This paper was published in: Deal, R.L. and C.A. Harrington, eds. 2006. Red alder—a state of knowledge. General Technical Report PNW-GTR-669. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 150 p.
To effectively manage for biodiversity at broad, ecosystem scales, the influences of habitat structure at multiple spatial scales on vertebrate species must be understood. There are few studies on the broad-scale habitat requirements of stream amphibians despite their importance in streams in forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) as...
Basal area and height growth were analyzed for individual trees in uneven-aged ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa
Dougl. ex Laws.) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex. Loud.) stands in central Oregon. Basal area
growth was modeled as a function of other stand and tree variables to address three general objectives:...
Sierra Nevada forests have high understory species richness yet we do not know which site factors influence
herb and shrub distribution or abundance. We examined the understory of an old-growth mixed-conifer
Sierran forest and its distribution in relation to microsite conditions. The forest has high species richness
(98 species sampled),...
Olympia oysters, “Ostrea conchaphila,” were once common along the west coast of North America. A popular delicacy, native oyster populations began to decline in the late 1800’s due to over‐harvest, degraded water quality, and habitat loss. Interest in re‐establishing the native oyster in a small Oregon estuary, Netarts Bay, culminated...
Communities across the United States are becoming more culturally and ethnically diverse. Indeed, demographers predict that by 2030 most of America’s school-age children will be from a minority group and by 2050, so will most Americans. This increasing diversity changes the nature of the population served by volunteer-based organizations, and...
Alternative male phenotypes in salmonine fishes arise from individuals that mature as either larger and older anadromous marine-migrants or as smaller and younger freshwater residents. Variability in age and size of males at maturity is hypothesized to be preceded by early differences in growth in size and lipid storage. Water...
Although previous research in central Oregon has shown soil compaction can lead to a decline in site productivity, the subject is not understood well enough to predict the growth changes resulting from a given level of soil compaction. A study was initiated to relate the basal area, height and volume...
Silviculture systems that involve commercial thinning may provide higher quality wildlife habitat than traditional clearcut systems, yet such systems have not been vigorously tested. This prospective study examined forest floor animal abundance and habitat relationships under three different silviculture conditions: clearcuts, commercial thins, and uncuts. Eighteen stands, six per treatment,...
The goal of this dissertation was to improve our understanding of the physiology and life-history of invasive plants and of the mechanisms underlying life-history trade-offs. I compared invasive and noninvasive species of Rubus (blackberry) that grow together in the Pacific Northwest. Three hypotheses were investigated: (1) Invasive Rubus have higher...
White and grand fir are both valuable components of the mixed-conifer stand structure managed for late-successional reserves in central Oregon. However, they are often short-lived species because of high susceptibility to root diseases, defoliating insects, bark beetles, and wildfire. This study focuses on the effects of root diseases caused by...
This study examined debris flows occurring in a 125 km² study area in the Blue River watershed in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon over a 50-year period. Debris flow occurrence was found to be concentrated in a distinct zone of high activity occupying approximately half of the study area,...
During 1997–1998, we investigated the influence of both the relative abundance of truffles, preferred food
items, and microhabitat structure on the occurrence of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus Shaw) in oldgrowth
forest habitat of the Sierra Nevada Range, U.S.A. Following live-trapping sessions, we searched the forest floor
for truffle diggings...
During 1997–1998, we investigated the influence of both the relative abundance of truffles, preferred food
items, and microhabitat structure on the occurrence of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus Shaw) in old-growth
forest habitat of the Sierra Nevada Range, U.S.A. Following live-trapping sessions, we searched the forest floor
for truffle diggings...
'Golden Delicious' winter squash (GDWS), Cucurbita maxima Duchesne, provides significant amounts of pollen (24 mg) and nectar (236 μl), but with a low reward of 14% nectar sugar. The quantity of nectar produced per GDWS flower differed between sites and floral sex. The GDWS male flowers had 25% higher sugar...
We conducted capture and acoustic surveys for bats in six areas along a latitudinal gradient in Southeast Alaska from mid-May to September in 2005 and we continued surveys on Prince of Wales Island from mid-May to September in 2006. We determined the level of effort required to catch each species...
Partial migration is a common migratory behavior where some individuals in a population migrate and others do not. Patterns of partial migration can vary dramatically, especially for species that inhabit a wide range of environments. I described and predicted spatial variation in marine migration (anadromy) of female Oncorhynchus mykiss (steelhead...
Reforestation-based restoration of severely burnt plantations is one of the primary management activities following wildfire on U.S. federal lands. Restoration effects on early-seral plant and cryptogam communities have not been documented. The objectives of this study were, in severely burnt plantations two to four years post-fire, to examine the: (1)...
Three studies were conducted to evaluate different grazing systems on mixed conifer rangelands in eastern Oregon, and photo points and aerial photography was used to determine effects of 25 years of cattle grazing on stream channel changes and vegetation responses. The first study was designed to determine if grazing treatment...
Monitoring wildlife habitats has become important to forest ecosystem management because it provides valuable information about the response of forests and their species to harvest practices, impacts from recreational use, conservation efforts, and natural and human-caused disturbances. Monitoring is a complex task that requires a variety of abiotic and biotic...
The suspension-feeding mud shrimp, Upogebia pugettensis, is a common inhabitant of intertidal mudflats in estuaries throughout the Pacific Northwest, where it develops extensive burrows. Also inhabiting the shrimps' burrow is the commensal bivalve, Cryptomya californica. Filtration by dense populations of the shrimp and its commensals may have a negative impact...
Energy input comparisons between tillage systems; evaluation of the value of legumes as part of a cover crop mixture used in strip-till sweet corn production; evaluation of the nitrogen contribution of legume-based cover crops to organic vegetable production.
My thesis explored the effects of environmental variability on population
dynamics and community composition of aquatic insects. Environmental variability in
the form of flow regime in streams can limit the distribution and life-history traits of
aquatic insects. I used tributaries to the McKenzie River in Oregon with dramatically
different flow...
The report summarizes basin level accomplishments and investments related to water quality improvements, fish recovery, and watershed
health. The report also provides an overview of state agency actions
and recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the Oregon
Plan.
Published June 2001. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
The overall purpose of this study was to examine the root and shoot development of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings at two distinct time periods in seedling establishment (after I and 3 growing seasons) in response to fertilizer, stock size, vegetation control, and soil moisture treatments. Two separate experiments...
Pallidosis is a disease of strawberry identified in 1957 with an unknown etiology. Two previously uncharacterized viruses in strawberry, Strawberry pallidosis associated virus (SPaV) and Beet pseudo-yellows virus (BPYV), have been found associated with disease symptoms. The complete nucleotide sequence of both viruses was determined and molecular detection protocols developed....
In- stream water temperature is one of the most important environmental
factors associated with the decline in salmonid populations and their habitats in the
Pacific Northwest. Most ecological restoration practices that attempt to reduce instream
temperatures center on replanting or reestablishing riparian vegetation and
increasing flows. However, in a large...
This classification lists the native plant associations known to occur in Oregon, and includes both successional and climax vegetation types that were an important part of the presettlement landscape of Oregon. It serves as an index to the diversity, distribution and relative rarity of the state's native plant associations, and...
This dissertation presents the results of three studies that assessed climate variability on short and long timescales in western United States. The growth of carbonate formations in caves (speleothems) is used to infer the timing and amplitude of past climate variability. We first assess the controls on speleothem growth for...
This report and especially the accompanying Detail Files and MapFiles provide relatively detailed information on status, trends, distribution, limiting factors, and conservation needs of all of the Willamette’s wildlife species, listed plants, and vulnerable habitats. Data on habitat suitability for each species is provided by watershed (170 HUC6s), elevation (6...
Pollen development is an important process in male flower development, the timing of which may be correlated with time of pollen shed in hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). Early to very late blooming cultivars were identified and the relationship of microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis, and time of pollen shed were studied in...
This study evaluated the influence of cattle stocking density on botanical composition of diet, diet preference, and cattle performance on the Zumwalt Prairie in Northeastern Oregon. In each of two years, 192 cow-calf pairs (549.27 kg, BCS = 4.89) and 48 yearling heifers (383.34 kg, BCS = 5.02) were stratified...
Cephalosporium stripe (Cephalosporium gramineum) is an important disease limiting adoption of conservation tillage practices in the Pacific Northwest. The disease can cause severe loss of grain yield and quality in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Modified cultural practices can reduce disease incidence, but are not always dependable because of variation...
Conventional soil maps represent a valuable source of information about soil
characteristics, however they are subjective, very expensive, and time-consuming to
prepare. Also, they do not include explicit information about the conceptual mental
model used in developing them nor information about their accuracy, in addition to the
error associated with...
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), a shade intolerant species, and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), a shade tolerant species, were compared to learn more about the temporal pattern of release from suppression in both species, whether hydraulic architecture or photosynthetic capacity constrain release and how wood functional properties change...
Natural resource decisions require consideration at many levels, ranging from how one invertebrate will be affected by a nearby road, to how an entire watershed will be transformed by a massive clearcut. Considerations reach farther than just the local ecological community-human communities, economies, and future impacts on the communities and...
Fifty-seven species of wildlife rely on or frequently use snags for breeding, roosting, or denning in Oregon and Washington. Several publications offer information on use of snags by wildlife, influence of management activities on snags and snag users, and approaches to managing snags to benefit wildlife. Because of the diverse...
One of the basic questions facing transportation planners and road managers is how to provide and maintain a road system that provides efficient access to the forest while limiting adverse effects roads can have on water and soil resources. The purpose of this study is to develop decision support models...
The Elliott State Forest, located in the Coast Range of Oregon, is currently revising their Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). Many of the constraints in the HCP are spatial, requiring identification of specific parcels in order to limit activity along habitat reserves, limit harvest opening size, and to coordinate activities within...
This is the fourth report on the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds. The first three reports focused on people – their
stories and their efforts to restore watershed health and recover listed fish species. While these earlier reports contained
what little information was available regarding the quantitative aspects of...
Exotic ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Doug. ex Lawson) plantations are being planted within the natural distribution area of cordilleran cypress (Austrocedrus chilensis (D.Don) Pic. Ser. et Bizzarri) in Patagonia, Argentina. The productivity of these exotic plantations is much greater than that of native forests, suggesting greater water use. Before these...
Legume cover crops can serve as important sources of nitrogen (N) in sustainable agriculture and can be economically beneficial when fertilizer inputs are reduced without a yield reduction. Synchronizing N mineralization from organic materials with the needs of the subsequent crop is a challenge for organic growers.
Predicting plant available...
Weeping alkaligrass (Puccinellia distans) and Nuttall’s alkaligrass (Puccinellia
nuttalliana) infest Kentucky bluegrass seed fields of eastern Oregon. Weeping
alkaligrass is an introduced species from Eurasia, whereas Nuttall’s alkaligrass is
native to semi arid environments of western North America. These species are often
referred to collectively as ‘alkaligrass’; however, for farmers...
This document compiles written responses by experts in their respective fields to questions from the Salmon Anchor Habitat Work Group about the Salmon Anchor Habitat Strategy component of Oregon Department of Forestry Northwestern Oregon State Forest Management Plan.
A hierarchical series of studies, based mainly on molecular data, was conducted to elucidate the life history of the Douglas-fir Swiss needle cast pathogen Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii at macro- and micro-evolutionary scales. This information was then utilized to design and evaluate molecular diagnostic tools for use in studies on the epidemiology...
Current research indicates that the expansion of
western juniper can inhibit soil water retention, storage
and prolonged releases from watersheds. This phenomenon
is of great importance in eastern Oregon, as western
juniper is encroaching into sagebrush/grass communities
with a correlated reduction in herbaceous ground cover,
resulting in reduced infiltration rates...
This report discusses major characteristics of western Oregon’s lowland rivers, streams, and estuaries that the IMST finds to be important to wild salmonids. IMST describes how landscape scale factors (landscape structure, landscape function, disturbance regimes, and landscape scale biological processes) historically supported salmonid populations in western Oregon lowlands. The report...
Four studies were conducted on late-summer diet quality and quantity of cattle (Bos taurus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), and elk (Cervus elaphus) in response to prior grazing by cattle and elk on mixed-conifer rangelands and on related research techniques. In our first study we assessed a photographic technique to...
Canopy gap formation is a major factor contributing to maintenance of overstory species diversity and stand structure in forests and may be integral to development of understory shrub and herb layers as well. Acknowledgement of gap formation as a fundamental feature of natural forests has led to consideration of gaps...
Phylogeographic studies of six Pacific Northwest forest-associated
salamanders provide insight into historical and contemporary processes on
population genetic structure. Among Larch Mountain Salamanders (Plethodon
larselli), cytochrome b mitochondrial (mtDNA) sequences (381 bp) and random
amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs; 34 loci) supported separate Management
Units for northern and southern populations (12...
We assessed use and selection of cover by coastal cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii
clarkii) in six headwater streams in three watersheds in western Oregon, USA during the summer low flow period from 1 August and September 30, 2007. We tagged 1037 coastal cutthroat trout (>100 mm) with passive integrated transponder...
We isolated and characterized the expression of two genes from Populus
trichocarpa that are homologous to the TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) gene from
the model annual plant Arabidopsis. In Arabidopsis, overexpression of the TFL1
gene extends the vegetative growth phase, and the homozygous mutant tfl1 allele
causes early flowering and...
This research addressed the opportunity to obtain baseline data for both stream chemistry and soil resources for an intensively managed forest watershed, encompassed by the North and South Forks of Hinkle Creek Watershed Research and Demonstration Area Project near Sutherlin, Oregon. A solid representative database for both stream and soil...
Land use alters the physical and biological structure of stream ecosystems and potentially alters their capacity to process nitrogen (N), an essential nutrient that has nearly doubled in abundance on the biosphere
during the past century from human activities. In this dissertation, I quantified uptake and transformation of nitrate (NO₃⁻)...
This dissertation describes arthropod responses to and effects on decay processes in ponderosa pine, a dominant forest canopy tree in northern California. We used both descriptive and experimental field techniques to establish how arthropod assemblages depend on and are important to the disintegration of woody structures in forests of this...
Experiments focusing on plant growth regulators’ concentrations and combination, mineral salt formulations and TDZ pretreatment formations were conducted to optimize in vitro shoot regeneration from leaf and petiole explants of 'Marion' blackberry. Optimum shoot formation was obtained when stock plants were incubated in TDZ pretreatment medium for three weeks before...
New approaches are needed to quantify and understand spatial patterns of stream fishes and their environment. Concepts in riverine ecology emphasize the importance of thermal zones and gradual longitudinal changes in physical habitat and biota, but little is known about spatial variability within the river continuum. I present a conceptual...
Forest roads produce fine sediment with traffic during wet weather. If the forest road is connected to a stream it can be a source of turbidity and fine sediment that may be detrimental to aquatic organisms especially salmonids.
The goal of this work was to investigate turbid runoff during wet-weather...
Western juniper has rapidly expanded into sagebrush steppe communities in the Intermountain West during the past 120 years. This expansion has occurred across a wide range of soil types and topographic positions. These plant communities, however, are typically treated in current peer-reviewed literature generically. The focus of this research is...
The goal of this research was to determine if controlled atmosphere (CA) storage could be used to extend the market period of fresh Pacific Northwest blueberries and to evaluate the effects different storage atmospheres have on fruit quality. Furthermore, this research also investigated heat and mass transfer characteristics during cooling...
Coarse woody debris (CWD) decomposition in the Russian boreal forests of the southern taiga zone was studied at four sites located near St. Petersburg in Northwestern Russia, Krasnoyarsk in Eastern Siberia, lrkutsk in the Baikal region, and Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. This study was part of a broader...
The information in this report is for the purpose of informing cooperators in industry, colleagues at other universities, and others of the results of research in field crops. Reference to products and companies in this publication is for specific information only and does not endorse or recommend that product or...
Published May 2006. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Different community and environmental goals, and conflicting information in the Klamath River basin have been major concerns for citizens of Oregon and California, the Klamath Basin Tribes, and agencies responsible for managing natural resources. In an April 25, 2001 letter, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber asked the Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team...
The littoral zones of seven reservoirs in the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon were sampled with a boat electroshocker during the summer months of 1995 and 1996. Shoreline substrates were inventoried before sampling sites were randomly selected. Sampling sites consisted of 9 of 12 possible habitat types including four substrate...
The information in this report is for the purpose of informing cooperators in industry, colleagues at other universities, and others of the results of research in field crops. Reference to products and companies in this publication is for specific information only and does not endorse or recommend that product or...
This chapter is divided into three main sections. The first section discusses land cover map development. It begins by providing background information on the regional division of labor and the regional land cover legend. It then focuses on our land cover mapping methods, including a description of data sources, the...
The use of Native American fire regimes evolved in the Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion over millennia. A mixture of Native American and Euro-American socio-cultural management has developed from adaptations to climate, topography, ecological processes, and land use practices. This research incorporates Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to partially examine the role of tribal...
A helicopter operations problem was studied for a private forest landowner testing an
experimental application of minerals on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesil) in the Coast Range
of Oregon to offset growth reductions from Swiss needle cast disease. A planning approach was
needed to minimize costs for transportation and aerial application of...
Understanding how wetland birds use habitat is pivotal to developing successful and
beneficial conservation strategies. Although it has been an ardent topic in forest
research for some time, how species interact with the spatial patterning of habitat
across a landscape (i.e., landscape structure) has been more or less neglected in...
Published June 2001. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
White mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) De Bary, is a destructive yield-limiting disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Genetic resistance to this pathogen is limited in common bean. Identification of high levels of partial physiological resistance in a genetically cross compatible species, Phaseolus coccineus, is advisable. The objectives...
Published May 2004. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
This guide provides keys, descriptions, and stand tables for 122 native freshwater plant associations (14 forest and woodland, 28 shrub, 78 herbaceous, 2 nonvascular) in northwestern Oregon, based on analysis of data from 1,992 plots distributed throughout the study area. Descriptions are provided for eight other plant associations for which...
Published June 2003. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published March 2008. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published June 2003. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog