National Parks Foundation. The Effects of Hurricane-Fire Interactions On the Population Dynamics of South Florida Slash Pine. Anthropogenic disturbance in conjunction with natural disturbances may result in nonlinear effects on ecological communities. This project investigates the interaction of fire and hurricane disturbances on the population dynamics of the pine savanna overstory in Everglades National Park. Results indicate that hurricanes amplify the effects of subsequent fires on tree mortality. This project will increase our ability to predict the response of these ecological communities to changing disturbance regimes associated with global climate change in order to anticipate effects on community structure and to provide guidance in bioconservation efforts. (B. Beckage, B. Platt)
UVM Extension. Conflict management in the Green Mountain National Forest. Controversial issues in the Green Mountain National Forest include proposed wilderness designations, timber harvesting, and trail use conflicts. The goal of the project is to identify common ground and build consensus towards a management plan. Representatives from diverse stakeholder groups meet monthly to share information and opinions. Discussions will contribute to wilderness legislation, criteria for a viable timber program, and management of multi-use trail conflicts. (L. Chase)
UVM Extension. Managing Woodlands for Recreational Enterprises. Woodland owners are seeking new ideas for managing forests in ways that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The goal of this project is to introduce new income opportunities to woodland owners and help them assess alternatives. We organized a workshop and published proceedings about recreational enterprises on private forestland. Ninety percent of workshop participants gained new knowledge, and a survey 6 months after the workshop indicated that 31 percent of respondents have taken steps to start or expand an enterprise. (L. Chase, T. McEvoy)
Northeastern States Research Cooperative. Redefining 'productive': Implications for sustainable forest management. The Northern Forest should be sustainably managed for the best possible combination of economic, ecological, and social benefits. This project will develop a new definition of 'productive use' of forests, and propose feasible policy mechanisms that provide cost-effective incentives for promoting this type of use. A survey was conducted of Vermont foresters. Results are currently being analyzed. Draft survey was developed to investigate incentives and obstacles to enrollment in forest certification programs. Plot specific data is being gathered for a CBA of conventional forestry vs. SFM. This project is designed to influence the policy debate, and will result in peer-reviewed academic articles as well as educational reports for forest land owners and policy-makers. (J. Farley, M. Ceroni, J. Jenkins)
USDA-Hatch, USDA-Hatch. Policies towards a more 'productive use' of the northern forest. Although forests produce a variety of ecological, social and economic goods and services, incentives for 'productive use' generally define production solely in terms of timber output. This proposal seeks one year of seed money to develop and solicit funding for a three year project that will develop a balanced definition of 'productive use' of forest land, assess the impacts of this definition on sustainable forest management under existing incentive structures, and determine what additional policies might be required to encourage optimal forest use. Additional funding for this project has been procured, and further results are listed under Redefining 'Productive': Implications for Sustainable Forest Management. Recommendations for policies promoting ecologically sustainable, socially just and economically efficient forest managment policies can help influence the policy debate. (J. Farley)
USDA-Hatch. Using genetic progamming to evolve optimally specified process models of biological systems. The proposed project will test the feasibility of using Genetic Programming (GP) to simultaneously evolve model structure and optimize parameters of computer models of complex biological systems. This project will see if GP can evolve novel models of two biological systems that are as good as or better than our pre-specified models which are manually constructed from the knowledge of biologists. Our efforts this year have been three fold: (1) the development of the GP system software. (2) construction of a Maple tree sap-flow model. (3) construction of a Lake Champlain algal distribution model. A correctly specified process model of Maple sap flow would be invaluable to both sugarmakers and tree physiologists who need a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and the likely effects of global warming. (J. Hoffmann, D. Bentil)
USDA-Forest Service. Green Mountain National Forest Social and Economic Assessment for forest planning. The Green Mountain National Forest lies within six different counties and 44 towns in Vermont. The Social and Economic Assessment is a research report that will support the forest planning process. The assessment includes topics such as socio-economic status and demographic trends, forest users and uses, access and travel patterns, community relationships, economic ties, and land use. This information highlights the forests' position as well as clarify its role in, and contributions to, local communities and the state, for comprehensive forest planning. (J. Kolodinsky, P. Stokowski, C. Ginger, M. Murphy, K. Van Dis)
Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Vermont Monitoring Cooperative. Impact of management in northern hardwoods on Collembola and Carabidae. Forest management practices affect soil invertebrate biodiversity. This project will monitor effects of silvicultural practices, designed to enhance structural complexity, on soil invertebrates and macronutrients. Stand manipulation was completed in the winter of 2002-2003. Periodic sampling of Collembola and Carabidae is being done, and specimens sorted and identified. Results will allow us to identify key biological indicator species, and will help forest managers determine the benefits, tradeoffs, and feasibility of using alternative silvicultural practices where a prime objective is to promote biodiversity. (B. Parker, D. Tobi, M. Skinner, M. Brownbridge.)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Effects of acidic deposition on forested ecosystems of the Northeast. Acidic deposition impacts the physiological function of forests through both direct and indirect effects. This project examines the role of acidic deposition on tree growth and function. Results indicate that calcium imbalances may be induced by limited calcium uptake and excess available nitrogen, reducing tree growth and survival. These results will lead to a better understanding of the long-term results of anthropogenic pollutants on forests in the Northeast. (T. Perkins, A. van den Berg, T. Cate)
USDA-Hatch,. Global change effects in timing and physiology of maple sap exudation. Sap flow from maple trees in the spring occurs as a result of specific weather conditions. The goal of this research is to investigate and develop a computer model maple sap flow dynamics. This information will be used to better understand the potential effects of global change on the maple industry. Monitoring of air temperature, stem and branch temperature, stem pressure, and sap flow has been conducted over several seasons. A model structure is in the early development phase. Examination of historical production records shows a shift in production towards earlier in the year across New England and New York, and a reduction in duration of the maple sap flow season. Maple sugarmakers, consumers, and policy makers will use this information to develop strategies to ameliorate the effects of global warming. (T. Perkins, T. Wilmot)
USDA-Hatch,. Soil processes and nitrate movement through Vermont forested ecosystems. Nitrogen in precipitation (from acid rain) has been linked to elevated stream export of nitrate with resulting nutrient depletion and acidification. Soil microbial processes control the cycling of nitrate. This project will provide a mechanistic understanding of nitrate movement in Vermont's forested watersheds. Results show that the interaction between tree species (conifer vs. hardwood) and soil properties (C/N ratio) controls nitrification. This understanding can be used to predict the impact of management decisions. (D. Ross)
USDA-Other Grant,. Nitrification rates and stream nitrate export across Northeastern Ecosystem Research Cooperative sites. Nitrogen from acid rain can cause problems in forested ecosystems through nitrate leaching. The relationship between N deposition and watershed N loss can only be understood by a better understanding of soil processes. Using geospatial modeling and new approaches to study soil N rates, we are investigating nitrification and stream nitrate export at NERC research sites in New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Soil nitrification rates have been found to be well correlated with stream nitrate export. These results clearly show the link between watershed characteristics, soil transformations and stream export. . . . (D. Ross, B. Wemple, J. Campbell, G. Lawrence, J. Shanley, S. Bailey)
USDA-Other Grant,. Determining the Mineralogical Identity of Occult Calcium in Forest Soils of the Northeast. Mass balance studies across the eastern United States have raised concerns about the cumulative depletion of available forest soil calcium (Ca) pools due to harvesting and acid deposition. Two minerals have been hypothesized to be potentially important sources of Ca to these soils. We propose synchrotron-based mineralogic analyses of existing soil samples to (1) verify the chemistry and mineralogy and (2) quantify concentrations of soil Ca minerals. This study will determine the identity and existence of these hypothesized soil Ca pools and place the results within the larger context of Ca cycling and response to disturbance. . (D. Ross, S. Bailey, C. Guest, A. Lanzirotti)
USDA-Forest Service. Regional Asian longhorned beetle public awareness program. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is an exotic pest from China that has been found in New York City, Jersey City and Chicago. It attacks many trees, including sugar maple. The public and sugarmakers are vital partners in eradication efforts, through the discovery of newly infested trees. A field guide of ALB host trees is in press. This will allow landscapers to identify and inspect susceptible trees when looking for new infestations. A new ID card has also been developed that maple syrup producers will include in all mail-order shipments to alert the broader general public to this pest threat, and enlist their assistance in the detection of new infestations. If this beetle reaches Vermont, it could have a devastating impact on the northern hardwood forest. (M. Skinner, B. Parker)
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Educational outreach to the green industry in the New York City area. The Asian longhorned beetle is an exotic pest recently discovered in New York City, attacking and killing several hardwood species. Professionals in the green industry in the NYC area are vital partners in the search for new beetle infestations. A field guide of ALB host trees in in press that will help NY landscapers identify and inspect susceptible trees, and select non-host trees for re-planting following the removal of infested trees. Efforts to eradicate this pest from the U.S. is critical to protect susceptible hardwood trees throughout the country. (M. Skinner, B. Parker, M. Bohne, D. Gilrein, D. Tobi)
15 projects