Source: USDA Forest Service - Southern Research Station submitted to NRP
ECOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES AND ECOSYSTEM RESPONSES
Sponsoring Institution
Forest Service/USDA
Project Status
REVISED
Funding Source
USDA INHOUSE
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0216965
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2015
Project End Date
Oct 1, 2020
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
USDA Forest Service - Southern Research Station
200 WEAVER BLVD., PO BOX 2680
ASHEVILLE,NC 28804
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
1020199107010%
1220611107040%
1230330107015%
1230621107020%
1320420207015%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 132 - Weather and Climate; 122 - Management and Control of Forest and Range Fires; 123 - Management and Sustainability of Forest Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
0420 - Weather; 0621 - Broadleaf forests of the South; 0611 - Conifer forests of the South; 0199 - Soil and land, general; 0330 - Wetland and riparian systems;

Field Of Science
2070 - Meteorology and climatology; 1070 - Ecology;
Goals / Objectives
Disturbances are temporary changes in environmental conditions that cause pronounced changes in ecosystem composition, structure or function. Southern ecosystems are adapted to a broad range of disturbances such as fire, wind, ice, drought and endemic pests. Human activity, including fire exclusion, landscape fragmentation and urban development, introduction of exotic species and forest management practices, has introduced novel disturbances or altered the spatial and temporal nature of historical disturbance regimes. Understanding disturbance processes and effects and the response of ecosystems to single disturbance events as well as multiple interacting disturbances provides an important component of the scientific basis for sustainable ecosystem management.
Project Methods
Wind disturbance regimes of the southeastern U.S.; Fire and Carbon Cycle; Interaction of fire and other disturbances; No-Analog future and ecological surprises; Understand and quantify the forest ecosystem and climate interactions related to land cover change and other forest disturbances.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Produced 12 publications in this problem area detailing various aspects of forest disturbance including impact on soil invertebrates and the role of fire in they carbon cycle in frequently burned systems. Work also continued from the recent RxCADRE field experiments where data collected is resulting in a number of papers and new proposals.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Young,Timothy M.; Perdue, James H.; Huang, Xia 2017. Predicting site locations for biomass using facilities with Bayesian methods. WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development, ISSN / E-ISSN: 1790-5079 / 2224-3496, Volume 13, 2017, Art. #18, pp. 158-169

  • CHANG, Liang; WANG, Baifeng; LIU, Xianghui; CALLAHAM, Mac A.; GE, Feng 2017.Recovery of Collembola in Pinus tabulaeformis plantations. Pedosphere. 27(1): 129-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(15)60099-6.
  • Dell, Jane; O'Brien, Joseph; Doan, Lydia; Richards, Lora; Dyer, Lee 2017.An arthropod survival strategy in a frequently burned forest. Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.1939.
  • Gao, Meixiang; Taylor, Melanie K.; Callaham, Mac A. 2017.Trophic dynamics in a simple experimental ecosystem: Interactions among centipedes, Collembola and introduced earthworms. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 115: 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2017.08.001.
  • Goodrick, Scott L.; Brown, Timothy J.; Jolly, W. Matt. 2017. Weather, fuels, fire behavior, plumes, and smoke - the nexus of fire meteorology. Fire Management Today. 75(1): 33-38.
  • Hao, Lu; Pan, Cen; Liu, Peilong; Zhou, Decheng; Zhang, Liangxia; Xiong, Zhe; Liu, Yongqiang; Sun, Ge 2016.Detection of the coupling between vegetation leaf area and climate in a multifunctional watershed, Northwestern China. Remote Sensing. 8(12): 1032-. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs8121032.
  • Jogiste, Kalev; Korjus, Henn; Stanturf, John A.; Frelich, Lee E.; Baders, Endijs; Donis, Janis; Jansons, Aris; Kangur, Ahto; Koster, Kajar; Laarmann, Diana; Maaten, Tiit; Marozas, Vitas; Metslaid, Marek; Nigul, Kristi; Polyachenko, Olga; Randveer, Tiit; Vodde, Floortje. 2017. Hemiboreal forest: natural disturbances and the importance of ecosystem legacies to management. Ecosphere, 8(2): 1-20.
  • Krofcheck, Daniel J.; Hurteau, Matthew D.; Scheller, Robert M.; Loudermilk, E. Louise 2017.Restoring surface fire stabilizes forest carbon under extreme fire weather in the Sierra Nevada. Ecosphere. 8(1): e01663-. 18 p.  https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1663.
  • Liu, Yongqiang; Kochanski, Adam; Baker, Kirk; Mell, Ruddy; Linn, Rodman; Paugam, Ronan; Mandel, Jan; Fournier, Aime; Jenkins, Mary Ann; Goodrick, Scott; Achtemeier, Gary; Hudak, Andrew; Dickson, Matthew; Potter, Brian; Clements, Craig; Urbanski, Shawn; Ottmar, Roger; Larkin, Narasimhan; Brown, Timothy; French, Nancy; Prichard, Susan; Watts, Adam; McNamara, Derek. 2017. Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE): Modeling gaps and data needs. In: Proceedings for the 2nd International Smoke Symposium November; 14-17, 2016, Long Beach, California, USA. Missoula, MT: International Association of Wildland Fire. 13 p.
  • Loudermilk, E. L.; Scheller, R. M.; Weisberg, P. J.; Kretchun, Alec 2017.Bending the carbon curve: fire management for carbon resilience under climate change. Landscape Ecology. 32(7): 1461-1472. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-016-0447-x.
  • O'Neil, Susan M.; Urbanski, Shawn; Goodrick, Scott; Larkin, Narasimhan K. 2017. Smoke plumes: Emissions and effects. Fire Management Today, 75(1): 10-15.
  • Strickland, Michael S.; Callaham, Mac A.; Gardiner, Emile S.; Stanturf, John A.; Leff, Jonathan W.; Fierer, Noah; Bradford, Mark A. 2017.Response of soil microbial community composition and function to a bottomland forest restoration intensity gradient. Applied Soil Ecology. 119: 317-326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.07.008.


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The RWU was involved in numerous publications related to the Prescribed Fire Combustion and Atmospheric Dynamics Research Experiment (RxCADRE), a large field experiment designed to measure many aspects of fire behavior and effects. Studies within this large experiment included examining relationship between infrared measurements at different scales, and relating the infrared measurements to fuel consumption. Additional work examined forest restoration as tool for mitigating impacts of climate change/variability.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Butt, K.R.; Lowe, C.N.; Callaham Jr., M.A.; Nuutinen, V. 2016. An oasis of fertility on a barren island: earthworms at Papadil, Isle of Rum. The Glasgow Naturalist. 26(2): 13-20. 8 p.
  • Butt, Kevin R.; Callaham Jr., Mac A.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Blaik, Rowan 2016. Action of earthworms on flint burial - a return to Darwin's estate. Applied Soil Ecology, Vol. 104: 6 pages.: 157-162. DOI:10.1016/j.apsoil.2015.04.002
  • Callaham, Mac A. 2016. Introduction. Applied Soil Ecology, Vol. 104: 2 pages.: 1-2. DOI:10.1016/j.apsoil.2016.03.022
  • Callaham, Mac A.; Snyder, Bruce A.; James, Samuel W.; Oberg, Erik T. 2016. Evidence for ongoing introduction of non-native earthworms in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Biological Invasions. 4 p.  DOI:10.1007/s10530-016-1230-2
  • Cannon, Jeffery B.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Peterson, Chris J. 2014. The influence of experimental wind disturbance on forest fuels and fire characteristics. Forest Ecology and Management, 330: 294-303.
  • Clark, Stacy L.; Schweitzer, Callie J.; Saunders, Mike R.; Belair, Ethan P.; Torreano, Scott J.; Schlarbaum, Scott E. 2014. The American chestnut and fire: 6-year research results. Waldrop, Thomas A., ed. 2014. In proceedings, Wildland fire in the Appalachians: Discussions among managers and scientists. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-199. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 10 p.
  • Greenberg, Cathryn H.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Tomcho, Joseph; Phillips, Ross J.; Simon, Dean. 2014. Bird response to fire severity and repeated burning in an upland hardwood forest. In: Waldrop, Thomas A., ed. Proceedings, Wildland Fire in the Appalachians: Discussions among managers and scientists. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-199. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Pgs. 82-85.
  • Hagan, Donald L.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Reilly, Matthew; Shearman, Timothy M. 2015. Impacts of repeated wildfire on long-unburned plant communities of the southern Appalachian Mountains. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 24, 911-920 10 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF14143
  • Hanley, Deborah E.; Cunningham, Philip; Goodrick, Scott L. 2013. Interaction between a wildfire and the sea-breeze front. In Qu, John J.; Sommers, William T.; Yang, Ruixin; Riebau, Allen R. (eds.). Remote sensing and modeling applications to wildland fires. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University Press and New York: Springer. Pgs. 81-98.
  • Hudak, Andrew T.; Bright, Benjamin C.; Pokswinski, Scott M.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hornsby, Benjamin S.; Klauberg, Carine; Silva, Carlos A. 2016. Mapping forest structure and composition from low-density LiDAR for informed forest, fuel, and fire management at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, USA. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing. 42(5): 411-427.
  • Hudak, Andrew T.; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Bright, Benjamin C.; Kremens, Robert L.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hornsby, Benjamin S.; Ottmar, Roger D. 2016. Measurements relating fire radiative energy density and surface fuel consumption - RxCADRE 2011 and 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 25: 25-37.
  • Ikeda, Hiroshi; Callaham Jr., Mac A.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hornsby, Benjamin S.; Wenk, Evelyn S. 2015. Can the invasive earthworm, Amynthas agrestis, be controlled with prescribed fire?. Elsevier Soil Biology & Biochemistry 82 (2015) 21-27. 7 p.
  • Laarmann, Diana; Korjus, Henn; Sims, Allan; Kangur, Ahto; Kiviste, Andres; Stanturf, John A. 2015. Evaluation of afforestation development and natural colonization on a reclaimed mine site. Restoration Ecology, 23(3): 301-309.
  • Lamb, David; Stanturf, John; Madsen, Palle 2012. What is forest landscape restoration?. Forest Landscape Restoration: Integrating Natural and Social Sciences, World Forests 15. 21 p.
  • Liu, Y.-Q.; Zhang, L.B.; Hao, L.; Sun, G.; Liu, S.-C. 2016. Evapotranspiration and land surface process responses to afforestation in western Taiwan: A comparison between dry and wet weather conditions. Transactions of the ASABE, 59(2): 635-646. 12 p. 10.13031/trans.59.11110
  • Lobe, Joshua W.; Callaham Jr., Mac A.; Hendrix, Paul F.; Hanula, James L 2014. Removal of an invasive shrub (Chinese privet: Ligustrum sinense Lour) reduces exotic earthworm abundance and promotes recovery of native North American earthworms. Applied Soil Ecology. Volume 83, November 2014, 6 p.
  • Cunningham, Philip; Goodrick, Scott L. 2013. High-resolution numerical models for smoke transport in plumes from wildland fires. In Qu, John J.; Sommers, William T.; Yang, Ruixin; Riebau, Allen R. (eds.). Remote sensing and modeling applications to wildland fires. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University Press and New York: Springer. Pgs. 67-79.
  • Goodrick, Scott; Potter, B.E.; Charney, J.J.; Srock, A.F. 2015. 2.2 What Would the Ideal Fire Weather Index Look Like?. 11th Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology. 2015 May 4-7; Minneapolis, MN. [No volume].[No issue].[Not paged]. Abstract.
  • Loudermilk, E. Louise; Achtemeier, Gary L.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hiers, J. Kevin; Hornsby, Benjamin S. 2014. High-resolution observations of combustion in heterogeneous surface fuels. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 23(7): 1016-1026. 11p. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF13160
  • Louise Loudermilk, E.; Kevin Hiers, J.; Pokswinski, Scott; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Barnett, Analie; Mitchell, Robert J. 2016. The path back: oaks ( Quercus spp.) facilitate longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris ) seedling establishment in xeric sites . Ecosphere, Vol. 7(6): e01361-. 14 p. DOI:10.1002/ecs2.1361
  • McFarlane, Karis J.; Torn, Margaret S.; Hanson, Paul J.; Porras, Rachel C.; Swanston, Christopher W.; Callaham, Mac A., Jr.; Guilderson, Thomas P. 2013. Comparison of soil organic matter dynamics at five temperate deciduous forests with physical fractionation and radiocarbon measurements. Biogeochemistry 112:457-476.
  • Metslaid, Marek; Palli, Timo; Randveer, Tiit; Sims, Allan; Jogiste, Kalev; Stanturf, John A. 2013. The condition of Scots pine stands in Lahemaa National Park, Estonia 25 years after browsing by moose (Alces alces). Boreal Environment Research 18(A): 25-34.
  • Silva, Carlos A.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Vierling, Lee A.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hiers, J. Kevin; Jack, Steve B.; Gonzalez-Benecke, Carlos; Lee, Heezin; Falkowski, Michael J.; Khosravipour, Anahita. 2016. Imputation of individual longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) tree attributes from field and LiDAR data. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing. 42(5): 554-573.
  • Mitchell, Robert J.; Liu, Yongqiang; O⿿Brien, Joseph J.; Elliott, Katherine J.; Starr, Gregory; Miniat, Chelcy Ford; Hiers, J. Kevin 2014. Future climate and fire interactions in the southeastern region of the United States. Forest Ecology and Management http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.12.003.
  • Oliver, Alena K.; Callaham, Mac A.; Jumpponen, Ari 2015. Soil fungal communities respond compositionally to recurring frequent prescribed burning in a managed southeastern US forest ecosystem. Forest Ecology and Management. 345: 1-9. 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2015.02.020
  • Ottmar, Roger D.; Hiers, J. Kevin; Butler, Bret W.; Clements, Craig B.; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Hudak, Andrew T.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Potter, Brian E.; Rowell, Eric M.; Strand, Tara M.; Zajkowski, Thomas J. 2016. Measurements, datasets and preliminary results from the RxCADRE project-2008, 2011 and 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire, Vol. 25(1): 1-9. 9 p.  10.1071/WF14161
  • Parro, Kristi; Metslaid, Marek; Renel, Getter; Sims, Allan; Stanturf, John A.; Jogiste, Kalev; Koster, Kajar. 2015. Impact of postfire management on forest regeneration in a managed hemiboreal forest, Estonia. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 45: 1192-1197. 6 p. dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjfr-2014-0514
  • Pitt, Amber L.; Baldwin, Robert F.; Tavano, Joseph J.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Phillips, Ross J. 2014. Synthesis of the effects of fire on Southern Appalachian fauna. In: Waldrop, Thomas A., ed. Proceedings, Wildland Fire in the Appalachians: Discussions among managers and scientists. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-199. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Pgs. 86-95. 10 p.
  • Richter, Daniel deB.; Bacon, Allan R.; Billings, Sharon A.; Binkley, Dan; Buford, Marilyn, Callaham, Mac A.; Curry, Amy E.; Fimmen, Ryan L.; Grandy, A. Stuart; Heine, Paul R.; Hofmockel, Michael; Jackson, Jason A.; LeMaster, Elizabeth; Li, Jianwei; Markewitz, Daniel; Mobley, Megan L.; Morrison, Mary W.; Strickland, Michael S.; Waldrop, Thomas; Wells, Carol G. 2015. Evolution of soil, ecosystem, and critical zone research at the USDA FS Calhoun Experimental Forest. In: Hayes, Deborah C.; Stout, Susan L.; Crawford, Ralph H.; Hoover, Anne P., eds. In: USDA Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges. New York, NY: Springer. Pgs. 405-433. 29 p.
  • Rowell, Eric; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Seielstad, Carl; O'Brien, Joseph J. 2016. Using simulated 3D surface fuelbeds and terrestrial laser scan data to develop inputs to fire behavior models. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing: 17 pages.: 1-17.  10.1080/07038992.2016.1217482
  • Stambaugh, Michael C.; Varner, J. Morgan; Noss, Reed F.; Dey, Daniel C.; Christensen, Norman L.; Baldwin, Robert F.; Guyette, Richard P.; Hanberry, Brice B.; Harper, Craig A.; Lindblom, Sam G.; Waldrop, Thomas A. 2015. Clarifying the role of fire in the deciduous forests of eastern North America: reply to Matlack. Conservation Biology, 29(3): 942-946. 5 p. 10.1111/cobi.12473
  • Stanturf, John A. 2012. The challenge of ecological restoration. Foreword. 2 p.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Goodrick, Scott L.; Warren, Melvin L.; Charnley, Susan; Stegall, Christie M. 2015. Social vulnerability and Ebola virus disease in rural Liberia. PLOS ONE. 10(9): e0137208-. 14 p. 10.1371/journal.pone.0137208
  • Stanturf, John A.; Kant, Promode; Lilleso, Jens-Peter Barnekow; Mansourian, Stephanie; Kleine, Michael; Graudal, Lars; Madsen, Palle. 2015. Forest landscape restoration as a key component of climate change mitigation and adaptation. IUFRO World Series Volume 34. Vienna, Austria: International Union of Forest Research Organizations. 72 p.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Kant, Promode; Lilleso, Jens-Peter Barneskow; Mansourian, Stephanie; Kleine, Michael; Graudal, Lars; Madsen, Palle. 2016. Policy Brief, Restoring Forest Landscapes, a "Win-Win" for People, Nature and Climate. Austria, Vienna: International Union of Forest Research Organizations. 18 p.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Palik, Brian J.; Dumroese, R. Kasten. 2014. Contemporary forest restoration: A review emphasizing function. Forest Ecology and Management. 331: 292-323.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Palik, Brian J.; Williams, Mary I.; Dumroese, R. Kasten; Madsen, Palle. 2014. Forest restoration paradigms. Journal of Sustainable Forestry 33: S161-S194.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Wimberly, Michael C. 2013. Demographic trends in the Eastern US and the wildland urban interface: implications for fire management. In Qu,John J.; Sommers, William T.; Yang, Ruixin; Riebau, Allen R. (eds.). Remote sensing and modeling applications to wildland fires. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University Press & New York: Springer, pgs. 19-40.
  • Stanturf, John A.; van Oosten, Cees. 2014. Operational poplar and willow culture. In Isebrands, J.G.; Richardson, J. (eds.). Poplars and willows: trees for society and the environment. Oxfordshire, England: CABI. Pgs. 200-257.
  • Starr, G.; Staudhammer, C. L.; Loescher, H. W.; Mitchell, R.; Whelan, A.; Hiers, J. K.; O⿿Brien, J. J. 2015. Time series analysis of forest carbon dynamics: recovery of Pinus palustris physiology following a prescribed fire. New Forests. 46(1): 63-90. 28 p. 10.1007/s11056-014-9447-3
  • Stottlemyer, Aaron D.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Wang, G. Geoff. 2015. Prescribed burning and mastication effects on surface fuels in southern pine beetle-killed loblolly pine plantations. Ecological Engineering, 81: 514-524. 11 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.04.076
  • Taylor, Melanie K.; Lankau, Richard A.; Wurzburger, Nina; de Vries, Franciska 2016. Mycorrhizal associations of trees have different indirect effects on organic matter decomposition. Journal of Ecology. 9p.  10.1111/1365-2745.12629
  • Varner, J. Morgan; Kreye, Jesse K.; Hiers J. Kevin; O'Brien, Joseoh J. 2016. Recent advances in understanding duff consumption and post-fire longleaf pine mortality. In:Proceedings of the 18th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-212. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 4 p.
  • Yang, Jia; Tian, Hanqin; Tao, Bo; Ren, Wei; Pan, Shufen; Liu, Yongqiang; Wang, Yuhang 2015. A growing importance of large fires in conterminous United States during 1984-2012. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, Vol. 120(12): 16 pages.: 2625-2640. DOI:10.1002/2015JG002965
  • Wagner, Fabien H.; Herault, Bruno; Bonal, Damien; Stahl, Clement; Anderson, Liana O.; Baker, Timothy R.; Becker, Gabriel Sebastian; Beeckman, Hans; Boanerges Souza, Danilo; Botosso, Paulo Cesar; Bowman, David M. J. S.; Brauning, Achim; Brede, Benjamin; Brown, Foster Irving; Camarero, Jesus Julio; Camargo, Plinio Barbosa; Cardoso, Fernanda C. G.; Carvalho, Fabricio Alvim; Castro, Wendeson; Chagas, Rubens Koloski; Chave, Jerome; Chidumayo, Emmanuel N.; Clark, Deborah A.; Costa, Flavia Regina Capellotto; Couralet, Camille; da Silva Mauricio, Paulo Henrique; Dalitz, Helmut; de Castro, Vinicius Resende; de Freitas Milani, Jacanan Eloisa; de Oliveira, Edilson Consuelo; de Souza Arruda, Luciano; Devineau, Jean-Louis; Drew, David M.; Dunisch, Oliver; Durigan, Giselda; Elifuraha, Elisha; Fedele, Marcio; Ferreira Fedele, Ligia; Figueiredo Filho, Afonso; Finger, Cesar Augusto Guimaraes; Franco, Augusto Cesar; Freitas Junior, Joao Lima; Galvao, Franklin; Gebrekirstos, Aster; Gliniars, Robert; Graca, Paulo Mauricio Lima de Alencastro; Griffiths, Anthony D.; Grogan, James; Guan, Kaiyu; Homeier, Jurgen; Kanieski, Maria Raquel; Kho, Lip Khoon; Koenig, Jennifer; Kohler, Sintia Valerio; Krepkowski, Julia; Lemos-Filho, Jose Pires; Lieberman, Diana; Lieberman, Milton Eugene; Lisi, Claudio Sergio; Longhi Santos, Tomaz; Lopez Ayala, Jose Luis; Maeda, Eduardo Eijji; Malhi, Yadvinder; Maria, Vivian R. B.; Marques, Marcia C. M.; Marques, Renato; Maza Chamba, Hector; Mbwambo, Lawrence; Melgaco, Karina Liana Lisboa; Mendivelso, Hooz Angela; Murphy, Brett P.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Oberbauer, Steven F.; Okada, Naoki; Pelissier, Raphael; Prior, Lynda D.; Roig, Fidel Alejandro; Ross, Michael; Rossatto, Davi Rodrigo; Rossi, Vivien; Rowland, Lucy; Rutishauser, Ervan; Santana, Hellen; Schulze, Mark; Selhorst, Diogo; Silva, Williamar Rodrigues; Silveira, Marcos; Spannl, Susanne; Swaine, Michael D.; Toledo, Jose Julio; Toledo, Marcos Miranda; Toledo, Marisol; Toma, Takeshi; Tomazello Filho, Mario; Valdez Hernandez, Juan Ignacio; Verbesselt, Jan; Vieira, Simone Aparecida; Vincent, Gregoire; Volkmer de Castilho, Carolina; Volland, Franziska; Worbes, Martin; Zanon, Magda Lea Bolzan; Aragao, Luiz E. O. C. 2016. Climate seasonality limits leaf carbon assimilation and wood productivity in tropical forests. Biogeosciences, Vol. 13(8): 26 pages.: 2537-2562. DOI:10.5194/bg-13-2537-2016
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Mohr, Helen H.; Phillips, Ross J.; Simon, Dean M. 2014. The national fire and fire surrogate study: vegetation changes over 11 years of fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachian Mountains. In: Waldrop, Thomas A., ed. Proceedings, Wildland fire in the Appalachians: Discussions among managers and scientists. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-199. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Pgs. 34-41. 8 p.
  • Wang, G. Geof; Wang, Zhi-Ping; Stottlemyer, Aaron D.; Waldrop, Thomas A. 2013. A test of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program⿿s down woody material indicator for regional fuel estimation in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (PROJECT SO-F-06-01). In: Potter, Kevin M.; Conkling, Barbara L., eds. 2013. Forest health monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2011. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-185. Asheville, NC: USDA-Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 143-146.
  • Yang, Jian; Weisberg, Peter J.; Dilts, Thomas E.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Scheller, Robert M.; Stanton, Alison; Skinner, Carl 2015. Predicting wildfire occurrence distribution with spatial point process models and its uncertainty assessment: a case study in the Lake Tahoe Basin, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 24(3): 380-390. 11p.
  • Zhang, Bing; Chang, Liang; Ni, Zhen; Callaham, Mac A.; Sun, Xin; Wu, Donghui 2014. Effects of land use changes on winter-active Collembola in Sanjiang Plain of China. Applied Soil Ecology. 83: 51-58. 8 p. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2014.03.008
  • Zhang, Libo; Liu, Yongqiang; Hao, Lu 2016. Contributions of open crop straw burning emissions to PM 2.5 concentrations in China . Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 11(1): 1-9. 9 p.  DOI:10.1088/1748-9326/11/1/014014

  • Dickinson, Matthew B.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Zajkowski, Thomas; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Schroeder, Wilfrid; Ellison, Luke; Kremens, Robert L.; Holley, William; Martinez, Otto; Paxton, Alexander; Bright, Benjamin C.; O'Brien, Joseph J.; Hornsby, Benjamin; Ichoku, Charles; Faulring, Jason; Gerace, Aaron; Peterson, David; Mauceri, Joseph. 2016. Measuring radiant emissions from entire prescribed fires with ground, airborne and satellite sensors - RxCADRE 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 25: 48-61.

  • Dumroese, R. Kasten; Williams, Mary I.; Stanturf, John A.; St. Clair, J. Bradley. 2015. Considerations for restoring temperate forests of tomorrow: Forest restoration, assisted migration, and bioengineering. New Forests. 46: 947-964.

  • O⿿Brien, Joseph J.; Loudermilk, E. Louise; Hornsby, Benjamin; Hudak, Andrew T.; Bright, Benjamin C.; Dickinson, Matthew B.; Hiers, J. Kevin; Teske, Casey; Ottmar, Roger D. 2016. High-resolution infrared thermography for capturing wildland fire behaviour - RxCADRE 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire. 25: 62-75.

  • Achtemeier, Gary L. 2013. Prescribed fire and air quality in the American South: a review of conflicting interests and a technique for incorporating the land manager into regional air quality modeling. In Qu, John J.; Sommers, William T.; Yang, Ruixin; Riebau, Allen R. Remote sensing and modeling applications to wildland fires. Beijing, China: Tsinghua University Press and Oxfordshire, England: Springer. Pgs. 99-115.
  • Bedel, Anthony P.; Mote, Thomas L.; Goodrick, Scott L. 2013. Climate change and associated fire potential for the south-eastern United States in the 21st century. International Journal of Wildland Fire 2013, 22, 1034⿿1043. 10 p.
  • Butler, B.; Teske, C.; Jimenez, D.; O'Brien, J.; Sopko, P.; Wold, C.; Vosburgh, M.; Hornsby, B.; Loudermilk, E. 2016. Observations of energy transport and rate of spreads from low-intensity fires in longleaf pine habitat-RxCADRE 2012. International Journal of Wildland Fire, Vol. 25(1): 76-89. 14 p.  10.1071/WF14154


Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
OUTPUTS: For this problem, the research work unit produced 12 publications, 1 tour, 3 short-courses, 6 invited presentations, and 5 volunteer presentations. One highlight from this work examines the impact of invasive earthworms in the unglaciated Americas. Earthworms have historically been considered to be beneficial in soil ecosystems. However, invasions of exotic earthworm species are known to threaten biodiversity and can alter ecosystem function in unexpected ways. These invasions occur in soils across both continents of North and South America, and general patterns are beginning to emerge in terms of how these invasions proceed. There have been many intentional uses of non-native earthworms to realize benefits in agricultural, waste management, and bioremediation contexts. Large scale introductions of European earthworms are promoted in Australia and New Zealand as a way to improve pasture production and soil characteristics. Likewise, non-native earthworms are widely employed for managing organic wastes to produce vermicompost for horticultural or agricultural uses. Finally, non-native earthworms have been employed as agents of soil restoration in contaminated or severely disturbed soils. In spite of this evidence for critical and useful functions in soil, there are still many situations where non-native earthworms are considered undesirable or even detrimental. There is growing evidence that non-native earthworms interact negatively with native litter and soil biota, and there have been suggestions that invasive earthworms can competitively exclude native species. A general pattern has emerged suggesting that past disturbance and disturbance intensity can be a strong predictor of non-native earthworm representation in the total community, and this has implications for land managers focused on conservation and restoration objectives PARTICIPANTS: Scientists in the unit collaborate widely, including scientists from other research stations (e.g. Northern, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest); scientists in other SRS units (Auburn, Bent Creek, Coweeta, Raleigh); scientists from USDA-ARS and other federal agencies (Department of Energy ⿿ Savannah River Site, Oak Ridge Los Alamos National Labs, NOAA, EPA, National Park Service, Department of Defense). Our key private sector partner is the J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center. State agencies involvement includes the North Carolina Department of Forestry, Florida Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission. University partners include University of Georgia, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke, University of Florida, George Mason University, Kansas State, University of Wisconsin and the Ohio State University. Significant international work was conducted through partnership with USAID. The unit directly supported 5 graduate students while providing indirect support for 9 others through unit scientists serving on committees. Visiting scientists from Ghana, Japan, and Brazil were also key partners TARGET AUDIENCES: Our Target Audience includes the academic community (both scientists and graduate students); managers of both public and private forest land; and non-industrial private landowners. Much of this work relates to wildland fire, thus our primary focal audience is the fire community

Impacts
The role of soil invertebrates in forest restoration is often overlooked. This examination of earthworm invasions provides an improved understanding of the critical role earthworms can play in restoration activities. As this work spans the Americas, we get a possible glimpse of how changes in the soil ecosystem may alter a species ability to adapt to a changing climate. Such guidance highlights the importance of a systems appraoch to ecosystem restoration that focuses on ecosystem functions.

Publications

  • Gambrell, Horace E.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Wang, G. Geoff; Callaham, Mac A.; Bridges, William C. 2013. Fuel dynamics across southern Appalachian landscapes. In: Guldin, James M., ed. 2013. Proceedings of the 15th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-175. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 361-366.
  • Goodrick, Scott L.; Stanturf, John A. 2012. Evaluating potential changes in fire risk from Eucalyptus plantings in the Southern United States. International Journal of Forestry Research 2012(680246):1-9.
  • Snyder, B.A., M.A. Callaham, Jr., C.N. Lowe, and P.F. Hendrix. 2013. Earthworm invasion in North America: Food resource competition affects native millipede survival and invasive earthworm reproduction. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 57:212-216.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Goodrick, Scott L. 2013. Fire. In: Wear, David N.; Greis, John G., eds. 2013. The Southern Forest Futures Project: technical report. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-178. Asheville, NC: USDA-Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 509-542.
  • Callaham, Mac A., Jr.; Stanturf, John A.; Hammond, William J.; Rockwood, Donald L.; Wenk, Evelyn S.; O⿿Brien, Joseph J. 2013. Survey to evaluate escape of Eucalyptus spp. seedlings from plantations in southeastern USA. International Journal of Forestry Research 2013(946374):1-10.
  • Stanturf, John A.; Vance, Eric D.; Fox, Thomas R.; Kirst, Matias 2013. Eucalyptus beyond its native range: Environmental issues in exotic bioenergy plantations. International Journal of Forestry Research 2013(463030):1-5.
  • Stottlemyer, Aaron D.; Wang, G. Geoff; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Wells, Christina E.; Callaham, Mac A. 2013. Short-term effects of fuel reduction treatments on soil mycorrhizal inoculum potential in beetle-killed stands. In: Guldin, James M., ed. 2013. Proceedings of the 15th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-175. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 357-360.
  • Vadala, Carin E.; Bixler, Robert D.; Waldrop, Thomas A. 2013. Interest group opinions about fuel reduction in southern Appalachia. In: Guldin, James M., ed. 2013. Proceedings of the 15th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-175. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 377-381.
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Brudnak, Lucy; Rideout-Hanzak, Sandra 2013. Fuel loading in the Southern Appalachian Mountains may be a function of site quality and decomposition rates. In: Guldin, James M., ed. 2013. Proceedings of the 15th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-175. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 581-584.
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Yaussy, Daniel A.; Boerner, Ralph E.J.; Greenberg, Cathryn H.; Simon, Dean M. 2013. Fuel-reduction treatments for restoration in eastern hardwoods: impacts on multiple ecosystem components. In: Guldin, James M., ed. 2013. Proceedings of the 15th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-GTR-175. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 367-375.


Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: For this problem, the research work unit produced 35 publications and 20 presentations. One highlight from this work is the publication of a review of the scientific literature for extreme fire behavior. This publication combs the scientific literature and translates the findings into a document suitable for fire behavior analysts and other fireline personnel. This is the most comprehensive document on the topic and greatly expands the information available to fire personnel. PARTICIPANTS: Scientists in the unit collaborate widely, including scientists from other research stations (e.g. Northern, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest); scientists in other SRS units (Auburn, Bent Creek, Coweeta, Raleigh); scientists from USDA-ARS and other federal agencies (Department of Energy ⿿ Savannah River Site, Oak Ridge Los Alamos National Labs, NOAA, EPA, National Park Service, Department of Defense). Our key private sector partner is the J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center. State agencies involvement includes the North Carolina Department of Forestry, Florida Forest Service and Georgia Forestry Commission. University partners include University of Georgia, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Duke, University of Florida, George Mason University, Kansas State, University of Wisconsin and the Ohio State University. Significant international work was conducted through partnership with USAID. The unit directly supported 5 graduate students while providing indirect support for 9 others through unit scientists serving on committees. Visiting scientists from Ghana, Japan, and Brazil were also key partners. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our Target Audience includes the academic community (both scientists and graduate students); managers of both public and private forest land; and non-industrial private landowners. Much of this work relates to wildland fire, thus our primary focal audience is the fire community.

Impacts
Current fire behavior tools deal with steady-state conditions and provide little insight to fire personnel of when conditions will become extreme and unpredictable. This publication provides fire personnel with a description of the state of the science with regard to extreme fire behavior. This information will be incorporated into fire behavior training and hopefully lead to increased awareness of extreme fire conditions that ultimately leads to increased safety on the fireline.

Publications

  • Achtemeier Gary L. (2012) Field validation of a free-agent cellular automata model of fire spread with fire⿿atmosphere coupling. International Journal of Wildland Fire, http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WF11055
  • Achtemeier, G L; Goodrick, S L; Liu, Y; 2011. Coupling Rabbit Rules with Daysmoke for simulating fire spread and plume rise for an RxCadre aerial ignition prescribed burn. Paper 3.5, Ninth Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology. 18-20 October 2011, Palm Springs, CA, American Meteorological Society
  • Adetona O, Dunn K, Hall D, Achtemeier G, Stock A, Naeher LP. 2011. Personal PM2.5 exposure among wildland firefighters working at prescribed forest burns in southeastern United States. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. 8:503-511.
  • Aubrey, D.P., Mortazavi, B., O⿿Brien, J.J., McGee, J.D., Hendricks, J.J., Kuehn, K.A., and R.J Mitchell. 2012. Influence of repeated canopy scorching on soil CO2 efflux. Forest Ecology and Management: 142-148
  • Callaham, Jr., Mac A.; Scott, D. Andrew; O⿿Brien, Joseph J.; Stanturf, John A. 2012. Cumulative effects of fuel management on the soils of eastern U.S. watersheds. In: Lafayette, Russell; Brooks, Maureen T.; Potyondy, John P.; Audin, Lisa; Krieger, Suzanne L.; Trettin, Carl C., eds. 2012. Cumulative watershed effects of fuel management in the eastern United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-161. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station: 202-228.
  • Callaham, M.A., Jr., D.A. Crossley, Jr., and D.C. Coleman. 2012. Soil Fauna: Macroarthropods. Pages 25.19 - 25.26 in: Huang, P.M., Y. Li, and M.P. Sumner (Eds.), Handbook of Soil Sciences: Properties and Processes (2nd Edition), CRC Press, Boca Raton
  • Loudermilk, E.L., O⿿Brien, J.J., Mitchell, R.J., Hiers, J.K., Cropper Jr., W.P., Grunwald, S, Grego, J., Fernandez, J. 2012. Linking complex forest fuel structure and fire behavior at fine scales. International Journal of Wildland Fire
  • Chen, Guang-Shan, Michael Notaro, Zhengyu Liu, Yongqiang Liu, 2012: Simulated Local and Remote Biophysical Effects of Afforestation over the Southeast United States in Boreal Summer. J. Climate, 25, 4511⿿4522. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00317.1
  • Goodrick, S.L. 2012. Potential changes in wildfire risk from Eucalyptus plantings in the U.S. South. Symposium on the Assessment and Management of Environmental Issues Related to Eucalyptus Culture in the Southern United States, Charleston, SC, February 2012.
  • Hendrix, P.F., P.C.J. van Vliet, and M.A. Callaham, Jr. 2012. Soil Fauna: Earthworms. Pages 25.35 ⿿ 25.44 in: Huang, P.M., Y. Li, and M.P. Sumner (Eds.), Handbook of Soil Sciences: Properties and Processes (2nd Edition), CRC Press, Boca Raton
  • Liu, Y., Achtemeier G., Goodrick S., 2011, Evaluation of Daysmoke Plume Rise Simulations, the Ninth Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology, Palm Springs, CA, 18⿿20 October 2011. American Meteorological Society
  • Liu, Y., Goodrick, S., and Achtemeier, G., 2011, Evaluation of Plume Rise Models for Prescribed Burning⿝, 2011 CMAQ Conference, Chapel Hill, NC. October 24-26, 2011
  • Liu, Y., Goodrick, S., and Stanturf, J., 2011, Future U.S. Wildfire Potential Trends Projected using Dynamically Downscaled Climate Change Scenarios , the Ninth Symposium on Fire and Forest Meteorology, Palm Springs, CA, 18⿿20 October 2011. American Meteorological Society.
  • Liu, Yongqiang, Scott Goodrick, John Stanturf, Hanqin Tian, Future trends and impacts of mega-fires in the United States under changing climate and fuels, Exploring the Mega-fire Reality 2011, November 14-17, 2011. Tallahassee, FL, USA.
  • Outcalt, Kenneth W. 2012. Fuel management in the Subtropical and Savanna divisions. In: LaFayette, Russell; Brooks, Maureen T.; Potyondy, John P.; Audin, Lisa; Krieger, Suzanne L.; Trettin, Carl C. Eds. 2012. Cumulative watershed effects of fuel management in the Eastern United States. Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-161. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 117-149.
  • Stottlemyer, Aaron D.; Wang, G. Geoff; Waldrop, Thomas A. 2012. Beetle-killed stands in the South Carolina piedmont: from fuel hazards to regenerating oak forests. In: Butnor, John R., ed. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-156. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. p. 320.
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Goodrick, Scott L. 2012. Introduction to prescribed fires in Southern ecosystems. Science Update SRS-054. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 80 p.
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Mohr, Helen H. 2012. Low-cost regeneration techniques for mixed-species management ⿿ 20 years later. In: Butnor, John R., ed. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-156. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 372-376.
  • Waldrop, Thomas A.; Mohr, Helen H.; Hoyle, Zoe 2012. Science delivery is a two-way street ⿿ development of the Consortium Of Appalachian Fire Managers and Scientists (CAFMS). In: Butnor, John R., ed. 2012. Proceedings of the 16th biennial southern silvicultural research conference. e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-156. Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station. 377-378.


Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: The research work unit completed a large number of outputs under problem one including 58 publications, 2 tours, 5 short-courses, 2 invited presentations to scientific organizations, 10 presentations to lay organizations, 27 volunteer presentations to scientific organizations, and 20 other technology transfer activities. A highlight was the special issue of Forest Science devoted to the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study. Taken as a whole, these papers illustrate the complexity and variability of ecosystem components related to seasonally dry, fire-adapted communities across the US that have experienced changes in disturbance regimes over the past 100 years. Mechanical treatment followed by two prescribed fires was most effective in reducing simulated fire behavior and meeting stand restoration objectives. However, frequent burning is required to maintain reductions in fuel loading and reduced fire severity as fuel accumulates quickly in these systems. Herpetofauna responded to burning as lizard and reptile abundance were greater for stands treated with prescribed fire (burn only and mechanical treatment followed by burning). Native herb cover and forest floor depth were correlated with herpetofauna abundance - increasing numbers of lizards and reptiles with greater native herb cover and decreasing abundance with increasing forest floor depth and coarse woody debris. The best predictor of lizard and reptile abundance was native herb cover, which was greatest for stands subjected to mechanical treatment combined with prescribed fire. The physiological impact of forest floor consumption on longleaf pines (Pinus palustris Mill.) subjected to a wildfire in a long-unburned (>50 years) forest was measured by forest floor consumption, whole tree water use, and leaf chlorophyll content. Ten of the 23 study trees died within three years post fire. Post-fire sap flux was unrelated to crown scorch, but was negatively correlated with forest floor consumption. A segmented linear regres¬sion revealed declines in sap flux until a threshold of 31 % forest floor consumption, after which further consumption had no additional effect on tree water use. Trees with >30 % forest floor consumption beneath their crowns were more than 20 times as likely to die as those with less consumption. Chlorophyll content in needles that flushed post fire was negatively correlated with crown scorch (R2 = 0.60, P = 0.009) though all trees with scorch also experienced varying degrees of forest floor consumption. These results suggest that the consumption of the forest floor with the likely concomitant loss of roots initiated a decline spiral, driven by an inability to supply sufficient water to the crown. PARTICIPANTS: Scientists in the unit collaborate widely, including with scientists in other research stations (e.g., Northern and Pacific Northwest); scientists in other SRS units (Auburn, Bent Creek); and other federal agencies (Department of Energy, Savannah River Site and Oak Ridge National Laboratory; National Park Service, Great Smokey Mountains National Park; Department of Defense, Eglin Air Force Base; and the Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge). Our key private sector partner is the J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center. State agencies helpfully provide land for field experiments, including the North Carolina Division of Wildlife and Fisheries. University partners are Clemson, Duke, Florida, George Mason, and the Ohio State University. International partners in this work are the Mongolian Academy of Sciences Institute of Geobotany, Seoul National University (Korea) and the Estonian University of Life Sciences. The project directly supported (i.e., financial support through cooperative agreements) 5 graduate students. Indirect support was provided to 8 other graduate students through project scientists serving on committees. Additional training opportunities were provided to 3 students and a Visiting Scientist from the Korea Forest Research Institute. TARGET AUDIENCES: Our target audiences are the academic community (other scientists and graduate students); managers of both public and private forest land; and non-industrial private landowners. Much of the work relates to wildland fire, thus our primary focal audience is the fire community. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None

Impacts
Project scientists continued to add knowledge of fuel reduction treatments on forest and grassland ecosystems. Novel approaches to quantifying fine-scale fuelbed characteristics were developed using groundbased LiDaR; other remote sensing platforms (e.g., MODIS) were applied to estimating fuel loading as a result of a Category 4 hurricane.Fire-dependent pine forests in the Caribbean Basin are extensive and although they are fire dependent, the use of fire for forest management suffers from poor public perception and some countries prohibited it. We introduced conceptual models describing linkages among fire, structure, and regeneration strategy. Fuel information is not available to forest managers in the southern Appalachians and direct measurement is often impractical owing to topography. We identified four fuel complexes using LEC units and field measurements of fuel characteristics. Fuel bed depth, duff thickness, 1000-h fuel loading, and rhododendron and vaccinium ground cover were discriminating fuel characteristics. We developed a method for inventorying fine-scale fuels and measuring fire intensity within longleaf pine forests. Using ground-based LIDAR with traditional fuel inventory, we characterized within-fuel bed variation into discrete wildland fuel cells. Spatially explicit fire behavior was measured with digital infrared thermography. Fire temperatures and residence times varied at similar scales to those observed for wildland fuel cells. Three years after a moderate-severity wind disturbance in west-central TN, seedling/sapling density and species richness were not influenced by cumulative disturbance severity, but species diversity showed a marginal increase with increasing cumulative severity. Moderate-severity natural disturbances followed by moderate-intensity salvaging may have little detrimental effect on forest regeneration and diversity in these systems.

Publications


    Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: The research work unit completed a large number of outputs under problem one including 30 publications, 25 tours, participation in 7 short courses, 3 invited talks to scientific organizations, 20 presentations to lay organizations, 14 volunteer presentations to scientific organizations, and 40 other technology transfer activities. A highlight was the session on "Natural Disturbances and Soil Ecology: Fire, Flood, and Hurricane" organized for the joint meeting of the Soil Ecology Society and the Society of Nematologists, held in Burlington, VT.

    Impacts
    Added to knowledge of fuel reduction treatments on forest and grassland ecosystems, extended fire ecology work to tropical pine ecosystems, developed methods to characterize fuel loads at multiple scales, and other disturbances such as salvage logging, urbanization, and invasive exotic earthworms. Management strategies that maximize ecosystem C gain by minimizing loss of N should be a focus in western forests, where C and N cycling are tightly linked, but perhaps not in those eastern forests where atmospheric N deposition has decoupled C and N cycles. Overall, the effects of treatments on soil properties were modest and transient. In the short term, mechanical treatments were more effective at reducing overstory tree density and basal area. Response was generally maximized by the combined mechanical plus burning treatment. Treatments did little harm to oak-dominated forests and promoted oak and hickory regeneration. Prescribed fire or mechanical fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachian Mountains did not greatly affect shrew populations. Fire-dependent pine forests in the Caribbean Basin are extensive and although they are fire dependent, the use of fire for forest management suffers from poor public perception and some countries prohibited it. We introduced conceptual models describing linkages among fire, structure, and regeneration strategy. Fuel information is not available to forest managers in the southern Appalachians and direct measurement is often impractical owing to topography. We identified four fuel complexes using LEC units and field measurements of fuel characteristics. Fuel bed depth, duff thickness, 1000-h fuel loading, and rhododendron and vaccinium ground cover were discriminating fuel characteristics. We developed a method for inventorying fine-scale fuels and measuring fire intensity within longleaf pine forests. Using ground-based LIDAR with traditional fuel inventory, we characterized within-fuel bed variation into discrete wildland fuel cells. Spatially explicit fire behavior was measured with digital infrared thermography. Fire temperatures and residence times varied at similar scales to those observed for wildland fuel cells. Three years after a moderate-severity wind disturbance in west-central TN, seedling/sapling density and species richness were not influenced by cumulative disturbance severity, but species diversity showed a marginal increase with increasing cumulative severity. Moderate-severity natural disturbances followed by moderate-intensity salvaging may have little detrimental effect on forest regeneration and diversity in these systems.

    Publications

    • Yaussy, D.A.; Waldrop, T.A. 2009. Fire and Fire Surrogate study: results from oak-dominated sites. In: Hutchinson, Todd F., ed. Proceedings of the 3rd fire in eastern oak forests conference; 2008 May 20-22; Carbondale, IL. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-46. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 40-50.
    • Zhang, Chi; Tian, Hanqin; Pan, Shufen; Liu, Mingliang ; Lockaby, Graeme; Schilling, Erik B.; Stanturf, John. 2008. Effects of forest regrowth and urbanization on ecosystem carbon storage in a rural⿿urban gradient in the Southeastern United States. Ecosystems 11: 1211⿿1222.
    • Bryant, John P.; Clausen, Thomas P.; Swihart, Robert K.; Landhäusser, Simon M.; Stevens, Michael T.; Hawkins, Christopher D. B.; Carrière, Suzanne; Kirilenko, Andrei P.; Veitch, Alasdair M.; Popko, Richard A.; Cleland, David T.; Williams, Joseph H.; Jakubas, Walter J.; Carlson, Michael R.; Lehmkuhl Bodony, Karin; Cebrian, Merben; Paragi, Thomas F.; Picone, Peter M.; Moore, Jeffery E.; Packee, Edmond C.; Malone, Thomas 2009. Fire drives transcontinental variation in tree birch defense against browsing by snowshoe hares. The American Naturalist 174 (1), doi 10.1086/599304
    • Callaham, M.A. Jr.; O'Brien, J.J.; DiCosty, R.J.; Stanturf, J.A.; Outcalt, K.W.; Hiers, J.K.; Mitchell, R.J.; Williams, M.A.; Lamoncha,K.L.. 2009. Fire Frequency Effects on Soil Biology and Soil Chemistry in a Longleaf Pine Forest in North Florida. Invited symposium presentation, Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meetings, Burlington, Vermont, July 2009.
    • Callaham, M.A., Jr., L. Heneghan, C.C. Rhoades (Guest Editors). 2008. Special Section: Soil Ecology and Restoration Ecology. Restoration Ecology 16:604-712.
    • Callaham, M.A., Jr.; Butt, K.R.; Lowe,C.N. 2008. Stable isotope evidence for marine-derived avian inputs of nitrogen into detrital foodwebs on the Isle of Rum, Scotland, UK. Poster presentation at 15th International Colloquium on Soil Zoology and Ecology, August 2008, Curitiba, Brazil.
    • Boerner, R.E.J., Huang, J., Hart, S.C. 2009. Impacts of fire and fire surrogate treatments on ecosystem nitrogen storage patterns: similarities and differences between forests of eastern and western North America. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38: 3056-3070.
    • Boerner, Ralph J.; et al. 2009. Fire surrogates study. 14th Biennial Meeting of the Society of Soil Ecology.
    • Brockway, Dale G., Outcalt, Kenneth W., Estes, Becky L., Rummer, Robert B. 2009. Vegetation response to midstorey mulching and prescribed burning for wildfire hazard reduction and longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystem restoration. Forestry 82:299-314
    • Callaham, M.A., Jr.; Rostkowski, S.C. Jr.; Gardiner, E.S.; Stanturf, J.A.; Snyder, B.A. 2008. Litter-dwelling arthropods in a bottomland hardwood restoration experiment in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, USA. Poster presentation at 15th International Colloquium on Soil Zoology and Ecology, August 2008, Curitiba, Brazil.
    • Callaham, M.A., Jr.; DiCosty, R.J.; Lamoncha, K.L.; O'Brien, J.J.; Outcalt, K.W.; Williams, M.A.; Stanturf,J.A. 2009. Effects of long-term fire frequency manipulations on soil chemical and biological properties in a north Florida pine forest. Poster presentation at Workshop on Global Soil Change, Durham, NC, June 2009.
    • Callaham, Mac A., Jr.; Rhoades, Charles C.; Heneghan, Liam 2008. A striking profile: Soil ecological knowledge in restoration management and science. Restoration Ecology. 16(4): 604-607.
    • Hanson, P.J.; McFarlane, K.; Trumbore, S.; Guilderson, T.; Torn, M.S.; Matamala, R.; Jastrow, J.D.; Callaham, M.A.; Parton, W.J., Jr. 2008. Quantifying organic and mineral soil carbon turnover along climate gradients: The EBIS-AmeriFlux Project. Poster presentation at the Annual AmeriFlux Science Meeting, Boulder, CO, October, 2008.
    • Hanula, J.L., Wade, D.D., O'Brien, J.O., Loeb, S.C. 2009. Ground-dwelling arthropod association with coarse woody debris following long-term dormant season prescribed burning in the longleaf pine flatwoods of north Florida. Florida Entomologist 92 (2):229-242.
    • Hendrix, P.F., M.A. Callaham, Jr., J.M. Drake, C.-Y. Huang, S.W. James, B.A. Snyder, and W.X. Zhang. 2008. Pandora⿿s box contained bait: The global problem of introduced earthworms. Annual Reviews in Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics. 39:593-613.
    • Hiers, J. Kevin, O⿿Brien, Joseph J., Mitchell, R. J., Grego, John M., Loudermilk, E. Louise. 2009. The wildland fuel cell concept: an approach to characterize fine-scale variation in fuels and fire in frequently burned longleaf pine forests. International Journal of Wildland Fire18: 315⿿325.
    • Hiers, J.K.; Starr, G.; Callaham, M.A., Jr.; O⿿Brien, J.J.; Mitchell, R.J. 2008. The silvics of sequestration in frequently burned longleaf pine forests. Oral presentation delivered at the Longleaf Alliance annual meetings, Destin, FL, October, 2008.
    • Kitchen, D.J., J.M. Blair, and M.A. Callaham, Jr. 2009. Annual fire and mowing alter biomass, depth distribution, and C and N content of roots in soil in tallgrass prairie. Plant and Soil.
    • Madsen, Palle; Olesen, Carsten Riis; Stanturf, John A.; Löf, Magnus; Ammer, Christian. 2008. Effects of light and soil moisture on a mixed species natural regeneration of beech (Fagus sylvatica), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus). In Terazawa, K., Madsen, P., and Sagheb-Talebi, K. (eds). Proceedings: 8th International Beech Symposium, 8-13 September 2008, Nanae, Hokkaido, Japan. Hokkaido Forestry Research Institute, Bibai, Hokkaido, Japan. P. 67-69.
    • Matthews, Charlotte E; Moorman, Christopher E; Greenberg, Cathryn H; 2009. Response of soricid populations to repeated fire and fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachain Mountains. Forestry Ecology and Mangement 257 (2009) 1939-1944
    • McGee, J.D.; Jansen, N.A.; Hiers, J.K.; Callaham, Jr., M.A.; Mitchell, R.J.; Greene, M.P. 2008 Recalcitrant carbon pools in burned and unburned longleaf pine systems. Poster presentation at Ecological Society of America annual meetings, August, 2008, Milwaukee, WI.
    • Mitchell, R.; O⿿Brien, J.J.; Hiers, K. 2009. 14th Biennial Meeting of the Soil Ecology Society, Burlington, VT, July 12-15, 2009.
    • Mitra, O., Callaham, M.A., Jr., Smith, M.L., Yack, J.E. 2008. Grunting for worms: reactions of Diplocardia to seismic vibrations. Biology Letters 5:16-19. (updated citation)
    • O⿿Brien, J.J., Hiers, J.K., Callaham, M.A. Jr., Mitchell, R.J., Jack S. 2008. Interactions among overstory structure, seedling life history traits and fire in frequently burned neotropical pine forests. Ambio 37: 542-547.
    • Peterson, C.J., Leach, A.D. 2008. Limited salvage logging effects on forest regeneration after moderate-severity windthrow. Ecological Applications 18 (2): 407-420.
    • Schwilk, D.W.; Keeley, J.E.; Knapp, E.E.; McIver, J.; Bailey, J.D.; Fettig,C.J.;Fiedler, C.E.; Harrod, R.J.; Moghaddas, J.J.; Outcalt, K.W.; Skinner, C.N.; Stephens, S.L.; Waldrop, T.W.; Yaussy, D.A; Youngblood, A. 2009. The national Fire and Fire Surrogate study: effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels. Ecological Applications 19: 285⿿304.
    • Snyder, B.A.; Callaham, Jr., M.A.; Lowe, C.N.; Rostkowski, Jr., S.C.; Hendrix, P.F. 2008. Interactions between the invasive earthworm Amynthas agrestis (Megascolecidae) and the North American millipede Sigmoria ainsliei (Xystodesmidae). Oral presentation (delivered by Callaham) at 15th International Colloquium on Soil Zoology and Ecology, August 2008, Curitiba, Brazil.
    • Stanturf, J.A.; Goodrick, S.L.; O⿿Brien, J.J.; Callaham, M.A., Jr. 2009. Hurricane impacts on soils. Invited symposium presentation, Soil Ecology Society Biennial Meetings, Burlington, Vermont, July 2009.
    • Stottlemeyer, Aaron D.; Shelburne, Victor B.; Waldrop, Thomas A.; Rideout-Hanzak, Sandra; Bridges, William C. 2009. Fuel characterization in the southern Appalachian Mountains: an application of landscape ecosystem classification. International Journal of Wildlane Fire, Vol. 18: 423-429
    • Boerner, R.E.J., Huang, J., Hart, S.C. 2009. Impacts of Fire and Fire Surrogate treatments on forest soil properties: a meta-analytical approach. Ecological Applications 19: 338⿿358.