A5045315995- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Forest ecology and management
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Landslides and related hazards
- Plant and animal studies
- Seedling growth and survival studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Hydrology and Drought Analysis
- Tree Root and Stability Studies
- Archaeology and Natural History
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Agriculture and Rural Development Research
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Ecology and Conservation Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
US Forest Service
2022-2024
University of Washington
2024
United States Geological Survey
2018-2023
Fort Collins Science Center
2021-2023
University of New Mexico
2022-2023
Rocky Mountain Research (United States)
2017-2022
Rocky Mountain Research Station
2017-2022
Northern Arizona University
2022
The Nature Conservancy
2022
Western Colorado University
2022
Rising temperatures are amplifying drought-induced stress and mortality in forests globally. It remains uncertain, however, whether tree across drought-stricken landscapes will be concentrated particular climatic competitive environments. We investigated the effects of long-term average climate [i.e. 35-year mean annual water deficit (CWD)] competition (i.e. basal area) on patterns, using extensive aerial surveys conducted throughout California during a 4-year statewide extreme drought...
Implementation of wildfire- and climate-adaptation strategies in seasonally dry forests western North America is impeded by numerous constraints uncertainties. After more than a century resource land use change, some question the need for proactive management, particularly given novel social, ecological, climatic conditions. To address this question, we first provide framework assessing changes landscape conditions fire regimes. Using framework, then evaluate evidence change contemporary...
Increasing fire severity and warmer, drier postfire conditions are making forests in the western United States (West) vulnerable to ecological transformation. Yet, relative importance of interactions between these drivers forest change remain unresolved, particularly over upcoming decades. Here, we assess how interactive impacts changing climate wildfire activity influenced conifer regeneration after 334 wildfires, using a dataset from 10,230 field plots. Our findings highlight declining...
Summary Climate change is likely to shift plant communities towards species from warmer regions, a process termed ‘thermophilization’. In forests, canopy disturbances such as fire may hasten this by increasing temperature and moisture stress in the understory, yet little known about mechanisms that might drive shifts, or consequences of these processes for diversity. We sampled understory vegetation across gradient disturbance severity large‐scale natural experiment created factorial...
Abstract Aim Functional traits are a crucial link between species distributions and the ecosystem processes that structure those species’ niches. Concurrent increases in availability of functional trait data our ability to model present an opportunity develop biogeography (i.e., mapping across space). can improve process‐based predictions about resistance certain assemblages changing environmental conditions landscape scales. We illustrate this concept by developing first trait‐based,...
Abstract For over 20 years, forest fuel reduction has been the dominant management action in western US forests. These same actions have also associated with restoration of highly altered frequent-fire Perhaps vital element compatibility these treatments is that both need to incorporate salient characteristics frequent fire produced—variability vegetation structure and composition across landscapes inability support large patches high-severity fire. can be achieved mechanical treatments. The...
Plant communities in abiotically stressful, or 'harsh', habitats have been reported to be less invaded by non-native species than those more moderate habitats. Here, we synthesize descriptive and experimental evidence for low levels of invasion characterized a variety environmental stressors: nitrogen; phosphorus; saline, sodic alkaline soils; serpentine soil moisture; shallow/rocky temporary inundation; high shade; elevation; latitude. We then discuss major categories hypotheses explain...
Abstract Background Forest and nonforest ecosystems of the western United States are experiencing major transformations in response to land-use change, climate warming, their interactive effects with wildland fire. Some transitioning persistent alternative types, hereafter called “vegetation type conversion” (VTC). VTC is one most pressing management issues southwestern US, yet current strategies intervene address change often use trial-and-error approaches devised after fact. To better...
Fire suppression has made many seasonally dry conifer forests more susceptible to high-severity wildfires, which cause large changes in forest structure and function. In response, management agencies are applying fuel reduction treatments millions of acres forest, with the goal moderating fire behavior by reducing tree density understory loads. However, despite their wide application, we still lack basic information about extent these contribute restoration increasing resilience recurring...
Reducing the risk of large, severe wildfires while also increasing security mountain water supplies and enhancing biodiversity are urgent priorities in western US forests. After a century fire suppression, Yosemite Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks located California's Sierra Nevada initiated programs to manage these areas present rare opportunity study effects restored regimes. Forest cover decreased during managed wildfire period meadow shrubland increased, especially Yosemite's...
Quantifying historical fire regimes provides important information for managing contemporary forests. Historical frequency and severity can be estimated using several methods; each method has strengths weaknesses presents challenges interpretation verification. Recent efforts to quantify the timing of high-severity events in forests western North America have assumed that "stand age" variable from US Forest Service Inventory Analysis (FIA) program reflects (i.e. stand-replacing) ponderosa...
Winter snowpack in dry montane regions provides a valuable ecosystem service by storing water into the growing season. Wildfire coniferous forests has potential to indirectly affect accumulation and ablation (mass loss) rates reducing canopy cover, which reduces interception of snow but also increases solar radiation wind speed. These counteracting effects create uncertainty regarding conditions that maximize post-fire duration, is concern as across western United States experience...
* Fire disturbance can mediate the invasion of ecological communities by nonnative species. Nonnative plants that modify existing fire regimes may initiate a positive feedback facilitate their continued invasion. Fire-sensitive successfully invade pyrogenic landscapes if they inhibit in landscape. Here, we investigated whether invasive shrub Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) fire-suppression fire-dependent pine savanna ecosystem southeastern USA. We found prescribed burns caused...
Abstract Fuel treatments in fire‐suppressed mixed‐conifer forests are designed to moderate potential wildfire behavior and effects. However, the objectives for modifying fire effects can vary widely, from improving suppression efforts protecting infrastructure, reintroducing low‐severity fire, restoring maintaining variable forest structure wildlife habitat. In designing a fuel treatment, managers alter treatment's prescription, placement, extent (collectively “treatment strategy”) optimally...
Summary Rising temperatures and extended periods of drought compromise tree hydraulic carbohydrate systems, threatening forest health globally. Despite winter's biological significance to many forests, the effects warmer dryer winters on status have largely been overlooked. Here we report a sharp previously unknown decline in stem water content three conifer species during California's anomalous 2015 mid‐winter that was followed by dampened spring starch accumulation. Recent precipitation...