[LTER-sbc_help] Forest Science News *LAST CHANCE FOR SURVEY AND BOOK GIVEAWAY* - November 2019

[Hubbard Brook Research Foundation]

A roundup of research headlines  Forest Science News is brought to you by the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation. November 2019 NOTE: This issue of Forest Science News includes a link to a brief (<5 minute) survey. Please help us improve our product by participating, and enter for a chance to win a free copy of Hubbard Brook: The Story of Forest Ecosystem by Richard T. Holmes and Gene E. Likens! TAKE SURVEY CARBON SEQUESTRATION Actively managed forests still provide significant carbon storage Forests’ capacity to sequester carbon is an active area of research in our changing climate, but how different forest management strategies affect carbon storage remains poorly understood. A new study led by scientists at Dartmouth College provides baseline data for quantifying management effects on ecosystem carbon stocks in a large-scale forest ecosystem experiment entitled “Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change.” The study took place at two sites at Dartmouth’s Second College Grant, both of which have been logged several times in the last century. The researchers found that both sites were rich in carbon; trees stored about 60 percent of the carbon, while the soil was responsible for the remaining 40 percent. The total soil carbon was similar at both sites, but the depth distribution of soil carbon differed, depending upon management history and forest composition. Plots with larger trees and more conifers had more carbon stored in the mineral soil layers. The authors conclude that forests can provide forest products and still store significant amounts of carbon, a conclusion that will be further investigated experimentally in coming years.   Abstract: Forest Ecology and Management Press Release: Dartmouth College INVASIVE SPECIES Predicting the next insect invader There are currently about 450 nonnative plant-eating insects established in North America. Some of these insects are harmless, while others are responsible for leaving thousands of dead trees in their wake and causing more than $70 billion in damage each year. A new model described in the journal Ecology and Evolution may be able to help predict which insects pose a threat to North American forests—before they even get here. The model takes information about a given insect’s feeding habits and what kind of trees it eats, and then assesses whether there are any North American trees potentially at risk. The key to its power lies in knowing the evolutionary history between North American trees and the insect’s host trees within its native range. The authors argue that the new model could help forest managers better predict invasions and allocate resources to protect vulnerable species.  Abstract: Ecology and Evolution Press Release: University of Washington HABITAT CHANGE Transmission line corridors sustain bees and other native species As New England forest matures, early successional habitat is becoming increasingly rare. One exception is powerline rights of way—the open corridors that energy companies maintain for their transmission lines and that are often viewed as nothing more than eyesores. Researchers from the University of Connecticut wanted to see whether these corridors support species that depend on early successional habitat. They set up 27 pairs of plots along an 89-mile stretch of powerline from Connecticut to New Hampshire. Each pair included one plot in the open corridor and one in nearby forest. They found that the open corridors had 10 times the number of bees as the forest plots and twice as many bee species. Overall, they identified 200 different bee species—nearly half the total number of bee species in New England. They conclude that the five-year management cycle that energy companies maintain for powerlines may support many species of insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and small mammals that depend on early successional habitat.  Abstract: Biological Conservation Article: The Conversation HUBBARD BROOK HIGHLIGHT Winter is becoming less wintry in the northern forest  Winter is a culturally, economically, and ecologically crucial season for the ecosystems and human communities within the northern forest region. It’s also changing, fast. But when compared to other parts of the year, winter’s relationship to climate change is understudied. A team of researchers, including several from Hubbard Brook, analyzed the past 100 years of weather station data from the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Not surprisingly, they found decreases in both the number of cold days and the amount of snow cover. The loss of cold, snowy days could have significant effects on wildlife and people. For example, the authors warn that warmer winter weather could usher invasive insect pests northward; loss of snow cover could impact recreational and tourism opportunities and make conditions difficult for winter logging; and different winter conditions could threaten species like moose and snowshoe hare that carry cultural and subsistence significance for Indigenous communities. The findings give important perspective on the changes already underway in the northern forest region and help inform expectations for the future.  Abstract: Ecological Applications Press Release: University of New Hampshire The above links were curated from news articles and press releases published during October 2019. 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 Constant Contact Sent by sciencelinks at hubbardbrookfoundation.org in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!
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