FOREST PROGRAM
Strategic Priorities

Annual Review of ONRC Research

Conference Reports

ONRC Research
Whitepapers
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004

External Research
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004

External Research 1997

Title:

Principal investigator(s); affiliations(s):
Bednartz

Award:
$9,800

Project description:

Project deliverable(s):

Title:
Nutrient Enrichment of Riparian Areas by Spawning Salmon

Principal investigator(s); affiliations(s):
Dr. Robert E. Bilby; Weyerhaeuser Company
Dr. Peter A. Bisson; U.S. Forest Service

Award:
$19,160

Project description:
Pacific salmon die after spawning. It has recently been demonstrated that the eggs and carcasses deposited in freshwater habitats by spawning salmon makes a significant contribution to the nitrogen (N) capital in these systems. However, relatively little work has been done examining the influence of marine-derived nutrients on riparian vegetation. This project will examine the effect of marine-derived nutrients from spawning salmon on the vegetation of riparian areas. The three objectives are to:
(1) Determine the extent to which marine-derived N is distributed upslope from a stream system where large numbers of salmon spawn.
(2) Compare relative availability of N between areas where salmon spawn and comparable locations upstream of blockages to anadromous fishes.
(3)Compare the plant species diversity and understory cover at comparable riparian sites above and below blockages to anadromous fishes.

Project deliverable(s):
Bilby, R.E. and 3 others. 1998. “Response of juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to the addition of salmon carcasses to two streams in southwestern Washington, U.S.A.” Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 55:1909-1918.

Title:
Response of Coarse Woody Debris Invertebrates in Managed 50-70 year-old Stands on the Olympic Peninsula, Thinned to Create Late Successional Habitat

Principal investigator(s); affiliations(s):
Dr. Robert Edmonds; University of Washington
Dr. Jim Marra; University of Washington

Award:
$54,446

Project description:
An increasing body of literature has identified coarse woody debris (CWD) as a critical component of forest ecosystems. Although forest managers are being directed to maintain or restore CWD through management activities, little is known about what characteristics of CWD are most essential to ecosystem function and biodiversity and in what configuration. How CWD influences tree productivity is also not well understood. The specific objectives of this study are to:
(1) Determine the species of invertebrates in CWD of different tree species, diameters, and decay classes.
(2) Determine fungal macro species and types of decay (brown rot and white rot) occurring on CWD of different tree species, diameters and decay classes in the study stands before and after treatment.
The results of Berlese arthropod extraction will be used to compare the effects of various treatments of thinning, clumped versus dispersed slash, understory plantings, and CWD removal. The results of this study can be used to identify characteristics of CWD most essential to the maintenance of CWD and forest floor inhabiting invertebrates. Further studies sample early USDA Forest Service Habitat Development Study installations of variable density thinning in the Soleduck ranger district, comparing CWD invertebrates in thinned versus unthinned plots. In addition, the project compares CWD invertebrates in clumped versus dispersed CWD treatments at a site in the Hood Canal ranger district. Results of this study will be used to evaluate alternative methods of harvesting that attempt to combine timer harvesting with the creation of late successional wildlife habitat.

Project deliverable(s):
Edmonds, R.L. and J. L. Marra. 1999. Decomposition of woody material: Nutrient dynamics, invertebrate/fungi relationships and management of Northwest Forests, p 68-79 In R. T. Meurisse, W G. Ypsilantis, and C. Seybold (eds.). .Proceedings Pacific Northwest Forest and Rangeland Symposium. USDA Forest, Pacific Northwest Research Station, General Technical Report, PNW -GTR-461, Portland, OR.

Marra, J. L. and R. L. Edmonds. Creation of invertebrate habitat in coarse woody debris in managed 60-70 year-old western hemlock/Douglas-fir stands on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Can. J. For. Res. (in preparation).

Habitat Development Project: Pre- and Post- Treatment Sampling of Coarse Woody Debris Invertebrates in 50-70 Year-Old Douglas-Fir/Western Hemlock Stands on the Olympic Peninsula - March 2000 Report

Title:
Evaluation of the Marbled Murrelet Inland Forest Survey Protocol (IFSP) with Radar

Principal investigator(s); affiliations(s):
Brian Cooper; ABR, Inc

Award:
$42,947 (1997)

Project description:
The initial goal of the study is to use radar techniques to evaluate the Inland Forest Survey protocol (IFSP, Ralph et al. 1994) for marbled murrelets. The null hypothesis for this project is: There is no difference in number of radar targets observed using a stand and number of audiovisual detections of murrelets in that stand. Results from the study would be used to analyze the problems and effectiveness of the survey protocol so that managers and biologists would have a better understanding of what the numbers derived from the standard survey protocol actually mean in terms of numbers of murrelets using a particular timber stand. Further studies increase sample sizes over multiple years to determine if the wide annual variation in terrestrial survey counts of murrelets is related to actual changes in number of murrelets at inland stands, or if variation reflects other changes (e.g., changes in flight behavior or calling rates). Establishing the cause of these variations affects the proportion of audiovisual detections to actual number of murrelets. Results from the study will be used to continue to analyze the problems and effectiveness of the survey protocol so that managers and biologists have a better understanding of what the numbers derived from the standard survey protocol actually mean in terms of numbers of murrelets using a particular timber stand.

Project deliverable(s):
Cooper, B.A. and R.J. Blaha. 2002. “Comparisons of radar and audio-visual counts of marbled murrelets during inland forest surveys.” Wildlife Society Bulletin, 30(4):1182-1194.

Evaluation of the Marbled Murrelet Inland Forest Survey Protocol with Radar - November 1998 Draft Final Report