section of the LCR experienced a 25% net decrease in wetland area between 1948 and 1991, while the riverine tidal section fostered a 1% increase. The riverine lower perennial section sustained the greatest loss of wetlands, which decreased by 37%. Causes for wetland losses in the estuarine section were largely related to in-water activities, such as channelization, while the causes for declines in the riverine lower perennial section were correlated with rapid urbanization. Wetland increases in the riverine tidal section were generally influenced by significant growth in palustrine and forested wetlands associated with the establishment of wildlife refuges and the incremental increase of upstream flood storage capacity. This research provides a template for identifying degraded or displaced wetlands. Through the use of a GIS, each historical wetland was ranked in either low, moderate, or high categories for restoration potential. GIS technology permits focused, sequentially-refined queries to identify potential restoration or recovery sites. In the estuarine section, 74 historical wetland sites were ranked high for restoration potential, while in the riverine tidal and riverine lower perennial sections, there were 178 and 105, respectively. Overall, these sites represent only 25% of the area occupied by wetlands in 1948. While this study advocates restoration potential, restoration is not a surrogate for responsible ecosystem-wide stewardship of the riparian zone. Restoration will not succeed unless degrading factors are mitigated or eliminated. Close

• 49. [Article] Spatial modeling of carnivore distribution and viability

  Viability analysis of well-selected focal species can complement other types of conservation planning by revealing thresholds in habitat area and landscape connectivity that may not be evident from ecosystem-level ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Spatial modeling of carnivore distribution and viability Author: Carroll, Carlos Viability analysis of well-selected focal species can complement other types of conservation planning by revealing thresholds in habitat area and landscape connectivity that may not be evident from ecosystem-level evaluations. I used focal species analysis of five carnivores to suggest conservation planning guidelines for the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas in the Pacific states. I compared static and dynamic viability models for carnivores to assess whether the increased complexity of dynamic simulation models was appropriate given the level of demographic field data typical for carnivore species. I developed models of fisher, lynx, and wolverine distribution from a data set of trapping and sighting records and predicted grizzly bear habitat by adapting previously published regional-scale habitat models. Highquality habitats for wolverine and grizzly bear are strongly associated with low levels of human population and roads. High-quality habitats for fisher and lynx are naturally fragmented by topography and vegetation gradients and are poorly represented in existing protected areas. A comprehensive conservation strategy for carnivores in the region must therefore consider the needs of several species rather than a singie presumed umbrella species. Because many large carnivores are habitat generalists limited by human persecution, and easily-measured attributes such as road density provide robust surrogates for human impact, extrapolation of static habitat models to potential reintroduction areas provides useful guidance for prioritizing carnivore restoration efforts. I also incorporated the static modeling results into a dynamic model. For the wolf; incorporating pack structure into the simulation model increased resilience to human-associated landscape change. For the lynx, relatively low levels of population cycling were found to greatly increase extinction risk when the region was isolated from boreal lynx populations. For the fisher, mortality levels were found to interact strongly with habitat area and isolation to create tlaeshold effects on distribution. Further range contraction is predicted for all species unless coordinated regional planning for habitat restoration occurs. The results suggest that a hybrid approach that builds complex dynamic models on a foundation of data from empirical static models can provide complementary results with a range of perspectives on species' persistence. Title: Spatial modeling of carnivore distribution and viability Author: Carroll, Carlos Viability analysis of well-selected focal species can complement other types of conservation planning by revealing thresholds in habitat area and landscape connectivity that may not be evident from ecosystem-level evaluations. I used focal species analysis of five carnivores to suggest conservation planning guidelines for the Rocky Mountains and adjacent areas in the Pacific states. I compared static and dynamic viability models for carnivores to assess whether the increased complexity of dynamic simulation models was appropriate given the level of demographic field data typical for carnivore species. I developed models of fisher, lynx, and wolverine distribution from a data set of trapping and sighting records and predicted grizzly bear habitat by adapting previously published regional-scale habitat models. Highquality habitats for wolverine and grizzly bear are strongly associated with low levels of human population and roads. High-quality habitats for fisher and lynx are naturally fragmented by topography and vegetation gradients and are poorly represented in existing protected areas. A comprehensive conservation strategy for carnivores in the region must therefore consider the needs of several species rather than a singie presumed umbrella species. Because many large carnivores are habitat generalists limited by human persecution, and easily-measured attributes such as road density provide robust surrogates for human impact, extrapolation of static habitat models to potential reintroduction areas provides useful guidance for prioritizing carnivore restoration efforts. I also incorporated the static modeling results into a dynamic model. For the wolf; incorporating pack structure into the simulation model increased resilience to human-associated landscape change. For the lynx, relatively low levels of population cycling were found to greatly increase extinction risk when the region was isolated from boreal lynx populations. For the fisher, mortality levels were found to interact strongly with habitat area and isolation to create tlaeshold effects on distribution. Further range contraction is predicted for all species unless coordinated regional planning for habitat restoration occurs. The results suggest that a hybrid approach that builds complex dynamic models on a foundation of data from empirical static models can provide complementary results with a range of perspectives on species' persistence. Close

• 50. [Article] Creating Useful and Useable 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 Useable 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. Keywords: sagebrush, sage-grouse, Oregon State University, climate change, BLM, Oregon, Idaho, Great Basin, land management, collaboration, climate tools Title: Creating Useful and Useable 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. Keywords: sagebrush, sage-grouse, Oregon State University, climate change, BLM, Oregon, Idaho, Great Basin, land management, collaboration, climate tools Close