[LTER-sbc_help] Forest Science News - January 2018

[Hubbard Brook Research Foundation]

A monthly roundup of research headlines  Forest Science News is brought to you by the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation. January 2018 BIG DATA Scientists give a makeover to the International Tree-Ring Data Bank Since 1974, the International Tree-Ring Data Bank has served as a permanent repository for tree-ring data that are freely available to all scientists. A team of researchers from four countries recently combed through the 52 million tree growth records in an effort to make the database more useful and accessible. In addition to doing the grunt work of correcting thousands of formatting issues, the team also identified gaps and biases in the records. For example, they note that conifers account for 81 percent of the records, while broadleaf species are poorly represented. Increasing research and sharing in African, Asian, and South American forests, the authors write, will greatly improve the data’s ability to answer a wider range of questions. Press Release: Harvard Forest Abstract: Journal of Biogeography INVASIVE SPECIES Uninvited guests crashed Christmas in Oregon Though Oregon produces more Christmas trees than any other state in the country, major chains in the state like Walmart and Home Depot often import their trees from elsewhere. The Oregon Department of Agriculture identified elongate hemlock scale—an invasive pest that has infected trees in 13 states across the eastern U.S.—on some of these out-of-state trees. Forestry officials are asking Oregonians to carefully inspect their trees for the insects and to dispose of any suspect trees in sealed garbage bags. Article: Oregon Live URBAN FORESTS Crunching the numbers on New York City’s trees Two new papers have good news about New York City’s trees. The first, authored by scientists at the USDA Forest Service, finds that New York City’s urban forest provides services worth more than $100 million each year. Benefits provided by trees include cleaning air, lowering energy costs, reducing ultraviolet radiation, and keeping water out of the sewage system. The second, published in Ecological Applications, finds that the average forest stand canopy in New York City comprises 82 percent native species. This stand structure, the authors say, is much more similar to rural forests than previously thought. The proportion of native species in the mid-story and understory, however, is lower and efforts to regenerate native tree species are warranted.  Press Release: USDA Forest Service/Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Abstract: Resource Bulletin NRS-117/Ecological Applications HUBBARD BROOK HIGHLIGHT Disappearing winter snowpack harms tree growth When winter temperatures are too high to sustain a layer of snow on the ground, the warm air can have a counterintuitive effect on the soil—without an insulating blanket of snow, the soil freezes. To investigate how soil freezing impacts tree growth, researchers removed snow from experimental plots at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest for five winters, from 2008-2012.  The team, including Hubbard Brook Investigator Pam Templer, finds that as climate change continues to affect winter weather, the area of forest in the northeastern United States that is typically covered by winter snowpack could shrink by up to 95 percent by the end of the century. Within these areas, certain tree species could see significantly reduced growth. For example, during the study period, sugar maple growth declined by between 40 and 55 percent. These impacts could be profound—sugar maple is an economically and culturally important species that provides high quality lumber, maple syrup, and aesthetic value in addition to sequestering carbon.   Article: WBUR Abstract: Global Change Biology/The Conversation The above links were curated from news articles and press releases published during December 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! Hubbard Brook Research Foundation | 30 Pleasant St., Woodstock, VT 05091 Unsubscribe sbc_help at lternet.edu Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by sciencelinks at hubbardbrookfoundation.org in collaboration with Try it free today
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