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Gallagher MR, Kreye JK, Machtinger ET, Everland A, Schmidt N, Skowronski NS. Can restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States? ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2637. [PMID: 35426200 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Over the past century, fire suppression has facilitated broad ecological changes in the composition, structure, and function of fire-dependent landscapes throughout the eastern US, which are in decline. These changes have likely contributed mechanistically to the enhancement of habitat conditions that favor pathogen-carrying tick species, key wildlife hosts of ticks, and interactions that have fostered pathogen transmission among them and to humans. While the long-running paradigm for limiting human exposure to tick-borne diseases focuses responsibility on individual prevention, the continued expansion of medically important tick populations, increased incidence of tick-borne disease in humans, and emergence of novel tick-borne diseases highlights the need for additional approaches to stem this public health challenge. Another approach that has the potential to be a cost-effective and widely applied but that remains largely overlooked is the use of prescribed fire to ecologically restore degraded landscapes that favor ticks and pathogen transmission. We examine the ecological role of fire and its effects on ticks within the eastern United States, especially examining the life cycles of forest-dwelling ticks, shifts in regional-scale fire use over the past century, and the concept that frequent fire may have helped moderate tick populations and pathogen transmission prior to the so-called fire-suppression era that has characterized the past century. We explore mechanisms of how fire and ecological restoration can reduce ticks, the potential for incorporating the mechanisms into the broader strategy for managing ticks, and the challenges, limitations, and research needs of prescribed burning for tick reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jesse K Kreye
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Erika T Machtinger
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alexis Everland
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Forest Fire Service, New Lisbon, New Jersey, USA
| | - Nathaniel Schmidt
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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Insect infestations and the persistence and functioning of oak-pine mixedwood forests in the mid-Atlantic region, USA. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265955. [PMID: 35507583 PMCID: PMC9067937 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Damage from infestations of Lymantria dispar L. in oak-dominated
stands and southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis
Zimmermann) in pine-dominated stands have far exceeded impacts of other
disturbances in forests of the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain over the last two
decades. We used forest census data collected in undisturbed and insect-impacted
stands combined with eddy covariance measurements made pre- and post-disturbance
in oak-, mixed and pine-dominated stands to quantify how these infestations
altered forest composition, structure and carbon dynamics in the Pinelands
National Reserve of southern New Jersey. In oak-dominated stands, multi-year
defoliation during L. dispar infestations
resulted in > 40% mortality of oak trees and the release of pine saplings and
understory vegetation, while tree mortality was minimal in mixed and
pine-dominated stands. In pine-dominated stands, southern pine beetle
infestations resulted in > 85% mortality of pine trees but had minimal effect
on oaks in upland stands or other hardwoods in lowland stands, and only rarely
infested pines in hardwood-dominated stands. Because insect-driven disturbances
are both delaying and accelerating succession in stands dominated by a single
genus but having less effect in mixed-composition stands, long-term disturbance
dynamics are favoring the formation and persistence of uneven age oak-pine
mixedwood stands. Changes in forest composition may have little impact on forest
productivity and evapotranspiration; although seasonal patterns differ, with
highest daily rates of net ecosystem production (NEP) during the growing season
occurring in an oak-dominated stand and lowest in a pine-dominated stand,
integrated annual rates of NEP are similar among oak-, mixed and pine-dominated
stands. Our research documents the formation of mixedwood stands as a
consequence of insect infestations in the mid-Atlantic region and suggests that
managing for mixedwood stands could reduce damage to forest products and provide
greater continuity in ecosystem functioning.
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Gough CM, Bohrer G, Hardiman BS, Nave LE, Vogel CS, Atkins JW, Bond-Lamberty B, Fahey RT, Fotis AT, Grigri MS, Haber LT, Ju Y, Kleinke CL, Mathes KC, Nadelhoffer KJ, Stuart-Haëntjens E, Curtis PS. Disturbance-accelerated succession increases the production of a temperate forest. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02417. [PMID: 34278647 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many secondary deciduous forests of eastern North America are approaching a transition in which mature early-successional trees are declining, resulting in an uncertain future for this century-long carbon (C) sink. We initiated the Forest Accelerated Succession Experiment (FASET) at the University of Michigan Biological Station to examine the patterns and mechanisms underlying forest C cycling following the stem girdling-induced mortality of >6,700 early-successional Populus spp. (aspen) and Betula papyrifera (paper birch). Meteorological flux tower-based C cycling observations from the 33-ha treatment forest have been paired with those from a nearby unmanipulated forest since 2008. Following over a decade of observations, we revisit our core hypothesis: that net ecosystem production (NEP) would increase following the transition to mid-late-successional species dominance due to increased canopy structural complexity. Supporting our hypothesis, NEP was stable, briefly declined, and then increased relative to the control in the decade following disturbance; however, increasing NEP was not associated with rising structural complexity but rather with a rapid 1-yr recovery of total leaf area index as mid-late-successional Acer, Quercus, and Pinus assumed canopy dominance. The transition to mid-late-successional species dominance improved carbon-use efficiency (CUE = NEP/gross primary production) as ecosystem respiration declined. Similar soil respiration rates in control and treatment forests, along with species differences in leaf physiology and the rising relative growth rates of mid-late-successional species in the treatment forest, suggest changes in aboveground plant respiration and growth were primarily responsible for increases in NEP. We conclude that deciduous forests transitioning from early to middle succession are capable of sustained or increased NEP, even when experiencing extensive tree mortality. This adds to mounting evidence that aging deciduous forests in the region will function as C sinks for decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Gough
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Gil Bohrer
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Brady S Hardiman
- Forestry and Natural Resources and Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA
| | - Lucas E Nave
- Biological Station and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Pellston, Michigan, 49769, USA
| | - Christoph S Vogel
- Biological Station and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Pellston, Michigan, 49769, USA
| | - Jeff W Atkins
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Ben Bond-Lamberty
- Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 5825 University Research Court, College Park, Maryland, 20740, USA
| | - Robert T Fahey
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, 1376 Storrs Road, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, USA
| | - Alexander T Fotis
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 318 W 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Maxim S Grigri
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Lisa T Haber
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Yang Ju
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Callie L Kleinke
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, Ohio State University, 2070 Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
| | - Kayla C Mathes
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Knute J Nadelhoffer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109, USA
| | - Ellen Stuart-Haëntjens
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Box 842012, 1000 West Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23284, USA
| | - Peter S Curtis
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 318 W 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, USA
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Beamesderfer ER, Arain MA, Khomik M, Brodeur JJ. The Impact of Seasonal and Annual Climate Variations on the Carbon Uptake Capacity of a Deciduous Forest Within the Great Lakes Region of Canada. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH. BIOGEOSCIENCES 2020; 125:e2019JG005389. [PMID: 33042720 PMCID: PMC7540005 DOI: 10.1029/2019jg005389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In eastern North America, many deciduous forest ecosystems grow at the northernmost extent of their geographical ranges, where climate change could aid or impede their growth. This region experiences frequent extreme weather conditions, allowing us to study the response of these forests to environmental conditions, reflective of future climates. Here we determined the impact of seasonal and annual climate variations and extreme weather events on the carbon (C) uptake capacity of an oak-dominated forest in southern Ontario, Canada, from 2012 to 2016. We found that changes in meteorology during late May to mid-July were key in determining the C sink strength of the forest, impacting the seasonal and annual variability of net ecosystem productivity (NEP). Overall, higher temperatures and dry conditions reduced ecosystem respiration (RE) much more than gross ecosystem productivity (GEP), leading to higher NEP. Variability in NEP was primarily driven by changes in RE, rather than GEP. The mean annual GEP, RE, and NEP values at our site during the study were 1,343 ± 85, 1,171 ± 139, and 206 ± 92 g C m-2 yr-1, respectively. The forest was a C sink even in years that experienced heat and water stresses. Mean annual NEP at our site was within the range of NEP (69-459 g C m-2 yr-1) observed in similar North American forests from 2012 to 2016. The growth and C sequestration capabilities of our oak-dominated forest were not adversely impacted by changes in environmental conditions and extreme weather events experienced over the study period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Beamesderfer
- School of Earth, Environment and Society and McMaster Centre for Climate ChangeMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
| | - M. Altaf Arain
- School of Earth, Environment and Society and McMaster Centre for Climate ChangeMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
| | - Myroslava Khomik
- School of Earth, Environment and Society and McMaster Centre for Climate ChangeMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
- Geography and Environmental ManagementUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Jason J. Brodeur
- School of Earth, Environment and Society and McMaster Centre for Climate ChangeMcMaster UniversityHamiltonOntarioCanada
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Fire Behavior, Fuel Consumption, and Turbulence and Energy Exchange during Prescribed Fires in Pitch Pine Forests. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11030242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prescribed fires are conducted extensively in pine-dominated forests throughout the Eastern USA to reduce the risk of wildfires and maintain fire-adapted ecosystems. We asked how fire behavior and fuel consumption during prescribed fires are associated with turbulence and energy fluxes, which affect the dispersion of smoke and transport of firebrands, potentially impacting local communities and transportation corridors. We estimated fuel consumption and measured above-canopy turbulence and energy fluxes using eddy covariance during eight prescribed fires ranging in behavior from low-intensity backing fires to high-intensity head fires in pine-dominated forests of the New Jersey Pinelands, USA. Consumption was greatest for fine litter, intermediate for understory vegetation, and least for 1 + 10 hour wood, and was significantly correlated with pre-burn loading for all fuel types. Crown torching and canopy fuel consumption occurred only during high-intensity fires. Above-canopy air temperature, vertical wind velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) in buoyant plumes above fires were enhanced up to 20.0, 3.9 and 4.1 times, respectively, compared to values measured simultaneously on control towers in unburned areas. When all prescribed fires were considered together, differences between above-canopy measurements in burn and control areas (Δ values) for maximum Δ air temperatures were significantly correlated with maximum Δ vertical wind velocities at all (10 Hz to 1 minute) integration times, and with Δ TKE. Maximum 10 minute averaged sensible heat fluxes measured above canopy were lower during low-intensity backing fires than for high-intensity head fires, averaging 1.8 MJ m−2 vs. 10.6 MJ m−2, respectively. Summed Δ sensible heat values averaged 70 ± 17%, and 112 ± 42% of convective heat flux estimated from fuel consumption for low-intensity and high-intensity fires, respectively. Surprisingly, there were only weak relationships between the consumption of surface and understory fuels and Δ air temperature, Δ wind velocities, or Δ TKE values in buoyant plumes. Overall, low-intensity fires were effective at reducing fuels on the forest floor, but less effective at consuming understory vegetation and ladder fuels, while high-intensity head fires resulted in greater consumption of ladder and canopy fuels but were also associated with large increases in turbulence and heat flux above the canopy. Our research quantifies some of the tradeoffs involved between fire behavior and turbulent transfer of smoke and firebrands during effective fuel reduction treatments and can assist wildland fire managers when planning and conducting prescribed fires.
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Curtis PS, Gough CM. Forest aging, disturbance and the carbon cycle. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 219:1188-1193. [PMID: 29767850 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 1188 I. Introduction 1188 II. Forest aging and carbon storage 1189 III. Successional trends of NEP in northern deciduous forests 1190 IV. Mechanisms sustaining NEP in aging deciduous forests 1191 Acknowledgements 1192 References 1192 SUMMARY: Large areas of forestland in temperate North America, as well as in other parts of the world, are growing older and will soon transition into middle and then late successional stages exceeding 100 yr in age. These ecosystems have been important regional carbon sinks as they recovered from prior anthropogenic and natural disturbance, but their future sink strength, or annual rate of carbon storage, is in question. Ecosystem development theory predicts a steady decline in annual carbon storage as forests age, but newly available, direct measurements of forest net CO2 exchange challenge that prediction. In temperate deciduous forests, where moderate severity disturbance regimes now often prevail, there is little evidence for any marked decline in carbon storage rate during mid-succession. Rather, an increase in physical and biological complexity under these disturbance regimes may drive increases in resource-use efficiency and resource availability that help to maintain significant carbon storage in these forests well past the century mark. Conservation of aging deciduous forests may therefore sustain the terrestrial carbon sink, whilst providing other goods and services afforded by these biologically and structurally complex ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Curtis
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Christopher M Gough
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
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