Abstract
Understanding the effects of climate change on forest ecosystems requires exploration of the relationships of different components of the system, such as the response of biota to local hydrology, temperature, precipitation, and elevation. The Long-term Ecological Research Program at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, located in the Western...
In the Pacific Northwest ecoregion of North America, sculpins represent a major constituent of freshwater assemblages in coastal rivers. Based on their prevalence and abundance, sculpins are likely important ecologically, yet little is known of their interactions with co-occurring species, such as widely studied salmon and trout (salmonines). In this...
Watershed management is widely recognized as an important component of healthy ecosystems and its success depends on cultivating the good will, stewardship values, and participation of citizens. Because much of the streamside land in Oregon is in private ownership activities on public lands will not be enough to protect salmon...
The role of riparian forests in maintaining temperatures of headwater streams is well established and is a foundation of forest practice rules designed to protect streamwater quality. However, detailed investigation is still needed quantifying specific characteristics of stream systems that affect streamwater temperature including riparian features, stream morphology, and subsurface...
In the Pacific Northwest, regulatory agencies have recently
implemented management strategies for restoration and maintenance of wood
recruitment to streams over time. This allochthonous organic material is a
critical component in the geomorphic and biological structure of forested
streams. Mathematical models are commonly used to evaluate long-term
wood dynamics in...
Small mountainous watersheds are disproportionate sources of land-derived particulate organic matter (POM) to long-term sinks like lake bottoms and the ocean. As such, these ecosystems are an essential component of the global carbon cycle. The burial of POM in lacustrine and marine sediments contributes to the drawdown of atmospheric CO2...
Wetland restoration mitigates effects of agricultural development on water quality, flooding, and habitat loss. Multi-objective optimization for wetland locations and sizes has not included objective functions for water quality, hydrology, and habitat in unison, limiting analysis of trade-offs among these ecosystem services. This study establishes two methods to improve the...
The Middle Fork John Day River is composed of low gradient, alluvial valley
segments separated by constrained, canyon-like reaches, and has a history of multiple
land-uses. These factors can alter the physical and biological structure of streams, and
disrupt the longitudinal river continuum. I examined habitat, fish, macroinvertebrates,
and primary...
Headwater streams are an integral part of the ecological health of the greater stream network as they provide valuable biological habitat, provide upwards to 95% of total in channel flow, while providing downstream reaches with important constituents such as sediment and woody debris. Small headwater streams are particularly susceptible to...
Stream temperature, as an important component of stream ecosystems, can be affected by forest harvesting through removal of riparian shade and changes in hydrology. Riparian Management Areas
(RMAs), as implemented through the current Oregon Forest Practice Rules, are designed, in part, to maintain stream temperature following forest harvesting. However, effectiveness...