[LTER-sbc_help] Introducing: Forest Science News

[Hubbard Brook Research Foundation]

A monthly roundup of research headlines Forest Science News is brought to you by the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation. May 2018 Welcome to the inaugural issue of Forest Science News. If you're on this mailing list, you can expect to receive a monthly email digest from the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, featuring science news relevant to the forests of the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada. Thank you for reading right from the start and for your interest in emerging science about our changing forests. Please share this link to invite friends and colleagues to join the mailing list for Forest Science News. Happy reading! IN THE NEWS New York City releases first-of-its-kind plan for urban forests In 2015, New York City became the first city in the world to plant one million new trees. Public surveys say that the city’s 10,542 acres of urban forests have never been more important to people. But despite these impressive metrics, there has been no long-term strategy in place for their management—until now. The city’s forests, especially its younger trees, face increasing threats from invasive species and climate change. The nonprofit Natural Areas Conservancy and the Park Department have just released a plan to take New York’s urban forests into the next century. Article: The New York Times The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is endangered The law, which makes it illegal to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, or sell live or dead migratory birds or their feathers, eggs, and nests without a permit, has protected more than 1,100 species since it was codified in 1918. But the Interior Department is now reinterpreting the act with a legal memorandum stating that “incidental take,” or activities that harm birds unintentionally, is no longer covered. In this article, Amanda Rodewald, Director of Conservation Science at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, explains how this new interpretation could leave millions of birds vulnerable to companies, government agencies, and others that won’t be held legally responsible for their actions.  Article: The Conversation Tribal forests in Wisconsin are more diverse Authors from the University of Wisconsin and Dartmouth College suggest that public and private forest managers may be able to learn some valuable lessons from indigenous groups that manage forests. They show that the Ojibwe and Menominee tribal forests in northern Wisconsin tend to be more mature, and have higher tree volume, higher rates of tree regeneration, more plant diversity, and fewer invasive species than nontribal forests nearby. These nontribal lands have seen significant decreases in plant diversity and suffered reduced regeneration from deer herbivory, leading to shifts in forest composition and wildlife populations. Article: Wisconsin Public Radio Abstract: Ecology and Society INVASIVE SPECIES What the southern pine beetle wants Dartmouth College researchers, including Hubbard Brook Investigator Matt Ayres, have characterized which forest types are most vulnerable to the invasive southern pine beetle. Their research shows that stands with a high percentage of pine trees, and especially those of an intermediate age, are most at risk of a beetle infestation. These results will help guide forest managers as the destructive pest continues to spread northwards.  Press Release: Dartmouth Abstract: Forest Ecology and Management Modeling invasive species two by two A new technique called joint species distribution monitoring allows researchers to track how two invasive species spread across the landscape, rather than analyzing them one at a time. Conventional modeling provides insight into how environmental variables influence species distribution; this new approach also elucidates how species influence one another. Press Release: MSU Today Abstract: Ecology CLIMATE CHANGE Spring warming is making migratory birds lose their lunch Data collected across the U.K. show that leaves and caterpillars are emerging earlier in the spring, creating a mismatch for migratory birds and their hungry offspring, which arrive later in the season. A team of researchers concludes that unless insectivorous species are able to adapt, there will be less food available for them in the future.   Press Release: University of Exeter Abstract: Nature Ecology and Evolution Hotter air temperatures are driving warming in New Hampshire's streams Researchers analyzed 11 years of data from Dartmouth’s Second College Grant to determine how summer air temperatures influence stream water temperatures. They report that stream water temperatures consistently lagged behind changes in air temperature throughout the season. Small headwater streams were less sensitive to changing air temperature, but even small increases can have an outsized influence on freshwater ecosystems.  Press Release: ScienceDaily Abstract: Freshwater Biology Unearthing an overlooked source of nitrogen Researchers from UC-Davis show that contrary to the traditional view that nitrogen enters ecosystems almost entirely from the atmosphere, bedrock is a significant source of the element in many places. Up to 26 percent of the nitrogen found in natural systems, they report, comes from rocks. The finding may mean that forests and grasslands are sequestering more CO2 than previously thought. Press Release: UC-Davis Abstract: Science LAND COVER CHANGE Urban forests in the U.S. are losing 36 million trees each year That number reflects losses recorded between 2009 and 2014 and equates to approximately 175,000 acres per year. During the same time period, USDA Forest Service researchers report, pavement and impervious surface cover increased by 167,000 acres annually. Urban forests remove air pollution, sequester carbon, and lower building energy use—services with an estimated annual value of $18 billion.  Press Release: Northern Research Station Abstract: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening Deforestation intensifies temperatures on the hottest days of the year A new study of historical deforestation’s influence on present-day temperatures finds that it is responsible for at least one-third of the local warming on the hottest day of the year. The finding contrasts with most previous modeling studies, and suggests that land-cover change is an important consideration in studies of past and future changes in extreme heat.   Article: CarbonBrief Abstract: Nature Climate Change Climate change may speed up forest regeneration in the eastern U.S. A study of secondary succession at low latitudes finds that higher temperatures are associated with faster tree seedling growth. Researchers from Duke University and Syracuse University conclude that as climate change results in increasing air temperatures, the transition from fields to forests may speed up in temperate ecosystems—giving a boost to carbon sequestration. Press Release: Duke Today Abstract: PNAS WILDLIFE Migratory songbirds leave their chicks behind to molt Migratory songbirds often need to both molt and provide parental care within the same season. Allegheny College biologist Ron Mumme studied hooded warblers across the breeding season and found that when the need to replace feathers and to raise offspring overlapped, a majority of the birds deserted their offspring, leaving their mate responsible for all of the parenting.   Press Release: EurekAlert! Abstract: The Auk: Ornithological Advances HUBBARD BROOK HIGHLIGHT Mercury accumulation in trees varies by species and tissue type A team of scientists—including Hubbard Brook researchers Yang Yang, Ruth Yanai, and Charles Driscoll—analyzed mercury concentration and content in the leaves, bark, and wood of eight different tree species at Hubbard Brook and three other intensely-studied sites in the Northeast. They found that leaves consistently had the highest mercury concentrations, bark contained intermediate concentrations, and wood had the lowest concentrations of the element. However, wood contained more mercury than leaves and bark because of its larger biomass. They also observed that mercury concentration in bark and leaves, but not in wood, differed significantly across the sites, and that conifers had higher mercury concentrations in their leaves and bark than hardwoods did. Their results will help elucidate how mercury is distributed in forest ecosystems and guide policy decisions about processing forest products. Abstract: PLOS One The above links were curated from news articles and press releases published during April 2018. The Hubbard Brook Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study. Forest Science News is a science communication tool designed to improve communication between ecosystem scientists and public audiences in the northeastern U.S. and eastern Canada. Please email ideas and questions to: sciencelinks at hubbardbrookfoundation.org Sign up to get Forest Science News in your inbox! 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