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- Prescribed fire (4)
- Infiltration (3)
- Resilience (3)
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- Cheatgrass invasion (2)
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- Ecological resilience (2)
- Ecosystem management (2)
- Environmental gradients (2)
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- Sagebrush restoration (2)
- Woodland encroachment (2)
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- Biomass (1)
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- Bird community (1)
- Bromus tectorum invasion (1)
- Chapman-Richards growth function (1)
- Cheatgrass (1)
- Consumer-resource model (1)
- Cut and leave (1)
- ECognition® Developer (1)
- Ecohydrology (1)
- Ecological scale (1)
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Articles 1 - 14 of 14
Full-Text Articles in Plant Sciences
Incorporating Hydrologic Data And Ecohydrologic Relationships Into Ecological Site Descriptions, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Kenneth E. Spaeth, Joel R. Brown, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan, Mark A. Weltz, Mark A. Nearing, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Jan Boll, Peter R. Robichaud, David C. Goodrich, Phillip Heilman, D. Phillip Guertin, Mariano Hernandez, Haiyan Wei, Stuart P. Hardegree, Eva K. Strand, Jonathan D. Bates, Loretta J. Metz, Mary H. Nichols
Incorporating Hydrologic Data And Ecohydrologic Relationships Into Ecological Site Descriptions, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Kenneth E. Spaeth, Joel R. Brown, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan, Mark A. Weltz, Mark A. Nearing, Jeffrey E. Herrick, Jan Boll, Peter R. Robichaud, David C. Goodrich, Phillip Heilman, D. Phillip Guertin, Mariano Hernandez, Haiyan Wei, Stuart P. Hardegree, Eva K. Strand, Jonathan D. Bates, Loretta J. Metz, Mary H. Nichols
Articles
The purpose of this paper is to recommend a framework and methodology for incorporating hydrologic data and ecohydrologic relationships in Ecological Site Descriptions (ESDs) and thereby enhance the utility of ESDs for assessing rangelands and guiding resilience-based management strategies. Resilience-based strategies assess and manage ecological state dynamics that affect state vulnerability and, therefore, provide opportunities to adapt management. Many rangelands are spatially heterogeneous or sparsely vegetated where the vegetation structure strongly influences infiltration and soil retention. Infiltration and soil retention further influence soil water recharge, nutrient availability, and overall plant productivity. These key ecohydrologic relationships govern the ecologic resilience of …
Unusual Behavior In Parental Care By A House Wren (Troglodytes Aedon): Post Fledging Use Of An Old Nest During Cold Nights, Micah N. Scholer
Unusual Behavior In Parental Care By A House Wren (Troglodytes Aedon): Post Fledging Use Of An Old Nest During Cold Nights, Micah N. Scholer
Articles
I report on the unusual behavior of an adult House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) leading recently fledged young back to the nest for two consecutive nights. The ambient temperature reached below 0°C during both nights. Despite disadvantages associated with remaining in the nest, this observation suggests that adult birds may assess trade-offs between perceived risks versus the benefits of engaging in other activities, in this case roosting communally for thermoregulation.
A Structurally Based Analytic Model Of Growth And Biomass Dynamics In Single Species Stands Of Conifers, Robin J. Tausch
A Structurally Based Analytic Model Of Growth And Biomass Dynamics In Single Species Stands Of Conifers, Robin J. Tausch
Articles
A theoretically based analytic model of plant growth in single species conifer communities based on the species fully occupying a site and fully using the site resources is introduced. Model derivations result in a single equation simultaneously describes changes over both, different site conditions (or resources available), and over time for each variable for each species. Leaf area or biomass, or a related plant community measurement, such as site class, can be used as an indicator of available site resources. Relationships over time (years) are determined by the interaction between a stable foliage biomass in balance with site resources, and …
Structural And Functional Connectivity As A Driver Of Hillslope Erosion Following Disturbance, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Peter R. Robichaud, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan, Jan Boll, Eva K. Strand
Structural And Functional Connectivity As A Driver Of Hillslope Erosion Following Disturbance, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Peter R. Robichaud, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan, Jan Boll, Eva K. Strand
Articles
Hydrologic response to rainfall on fragmented or burnt hillslopes is strongly influenced by the ensuing connectivity of runoff and erosion processes. Yet cross-scale process connectivity is seldom evaluated in field studies owing to scale limitations in experimental design. This study quantified surface susceptibility and hydrologic response across point to hillslope scales at two degraded unburnt and burnt woodland sites using rainfall simulation and hydrologic modelling. High runoff (31–47 mm) and erosion (154–1893 g m–2) measured at the patch scale (13 m2) were associated with accumulation of fine-scale (0.5-m2) splash-sheet runoff and sediment and concentrated …
Resilience And Resistance Of Sagebrush Ecosystems: Implications For State And Transition Models And Management Treatments, Jeanne C. Chambers, Richard F. Miller, David I. Board, David A. Pyke, Bruce A. Roundy, James B. Grace, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin J. Tausch
Resilience And Resistance Of Sagebrush Ecosystems: Implications For State And Transition Models And Management Treatments, Jeanne C. Chambers, Richard F. Miller, David I. Board, David A. Pyke, Bruce A. Roundy, James B. Grace, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin J. Tausch
Articles
In sagebrush ecosystems invasion of annual exotics and expansion of piñon (Pinus monophylla Torr. and Frem.) and juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook., J. osteosperma [Torr.] Little) are altering fire regimes and resulting in large-scale ecosystem transformations. Management treatments aim to increase resilience to disturbance and enhance resistance to invasive species by reducing woody fuels and increasing native perennial herbaceous species. We used Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project data to test predictions on effects of fire vs. mechanical treatments on resilience and resistance for three site types exhibiting cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) invasion and/or piñon and juniper expansion: 1) …
Hydrologic And Erosion Responses Of Sagebrush Steppe Following Juniper Encroachment, Wildfire, And Tree Cutting, Frederick B. Pierson, Christopher Jason Williams, Stuart P. Hardegree, Patrick E. Clark, Patrick R. Kormos, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Hydrologic And Erosion Responses Of Sagebrush Steppe Following Juniper Encroachment, Wildfire, And Tree Cutting, Frederick B. Pierson, Christopher Jason Williams, Stuart P. Hardegree, Patrick E. Clark, Patrick R. Kormos, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Articles
Extensive woodland expansion in the Great Basin has generated concern regarding ecological impacts of tree encroachment on sagebrush rangelands and strategies for restoring sagebrush steppe. This study used rainfall (0.5 m2 and 13 m2 scales) and concentrated flow simulations and measures of vegetation, ground cover, and soils to investigate hydrologic and erosion impacts of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis Hook.) encroachment into sagebrush steppe and to evaluate short-term effects of burning and tree cutting on runoff and erosion responses. The overall effects of tree encroachment were a reduction in understory vegetation and formation of highly erodible, bare intercanopy …
Plant Establishment In Masticated Utah Juniper Woodlands, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett
Plant Establishment In Masticated Utah Juniper Woodlands, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett
Articles
Juniper (Juniperus spp.) encroachment into sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-bunchgrass communities has reduced understory cover on millions of hectares of semiarid rangelands. Mechanical masticators shred trees to restore desirable vegetation and reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfire. Mechanical mastication where juniper density is high and perennial grass cover is low brings a risk of invasive weed dominance unless perennial species are established. To determine whether juniper mastication favors annual- or perennial-grass establishment, we compared seedling emergence, tillers, and aboveground biomass of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) and Anatone bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata [Pursh] A. Löve). Comparisons were made among …
Utilizing National Agriculture Imagery Program Data To Estimate Tree Cover And Biomass Of Piñon And Juniper Woodlands, April Hulet, Bruce A. Roundy, Steven L. Petersen, Stephen C. Bunting, Ryan R. Jensen, Darrell B. Roundy
Utilizing National Agriculture Imagery Program Data To Estimate Tree Cover And Biomass Of Piñon And Juniper Woodlands, April Hulet, Bruce A. Roundy, Steven L. Petersen, Stephen C. Bunting, Ryan R. Jensen, Darrell B. Roundy
Articles
With the encroachment of piñon (Pinus ssp.) and juniper (Juniperus ssp.) woodlands onto sagebrush steppe rangelands, there is an increasing interest in rapid, accurate, and inexpensive quantification methods to estimate tree canopy cover and aboveground biomass. The objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the relationship and agreement of piñon and juniper (P-J) canopy cover estimates, using object-based image analysis (OBIA) techniques and National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP, 1-m pixel resolution) imagery with ground measurements, and 2) to investigate the relationship between remotely-sensed P-J canopy cover and ground-measured aboveground biomass. For the OBIA, we used eCognition® Developer …
Ecological Scale Of Bird Community Response To Piñon-Juniper Removal, Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu
Ecological Scale Of Bird Community Response To Piñon-Juniper Removal, Steven T. Knick, Steven E. Hanser, Matthias Leu
Articles
Piñon (Pinus spp.) and juniper (Juniperus spp.) removal is a common management approach to restore sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) vegetation in areas experiencing woodland expansion. Because many management treatments are conducted to benefit sagebrush-obligate birds, we surveyed bird communities to assess treatment effectiveness in establishing sagebrush bird communities at study sites in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon. Our analyses included data from 1 or 2 yr prior to prescribed fire or mechanical treatment and 3 to 5 yr posttreatment. We used detrended correspondence analysis to 1) identify primary patterns of bird communities surveyed from 2006 to 2011 at …
Multidisciplinary, Multisite Evaluation Of Alternative Sagebrush Steppe Restoration Treatments: The Sagestep Project, James Mciver, Mark W. Brunson
Multidisciplinary, Multisite Evaluation Of Alternative Sagebrush Steppe Restoration Treatments: The Sagestep Project, James Mciver, Mark W. Brunson
Articles
This special issue presents short-term ecological effects of restoration treatments imposed as part of the Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP), and summarizes public attitude survey results related to restoration efforts. Funded by the US Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP; 2005–2011), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM; 2011 to present), the National Interagency Fire Center (2011 to present), and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (2010), SageSTEP was designed and implemented to provide treatment-related information to managers concerned about the rapidly changing condition of sagebrush steppe ecosystems in the US Interior West (McIver et al. 2010). At lower elevations, cheatgrass …
Short-Term Butterfly Response To Sagebrush Steppe Restoration Treatments, James Mciver, Euell Macke
Short-Term Butterfly Response To Sagebrush Steppe Restoration Treatments, James Mciver, Euell Macke
Articles
As part of the Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP), butterflies were surveyed pretreatment and up to 4 yr posttreatment at 16 widely distributed sagebrush steppe sites in the interior West. Butterfly populations and communities were analyzed in response to treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical, herbicide) designed to restore sagebrush steppe lands encroached by piñon-juniper woodlands (Pinus, Juniperus spp.) and invaded by cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Butterflies exhibited distinct regional patterns of species composition, with communities showing marked variability among sites. Some variation was explained by the plant community, with Mantel's test indicating that ordinations of butterfly and …
Short-Term Effects Of Tree Removal On Infiltration, Runoff, And Erosion In Woodland-Encroached Sagebrush Steppe, Frederick B. Pierson, Christopher Jason Williams, Patrick R. Kormos, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Short-Term Effects Of Tree Removal On Infiltration, Runoff, And Erosion In Woodland-Encroached Sagebrush Steppe, Frederick B. Pierson, Christopher Jason Williams, Patrick R. Kormos, Osama Z. Al-Hamdan
Articles
Land owners and managers across the western United States are increasingly searching for methods to evaluate and mitigate the effects of woodland encroachment on sagebrush steppe ecosystems. We used small-plot scale (0.5 m2) rainfall simulations and measures of vegetation, ground cover, and soils to investigate woodland response to tree removal (prescribed fire and mastication) at two late-succession woodlands. We also evaluated the effects of burning on soil water repellency and effectiveness of aggregate stability indices to detect changes in erosion potential. Plots were located in interspaces between tree and shrub canopies and on undercanopy tree and shrub microsites. Erosion from …
A Synopsis Of Short-Term Response To Alternative Restoration Treatments In Sagebrush-Steppe: The Sagestep Project, James Mciver, Mark W. Brunson, Steve Bunting, Jeanne C. Chambers, Paul Doescher, James Grace, April Hulet, Dale Johnson, Steve Knick, Richard Miller, Mike Pellant, Fred Pierson, David A. Pyke, Benjamin Rau, Kimberly Rollins, Bruce Roundy, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin Tausch, Christopher Jason Williams
A Synopsis Of Short-Term Response To Alternative Restoration Treatments In Sagebrush-Steppe: The Sagestep Project, James Mciver, Mark W. Brunson, Steve Bunting, Jeanne C. Chambers, Paul Doescher, James Grace, April Hulet, Dale Johnson, Steve Knick, Richard Miller, Mike Pellant, Fred Pierson, David A. Pyke, Benjamin Rau, Kimberly Rollins, Bruce Roundy, Eugene W. Schupp, Robin Tausch, Christopher Jason Williams
Articles
The Sagebrush Steppe Treatment Evaluation Project (SageSTEP) is an integrated long-term study that evaluates ecological effects of alternative treatments designed to reduce woody fuels and to stimulate the herbaceous understory of sagebrush steppe communities of the Intermountain West. This synopsis summarizes results through 3 yr posttreatment. Woody vegetation reduction by prescribed fire, mechanical treatments, or herbicides initiated a cascade of effects, beginning with increased availability of nitrogen and soil water, followed by increased growth of herbaceous vegetation. Response of butterflies and magnitudes of runoff and erosion closely followed herbaceous vegetation recovery. Effects on shrubs, biological soil crust, tree cover, surface …
Utah Juniper And Two-Needle Piñon Reduction Alters Fuel Loads, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Stephen C. Bunting, Dennis L. Eggett
Utah Juniper And Two-Needle Piñon Reduction Alters Fuel Loads, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Stephen C. Bunting, Dennis L. Eggett
Articles
Juniper (Juniperus spp.) and piñon (Pinus spp.) trees have encroached millions of hectares of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)–bunchgrass communities. Juniper–piñon trees are treated to reduce canopy fuel loads and crown fire potential. We measured the effects of juniper–piñon infilling and fuel-reduction treatments on fuel load characteristics at four locations in Utah. At each location, treatment areas were burned, left untreated, or trees were cut or masticated in a randomised complete-block design. We measured standing and downed fuels by size and type along 30-m transects on 15 subplots (30 × 33 m) per location before and 1–3 years after …