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Life Sciences

University of Vermont

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Sustainable forestry

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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Factors Contributing To Carbon Fluxes From Bioenergy Harvests In The U.S. Northeast: An Analysis Using Field Data, Anna M. Mika, William S. Keeton Jan 2013

Factors Contributing To Carbon Fluxes From Bioenergy Harvests In The U.S. Northeast: An Analysis Using Field Data, Anna M. Mika, William S. Keeton

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

With growing interest in wood bioenergy there is uncertainty over greenhouse gas emissions associated with offsetting fossil fuels. Although quantifying postharvest carbon (C) fluxes will require accurate data, relatively few studies have evaluated these using field data from actual bioenergy harvests. We assessed C reductions and net fluxes immediately postharvest from whole-tree harvests (WTH), bioenergy harvests without WTH, and nonbioenergy harvests at 35 sites across the northeastern United States. We compared the aboveground forest C in harvested with paired unharvested sites, and analyzed the C transferred to wood products and C emissions from energy generation from harvested sites, including indirect …


Bioenergy Harvesting Impacts On Ecologically Important Stand Structure And Habitat Characteristics, Caitlin E. Littlefield, William S. Keeton Oct 2012

Bioenergy Harvesting Impacts On Ecologically Important Stand Structure And Habitat Characteristics, Caitlin E. Littlefield, William S. Keeton

Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Demand for forest bioenergy fuel is increasing in the northern forest region of eastern North America and beyond, but ecological impacts, particularly on habitat, of bioenergy harvesting remain poorly explored in the peer-reviewed literature. Here, we evaluated the impacts of bioenergy harvests on stand structure, including several characteristics considered important for biodiversity and habitat functions. We collected stand structure data from 35 recent harvests in northern hardwood-conifer forests, pairing harvested areas with unharvested reference areas. Biometrics generated from field data were analyzed using a multi-tiered nonparametric uni-and multivariate statistical approach. In analyses comparing harvested to reference areas, sites that had …