WERC Highlights -- July 2004

Watershed Restoration Strategies: USGS research geologist Mary Ann Madej of the Western Ecological Research Center will talk about designing the most effective watershed restoration strategies in steep, forested terrain at the upcoming Joint International Geographical Union and International Geomorphology Conference to be held August 16-20, 2004, in Glasgow, Scotland. Madej and co-author Elizabeth Eschenbach use optimization models to maximize sediment savings from various erosion control strategies. (Mary Ann Madej, Arcata, CA, 707-825-5148, mary_ann_madej@usgs.gov)

Western Forests and Beetle Infestations: The July 19 issue of High Country News quoted USGS ecologists Craig D. Allen and Nate Stephenson in its feature article, Global Warming's Unlikely Harbingers, about the impact of climate warming and drought on pine beetle infestations and extensive tree mortality. (Craig Allen, Los Alamos, NM, 505-672-3861 x541, craig_allen@usgs.gov; Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176, nstephenson@usgs.gov)

Northern Pintails: USGS scientist Michael R. Miller of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed on July 29 about a USGS satellite telemetry study that has identified spring migration routes and spring staging areas of northern pintails, for the Louisiana Sportsman magazine. (Michael R. Miller, Dixon, CA, 707-678-0682 x618, michael_r_miller@usgs.gov)

Effects of Alien Plants on Fire Regimes: Plant invasions are widely recognized as significant threats to biodiversity conservation worldwide, and effective management requires an understanding of the mechanisms that promote invasion and lead to subsequent ecological impacts. A recent publication in BioScience by several USGS scientists, in collaboration with other scientists from North America, Australia, and South Africa, presents a multi-phase model describing the interrelationships between plant invaders and fire regimes. The authors provide a system to evaluate the relative effects of invaders and prioritize them for control, and recommend ways to restore pre-invasion fire regime properties. They also examine costs and probabilities of successful prevention or mitigation efforts. For more info: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/brookspbjul2004.html. (Matt Brooks, Henderson, NV, 702-564-4615, matt_brooks@usgs.gov) Citation: Brooks, M. L., C. M. D’Antonio, D. M. Richardson, J. B. Grace, J. E. Keeley, J. M. DiTomaso, R. J. Hobbs, M. Pellant, D. Pyke. 2004. Effects of invasive alien plants on fire regimes. BioScience 54(7):677–688.

Climate and Fire Activity in Southern California: For much of the western United States, research has shown there is a highly predictable link between climate and fire activity. There are two important signals: 1) drought immediately prior to and during the fire season leads to lower fuel moisture and higher fire activity; 2) heavy and extended rainfall produces enhanced herbaceous growth and in the following year results in higher fuel loads and increased fire incidence. However, in southern California, research by USGS scientist Jon Keeley and published in the International Journal of Wildland Fire has shown that the anomalous annual Santa Ana wind conditions in that region override both of these climate signals. The correlation between the Palmer Drought Severity Index, which is based on soil moisture, and annual fire occurrence in southern California was not significant, although there were some slightly significant relationships between drought in different seasons and fire activity. In this region antecedent climate is of limited value to managers in predicting fire activity, primarily because most acreage burned is due to a few large fires that occur during the autumn wind events, regardless of the degree of prior drought. Drought, however, does affect the length of the fire season, as area burned in the summer and winter is tied to drought. In coastal California there is a lack of strong synchrony in fire/climate relationships between the south coast and central coast regions, apparently because of differences in the distribution of the autumn winds. For more info: http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/keeleypbjul2004.html. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov) Citation: Keeley, J.E. 2004. Impact of antecedent climate on fire regimes in coastal California. International Journal of Wildland Fire 13:173–182.

Ecological Society of America Conference: Several USGS scientists from the Western Ecological Research Center will be presenting papers at the Ecological Society of America conference in Portland, Oregon, Aug. 1-6, 2004. Topics include population dynamics of stress and infectious disease, the effect of pre-fire fuel manipulations on alien plant invasion, responses of arthropod diversity and abundance to early and late-season prescribed fires in a mixed-conifer forest, understanding the relationship between tree growth rate and probability of death, and the history of human impacts on fire regimes of California shrublands and woodlands. (Gloria Maender, Tucson, AZ, 520-670-5596, gloria_maender@usgs.gov)

Fire: On July 13, USGS scientist Jon Keeley of the Western Ecological Research Center was interviewed live on the KVMR-FM radio (Nevada City, CA) Science program, about fire regimes and climate change. (Jon Keeley, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3170, jon_keeley@usgs.gov)

Climatic Changes and Forests: USGS scientists Nate Stephenson and Phil van Mantgem of the Western Ecological Research Center were interviewed on July 6 by KPCC, a public radio station in southern California, about the possible effects of climatic changes and other stresses on forests. The discussion included possible ways to manage forests to be more resilient to stresses. (Nate Stephenson, Three Rivers, CA, 559-565-3176, nstephenson@usgs.gov)