We analyzed the effects of pathogens and insects on forest succession in the absence of
fire or management, addressing a number of related questions:
1. What is the rate of change in such forests?
2. How significant are the roles of pathogens and insects in the forest change?
3. How...
The stability of a limpet-dominated community was
assessed in a experiment in which an consumer was
temporarily removed. Compared to unmanipulated plots,
the limpet-exclusion plots developed greater algal
abundance and altered species composition of both algae
and barnacles. The community was not perturbed beyond
its capacity to recover, since the...
Recent evidence suggests that population declines of some avian species may be driven primarily by reduced quantity and diversity of early-successional habitat on the breeding grounds. Increasing intensity of forest management on private lands and decreased harvest rates on federal lands has resulted in a loss of the diverse early-successional...
Historically fire has been the primary disturbance factor in the sagebrush-steppe. The settlement of the West by Euro-Americans, grazing by domestic livestock, and the concomitant spread of invasive species have altered the historical fire regime. Understanding the long-term vegetation structure and fuel succession of the various sagebrush-dominated communities of this...
Dry coniferous forests in the western United States are experiencing severe wildfires, insect outbreaks, forest disease epidemics and a growing presence of invasive species. Policies strongly emphasize reducing hazardous fuels at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) where communities and forests intersect. However, these areas present restoration challenges as they tend...
Fire is an important disturbance mechanism in big sagebrush (Artemisia
tridentata) communities, yet little is known about wildlife population dynamics during
post-fire habitat succession. I estimated the abundance of small mammals and birds in
relation to fire history in mountain big sagebrush (A.t. spp. vaseyana) communities on the
Sheldon National...