It has been suggested that thinning trees and other fuel-reduction practices aimed at reducing the probability
of high-severity forest fire are consistent with efforts to keep carbon (C) sequestered in terrestrial pools, and
that such practices should therefore be rewarded rather than penalized in C-accounting schemes. By evaluating how fuel...
The methods for conducting reductionist ecological science are well known and widely used. In contrast, those used in the synthesis of ecological science (i.e., synthesis science) are still being developed, vary widely, and often lack the rigor of reductionist approaches. This is unfortunate because the synthesis of ecological parts into...
Litter nutrient dynamics contribute significantly to biogeochemical cycling in forest ecosystems. We examined how site environment and initial substrate quality influence decomposition and nitrogen (N) dynamics of multiple litter types. A 2.5-year decomposition study was installed in the Oregon Coast Range and West Cascades using ¹⁵N-labeled litter from Acer macrophyllum,...
Disturbance processes of various types substantially modify ecosystem carbon dynamics both temporally and spatially, and constitute a fundamental part of larger landscape-level dynamics. Forests typically lose carbon for several years to several decades following severe disturbance, but our understanding of the duration and dynamics of post-disturbance forest carbon fluxes remains...
Even slight terrain inhomogeneities can cause large horizontal variations in the clear, stably stratified, nocturnal boundary layer largely through cold air drainage. By early morning the valleys and depressions can be several degrees cooler than the adjacent slopes and plateaus. As surface heating begins in the morning, these horizontal variations...