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Transcript of Current Lit Spring_2011-1
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Spring 2011
CURRENT LITERATURE
Table of Contents:
y ClimateChange ............................................................................ 2
y Conservation ................................................................................ 5
y Restoration .................................................................................. 6
y Biodiversity .................................................................................. 7
y Invasive Species.......................................................................... 10
y Infectiousdisease/parasites ....................................................... 12y Roads,impactof......................................................................... 13
y Wildfires..................................................................................... 14
y Forests ....................................................................................... 18
y Grasslands.................................................................................. 22
y Soil ............................................................................................. 23
y Land Ecosystems ........................................................................ 24
y Riparian Ecosystems................................................................... 24
y Freshwater Ecosystems .............................................................. 25
y Marine Ecosystems .................................................................... 26
y Hydrology................................................................................... 28y Aquaticwildlife,otherthanfish.................................................. 28
y FreshwaterFish .......................................................................... 29
y MarineFish ................................................................................ 29
y Salmonoids................................................................................. 29
y Wildlife....................................................................................... 30
y Birds ........................................................................................... 32
y Plants/Botany............................................................................. 33
y GeneralInterest ......................................................................... 33
y History........................................................................................ 34
y EnvironmentalLaw & Policy ....................................................... 34y Visitor Use .................................................................................. 34
y Environmental Education ........................................................... 34
y Reviews ...................................................................................... 35
Copies of these publications can be obtained through the NPS Pacific West Regional
Library via email to [email protected] or phone (206/220-4154).
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Climate ChangeSchuldt, JonathonP.,SaraH. Konrathand Norbert Schwartz. 2011. Global Warming or Climate Change?
Whether the plant is warming depends on question wording. Public Opinion Quarterly 75(1): 115-124.
In publicdiscourseandsurveyresearch,globalclimatechangeissometimesreferredtoas global
warmingandsometimesas climatechange.Ananalysisofwebsitesofconservativeandliberalthink
tankssuggeststhatconservativesprefertousetheterm globalwarmingwhereasliberals preferclimatechange.Aquestionwordingexperiment (N = 2267) illustratesthe poweroftheseframes:
Republicanswerelesslikelytoendorsethatthe phenomenonisrealwhenitwasreferredtoas global
warming (44.0%) ratherthan climatechange (60.2%),whereas Democratswereunaffectedbyquestion
wording (86.9% vs. 86.4%). Asaresult,the partisandivideontheissuedroppedfrom 42.9 percentage
pointsundera globalwarmingframeto 26.2 percentage pointsundera climatechangeframe.
Theoreticalandmethodologicalimplicationsarediscussed.
Verschuuren,Jonathan. 2010. Climate Change: Rethinking Restoration in the European Unions Birds and Habitats
Directives.Ecological Restoration 28(4):431
Kerr,RichardA. 2011. First Detection of ozone hole recovery claimed. Science. 332 (6026): 160.
Althoughozone-destroyingchemicalshavebeenindeclineforadecadenow,researchershavelongprojectedthattheywillnotglimpsethefirstsignsthattheAntarcticozoneholeishealinguntilwell past
2020. Butforthefirsttime,agroup ofresearchersclaimstheycanalreadyseetheozoneholeslowly
recovering. Manyothers,however,saythe paper,nowin pressinGeophysical Research Letters,leaves
outcriticalinformationneededtoclinchthecase.
Lambrecht,SusanC. andAntonia DAmore. 2010. Solarization for Non-native Plant Control in Cool, Coastal
California.Ecological Restoration 28(4):424.
Girardin,M. P. ,P. Y. Bernier,and S.Gauthier. 2011. Increasing potential NEP of eastern boreal North American
forests constrained by decreasing wildfire activity.Ecosphere. 2(3): art25. [NaturalResourcesCanada,Canadian
Forest Service,Qubec, QCG1V4C7 Canada]
Heath,Linda S., James E. Smith,ChristopherW. Woodall,DavidL. Azuma,and KarenL. Waddell. 2011. Carbon
stocks on forestland of the United States, with emphasis on USDA Forest Service ownership.Ecosphere. 2(1):
art6. [USDAForest Service,NorthernResearch Station, Durham, NewHampshire 03824; USDAForest Service,
NorthernResearch Station, St. Paul,Minnesota 55108; USDAForest Service,Pacific NorthwestResearch Station,
Portland, Oregon 97205]
The U.S. DepartmentofAgricultureForest Service (USFS) managesone-fifthoftheareaofforestlandin
the United States. TheForest ServiceRoadmap forrespondingtoclimatechangeidentifiedassessingand
managingcarbonstocksandchangeasamajorelementofits plan. Thisstudy presentsmethodsand
resultsofestimatingcurrentforestcarbonstocksandchangeinthe United Statesfor publicand private
owners,consistentwiththeofficial 2010 U.S. greenhousegasinventory,butwithimproveddatasources
forthreestates. Resultsare presentedby NationalForest Systemregion,amajororganizational
managementunitwithintheForest Service,andbyindividualnationalforest. USFS forestlandintheUnited Statesisestimatedtocontainanaverageof192 MgC/ha (megagramscarbon perhectare) on 60.4
millionha,foratotalof11,604 TgC (teragramsC) intheyear 2005. Privately-ownedforestlandaverages
150 MgC/haon 173.8millionha,withforestlandofother publicownersaveraging 169MgC/haon 43.1
millionha. Intermsofchange, privateand USFS ownershipseachsequesteraboutanet 150 TgCO2/yr,
butanadditional 92 TgCO2/yrisstoredin productsfrom privateharvestscomparedtoabout 3 TgCO2/yr
fromharveston USFS land. Emissionsfromotherdisturbancessuchasfires,aswellascorrespondingarea
estimatesofdisturbancearealsoimportant,buttheneededdatasetsarenotyetavailable.
Recommendationsaregivenforimprovingtheestimates.
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Damschen, EllenI., SusanHarrison,and JamesB. Grace, 2011. Climate change effects on an endemic-rich edaphic
flora: resurveying Robert H. Whittaker's Siskiyou sites (Oregon, USA).Ecology. 91(12):36093619. [ Departmentof
Biology,WashingtonUniversity, St. Louis,Missouri 63130; DepartmentofEnvironmental ScienceandPolicy,
UniversityofCalifornia,Davis,California 95616; U.S.Geological Survey,NationalWetlandsResearchCenter, 700
CajundomeBoulevard,Lafayette,Louisiana 70506]
Turner,DavidP. 2011. Global vegetation monitoring: toward a sustainable technobiosphere.Frontiers in Ecology
and the Environment. 9(2). p.111-116. [DivisionofEarth Systems Science,DepartmentofForest Ecosystemsand
Society, Oregon State University,Corvallis,OR]
Theconceptofsustainableresourcemanagementcanbeappliedatmultiplescales. Monitoringisan
essentialcomponentofsustainablenaturalresourcemanagementschemes,andaswebegintoconfront
theneedtomanagenaturalresourcesattheglobalscale,theimportanceofmonitoringattheglobalscale
isalsogrowing. Thecombinationofsatelliteremotesensing,insitumeasurements,andsimulation
modelinghasthe potentialtodeliveranannualassessmentofstatusandtrendsforseveralmeasuresof
terrestrialbiospherestructureandfunctionrelevanttosustainability. However,thereis,asyet,no
internationallycoordinatedeffortin placeto performthatanalysis. Synthesisactivityofthatkindwould
supportthedevelopmentofglobalenvironmentalgovernanceinstitutions,includingbothnon-
governmentalorganizationsandinternationalbodies.
West,PaulC,Gemma T Narisma,CarolCBarford,Christopher J Kucharik,and JonathanAFoley. 2011. An
alternative approach for quantifying climate regulation by ecosystems.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
9(2): 126-133.
Ecosystems providemultiplebenefitsto people,includingclimateregulation. Previouseffortstoquantify
thisecosystemservicehavebeeneitherlargelyconceptualorbasedoncomplexatmosphericmodels.
Here,wereview previousresearchonthistopicand proposeanewandsimpleanalyticalapproachfor
estimatingthe physicalregulationofclimatebyecosystems. The proposedmetricestimateshowland-
coverchangeaffectstheloadingofheatandmoistureintotheatmosphere,whilealsoaccountingforthe
relativecontributionofwind-transportedheatandmoisture. Althoughfeedbackdynamicsbetweenland,
atmosphere,andoceansarenotmodeled,themetriccompareswellwith previousstudiesforseveralregions. Wefindthatecosystemshavethestrongestinfluenceonsurfaceclimaticconditionsintheboreal
andtropicalregions,wheretemperatureandmoisturechangescouldsubstantiallyoffsetormagnify
greenhouse-forcedchanges. Thisapproachcanbeextendedtoestimatetheeffectsofchangingland
coveronlocal, physicalclimate processesthatarerelevanttosociety.
Mumby,Peter J,RobertoIglesias-Prieto,Anthony J Hooten,PeterF Sale, OveHoegh-Guldberg,Alasdair J Edwards,
C DrewHarvell, Edgardo D Gomez, Nancy Knowlton,Marea E Hatziolos,Margareth S Kyewalyanga,and Nyawira
Muthiga. 2011. Revisiting climate thresholds and ecosystem collapse. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.
9(2): 94-96.
Conant,Richard T, StephenM Ogle, EldorAPaul,and KeithPaustian. 2011.Measuring and monitoring soil organic
carbon stocks in agricultural lands for climate mitigation.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(3): 169-173.
Policiesthatencouragegreenhouse-gasemitterstomitigateemissionsthroughterrestrialcarbon (C)
offsets Csequestrationinsoilsorbiomass will promote practicesthatreduceerosionandbuildsoil
fertility,whilefosteringadaptationtoclimatechange,agricultural development,andrehabilitationof
degradedsoils. However,noneofthesebenefitswillbe possibleuntilchangesinCstockscanbe
documentedaccuratelyandcost-effectively. Thisis particularlychallengingwhendealingwithchangesin
soilorganicC (SOC) stocks. PrecisemethodsformeasuringCinsoilsamplesarewellestablished,but
spatialvariabilityinthefactorsthatdetermine SOCstocksmakesitdifficulttodocumentchange.
WidespreadinterestinthebenefitsofSOCsequestrationhasbroughtthisissuetotheforeinthe
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developmentofUS andinternationalclimate policy. Here,wereviewthechallengestodocumenting
changesin SOCstocks,how policydecisionsinfluenceoffsetdocumentationrequirements,andthe
benefitsanddrawbacksofdifferentsamplingstrategiesandextrapolationmethods.
Anderson,RayG,et.al. 2011. Biophysical considerations in forestry for climate protection.Frontiers in Ecology and
the Environment. 9(3): 174-182.
Forestry includingafforestation (the plantingoftreesonlandwheretheyhavenotrecentlyexisted),
reforestation,avoideddeforestation,andforestmanagement canleadtoincreasedsequestrationof
atmosphericcarbondioxideandhasthereforebeen proposedasastrategytomitigateclimatechange.
However,forestryalsoinfluencesland-surface properties,includingalbedo (thefractionofincident
sunlightreflectedbacktospace),surfaceroughness,andevapotranspiration,allofwhichaffectthe
amountandformsofenergytransfertotheatmosphere. Insomecircumstances,thesebiophysical
feedbackscanresultinlocalclimatewarming,therebycounteractingtheeffectsofcarbonsequestration
onglobalmeantemperatureandreducingoreliminatingthenetvalueofclimate-changemitigation
projects. Here,wereview publishedandemergingresearchthatsuggestswaysinwhichforestry projects
cancounteracttheconsequencesassociatedwithbiophysicalinteractions,andhighlightknowledgegaps
inmanagingforestsforclimate protection. Wealsooutlineseveralwaysinwhichbiophysicaleffectscan
beincorporatedintoframeworksthatusethemaintenanceofforestsasaclimate protectionstrategy.
Aufdenkampe,Anthony K,et.al.2011. Riverine coupling of biogeochemical cycles between land, oceans, and
atmosphere.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(1): 53-60. [StroudWaterResearchCenter,Avondale,PA]
Streams,rivers,lakes,andotherinlandwatersareimportantagentsinthecouplingofbiogeochemical
cyclesbetweencontinents,atmosphere,andoceans. Thedepictionoftheserolesinglobal-scale
assessmentsofcarbon (C) andotherbioactiveelementsremainslimited,yetrecentfindingssuggestthat
Cdischargedtotheoceansisonlyafractionofthatenteringriversfromterrestrialecosystemsviasoil
respiration,leaching,chemicalweathering,and physicalerosion. MostofthisCinfluxisreturnedtothe
atmospherefrominlandwatersascarbondioxide (CO2) orburiedinsedimentarydepositswithin
impoundments,lakes,floodplains,andotherwetlands. Carbonandmineralcyclesarecoupledbyboth
erosiondeposition processesandchemicalweathering,withthelatter producingdissolvedinorganicC
andcarbonatebufferingcapacitythatstronglymodulatedownstream pH,biological productionofcalcium-carbonateshells,andCO2outgassinginrivers,estuaries,andcoastalzones. Humanactivities
substantiallyaffectallofthese processes.
Dawson, TerenceP.,Stephen T. Jackson, JoannaI. House,IainColinPrentice,andGeorginaM. Mace. 2011. Beyond
Predictions: Biodiversity Conservation in a Changing Climate.Science. 332(6025): 53-58.
Climatechangeis predictedtobecomeamajorthreattobiodiversityinthe 21stcentury,butaccurate
predictionsandeffectivesolutionshave proveddifficulttoformulate. Alarming predictionshavecome
fromarathernarrowmethodologicalbase,butanew,integratedscienceofclimate-changebiodiversity
assessmentisemerging,basedonmultiplesourcesandapproaches. Drawingonevidencefrom
paleoecologicalobservations,recent phenologicalandmicroevolutionaryresponses,experiments,and
computationalmodels,wereviewtheinsightsthatdifferentapproachesbringtoanticipatingand
managingthebiodiversityconsequencesofclimatechange,includingtheextentofspecies natural
resilience. Weintroduceaframeworkthatusesinformationfromdifferentsourcestoidentify
vulnerabilityandtosupportthedesignofconservationresponses. Althoughmuchoftheinformation
reviewedisonspecies,ourframeworkandconclusionsarealsoapplicabletoecosystems,habitats,
ecologicalcommunities,andgeneticdiversity,whetherterrestrial,marine,orfreshwater.
Hole, DavidG.,etal. 2011. Toward a Management Framework for networks of protected areas in the face of
climate change. Conservation Biology. 25(2): 305.
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Cole, KennethL., KirstenIronside, Jon Eischeid,GreggGarfin,Phillip B. Duffy,andChris Toney. 2011. Past and
ongoing shifts in Joshua tree distribution support future modeled range contraction. Ecological Applications.
21(1): 137-149. [USGS,ColoradoPlateauResearch Station,P.O. Box 5614, NorthernArizona University,Flagstaff,
Arizona 86011; NOAA Earth SystemsResearchLaboratory, 325 Broadway,Boulder,Colorado 80305; Lawrence
Livermore NationalLaboratoryand UniversityofCalifornia,Merced,California 94550; USDAForest Service,Rocky
MountainResearch Station,Missoula,Montana 59808]
Thefuturedistributionofthe Joshuatree (Yucca brevifolia) is projectedbycombiningageostatistical
analysisof20th-centuryclimatesoveritscurrentrange,futuremodeledclimates,and paleoecological
datashowingitsresponsetoa pastsimilarclimatechange. Asclimaterapidlywarmed 11700 years
ago,therangeofJoshuatreecontracted,leavingonlythe populationsnearwhathadbeenits
northernmostlimit. Itsabilitytospreadnorthwardintonewsuitablehabitatsafterthistimemayhave
beeninhibitedbythesomewhatearlierextinctionofmegafaunaldispersers,especiallythe Shastaground
sloth. Weappliedamodelofclimatesuitabilityfor Joshuatree,developedfromits 20th-centuryrange
andclimates,tofutureclimatesmodeledthroughasetofsixindividualgeneralcirculationmodels (GCM)
andonesuiteof22 modelsforthelate 21stcentury. Alldistributiondata,observedclimatedata,and
futureGCMresultswerescaledtospatialgridsof 1 kmand 4 kminordertofacilitateapplication
withinthistopographicallycomplexregion. Allofthemodels projectthefutureeliminationofJoshuatree
throughoutmostofthesouthern portionsofitscurrentrange. Althoughestimatesoffuturemonthly
precipitationdifferbetweenthemodels,thesechangesareoutweighedbylargeincreasesintemperature
commontoallthemodels. Onlyafew populationswithinthecurrentrangeare predictedtobe
sustainable. Severalmodels projectsignificant potentialfutureexpansionintonewareasbeyondthe
currentrange,butthespecies'historicalandcurrentratesofdispersalwouldseemto preventnatural
expansionintothesenewareas. Severalareasare predictedtobe potentialsitesforrelocation/assisted
migration. This projectdemonstrateshowinformationfrom paleoecologyandmodernecologycanbe
integratedinordertounderstandongoing processesandfuturedistributions.
ConservationTurner, DavidP. 2011. Global vegetation monitoring: toward a sustainable technobiosphere. Frontiers in Ecology
and the Environment. 9(2): 111-116. [DivisionofEarth Systems Science, DepartmentofForest Ecosystemsand
Society, Oregon State University,Corvallis,OR]
Theconceptofsustainableresourcemanagementcanbeappliedatmultiplescales. Monitoringisan
essentialcomponentofsustainablenaturalresourcemanagementschemes,andaswebegintoconfront
theneedtomanagenaturalresourcesattheglobalscale,theimportanceofmonitoringattheglobalscale
isalsogrowing. Thecombinationofsatelliteremotesensing,insitumeasurements,andsimulation
modelinghasthe potentialtodeliveranannualassessmentofstatusandtrendsforseveralmeasuresof
terrestrialbiospherestructureandfunctionrelevanttosustainability. However,thereis,asyet,no
internationallycoordinatedeffortin placeto performthatanalysis. Synthesisactivityofthatkindwould
supportthedevelopmentofglobalenvironmentalgovernanceinstitutions,includingbothnon-
governmentalorganizationsandinternationalbodies.
VanDover,C.L.,Scientists as stakeholders in conservation of hydrothermal vents.Conservation Biology. 25(2):
214.
Brosius, J.P.,Acknowledging conservation trade-offs and embracing complexity.Conservation biology. 25(2): 259.
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RestorationHenn,Aviand David Ostergren. 2010. The San Juan River Basin Fluvial Restoration Database and the Conservation
Registry (California). EcologicalRestoration 28(4): 415.
Merritt,David J. and KingsleyW. Dixon. 22 April 2011. Restoration SeedBanks amatterofscale. Science.
332(6028): 383-500.
Seedbanksmustshiftfrombeing stamp-collectionsofspeciestocollectionsthatcan providetonsof
seedsandtheexpertisetoimproverestorationefforts.
Verschuuren,Jonathan. 2010. Climate Change: Rethinking Restoration in the European Unions Birds and Habitats
Directives. Ecological Restoration 28(4): 431
Hough-Snee, Nate,RodneyPondand Jake Jacobson. 2010. The Stillaguamish Big Trees Project: Watershed-Scale
Riparian Restoration (Washington).Ecological Restoration 28(3): 243
Nyoka.Susan E.2010. Can Restoration Management Improve Habitat for Insect Pollinators in Ponderosa Pine
Forests of the American Southwest?Ecological Restoration 28(3): 280
Allen,Anastasia E.,Francisco J. Santana-Michel,ClaudiaOrtizArronaand JoyB. Zedler.2010. Integrating Ecologicaland Ethnobotanical Priorities into Riparian Restoration.Ecological:377
Sorensen,Christopher D. andChristopher M. McGlone. 2010. Ponderosa Pine Understory Response to Short-Term
Grazing Exclusion (Arizona). Ecological Restoration. 28(2): 124
Murcia.Carolina.2010. On-the-Job Training for National Park Staff: What They Need to Know about Ecological
Restoration (Colombia).Ecological Restoration. 28(2): 139
Sandel,B.,J. D. Corbin,andM. Krupa. 2011. Using plant functional traits to guide restoration: A case study in
California coastal grassland.Ecosphere. 2(2): art 23. [DepartmentofIntegrativeBiology, UniversityofCalifornia,
Berkeley,Berkeley,California 94720;DepartmentofBiological Sciences, UnionCollege, Schenectady,New York
12308; DepartmentofLand,Air,andWaterResources,UniversityofCalifornia,Davis, Davis,California 95616]
Restorationecologycanbenefitgreatlyfromdevelopmentsintrait-basedecologythatenableimproved
predictionsofhowthecompositionofplantcommunitieswillrespondtochangesinenvironmental
conditions. Plantfunctionaltraitscanbeusedtoguidetherestorationofdegradedhabitatsbyclosely
tailoringtreatmentstothelocalspecies pool. Wetestedthisapproachintwoheavilyinvadedcoastal
Californiagrasslands. Weaskedwhethernative plantabundanceand plantcommunitytraitcomposition
respondto (1) experimentalsoilfertilityreductionintheformoftwice-yearlycarbon (C) amendmentsand
(2) disturbanceintheformofmowing. Wemeasuredheight,specificleafarea,leafthicknessandleaf
densityfromindividualsof39 speciesinthecontrolandCaddition plots,andsupplementedthesetrait
valueswithdatabaseinformationongrowthform,lifespan,nitrogen-fixingabilityandseedmass.
Consistentwiththeoretical predictions,Cadditionfavoredshort,large-seededandnitrogen-fixingspecies,
whilemowingbenefittedshortspecieswithhighspecificleafarea. However,nativeandexoticspeciesdid
notdifferinanyofthemeasuredtraits,andneithergroup benefittedgenerallyfromthetreatments.Carbonadditionledtolargeintraspecifictraitshifts,withindividualsinCaddition plotshavingsmaller,
denserleavesandshorterstature. Species'trait plasticity,however,wasnotrelatedtothecommunity
compositionresponsetoCaddition. Ourstudyindicatesthattrait-basedecologyissufficientlymature
to provideuseful predictionsintherealmofrestorationecology. Traitscreeningatasitecanhelp predict
thesuccessofa particularrestorationmeasureinthatcommunity.
Krawchuk,MegA. and SteveG. Cumming. 2011. Effects of biotic feedback and harvest management on boreal
forest fire activity under climate change. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 122-136. [DepartmentofEnvironmental
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Science,Policy,andManagement, 137MulfordHall,MCnumber 3114, UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,California
94720; Dpartementdes SciencesduBoisetdelaFort,FacultdeForesterieetdeGomatique,PavillonAbitibi-
Price,Bureau 3143-A, UniversitLaval, QubecCity,QubecG1K7P4 Canada]
PredictionsoffuturefireactivityoverCanada'sborealforestshave primarilybeengeneratedfromclimate
datafollowingassumptionsthatdirecteffectsofweatherwillstandaloneincontributingtochangesin
burning. However,thisassumptionneedsexplicittesting. First,areasrecentlyburnedcanbelesslikelytoburnagaininthenearterm,andthisendogenousregulationsuggeststhe potentialforself-limiting,
negativebioticfeedbacktoregionalclimate-drivenincreasesinfire. Second,forestharvestisongoing,and
resultingchangesinvegetationstructurehavebeenshowntoaffectfireactivity. Consequently,wetested
theassumptionthatfireactivitywillbedrivenbychangesinfireweatherwithoutregulationbybiotic
feedbackorregionalharvest-drivenchangesinvegetationstructureinthemixedwoodborealforestof
Alberta,Canada,usingasimulationexperimentthatincludestheinteractionoffire,standdynamics,
climatechange,andclearcutharvestmanagement.
Wefoundthatclimatechange projectedwithfireweatherindicescalculatedfromtheCanadianRegional
ClimateModelincreasedfireactivity,asexpected,andoursimulationsestablishedevidencethatthe
magnitudeofregionalincreaseinfirewassufficienttogeneratenegativefeedbacktosubsequentfire
activity. Weillustratea 39% (1.39-fold) increaseinfireinitiationand 47% (1.47-fold) increaseinarea
burnedwhenclimateandstanddynamicswereincludedinsimulations,yet 48% (1.48-fold) and 61%
(1.61-fold) increases,respectively,whenclimatewasconsideredalone. Thus,althoughbioticfeedbacks
reducedburnedareaestimatesinimportantways,theyweresecondarytothedirecteffectofclimateon
fire. Wethenshowthatongoingharvestmanagementinthisregionchangedlandscapecompositionina
waythatledtoreducedfireactivity,eveninthecontextofclimatechange. Althoughforestharvesting
resultedindecreasedregionalfireactivitywhencomparedtounharvestedconditions,forestcomposition
andagestructurewasshiftedsubstantially,illustratingatrade-offbetweenmanagementgoalsto
minimizefireandconservationgoalstoemulatenaturaldisturbance.
Pike, DavidA.,Jonathan K. Webb,andRichard Shine. 2011.Removing forest canopy cover restores a reptile
assemblage.EcologicalApplications. 21(1): 274-280. [SchoolofBiological SciencesA08, UniversityofSydney,
NSW 2006 Australia]
Ando,AmyW. andLeeHannah. 2011. Lessons from finance for new land-conservation strategies given climate-change uncertainty.Conservation Biology. 25(2): 412.
Hardwick, K. etal.,Role of botanic gardens in the science and practice of ecological restoration.Conservation
biology. 25(2): 265.
Michel, J.T.,Helfield, J.M.,Hooper, D.U.,Seed rain and revegetation of exposed substrates following dam
removal on the Elwha River.NorthwestScience 85(1): 15-29
BiodiversityPillsbury,FinnC., JamesR. Miller, DianeM. Debinski,DavidM. Engle. 2011. Another tool in the toolbox? Using fire
and grazing to promote bird diversity in highly fragmented landscapes. Ecosphere. 2(3):art28
Kennedy,ThomasL. and ThomasF. Turner. 2011. River channelization reduces nutrient flow and
macroinvertebrate diversity at the aquatic terrestrial transition zone.Ecosphere. 2(3):art 35 [Departmentof
BiologyandMuseumofSouthwesternBiology, UniversityofNewMexico,Albuquerque, NewMexico 87131 USA]
Aquaticandterrestrialecosystemsarelinkedthroughlateralinteractionsthatsupportandmaintain
biodiversityinbothregions. However,inmany places,riverregulationandchannelizationhaveisolated
riversfromsurroundingriparianareas. Weevaluatedtheeffectsofchannelizationonthelinkages
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betweenaquaticandterrestrialinvertebrateassemblagesintheRioGrande, NewMexicoviacomparison
ofquantitativemacroinvertebratesurveydataandanalysesofcarbonandnitrogenisotopestotestfor
changesinnutrientflowbetweenchannelizedandnon-channelizedreachesofthishighlyregulated
system. Aquaticandterrestrialmacroinvertebratesweresurveyedinsummer 2008 atchannelizedand
non-channelizedreaches. Averagedensitiesofaquaticmacroinvertebrateswere 50% lowerinthe
channelizedreaches. Taxonomicrichnessanddensitiesofmacroinvertebratesinthetransitionzone
betweentheriverandforestedfloodplainwerealsolowerinchannelizedreachesandthiseffectwasespecially pronouncedfor predatorymacroinvertebratespecies. Carbonisotoperatiosinconsumers
indicatedthatinstream (i.e.,benthicalgae) productionservedasthemajorsourceofcarbonfor
predaceousarthropodsinthetransitionzone. Ourresultsindicatethatriverregulationthatleadsto
channelizationcanreducediversityandmacroinvertebratedensitiesatthelandscapescalebysevering
linkagesbetweentheaquaticandripariancommunities. Theseeffectsappearespeciallyacutefor
predaceousmacroinvertebrates,perhapsbecause preferred preydensityislowered. Restorationof
naturalflowregimesisvitallyimportanttoreducechannelizationandmaintainconnectivitybetweenthe
aquaticandterrestrialenvironmentstoconservetheuniqueassemblageofmacroinvertebratesinthe
transitionzone
Merritt, DavidM.,ChristerNilsson,andRoland Jansson. 2010. Consequences of propagule dispersal and river
fragmentation for riparian plant community diversity and turnover.Ecological Monographs. 80(4): 600-626.
[NationalWatershed,Fish,Wildlife,Air,andRarePlants, U.S. Forest Service, NaturalResourceResearchCenter,
FortCollins,Colorado 80526]
Letourneau,Deborah K. et.al. 2011. Does plant diversity benefit agroecosystems? A synthetic review. Ecological
Applications. 21(1): 9-21. [Environmental Studies Department, 1156 High Street, UniversityofCalifornia, Santa
Cruz,California 95064]
Russ,GarryR. andAngelC. Alcala. 2011. Enhanced biodiversity beyond marine reserve boundaries: The cup
spillith over. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 241-250.[SchoolofMarineand TropicalBiologyandARCCentrefor
CoralReefStudies, JamesCook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811 Australia; Silliman UniversityAngelo King
CenterforResearchand EnvironmentalManagement, Silliman University,DumagueteCity, 6200,Philippines]
Swanson,Mark E, JerryFFranklin,RobertLBeschta,CharlesMCrisafulli,DominickA DellaSala,RichardLHutto,DavidBLindenmayer,andFrederick J Swanson. 2011.The forgotten stage of forest succession: early-successional
ecosystems on forest sites.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(2): 117-125.
Early-successionalforestecosystemsthatdevelop afterstand-replacingor partialdisturbancesarediverse
inspecies, processes,andstructure. Post-disturbanceecosystemsarealsooftenrichinbiologicallegacies,
includingsurvivingorganismsandorganicallyderivedstructures,suchaswoodydebris. Theselegaciesand
post-disturbance plantcommunitiesprovideresourcesthatattractandsustainhighspeciesdiversity,
includingnumerousearly-successionalobligates,suchascertainwoodpeckersandarthropods. Early
successionistheonly periodwhentreecanopiesdonotdominatetheforestsite,andsothisstagecanbe
characterizedbyhigh productivityofplantspecies (includingherbsandshrubs),complexfoodwebs,large
nutrientfluxes,andhighstructuralandspatialcomplexity. Differentdisturbancescontrastmarkedlyin
termsofbiologicallegacies,andthiswillinfluencetheresultant physicalandbiologicalconditions,thus
affectingsuccessional pathways. Managementactivities,suchas post-disturbancelogginganddensetree
planting,canreducetherichnesswithinandthedurationofearly-successionalecosystems. Where
maintenanceofbiodiversityisanobjective,theimportanceandvalueofthesenaturalearly-successional
ecosystemsareunderappreciated.
Fletcher,Robert J Jr,BruceARobertson, Jason Evans,Patrick J Doran, JanakiRRAlavalapati,andDouglasW
Schemske .2011. Biodiversity conservation in the era of biofuels: risks and opportunities.Frontiers in Ecology and
the Environment. 9(3): 161-168.
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Growingdemandforalternativeenergysourceshascontributedtoincreasedbiofuel production,butthe
effectsonbiodiversityofland-usechangetobiofuelcropsremainunclear. Usingameta-analysisforcrops
beingusedorconsideredinthe US,wefindthatvertebratediversityandabundancearegenerallylower
inbiofuelcrop habitatsrelativetothenon-crop habitatsthatthesecropsmayreplace. Diversityeffects
aregreaterforcornthanfor pineand poplar,andbirdsofconservationconcernexperiencegreater
negativeeffectsfromcornthanspeciesoflessconcern. Yetconversionofrow-crop fieldstograsslands
dedicatedtobiofuelscouldincreaselocaldiversityandabundanceofbirds. Tominimizeimpactsofbiofuelcropsonbiodiversity,werecommendmanagementpracticesthatreducechemicalinputs,
increaseheterogeneitywithinfields,anddelayharvestsuntilbirdbreedinghasceased. Weencourage
researchthatwillmoveustowardasustainablebiofuelseconomy,includingtheuseofnative plants,
developmentofrobustenvironmentalcriteriaforevaluatingbiofuelcrops,andintegratedcostbenefit
analysisofpotentialland-usechange.
Dawson,TerenceP., Stephen T. Jackson, JoannaI. House,IainColinPrentice,andGeorginaM. Mace. 2011. Beyond
Predictions: Biodiversity Conservation in a Changing Climate.Science. 332(6025): 53-58.
Climatechangeis predictedtobecomeamajorthreattobiodiversityinthe 21stcentury,butaccurate
predictionsandeffectivesolutionshave proveddifficulttoformulate. Alarming predictionshavecome
fromarathernarrowmethodologicalbase,butanew,integratedscienceofclimate-changebiodiversity
assessmentisemerging,basedonmultiplesourcesandapproaches. Drawingonevidencefrom
paleoecologicalobservations,recent phenologicalandmicroevolutionaryresponses,experiments,and
computationalmodels,wereviewtheinsightsthatdifferentapproachesbringtoanticipatingand
managingthebiodiversityconsequencesofclimatechange,includingtheextentofspecies natural
resilience. Weintroduceaframeworkthatusesinformationfromdifferentsourcestoidentify
vulnerabilityandtosupportthedesignofconservationresponses. Althoughmuchoftheinformation
reviewedisonspecies,ourframeworkandconclusionsarealsoapplicabletoecosystems,habitats,
ecologicalcommunities,andgeneticdiversity,whetherterrestrial,marine,orfreshwater.
Narwani,AnitaandAsitMazumder. 2011. Community composition and consumer identity determine the effect of
resource species diversity on rates of consumption.Ecology. 91(12): 34413447 [WaterandAquatic Sciences
ResearchProgram, DepartmentofBiology, UniversityofVictoria,P.O. Box 3020, StationC.S.C.,Victoria,British
ColumbiaV8W3N5 Canada]
Theeffectofspeciesdiversityonecosystemfunctioniscommonlystudiedwithinasingletrophiclevel,
butlessisknownabouthowresourcediversityaffectsspeciesinteractionsbetweentrophiclevels. We
conductedagrazingexperimenttodeterminehowresourcespeciesdiversityaffectsratesofconsumption
bythreespeciesoffreshwaterzooplanktonconsumers. Wemeasuredtheeffectofresourcediversityon
ratesofconsumptionforseveralresourcecommunitycompositions. Thesecompositionsvariedinterms
ofpalatabilityfortheconsumers. Theeffectofresourcediversityonconsumptionratesdependedonthe
dietbreadthoftheconsumerspecies (fromspecialisttogeneralist) andthecommunitycompositionof
resources. Overall,highresourcediversitycommonlycausedadeclineinconsumptionratesof
consumers. Themostselectivegrazershowedreducedconsumptionfornearlyallcommunity
compositions,whereasthemostgeneralistgrazershowedacceleratedconsumptionwhenallresource
specieswere palatable. Ourresultsdemonstratethatresourcespeciesdiversitycanmodulateratesof
consumptionthroughtheactionofmultipledifferentmechanisms.
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Invasive Species
Bateman,HeatherL., TomL. Dudley, DanW. Bean, StevenM. Ostoja, KevinR. HultineandMichael J. Kuehn., 2010.
A River System to Watch: Documenting the Effects ofSaltcedar (Tamarix spp.) Biocontrol in the Virgin River
Valley. Ecological restoration 28(4): 405-410.
Lambrecht,SusanC. andAntonia DAmore. 2010. Solarization for Non-native Plant Control in Cool, CoastalCalifornia.Ecological Restoration 28(4):424-426.
Prasser Nickand JoyB. Zedler.2010. Salt Tolerance ofInvasive PhalarisarundinaceaExceeds That of Native Carex
stricta(Wisconsin). Ecological Restoration. 28(3): 238-240
Gertzen, E. L.,B. Leung,and N. D. Yan. 2011. Propagule pressure, Allee effects and the probability of
establishment of an invasive species (Bythotrepheslongimanus)Ecosphere 2(3): art 30. [DepartmentofBiology,
McGill University,Montreal,Quebec,CanadaH3A 1B1,McGill SchoolofEnvironment,McGill University,Montreal,
Quebec,CanadaH3A 2A7, DepartmentofBiology, York University, Toronto, Ontario,CanadaM3J 1P3 ]
Predictingestablishmentofexoticspeciesisacentralgoalofinvasionbiology,andisdependentupon
propagule pressureand population processes. Weintroducedinvadingspinywaterfleas,Bythotrephes
longimanusatdifferent propagule pressuresinto 19 experimentalenclosures,following populationsover
asexualgenerations,restingegg production,andemergenceinthefollowingyear. Weintegrated
experimentalresultswithfielddatatogenerateastochastic populationmodel, predictingestablishment
inrelationto propagule pressureandintroductiondate. OurresultssuggestedthatAlleeeffectsare
operationalathigherdensitiesorsmallervolumesthan previously predicted,thatstochasticityplaysan
importantroleinestablishment,anddemographicstochasticitymaybecorrelatedbetweenindividuals.
Further,ournoveltheoreticalderivationssuggestthatorganismsshouldmodifytheirsexratiostoreduce
Alleeeffects. Thefunctionalformusingadaptivesex-ratioswasconsistentwithbothmesocosmandfield
data. DespitetheoccurrenceofAlleeeffectsandstochasticity,therewasstillnodateduringthegrowing
seasonwherewe predictlakestobeentirelysafefromBythotrephesinvasions. Asingle propagulehad
approximatelya 0.15 establishment probabilityinourmesocosms,ifintroducedearlyintheseason;
propagule pressuresof10 had > 0.50 probability,regardlessofintroductiondate.
Corbin,Jeffrey D. andCarlaM. D'Antonio.(2011). Abundance and productivity mediate invader effects on nitrogen
dynamics in a California grassland.Ecosphere. 2(3): art 32.
Soilnitrogen (N) transformationshavebeenshowntobeinfluencedby plantcommunitycomposition.
Identifyingspeciestraitsthatcontrolnitrogendynamicsismorestraightforwardwhenspecies
dramaticallydifferin N inputvialitter (e.g., N-fixinginvadersinanon-fixingcommunity) orinlitter
carbon:N orlignin:N ratios. Caseswhereinvadersandresidentsaremoresimilarforsuchtraitsaremore
challengingtoevaluate. Inthesesettings,aspecies'relativeabundanceanditscontributiontooverall
ecosystem productivityarelikelytocontributesignificantlytothedevelopmentofeffectson N availability
andcycling.
Wecomparedsoil N dynamicsinexperimentalgrasslandcommunitiesdominatedbynative perennial
grasses (NP),exoticannualgrasses (EA),andexotic perennialgrasses (EP),aswellasmixturesofthe
native perennialgrasseswitheachexoticgrassgroup (NP + EAand NP + EP). Thesegroupsdifferfrom
eachotherinsubtlewaysintraitslikelytoinfluencesoil N cyclingincludingannual productivity,allocation
torootsversusshoots,litter production,litterchemistry,anddegreeofsummertimeactivity. Wefound
thatecosystemN dynamicsweresignificantlydifferentbetweenthevariousspeciesgroupswiththe
greatestdifferencesoccurringbetween EA plotsandothercommunitytypes: soilsin EA plotshad
significantlylowerratesofnet N mineralization,netnitrification,andmicrobialbiomass-N comparedto
either NPor NP + EA plots,andlowerextractablenitrateinthespringcomparedtoeither NPor EP plots.
Thehigherthe proportionofproductivityina plotthatderivedfromexoticspecies, particularlyexotic
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annualspecies,thelowerwerethemeasuredratesofnet N mineralization. Stepwiseregressionanalysis
showedthatvegetation productivitywasthebest predictorofN cyclingmetrics: thehigherthe
productivity,thehighertheratesofnetmineralizationandnitrification,andmicrobialbiomass-N.
Weconcludethatspecies'abundanceand productivitywerestrongcontrollingfactorsinthedevelopment
ofdifferencesinecosystem N dynamicsbetweenourexperimentaltreatments. Inclusionofrelative
proportionofproductivitycontributedbycommunitymembersinmodelsofthedevelopmentofspecies
effectswilllikelyaidin predictingwhenandwhereinvasivespecieswillalterecosystem N dynamics.
Warren,Robert J. II,VolkerBahn, Timothy D. Kramer, Yaya Tang,andMarkA. Bradford. (2011). Performance and
reproduction of an exotic invader across temperate forest gradients.Ecosphere. 2(2): art 14. [SchoolofForestry
and Environmental Studies, Yale University,NewHaven,Connecticut 06511 USA, DepartmentofBiological
Sciences,Wright State University,Dayton,Ohio 45435 USA]
Widespreadcolonizationbyinvasivespeciesoftenobscurestheirunderlyingnicherequirements. Arobust
inferenceintohabitatrequirementsdemandsdirectmeasuresofinvasivespecies performancelinked
withassociatedenvironmentalconditions. Inthecontextofgeneralecologicaltheory,weinvestigatedthe
nicherequirementsofMicrostegium vimineum,aninvasivegrassinthe U.S. thatoverrunsnative
vegetationinforestunderstories. WeexaminedM. vimineum's performanceandreproductionasa
functionofenvironmentaldriversacrossforestedandunforestedhabitatsalonga 100-kmregionaland
climaticgradientinthesoutheasternU.S. fromthesouthernAppalachianMountainstotheGeorgia
piedmont. WethenmeasuredM. vimineum performanceandreproductioninresponsetodirect
environmentaldrivers (diffuselight,littercover,soilmoisture,herbaceouscover,soil pH,claycontentand
temperature) in pairedinvadedanduninvaded plots. Lastly,weexperimentallyinvestigatedrecruitment
inthecontextofexperimentalandnaturaldisturbances. Wefindthatallhabitatsarenotequallysuitable
forM. vimineumeventhosewithinwhichitoccursandthattheenvironmentalconditionsassociated
withroadsidesandwaterwaysaremostsuitableforM. vimineum persistenceandspread. Microstegium
vimineum'ssoilmoisture,lightandleaflitterrequirementsmaydelineatetheboundariesofsuitable
habitatfortheexoticinvader. SignificantdecreasesinM. vimineumrecruitment, performanceand
reproductionalongtheseenvironmentalgradientssuggestits potentialnichelimitations. Nevertheless,
wealsofindsignificantdispersallimitsonM. vimineum populationsnotsubjecttoconspicuousoverland
waterflow. Wediscussourfindingsinthecontextofspread,impactandmanagementofinvasivespecies.
Sandel,B.,J. D. Corbin,andM. Krupa. (2011). Using plant functional traits to guide restoration: A case study in
California coastal grassland.Ecosphere. 2(2): art 23. [DepartmentofIntegrativeBiology, UniversityofCalifornia,
Berkeley,Berkeley,California 94720;DepartmentofBiological Sciences, UnionCollege, Schenectady,New York
12308; DepartmentofLand,Air,andWaterResources,UniversityofCalifornia,Davis, Davis,California 95616]
Restorationecologycanbenefitgreatlyfromdevelopmentsintrait-basedecologythatenableimproved
predictionsofhowthecompositionofplantcommunitieswillrespondtochangesinenvironmental
conditions. Plantfunctionaltraitscanbeusedtoguidetherestorationofdegradedhabitatsbyclosely
tailoringtreatmentstothelocalspecies pool. Wetestedthisapproachintwoheavilyinvadedcoastal
Californiagrasslands. Weaskedwhethernative plantabundanceand plantcommunitytraitcomposition
respondto (1) experimentalsoilfertilityreductionintheformoftwice-yearlycarbon (C) amendmentsand
(2) disturbanceintheformofmowing. Wemeasuredheight,specificleafarea,leafthicknessandleaf
densityfromindividualsof39 speciesinthecontrolandCaddition plots,andsupplementedthesetrait
valueswithdatabaseinformationongrowthform,lifespan,nitrogen-fixingabilityandseedmass.
Consistentwiththeoretical predictions,Cadditionfavoredshort,large-seededandnitrogen-fixingspecies,
whilemowingbenefittedshortspecieswithhighspecificleafarea. However,nativeandexoticspeciesdid
notdifferinanyofthemeasuredtraits,andneithergroup benefittedgenerallyfromthetreatments.
Carbonadditionledtolargeintraspecifictraitshifts,withindividualsinCaddition plotshavingsmaller,
denserleavesandshorterstature. Species'trait plasticity,however,wasnotrelatedtothecommunity
compositionresponsetoCaddition. Ourstudyindicatesthattrait-basedecologyissufficientlymature
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to provideuseful predictionsintherealmofrestorationecology. Traitscreeningatasitecanhelp predict
thesuccessofa particularrestorationmeasureinthatcommunity.
Kulhanek, StefanieA.,AnthonyRicciardi,andBrianLeung. 2011. Is invasion history a useful tool for predicting the
impacts of the world's worst aquatic invasive species?Ecological Applications. 21(1): 189-202. [Departmentof
Biology,McGill University,Montreal,QuebecH3A1B1 Canada.]
Kulhanek, StefanieA.,BrianLeung,andAnthonyRicciardi. 2011. Using ecological niche models to predict the
abundance and impact of invasive species: application to the common carp. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 203-
213. [DepartmentofBiology,McGill University,Montreal,QuebecH3A1B1 Canada]
Bled,Florent J.,AndrewRoyle,and EmmanuelleCam. 2011. Hierarchical modeling of an invasive spread: the
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopeliadecaocto in the United States. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 290-302. [U.S.
Geological Survey,PatuxentWildlifeResearchCenter,Laurel,Maryland 20708 USA]
Oppel, Steffen,BrentM. Beaven,MarkBolton, JulietVickeryand ThomasW. Bodey. 2011. Eradication ofInvasive
Mammals on Islands Inhabited by Humans and Domestic Animals. Conservation Biology. 25(2): 232-240.
Foxcroft,LlewellynC.,Vojtech Jarosik,etal. 2011. Protected-area boundaries as filters of plant invasions.
Conservation Biology. 25(2): 400-405.
Infectious Disease/ParasitesMeentemeyer,Ross K.,et.al. 2011. Epidemiological modeling of invasion in heterogeneous landscapes: spread of
sudden oak death in California (19902030). Ecosphere. 2(2): art 17.
Thespreadofemerginginfectiousdiseases (EIDs) innaturalenvironments posessubstantialrisksto
biodiversityandecosystemfunction. As EIDsandtheirimpactsgrow,landscape- toregional-scalemodels
ofdiseasedynamicsareincreasinglyneededforquantitative predictionofepidemicoutcomesanddesign
ofpracticablestrategiesforcontrol. Hereweusespatio-temporal,stochasticepidemiologicalmodelingin
combinationwithrealisticgeographicalmodelingto predictthespreadofthesuddenoakdeath pathogen
(Phytophthora ramorum) throughheterogeneoushost populationsinwildlandforests,subjectto
fluctuatingweatherconditions. Themodelconsidersthreestochastic processes: (1) the productionofinoculumatagivensite; (2) thechancethatinoculumisdispersedwithinandamongsites; and (3) the
probabilityofinfectionfollowingtransmissiontosusceptiblehostvegetation. We parameterizedthe
modelusingMarkovchainMonteCarlo (MCMC) estimationfromsnapshotsoflocal- andregional-scale
dataondiseasespread,takingaccountoflandscapeheterogeneityandthe principalscalesofspread. Our
applicationofthemodeltoCalifornianlandscapesovera 40-year period (19902030),sincethe
approximatetimeofpathogenintroduction,revealedkey parametersdrivingthespatialspreadofdisease
andthemagnitudeofstochasticvariabilityinepidemicoutcomes. Resultsshowthatmostdiseasespread
occursvialocaldispersal (
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Teste,FranoisP.,Victor J. Lieffers,and SimonM. Landhusser. 2011. Seed release in serotinous lodgepole pine
forests after mountain pine beetle outbreak. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 150-162. [DepartmentofRenewable
Resources,UniversityofAlberta, Edmonton,Alberta T6G2H1 Canada]
Thereareconcernsthatlarge-scalestandmortalityduetomountain pinebeetle (MPB) couldgreatly
reducenaturalregenerationofserotinousRockyMountain (RM) lodgepole pine (Pinus contortavar.
latifolia) becausetheclosedconesareheldin placewithoutthefirecueforconeopening. Weselected 20
stands (fivestandseachoflive [control], 3 yearssinceMPB [3-yr-MPB], 6 yearssinceMPB [6-yr-MPB],and9 yearssinceMPB [9-yr-MPB]mortality) innorthcentralBritishColumbia,Canada. Thegoalwasto
determine partiallossofserotinyduetofallofcrown-storedconesviabreakageofbranchesandinsitu
openingofcanopyconesthroughoutthe 2008 and 2009 growingseasons. Wealsoquantifiedseedrelease
bytheopeningofforest-floorcones,lossofseedfromrodent predation,andconeburial. Treeskilledby
MPBthreeyearsearlierdropped 3.5 timesmoreconesviabranchbreakagecomparedtolivestands.
Aftersixyears,MPB-killedstandshadreleased 45% oftheircanopyseedbankthroughconeopening,
conefallduetobreakage,andsquirrel predation. Furtherlossesofcanopyseedbanksareexpectedwith
timesincewefound 9-yr-MPBstandshad 38%moreopencanopycones. Thiswascounteredbythe
developmentofamodestforest-floorseedbank (6% oftheoriginalcanopyseedbank) fromburialof
cones; thisseedbankmaybeecologicallyimportantifafireoranthropogenicdisturbancereexposes
thesecones. Ifadequatelevelsofregenerationaretooccur,disturbancestocreateseedbedsmustoccur
shortlyaftertreemortality,beforetheseedbanksarelost. Ourfindingsalsosuggestthatthesustained
seedrain (overatleastnineyears) afterMPBoutbreakmaybebeneficialfor populationgrowthof
ground-foragingvertebrates. Ourstudyaddsinsighttotheseedecologyofserotinous pinesundera
potentiallycontinental-wideinsectoutbreak,threateningvastforestsadaptedtoregenerationafterfire.
Brinkerhoff, R Jory,CorrineMFolsom-O'Keefe, Kimberly Tsao,andMariaA Diuk-Wasser. 2011. Do birds affect
Lyme disease risk? Range expansion of the vector-borne pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi.Frontiers in Ecology and
the Environment. 9(2): 103-110.
White,P.J., John J. Treanor,andRickL. Wallen. 2011. Balancing Brucellosis Risk Management and Wildlife
Conservation.Yellowstone Science. 19(1): 15-21.
Landmanagersand parkscientistsexaminethecomplexscientificandsocialissuessurroundingthehow,
when,andwhereofbrucellosistransmission.
Foley,Janet, DeanaClifford,etal. 2011. Investigating and managing the rapid emergence of white-nose
syndrome, a novel, fatal infectious disease of hibernating bats.Conservation Biology. 25(2): 223-231.
Roads, Impact ofShanley,Colin S. and SanjayPyare. 2011. Evaluating the road-effect zone on wildlife distribution in a rural
landscape.Ecosphere. 2(2): art 16. [BiologyandWildlife Department, UniversityofAlaska,Fairbanks,Alaska 99775
USA, Environmental SciencesandGeographyProgram, UniversityofAlaska Southeast, Juneau,Alaska 99801 USA]
Theroad-effectzoneistheareainwhichecologicaleffectsextendoutwardfromaroad. Dispersedoff-
highwayvehicle (OHV; e.g.,four-wheelersandsnowmachines) activityonruralroadnetworkscreatesa
disturbancethatreducestheeffectiveamountofwildlifehabitatandthereforehasthe potentialforan
extensiveroad-effectzone. Consequently,landmanagersmustconsiderthetrade-offsbetweenruralroad
developmentandtheconservationofhabitatforspeciesofconcern. Weconductedaspatially-explicit
studyofmoose,Alces alces,occurrenceinrelationtoruralroadsand OHVroutesinruralAlaska, U.S.A.
WeusedlogisticregressionandAICmodelselectioncriteriontodevelop resourceselectionfunctions
(RSFs) formaleandfemalemooseatthreespatialscales (250 m, 500 m,and 1000 m) intwoseasons
(summerandfall). Toevaluateanecologicaldisturbancethresholdfromincreasingrouteactivityonthe
probabilityofanimaloccurrence,theRSFswere plottedagainstanindexofrouteactivityderivedfrom
interviewswith OHVusers,andfitwithlogarithmicfunctions. Thevariableforrouteactivityimprovedthe
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fitofRSFmodelsforbothsexesatallspatialscalesandinbothseasons. Anegativerelationship wasfound
betweenmooseoccurrenceandroutesorareasinwhichrouteswereinclose proximityto primary
forage,withtheexceptionofmalemooseatthe 1000-mscaleinthefall. Therefore,amongthespatial
scalesofanalysis,theroad-effectzoneformalemoosewasdeterminedtobebetween 500 mand 1000
m,and >1000mforfemalemoose. Furthermore,routeactivity
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severities,andsuchheterogeneitymay promotehabitatlongevity. Ourestimateofoveralldetection
probability (acrossallsurveyintervals) was 0.772. Wefoundstrongeffectsofsurveyintervallength
(higherforlongerinterval) and,especiallysurveytype (higherforbroadcastsurvey) ondetection
probability. OurmodelingframeworkandimplementationillustratestheflexibilityoftheBayesian
hierarchicalapproachforhandlingcomplexitiessuchasestimatingderived parameters (andvariances)
andmodelingrandomeffects,andshould provegenerallyusefulforoccupancystudies.
FrancoBiondi,LeiaP. Jamieson, Scotty Strachan,and Jason Sibold, 2011. Dendroecological testing of the
pyroclimatic hypothesis in the central Great Basin, Nevada, USA.Ecosphere. 2(1). [DendroLab, Departmentof
Geography,MS 154, UniversityofNevada,Reno, Nevada 89557; Environmental SciencesGraduateProgram,
UniversityofNevada,Reno, Nevada 89557; DepartmentofAnthropology,Colorado State University,FortCollins,
Colorado 80523]
IntheGreatBasinregionofwestern NorthAmerica,recordsofpastclimateandwildfirevariabilityare
needednotonlyforfireuse,butalsoforunderstandingthemechanismsbehindthecentury-long
expansionofpion-juniperwoodlands. TheMt. Irisharea (LincolnCounty,south-eastern Nevada) isa
remotemountainecosystemonthehydrographicboundarybetweentheGreatBasinandtheColorado
RiverBasin. Non-scarred ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosaC. Lawsonvar. scopulorum Engelm.) and
single-needle pinyons (Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frm.) wereusedtodevelop atree-ringreconstruction
ofdrought (meanPDSIforMayJulyfrom NVClimate Division 3) from 1396 to 2003. Ahypotheticalfire
regimewasobtainedfromthePDSIreconstructionandfromexplicitlyassumedrelationshipsbetween
climateandwildfireoccurrence. Acensusoffire-scarredtreeswasthensampledatthestudyarea,and
crossdatedfire-scarrecordswereusedtogeneratethefirehistory,independentlyofthe pre-existing
pyroclimaticmodel. Outof250 collectedfire-scarwoodsections, 197 couldbecrossdated (about 89%
from ponderosa pines),coveredthe periodfrom 1146 to 2006,andcontained 485 firescars, 390 ofwhich
couldbedatedtoasingleyear. Numericalsummarieswerecomputedforthe period 15502006,when
recordertreesrangedfrom 16 to 169,usingatotalof360 firescarson 176 sections. Up to 1860,thetime
ofEuro-Americansettlement,firesthatscarredatleasttwotreeswereveryfrequent (minimumfire
interval: 1 year,mean: 4,median: 2,Weibullmedian: 3,maximum: 19),whilefiresthatscarredatleast
10% oftherecordertreeswererelativelyrare (minimumfireinterval: 40 years,mean: 66,median: 50,
Weibullmedian: 63,maximum: 123). Firefrequencyremainedhighduringthe 17801840 period,when
firewasreducedorabsentinotherareasofthewestern United States. Boththe expectedandtheobservedfirehistoryshowedlowerfirefrequencyafter Euro-Americansettlement,whichmostlikely
displaced Native peopleandanydeliberateuseoffire,butdidnotintroduce publiclyorganized
suppressioninthearea. Therefore,lessfavorableclimaticconditions,not post-settlementfire
management,wereresponsibleforreducedwildfireoccurrenceinthemodernera.
Akira S. Mori. 2011. Climatic variability regulates the occurrence and extent of large fires in the subalpine forests
of the Canadian Rockies. Ecosphere. 2(1). [Graduate SchoolofEnvironmentandInformation Sciences, Yokohama
National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai,Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan]
Droughtoccurrenceandwildfireactivityinsubalpineforestsin Kootenay NationalPark (KNP) ofthe
CanadianRockiesarestudiedbyfocusingontheinterannualandmulti-decadalvariationsinclimate
patternsofthePacific Ocean. Thequestionaddressediswhetherbroad-scaleclimate patternscan
regulatebothlargefireoccurrenceandfire-free periodscausingfuelbuildups. Thisstudycomparedyears
oflargewildfireoutbreaksforthesubalpineforestsofKNPduringthelastthreecenturiesusingindicesof
climate patternsofthePacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and El Nio-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). PDO
and ENSO werecorrelatedwithdroughtandfireoccurrencein KNP. A positivePDOpositive ENSO
combinationcreatedextremedroughtconducivetocrownfires,indicatingthattheoccurrenceofhigh-
severitywildfiresinthesegenerallymoist/coolforestsisstronglydeterminedbyclimaticanomalies. Large
fireactivityischieflymodulatedbyPDO comparedto ENSO,becauseanegativePDO phasegreatly
decreasedfireactivityinthemid-twentiethcentury. Althoughthisfire-free periodisseeminglymatched
withafire-suppression period,itmaybeattributabletoanegativePDO,whichincreased precipitationin
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theregion. Thismid-centuryfiregap contributedtotheaccumulationofoldforestsservingasloaded
fuelswithinthelandscapeandultimatelyledtooccurrencesofcrownfiresasthePDO shiftedtothe
positive phase. Thus,inadditiontothefundamentalimportanceofinterannualvariationsinthePacific
thatinitiatesacurrent-yearseveredrought,multi-decadalscaleclimatevariabilityalsoinfluencesthe
extentandseverityofsubsequentfiresbymodulating pre-firelandscapeconditions. Forfiremanagement
insubalpineareasoftheRockies,althoughdroughtoccurrenceisa primaryconcernandtherearestill
uncertaintiesinthedetailedchangesinfireriskthroughthesuccessional process,itisworth payingattentiontofuel-loadsofolderforestsinthelandscape,whichmayleadtoextensivelargefires. Because
theclimaticteleconnection patternisoneofthemaindriversofcrownfireoccurrenceintheregionin
termsofcreatingcurrentsummerdrought,andalsoforconstructingalandscapestructure pronetolarger
fires,moreofafocusonshorttolong-termvariationsintheclimateforwildfiremanagementisneededin
high-elevationforestedlandscapes.
PaulR. Gagnon,HeatherA. Passmore2,William J. Platt, JonathanA. Myers,C. E. TimothyPaine,and Kyle E. Harms.
2011. Does pyrogenicity protectburning plants?Ecology. 91(12).
JasonP. Field, David D. Breshears, Jeffrey J. Whicker,andChrisB. Zou. 2011. Interactive effects of grazing and
burning on wind- and water-driven sediment fluxes: rangeland management implications.Ecological
Applications. 21(1). 22-32. [SchoolofNaturalResourcesandthe Environment,UniversityofArizona, Tucson,
Arizona 85721; DepartmentofEcologyand EvolutionaryBiology, UniversityofArizona, Tucson,Arizona 85721;
EnvironmentalPrograms,LosAlamos NationalLaboratory,LosAlamos, NewMexico 87545; DepartmentofNatural
Resource EcologyandManagement,Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078]
Rangelandsaregloballyextensive, providefundamentalecosystemservices,andaretightlycoupled
humanecologicalsystems. Rangelandsustainabilitydependslargelyontheimplementationand
utilizationofvariousgrazingandburning practicesoptimizedto protectagainstsoilerosionandtransport.
Inmanycases,however,landmanagement practicesleadtoincreasedsoilerosionandsedimentfluxes
forreasonsthatare poorlyunderstood. Becausefewstudieshavedirectlymeasuredbothwindandwater
erosionandtransport,anassessmentofhowtheymaydifferentiallyrespondtograzingandburning
practicesislacking. Here,wereportsimultaneous,co-locatedestimatesofwind- andwater-driven
sedimenttransportinasemiaridgrasslandinArizona, USA,overthreeyearsforfourlandmanagement
treatments: control,grazed,burned,andburned + grazed. Foralltreatmentsandmostyears,annualratesofwind-drivensedimenttransportexceededthatofwaterduetoacombinationofongoingsmallbut
nontrivialwindeventsandlarger,lessfrequent,windeventsthatgenerally precededthemonsoon
season. Sedimentfluxesbybothwindandwaterdifferedconsistentlybytreatment: burned + grazed >
burned grazed control,witheffectsimmediatelyapparentafterburningbutdelayedaftergrazinguntil
thefollowinggrowingseason. Notably,thewind:watersedimenttransportratiodecreasedfollowing
burningbutincreasedfollowinggrazing. Ourresultsshowhowrangeland practicesdisproportionallyalter
sedimentfluxesdrivenbywindandwater,differencesthatcould potentiallyhelp explaindivergence
betweenrangelandsustainabilityanddegradation.
Johanna E. FreemanandLeda N. Kobziar. 2011. Tracking postfire successional trajectories in a plant community
adapted to high-severity fire.Ecological Monographs. 21(1). p.61-74. [SchoolofForestResourcesand
Conservation,UniversityofFlorida, 208 Newins-ZeiglerHall,Gainesville,Florida 32611 USA]
Inordertodevelop managementstrategiesthatmaintainnativebiodiversityin plantcommunities
adaptedtohigh-severityfire,anunderstandingofnatural postfiresuccessioninthetargetecosystemis
essential. Detailedinformationonfireeffectsislackingforthesand pine (Pinus clausa [Chapm. ex
Engelm.]Vaseyex Sarg.) scrubofthesoutheasternUnited States,limitingourabilitytodecidehowand
whentoapply prescribedfireinthisecosystem. Westudiedtheeffectsoffire-severityheterogeneityon
sand pinescrubfollowinga 4700-hawildfireinFlorida's JuniperPrairieWildernessArea (USA). We
identifiedfourlevelsoffireseverity (unburned,low,moderate,andhigh) andthree pre-burnstand
conditions (sapling,mature,andsenescent). Study plotswereestablishedineachseveritystand-class
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combination,andweresampledatoneandtwoyearsfollowingfire. Nonmetricmultidimensionalscaling
(NMS) ordinationwasappliedinordertoidentifydifferencesincommunitycompositionandsuccessional
trajectoriesineachofthestand-classfire-severitycombinations. NMS analysesindicatedashiftin
dominancebetweenthedominantunderstoryoakspecies,fromQuercus myrtifoliaWilld. toQuercus
geminata Small,assand pinebasalareaincreases. OurordinationandregressionresultsshowedthatQ.
myrtifoliawasthemostaggressivecolonizerofpostfireopenspace,whichisanimportantstructuraland
habitatcomponentofasand pinescrub. SuccessionaltrajectorieswereheavilyinfluencedbyQuercusmyrtifoliaWilld. andweremoreuniforminthematureclassthaninthesenescentclass, probablydueto
moreconsistentoverstorybasalarea. Inbothmatureandsaplingstands,herbaceousspeciescoverwas
highestinmoderate-severity plots. Woody-debrisloadvariedsignificantlywithstandage,fireseverity
level,andtime. Sand pineseedlingrecruitmentwashighestinmaturestandsburnedathighseverity,
whilesaplingandsenescentstandsexhibitedmuchlowersand pineseedlingrecruitmentratesatalllevels
offireseverity. Theobserveddifferencesinseedlingrecruitmentareexpectedtoinfluencethe
progressivedevelopmentofverticalstructureandcompositioninthesand pineforest,leadingto
communitydifferencesthatwill persistandinfluencetheeffectsofsubsequentdisturbances.
MegA. Krawchukand SteveG. Cumming. 2011. Effects of biotic feedback and harvest management on boreal
forest fire activity under climate change. Ecological Applications. 21(1). P.122-136. [DepartmentofEnvironmental
Science,Policy,andManagement, 137MulfordHall,MCnumber 3114, UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,California
94720; Dpartementdes SciencesduBoisetdelaFort,FacultdeForesterieetdeGomatique,PavillonAbitibi-
Price,Bureau 3143-A, UniversitLaval, QubecCity,QubecG1K7P4 Canada]
PredictionsoffuturefireactivityoverCanada'sborealforestshave primarilybeengeneratedfromclimate
datafollowingassumptionsthatdirecteffectsofweatherwillstandaloneincontributingtochangesin
burning. However,thisassumptionneedsexplicittesting. First,areasrecentlyburnedcanbelesslikelyto
burnagaininthenearterm,andthisendogenousregulationsuggeststhe potentialforself-limiting,
negativebioticfeedbacktoregionalclimate-drivenincreasesinfire. Second,forestharvestisongoing,and
resultingchangesinvegetationstructurehavebeenshowntoaffectfireactivity. Consequently,wetested
theassumptionthatfireactivitywillbedrivenbychangesinfireweatherwithoutregulationbybiotic
feedbackorregionalharvest-drivenchangesinvegetationstructureinthemixedwoodborealforestof
Alberta,Canada,usingasimulationexperimentthatincludestheinteractionoffire,standdynamics,
climatechange,andclearcutharvestmanagement.Wefoundthatclimatechange projectedwithfireweatherindicescalculatedfromtheCanadianRegional
ClimateModelincreasedfireactivity,asexpected,andoursimulationsestablishedevidencethatthe
magnitudeofregionalincreaseinfirewassufficienttogeneratenegativefeedbacktosubsequentfire
activity. Weillustratea 39% (1.39-fold) increaseinfireinitiationand 47% (1.47-fold) increaseinarea
burnedwhenclimateandstanddynamicswereincludedinsimulations,yet 48% (1.48-fold) and 61%
(1.61-fold) increases,respectively,whenclimatewasconsideredalone. Thus,althoughbioticfeedbacks
reducedburnedareaestimatesinimportantways,theyweresecondarytothedirecteffectofclimateon
fire. Wethenshowthatongoingharvestmanagementinthisregionchangedlandscapecompositionina
waythatledtoreducedfireactivity,eveninthecontextofclimatechange. Althoughforestharvesting
resultedindecreasedregionalfireactivitywhencomparedtounharvestedconditions,forestcomposition
andagestructurewasshiftedsubstantially,illustratingatrade-offbetweenmanagementgoalsto
minimizefireandconservationgoalstoemulatenaturaldisturbance.
Fonda,R.W.,Binney, E.P. Vegetation Response to prescribed fire in Douglas Fir forests, Olympic National Park.
NorthwestScience. 85(1). p.30.
Rosenberger,A., Dunham, J.B.,Buffington, J.M.,Wipfli,M.S.,Persistent Effects of Wildfire and Debris Flows on
the Invertebrate Prey Base of Rainbow Trout in Idaho streams. NorthwestScience. 85(1): 55-63.
Peterson, D.L. After the Fire is GoneMerging Science and Resource Management. A book review on FireEffects
onSoilsandRestorationStrategies. Northwest Science. 85(1): 71.
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Forests
ThomasB. Simpson. Perspective: Thinking Like a Forest: On Fire and Oak Woods. Ecological Restoration 28(3):
234-235.
Susan E. Nyoka., 2010. Can Restoration Management Improve Habitat for Insect Pollinators in Ponderosa Pine
Forests of the American Southwest? Ecological Restoration 28(3): 280-290.
Susan Nyoka.2010. Effects ofFuel-Reduction Treatments on Pollinators in a Pinyon-Juniper Woodland (Arizona).
Ecological Restoration 28(2).p.119.
Christopher D. SorensenandChristopherM. McGlone. 2010. Ponderosa Pine Understory Response to Short-Term
Grazing Exclusion (Arizona). Ecological Restoration. 28(2). p.124
Girardin,M. P.,P. Y. Bernier,and S. Gauthier. 2011.Increasing potential NEP of eastern boreal North American
forests constrained by decreasing wildfire activity.Ecosphere. 2(3): art 25 [NaturalResourcesCanada,Canadian
Forest Service,Qubec, QCG1V4C7 Canada]
Saracco, JamesF.,RodneyB. Siegel,andRobertL. Wilkerson. 2011.Occupancy modeling of Black-backed
Woodpeckers on burned Sierra Nevada forests. Ecosphere. 2(3): art 31. [TheInstituteforBirdPopulations,P.O.
Box 1346,PointReyes Station,California 94956-1346 USA]
Warren,Robert J. II,VolkerBahn, Timothy D. Kramer, Yaya Tang,andMarkA. Bradford. 2011. Performance and
reproduction of an exotic invader across temperate forest gradients. Ecosphere. 2(2): 14. [SchoolofForestryand
Environmental Studies, Yale University,NewHaven,Connecticut06511 USA, DepartmentofBiological Sciences,
Wright State University,Dayton, Ohio 45435 USA]
Widespreadcolonizationbyinvasivespeciesoftenobscurestheirunderlyingnicherequirements. Arobust
inferenceintohabitatrequirementsdemandsdirectmeasuresofinvasivespecies performancelinked
withassociatedenvironmentalconditions. Inthecontextofgeneralecologicaltheory,weinvestigatedthenicherequirementsofMicrostegium vimineum,aninvasivegrassinthe U.S. thatoverrunsnative
vegetationinforestunderstories. WeexaminedM. vimineum's performanceandreproductionasa
functionofenvironmentaldriversacrossforestedandunforestedhabitatsalonga 100-kmregionaland
climaticgradientinthesoutheasternU.S. fromthesouthernAppalachianMountainstotheGeorgia
piedmont. WethenmeasuredM. vimineum performanceandreproductioninresponsetodirect
environmentaldrivers (diffuselight,littercover,soilmoisture,herbaceouscover,soil pH,claycontentand
temperature) in pairedinvadedanduninvaded plots. Lastly,weexperimentallyinvestigatedrecruitment
inthecontextofexperimentalandnaturaldisturbances. Wefindthatallhabitatsarenotequallysuitable
forM. vimineumeventhosewithinwhichitoccursandthattheenvironmentalconditionsassociated
withroadsidesandwaterwaysaremostsuitableforM. vimineum persistenceandspread. Microstegium
vimineum'ssoilmoisture,lightandleaflitterrequirementsmaydelineatetheboundariesofsuitable
habitatfortheexoticinvader. SignificantdecreasesinM. vimineumrecruitment, performanceand
reproductionalongtheseenvironmentalgradientssuggestits potentialnichelimitations. Nevertheless,
wealsofindsignificantdispersallimitsonM. vimineum populationsnotsubjecttoconspicuousoverland
waterflow. Wediscussourfindingsinthecontextofspread,impactandmanagementofinvasivespecies.
Meentemeyer,Ross K., Nik J. Cunniffe,AlexR. Cook, JoaoA. N. Filipe,Richard D. Hunter,DavidM. Rizzo,and
ChristopherA. Gilligan. 2011. Epidemiological modeling of invasion in heterogeneous landscapes: spread of
sudden oak death in California (19902030).Ecosphere. 2(2): art 17.
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Thespreadofemerginginfectiousdiseases (EIDs) innaturalenvironments posessubstantialrisksto
biodiversityandecosystemfunction. As EIDsandtheirimpactsgrow,landscape- toregional-scalemodels
ofdiseasedynamicsareincreasinglyneededforquantitative predictionofepidemicoutcomesanddesign
ofpracticablestrategiesforcontrol. Hereweusespatio-temporal,stochasticepidemiologicalmodelingin
combinationwithrealisticgeographicalmodelingto predictthespreadofthesuddenoakdeath pathogen
(Phytophthora ramorum) throughheterogeneoushost populationsinwildlandforests,subjectto
fluctuatingweatherconditions. Themodelconsidersthreestochastic processes: (1) the productionofinoculumatagivensite; (2) thechancethatinoculumisdispersedwithinandamongsites; and (3) the
probabilityofinfectionfollowingtransmissiontosusceptiblehostvegetation. We parameterizedthe
modelusingMarkovchainMonteCarlo (MCMC) estimationfromsnapshotsoflocal- andregional-scale
dataondiseasespread,takingaccountoflandscapeheterogeneityandthe principalscalesofspread. Our
applicationofthemodeltoCalifornianlandscapesovera 40-year period (19902030),sincethe
approximatetimeofpathogenintroduction,revealedkey parametersdrivingthespatialspreadofdisease
andthemagnitudeofstochasticvariabilityinepidemicoutcomes. Resultsshowthatmostdiseasespread
occursvialocaldispersal (
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Weibullmedian: 63,maximum: 123). Firefrequencyremainedhighduringthe 17801840 period,when
firewasreducedorabsentinotherareasofthewestern United States. Boththe expectedandthe
observedfirehistoryshowedlowerfirefrequencyafter Euro-Americansettlement,whichmostlikely
displaced Native peopleandanydeliberateuseoffire,butdidnotintroduce publiclyorganized
suppressioninthearea. Therefore,lessfavorableclimaticconditions,not post-settlementfire
management,wereresponsibleforreducedwildfireoccurrenceinthemodernera.
Heath,Linda S., James E. Smith,ChristopherW. Woodall,DavidL. Azuma,and KarenL. Waddell. 2011. Carbon
stocks on forestland of the United States, with emphasis on USDA Forest Service ownership.Ecosphere. 2(1) art
6. [USDAForest Service, NorthernResearch Station, Durham, NewHampshire 03824; USDAForest Service,
NorthernResearch Station, St. Paul,Minnesota 55108; USDAForest Service,Pacific NorthwestResearch Station,
Portland, Oregon 97205]
The U.S. DepartmentofAgricultureForest Service (USFS) managesone-fifthoftheareaofforestlandin
the United States. TheForest ServiceRoadmap forrespondingtoclimatechangeidentifiedassessingand
managingcarbonstocksandchangeasamajorelementofits plan. Thisstudy presentsmethodsand
resultsofestimatingcurrentforestcarbonstocksandchangeinthe United Statesfor publicand private
owners,consistentwiththeofficial 2010 U.S. greenhousegasinventory,butwithimproveddatasources
forthreestates. Resultsare presentedby NationalForest Systemregion,amajororganizational
managementunitwithintheForest Service,andbyindividualnationalforest. USFS forestlandinthe
United Statesisestimatedtocontainanaverageof192 MgC/ha (megagramscarbon perhectare) on 60.4
millionha,foratotalof11,604 TgC (teragramsC) intheyear 2005. Privately-ownedforestlandaverages
150 MgC/haon 173.8millionha,withforestlandofother publicownersaveraging 169MgC/haon 43.1
millionha. Intermsofchange, privateand USFS ownershipseachsequesteraboutanet 150 TgCO2/yr,
butanadditional 92 TgCO2/yrisstoredin productsfrom privateharvestscomparedtoabout 3 TgCO2/yr
fromharveston USFS land. Emissionsfromotherdisturbancessuchasfires,aswellascorrespondingarea
estimatesofdisturbancearealsoimportant,buttheneededdatasetsarenotyetavailable.
Recommendationsaregivenforimprovingtheestimates.
Mori,Akira S.2011. Climatic variability regulates the occurrence and extent of large fires in the subalpine forests
of the Canadian Rockies.Ecosphere. 2(1) art 7. [Graduate SchoolofEnvironmentandInformation Sciences,
Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai,Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan]
Rawchuk,MegA. K and SteveG. Cumming. 2011. Effects of biotic feedback and harvest management on boreal
forest fire activity under climate change.Ecological Applications. 21(1): 122-136. [DepartmentofEnvironmental
Science,Policy,andManagement, 137MulfordHall,MCnumber 3114, UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,California
94720; Dpartementdes SciencesduBoisetdelaFort,FacultdeForesterieetdeGomatique,PavillonAbitibi-
Price,Bureau 3143-A, UniversitLaval, QubecCity,QubecG1K7P4 Canada]
PredictionsoffuturefireactivityoverCanada'sborealforestshave primarilybeengeneratedfromclimate
datafollowingassumptionsthatdirecteffectsofweatherwillstandaloneincontributingtochangesin
burning. However,thisassumptionneedsexplicittesting. First,areasrecentlyburnedcanbelesslikelyto
burnagaininthenearterm,andthisendogenousregulationsuggeststhe potentialforself-limiting,
negativebioticfeedbacktoregionalclimate-drivenincreasesinfire. Second,forestharvestisongoing,and
resultingchangesinvegetationstructurehavebeenshowntoaffectfireactivity. Consequently,wetested
theassumptionthatfireactivitywillbedrivenbychangesinfireweatherwithoutregulationbybiotic
feedbackorregionalharvest-drivenchangesinvegetationstructureinthemixedwoodborealforestof
Alberta,Canada,usingasimulationexperimentthatincludestheinteractionoffire,standdynamics,
climatechange,andclearcutharvestmanagement.
Wefoundthatclimatechange projectedwithfireweatherindicescalculatedfromtheCanadianRegional
ClimateModelincreasedfireactivity,asexpected,andoursimulationsestablishedevidencethatthe
magnitudeofregionalincreaseinfirewassufficienttogeneratenegativefeedbacktosubsequentfire
activity. Weillustratea 39% (1.39-fold) increaseinfireinitiationand 47% (1.47-fold) increaseinarea
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burnedwhenclimateandstanddynamicswereincludedinsimulations,yet 48% (1.48-fold) and 61%
(1.61-fold) increases,respectively,whenclimatewasconsideredalone. Thus,althoughbioticfeedbacks
reducedburnedareaestimatesinimportantways,theyweresecondarytothedirecteffectofclimateon
fire. Wethenshowthatongoingharvestmanagementinthisregionchangedlandscapecompositionina
waythatledtoreducedfireactivity,eveninthecontextofclimatechange. Althoughforestharvesting
resultedindecreasedregionalfireactivitywhencomparedtounharvestedconditions,forestcomposition
andagestructurewasshiftedsubstantially,illustratingatrade-offbetweenmanagementgoalstominimizefireandconservationgoalstoemulatenaturaldisturbance.
Teste,FranoisP.,Victor J. Lieffers,and SimonM. Landhusser. 2011. Seed release in serotinous lodgepole pine
forests after mountain pine beetle outbreak. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 150-162. [DepartmentofRenewable
Resources,UniversityofAlberta, Edmonton,Alberta T6G2H1 Canada]
Thereareconcernsthatlarge-scalestandmortalityduetomountain pinebeetle (MPB) couldgreatly
reducenaturalregenerationofserotinousRockyMountain (RM) lodgepole pine (Pinus contortavar.
latifolia) becausetheclosedconesareheldin placewithoutthefirecueforconeopening. Weselected 20
stands (fivestandseachoflive [control], 3 yearssinceMPB [3-yr-MPB], 6 yearssinceMPB [6-yr-MPB],and
9 yearssinceMPB [9-yr-MPB]mortality) innorthcentralBritishColumbia,Canada. Thegoalwasto
determine partiallossofserotinyduetofallofcrown-storedconesviabreakageofbranchesandinsitu
openingofcanopyconesthroughoutthe 2008 and 2009 growingseasons. Wealsoquantifiedseedrelease
bytheopeningofforest-floorcones,lossofseedfromrodent predation,andconeburial. Treeskilledby
MPBthreeyearsearlierdropped 3.5 timesmoreconesviabranchbreakagecomparedtolivestands.
Aftersixyears,MPB-killedstandshadreleased 45% oftheircanopyseedbankthroughconeopening,
conefallduetobreakage,andsquirrel predation. Furtherlossesofcanopyseedbanksareexpectedwith
timesincewefound 9-yr-MPBstandshad 38%moreopencanopycones. Thiswascounteredbythe
developmentofamodestforest-floorseedbank (6% oftheoriginalcanopyseedbank) fromburialof
cones; thisseedbankmaybeecologicallyimportantifafireoranthropogenicdisturbancereexposes
thesecones. Ifadequatelevelsofregenerationaretooccur,disturbancestocreateseedbedsmustoccur
shortlyaftertreemortality,beforetheseedbanksarelost. Ourfindingsalsosuggestthatthesustained
seedrain (overatleastnineyears) afterMPBoutbreakmaybebeneficialfor populationgrowthof
ground-foragingvertebrates. Ourstudyaddsinsighttotheseedecologyofserotinous pinesundera
potentiallycontinental-wideinsectoutbreak,threateningvastforestsadaptedtoregenerationafterfire.
Pike, DavidA., Jonathan K. Webb,andRichard Shine. 2011.Removing forest canopy cover restores a reptile
assemblage. Ecological Applications. 21(1): 274-280. [SchoolofBiological SciencesA08, UniversityofSydney, NSW
2006 Australia]
Swanson,Mark E, JerryFFranklin,RobertLBeschta,CharlesMCrisafulli,DominickA DellaSala,RichardLHutto,
DavidBLindenmayer,andFrederick J Swanson.2011. The forgotten stage of forest succession: early-successional
ecosystems on forest sites.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(2)117-125.
Early-successionalforestecosystemsthatdevelop afterstand-replacingor partialdisturbancesarediverse
inspecies, processes,andstructure. Post-disturbanceecosystemsarealsooftenrichinbiologicallegacies,
includingsurvivingorganismsandorganicallyderivedstructures,suchaswoodydebris. Theselegaciesand
post-disturbance plantcommunitiesprovideresourcesthatattractandsustainhighspeciesdiversity,
includingnumerousearly-successionalobligates,suchascertainwoodpeckersandarthropods. Early
successionistheonly periodwhentreecanopiesdonotdominatetheforestsite,andsothisstagecanbe
characterizedbyhigh productivityofplantspecies (includingherbsandshrubs),complexfoodwebs,large
nutrientfluxes,andhighstructuralandspatialcomplexity. Differentdisturbancescontrastmarkedlyin
termsofbiologicallegacies,andthiswillinfluencetheresultant physicalandbiologicalconditions,thus
affectingsuccessional pathways. Managementactivities,suchas post-disturbancelogginganddensetree
planting,canreducetherichnesswithinandthedurationofearly-successionalecosystems. Where
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compositionresponsetoCaddition. Ourstudyindicatesthattrait-basedecologyissufficientlymature
to provideuseful predictionsintherealmofrestorationecology. Traitscreeningatasitecanhelp predict
thesuccessofa particularrestorationmeasureinthatcommunity.
Field, Jason,P. David D. Breshears, Jeffrey J. Whicker,andChrisB. Zou. 2011. Interactive effects of grazing and
burning on wind- and water-driven sediment fluxes: rangeland management implications. Ecological
Applications. 21(1): 22-32. [SchoolofNaturalResourcesandthe Environment,UniversityofArizona, Tucson,Arizona 85721; DepartmentofEcologyand EvolutionaryBiology, UniversityofArizona, Tucson,Arizona 85721;
EnvironmentalPrograms,LosAlamos NationalLaboratory,LosAlamos, NewMexico 87545; DepartmentofNatural
Resource EcologyandManagement,Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078]
Rangelandsaregloballyextensive, providefundamentalecosystemservices,andaretightlycoupled
humanecologicalsystems. Rangelandsustainabilitydependslargelyontheimplementationand
utilizationofvariousgrazingandburning practicesoptimizedto protectagainstsoilerosionandtransport.
Inmanycases,however,landmanagement practicesleadtoincreasedsoilerosionandsedimentfluxes
forreasonsthatare poorlyunderstood. Becausefewstudieshavedirectlymeasuredbothwindandwater
erosionandtransport,anassessmentofhowtheymaydifferentiallyrespondtograzingandburning
practicesislacking. Here,wereportsimultaneous,co-locatedestimatesofwind- andwater-driven
sedimenttransportinasemiaridgrasslandinArizona, USA,overthreeyearsforfourlandmanagement
treatments: control,grazed,burned,andburned + grazed. Foralltreatmentsandmostyears,annualrates
ofwind-drivensedimenttransportexceededthatofwaterduetoacombinationofongoingsmallbut
nontrivialwindeventsandlarger,lessfrequent,windeventsthatgenerally precededthemonsoon
season. Sedimentfluxesbybothwindandwaterdifferedconsistentlybytreatment: burned + grazed >
burned grazed control,witheffectsimmediatelyapparentafterburningbutdelayedaftergrazinguntil
thefollowinggrowingseason. Notably,thewind:watersedimenttransportratiodecreasedfollowing
burningbutincreasedfollowinggrazing. Ourresultsshowhowrangeland practicesdisproportionallyalter
sedimentfluxesdrivenbywindandwater,differencesthatcould potentiallyhelp explaindivergence
betweenrangelandsustainabilityanddegradation.
Soil
Corbin, JeffreyD. andCarlaM. D'Antonio.(2011). Abundance and productivity mediate invader effects on
nitrogen dynamics in a California grassland. Ecosphere. 2(3):32.
Pregitzer, Kurt S., DonaldR. Zak,AlanF. Talhelm,Andrew J. Burton,and JenniferR. Eikenberry. 2011. Nitrogen
turnover in the leaf litter and fine roots of sugar maple.Ecology. 91(12): 4356-3462. [CollegeofNatural
Resources,UniversityofIdaho,Moscow,Idaho 83844; SchoolofNaturalResourcesand Environment,Universityof
Michigan,AnnArbor,Michigan 48109; SchoolofForestResourcesand Environmental Science,Michigan
Technological University,Houghton,Michigan 49931 USA]
Damschen, EllenI., SusanHarrison,and JamesB. Grace, 2011. Climate change effects on an endemic-rich edaphic
flora: resurveying Robert H. Whittaker's Siskiyou sites (Oregon, USA).Ecology. 91(12):3609-3619. [ Departmentof
Biology,WashingtonUniversity, St. Louis,Missouri 63130; DepartmentofEnvironmental ScienceandPolicy,
UniversityofCalifornia,Davis,California 95616; U.S.Geological Survey,NationalWetlandsResearchCenter, 700
CajundomeBoulevard,Lafayette,Louisiana 70506]
Specieswithrelativelynarrowniches,suchas plantsrestricted (endemic) to particularsoils,maybe
especiallyvulnerabletoextinctionunderachangingclimateduetotheenhanceddifficultytheyfacein
migratingtosuitablenewsites. Totestforcommunity-leveleffectsofclimatechange,andtocompare
sucheffectsinahighlyendemic-richfloraonunproductiveserpentinesoilsvs. thefloraofnormal (diorite)
soils,in 2007 weresampledascloselyas possible 108 sitesoriginallystudiedbyecologistRobertH.
Whittakerfrom 1949 to 1951 inthe SiskiyouMountainsofsouthern Oregon, USA. Wefoundsharp
declinesinherbcoverandrichnessonbothserpentineanddioritesoils. Declineswerestrongestin
speciesofnorthernbiogeographicaffinity,speciesendemictotheregion (inserpentinecommunities
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only),andspeciesendemictoserpentinesoils. Consistentwithclimaticwarming,herbcommunitieshave
shiftedfrom 1949-1951 to 2007 tomorecloselyresemblecommunitiesfoundonxeric (warm,dry) south-
facingslopes. Thechangesfoundinthe Siskiyouherbflorasuggestthatbiotasrichinnarrowlydistributed
endemicsmaybe particularlysusceptibletotheeffectsofawarmingclimate.
Peay, KabirG.,MatteoGarbelotto,and Thomas D. Bruns. 2011. Evidence of dispersal limitation in soil
microorganisms: Isolation reduces species richness on mycorrhizal tree islands. Ecology. 91(12): 36313640.[DepartmentofEnvironmental Science,PolicyandManagement, UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,California
94720; DepartmentofPlantandMicrobialBiology, UniversityofCalifornia,Berkeley,California 94720]
Conant,Richard T., StephenM Ogle, EldorAPaul,and KeithPaustian. 2011.Measuring and monitoring soil organic
carbon stocks in agricultural lands for climate mitigation.Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(3): 169-173.
Policiesthatencouragegreenhouse-gasemitterstomitigateemissionsthroughterrestrialcarbon (C)
offsets Csequestrationinsoilsorbiomass will promote practicesthatreduceerosionandbuildsoil
fertility,whilefosteringadaptationtoclimatechange,agricultural development,andrehabilitationof
degradedsoils. However,noneofthesebenefitswillbe possibleuntilchangesinCstockscanbe
documentedaccuratelyandcost-effectively. Thisis particularlychallengingwhendealingwithchangesin
soilorganicC (SOC) stocks. PrecisemethodsformeasuringCinsoilsamplesarewellestablished,but
spatialvariabilityinthefactorsthatdetermine SOCstocksmakesitdifficulttodocumentchange.
WidespreadinterestinthebenefitsofSOCsequestrationhasbroughtthisissuetotheforeinthe
developmentofUS andinternationalclimate policy. Here,wereviewthechallengestodocumenting
changesin SOCstocks,how policydecisionsinfluenceoffsetdocumentationrequirements,andthe
benefitsanddrawbacksofdifferentsamplingstrategiesandextrapolationmethods.
Land Ecosystems
Letourneau,Deborah K.,et.al. 2011. Does plant diversity benefit agroecosystems? A synthetic review. Ecological
Applications. 21(1): 9-21. [Environmental Studies Department, 1156 High Street, UniversityofCalifornia, Santa
Cruz,California 95064]
Shuster, DavidL., KurtM. Cuffey, JohnnyW. Sanders,andGregBalco. 2011. Thermochronometry Reveals
Headward Propagation of Erosion in an Alpine Landscape.Science. 332(6025): 84-88.Glacialtroughsin New Zealandmountainsdevelopedby propagationoferosionup valleys.
Riparian Ecosystems:
Hough-Snee, Nate,RodneyPondand Jake Jacobson. 2010.The Stillaguamish Big Trees Project: Watershed-Scale
Riparian Restoration (Washington).Ecological Restoration 28(3): 243-245.
Allen,Anastasia E.,Francisco J. Santana-Michel,ClaudiaOrtizArronaand JoyB. Zedler. 2010. Integrating Ecological
and Ethnobotanical Priorities into Riparian Restoration. Ecological Restoration 28(3): 377-388.
Kennedy, ThomasL. and ThomasF. Turner.2011. River channelization reduces nutrient flow and
macroinvertebrate diversity at the aquatic terrestrial transition zone.Ecosphere. 2(3):art 35. [Departmentof
BiologyandMuseumofSouthwesternBiology, UniversityofNewMexico,Albuquerque, NewMexico 87131 USA]
Merritt, DavidM.,Christer Nilsson,andRoland Jansson.2010. Consequences of propagule dispersal and river
fragmentation for riparian plant community diversity and turnover. Ecological Monographs. 80(4): 600-626.
[NationalWatershed,Fish,Wildlife,Air,andRarePlants, U.S. Forest Service, NaturalResourceResearchCenter,
FortCollins,Colorado 80526]
Aufdenkampe,Anthony K.,et.al.2011. Riverine coupling of biogeochemical cycles between land, oceans, and
atmosphere. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 9(1): 53-60. [StroudWaterResearchCenter,Avondale,PA;
AppliedPhysicsLaboratory,UniversityofWashington, Seattle,WA; Bren SchoolofEnvironmental Scienceand
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