FEMC Annual Conference
Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative
Our forests and communities are experiencing a wide variety of disruptions and disturbance - from the impacts of forest pests, ungulate browse, and climate change, to the indirect outcomes experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic on forest-based recreation, forest fragmentation, and changing community composition. The 2021 FEMC Conference will explore a range of disturbances and disruptions, identify monitoring that can help us understand the response of the forest ecosystems, and learn about tools and resources available to help communities go from surviving to thriving during this time of change.
More info: https://events.zoom.us/er/YB0Gv5iS3ipjcobt8_P9N0hA5AP-AMWsKKGmYYvquLcQZmoJvO-23jxrQ8_auhfHkl-j2I6U3Qeftw.YKlX6YyPTiYPZLUf
Show Posters:
A cultural keystone species on the brink of demise: Assessing radial growth of black ash and occurrence of basket quality trees before impacts associated with the emerald ash borer invasion
River Mathieu
Abstract
Emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) threatens to functionally extirpate black ash (Fraxinus nigra), which is an important cultural keystone species for many indigenous American Indian and First Nation tribes with black ash basketry traditions in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Understanding the factors affecting growth of black ash and the occurrence of basket-quality black ash trees is critical for informing future management of the species. We measured ring widths of 650 increment cores collected from 325 randomly selected trees at 13 sites not yet impacted by EAB located across the St. Lawrence River watershed in northern New York. Sample trees averaged 26.8 ± 5.8 cm in diameter and were assessed for basket quality using qualitative measures commonly used by tribal partners, including bark type, the presence of branches, wounds or bends on the stem, and the presence of conifers. Basket-quality assessments were additionally evaluated by a local, indigenous black ash harvester and basket maker. Chronologies of black ash radial growth, ranging in length from 87 to 147 years, were examined. Dendroecology of black ash in relation to the presence of basket-quality trees provides key information for conservation efforts, which is necessary for the preservation of black ash basketry and ceremonial traditions associated with this cultural keystone species.
Presented by
River Mathieu
Institution
US Forest Service, State & Private Forestry - Eastern Region, Forest Health Protection and St. Lawrence University, Depts. of Environmental Studies and Biology
Persistence of the leaf economic spectrum across the temperate-boreal ecotone in New York and northern New England
Matthew Hecking, State University of New York, Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) Department of Sustainable Resources Management; Julia Burton, Michigan Technological University (MTU) College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science; Jenna Zukswert, SUNY ESF Department of Sustainable Resources Management; Martin Dovčiak, SUNY ESF Department of Environmental and Forest Biology; and John Drake, SUNY ESF Department of Sustainable Resources Management
Abstract
Trait-based analyses provide powerful new tools for developing a generalizable, mechanistic understanding of how forest communities are responding to ongoing environmental changes. Tree functional traits vary in response to climatic and other environmental changes in space and time, yet trait-based approaches are often represented with a single mean value, under the assumption that trait variation within species is negligible. Mean trait values are particularly problematic when changes in traits of dominant tree species shift along environmental gradients, causing species trait crossover and thus changes in species competitive hierarchy that drives community structure and function. Consequently, a better understanding of intraspecific trait variability along climatic and other environmental gradients is necessary. We collected data on nine leaf and stem traits for 13 tree species along light and temperature gradients in montane forests spanning the ecotone between the temperate deciduous and high elevation coniferous forests of New England and northern New York. We assessed 1) how trait variation is partitioned within and across taxa using a variance partitioning analysis, and 2) how traits vary across the two studied environmental gradients, using linear mixed effects models and a non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis. We found that levels of intraspecific trait variability differed considerably between traits but with marginal evidence of species crossover, while interspecific trait variability remained dominant and was largely driven by differences between angiosperms and gymnosperms. Traits were also significantly influenced by their light environment, regional climate, and developmental stage. Interestingly, and in contrast to previous studies, we found that traits covariance in our study resembled global level trends, suggesting that trait dimensions such as the Leaf Economic Spectrum persist at local scales. Our results suggest that ecological strategies of tree species assessed in this study may be quantified with relatively few traits due to the persistence of trait dimensions at small spatial scales, and that representing species with a single trait value may be sufficient for trait-based analyses of tree communities.
Presented by
Matthew Hecking
Institution
SUNY ESF
The Vermont Atlas of Life: Discovering and Sharing Biodiversity Knowledge
Julia Pupko, Mike Hallworth, Jason Loomis, Spencer Hardy, Nathaniel Sharp, Emily Anderson, Kent McFarland
Abstract
Data sharing has become an important issue in modern biodiversity research to address large scale questions and conserve species. Despite the steadily growing scientific and conservation demand, data are not always easily accessed. Worse, it may be lost forever if it is not properly archived.
The Vermont Center for Ecostudies launched an ambitious online project that allows anyone to explore vast amounts of data on biodiversity across the Green Mountain State. Now released as a beta version, the Vermont Atlas of Life Data Explorer is the newest implementation of the Living Atlas platform, powerful software first developed in Australia and now being implemented by countries around the globe. VAL also links Vermont to worldwide biodiversity projects. The Vermont Atlas of Life has been an official Global Biodiversity Information Infrastructure (GBIF) biodiversity data publisher since 2018. GBIF is an international network and research infrastructure funded by the world’s governments, providing anyone, anywhere, open access to data about all types of life on Earth. The GBIF network includes hundreds of institutions that publish biodiversity data, like the Vermont Atlas of Life.
The VAL Data Explorer offers users a way to explore over 550 datasets comprising 6.5 million primary biodiversity records of more than 12,500 plants, animals, and fungi found in Vermont. Accessing an ever-growing statewide biodiversity database, the VAL Data Explorer is a collaborative, open, digital platform that combines Vermont biodiversity data from multiple sources, making it accessible and reusable. VAL’s digital platform supports: access to species information, data downloads, online mapping and analysis tools, data collection, upload, aggregation and sharing, and more.
Perhaps you have a dataset of species observations that are only on paper forms. Or maybe you have an old spreadsheet or database from work you completed long ago that is somewhere on your computer. Maybe you have notebooks filled with field sightings. Whatever the situation, your hard work will be more widely used for science, conservation and education if others can access it now and far into the future. Whether you want to create a specific atlas on our site, share data with others, or just archive your data for the future with restrictions – we’re here to help you find a solution that fits.
The Vermont Center for Ecostudies launched an ambitious online project that allows anyone to explore vast amounts of data on biodiversity across the Green Mountain State. Now released as a beta version, the Vermont Atlas of Life Data Explorer is the newest implementation of the Living Atlas platform, powerful software first developed in Australia and now being implemented by countries around the globe. VAL also links Vermont to worldwide biodiversity projects. The Vermont Atlas of Life has been an official Global Biodiversity Information Infrastructure (GBIF) biodiversity data publisher since 2018. GBIF is an international network and research infrastructure funded by the world’s governments, providing anyone, anywhere, open access to data about all types of life on Earth. The GBIF network includes hundreds of institutions that publish biodiversity data, like the Vermont Atlas of Life.
The VAL Data Explorer offers users a way to explore over 550 datasets comprising 6.5 million primary biodiversity records of more than 12,500 plants, animals, and fungi found in Vermont. Accessing an ever-growing statewide biodiversity database, the VAL Data Explorer is a collaborative, open, digital platform that combines Vermont biodiversity data from multiple sources, making it accessible and reusable. VAL’s digital platform supports: access to species information, data downloads, online mapping and analysis tools, data collection, upload, aggregation and sharing, and more.
Perhaps you have a dataset of species observations that are only on paper forms. Or maybe you have an old spreadsheet or database from work you completed long ago that is somewhere on your computer. Maybe you have notebooks filled with field sightings. Whatever the situation, your hard work will be more widely used for science, conservation and education if others can access it now and far into the future. Whether you want to create a specific atlas on our site, share data with others, or just archive your data for the future with restrictions – we’re here to help you find a solution that fits.
Presented by
Julia Pupko | Kent McFarland | Michael Hallworth | Jason Loomis
Institution
Vermont Center for Ecostudies
Bird Species Richness of the Saint Michael's Natural Area
Liam Conran
Abstract
The habitat diversity hypothesis suggests that larger habitat islands support more species because more habitats are present in larger areas. The Saint Michael's Natural Area is an island of natural habitat in a suburban matrix that supports 171 bird species and ranks 13 out of 100 Chittenden County Natural Areas according to eBird records. If habitat diversity explains this richness, then we should expect species turnover between various habitat types within the bounds of the site. Therefore, we chose to study bird species diversity in the Natural Area at three different sites. These sites were as follows: recovering open fields, upland forest, and sandplain forests. In both the upland forest and the sandplain forest we installed seven nest boxes suitable for cavity-nesting species and in the open field we placed six. The bird boxes served as focal points for one-hour bird observation periods, and we recorded all bird species seen within fixed ranges of the boxes. A total of seventeen observations were made per site over an 8-week period in summer 2021. Of the three habitats observed, the recovering agricultural fields had the greatest species richness with a total of twenty-four species being observed. The other two ecosystems were quite rich, with both the sandplain and upland forests having eighteen species. With an average of six species, the open field had the greatest average number of species spotted per day. In both forest ecosystems the average number of observed species was four per day. The numbers of bird species observed in one habitat only was ten, three, and two in field, sandplain, and upland respectively. Overall, we observed a total of thirty-three species. These patterns of species unique to specific habitats contributing to the overall Natural Area richness is consistent with the habitat diversity hypothesis. Studies of this nature can inform conservation decisions and further the goal of supporting diverse bird communities by preserving essential habitats.
Presented by
Liam Conran
Institution
Saint Michael's College
Maine TREE (Timber Research & Environmental Education)
Kelly French, CJ Herlihy, Jonathan LaBonte
Abstract
Maine TREE (Timber Research & Environmental Education) educates and advocates for the sustainable use of the forest and the ecological, economic, and social health of Maine's forest communities. Since 1989, Maine TREE has upheld this mission and supports many different programs in research, education, and community through school systems, media, government, and the general public. Through these programs, Maine TREE works to promote inclusivity about engagement with all aspects of Maine's forest community.
Presented by
Kelly French
Institution
Maine TREE Foundation
Sixty years of coastal red spruce: Stand dynamics at historic inventory sites
Camilla E. Seirup, Shawn Fraver, Jay W. Wason, Anthony W. D'Amato, Kate M. Miller, Aaron S. Weed
Abstract
Climate change is projected to dramatically alter environmental conditions across the globe, impacting forests and causing land managers to plan for an uncertain future. Forests of coastal Maine are dominated by red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), a cold adapted species largely restricted to northern or high elevation sites throughout most of its range in the United States, except for a narrow band along the coast of Maine, which includes Acadia National Park (ANP). Red spruce is projected to lose up to 45% of its suitable habitat in the United States by 2100 (based on high emission climate change scenarios), which could dramatically change the composition of Maine's coastal forest and ANP's forests specifically. However, not enough is known about coastal red spruce forest dynamics or climate sensitivity to predict these forests' response to a changing climate. We will address these knowledge gaps by (1) quantifying changes in forest structure and composition of mature coastal spruce forests by resampling research plots established in 1959 by Dr. Ronald Davis; and (2) determining the primary climate variables influencing radial growth in coastal red spruce forests using tree-ring analyses. We have resampled all six of Davis' forest inventory plots throughout ANP's Mount Desert Island district, as well as one plot on Ironbound Island. In addition to conducting a standard forest inventory (including stem mapping), we collected 30 increment cores from randomly selected red spruce, stratified by diameter, at each site. Although analyses are just beginning, we expect the sites to have continued to mature during the 60 years between sampling events and to have experienced several disturbance events. Our aim is to provide specific management recommendations to practitioners on the coast of Maine to help them in their conservation efforts in the face of global climate change.
Presented by
Camilla E. Seirup
Institution
University of Maine Orono: Ecology and Environmental Science Program, National Park Service: Northeast Temperate Network Inventory and Monitoring Division
Physiological response of canopy red spruce to an experimental extreme drought
Kelly French, Heidi Asbjornsen, Laura Kenefic, David Moore, Matthew Vadeboncoeur, Jay Wason
Abstract
Drought frequency and severity are projected to increase for the northeastern US. However, it is still unclear how mesic forest trees in this region will respond to novel future climate conditions. Experimentally manipulating soil moisture for canopy trees is logistically difficult, making it challenging to predict how novel future droughts will impact tree growth and survival. Therefore, in this study we employed a sapwood severing treatment to simulate an extreme drought in canopy red spruce (Picea rubens). We stopped all water transport by cutting functional xylem and monitored the impacts of the experimental drought on water relations, photosynthesis, and growth over the next four months. Only by severing 100% of the sapwood (total sapwood severed, TOT) did we see a complete reduction in daily sap flow. Interestingly, trees that only had partial sapwood severed (PAR; 2 - 5% sapwood remaining) experienced only 74% sap flow reduction, while control trees (CON; only phloem girdled) experienced no significant change. Total sapwood severing (TOT trees) resulted in gradual water stress (declining midday shoot water potential and trunk-wood relative water content). However, PAR trees with only 2 - 5% of sapwood remaining never experienced significant water stress. TOT trees reached significant physiological water stress after approximately 12 weeks with no water. TOT trees reduced stomatal conductance by 6.8x compared to PAR and CON trees, in order to conserve water in response to the experimental drought. Despite the extreme drought stress, TOT trees did not experience damage to photosystems or reduced chlorophyll content in leaves until 18 weeks after treatment initiation. At 18 weeks, PAR trees also showed reduced chlorophyll content in needles, suggesting that the reduced sap flow was beginning to have negative effects. Despite the low sample size, the drought appeared to reduce current year radial growth in TOT trees. These results indicate that red spruce demonstrates resistance to extreme drought induced by total sapwood severing, but that stomatal closure to conserve water will likely result in reduced carbon sequestration and growth in the drought year and legacy effects in future years
Presented by
Kelly French
Institution
Maine TREE; University of New Hampshire; University of Maine; U.S. Forest Service