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USGS2006

Changes in stream chemistry and nutrient export following a partial harvest in the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA

Clearcut forest harvesting typically results in large changes in stream water chemistry in northeastern North America. The effects of partial forest harvests on stream chemistry have not received as much attention, even though partial cutting is a more common forestry practice than clearcutting in this region. Changes in stream water chemistry following a partial cut are reported here from a 10 ha study catchment in a northern hardwood forest in the Catskill Mountains of southern New York, and are compared to those of a nearby 48 ha reference catchment. The lower two thirds of the treatment catchment was harvested in February-April 2002 by a shelterwood method, such that 33% of the basal area of the catchment was removed. Stream NO3-, NH4+, Ca2+, K+, and total dissolved aluminum (Alto) concentrations increased significantly after the harvest. Stream Ca2+, Mg2+ and NH4+ concentrations peaked 5 months after the initiation of the harvest, NO 3- and K+ concentrations peaked 6 months after cutting, and Alto concentrations peaked 1 year after cutting. Streamflow was not significantly affected by the harvest when compared to the flow of three nearby streams. Export of NO3- in stream water increased five-fold the year after the cut, and briefly exceeded atmospheric inputs of inorganic nitrogen during 4 months in the fall of 2002. Changes in stream NO3- and K+ concentrations were less than predicted by the relative basal area removed compared with those of a recent nearby clearcut. In contrast, changes in Ca2+, Mg 2+ and Alto concentrations were approximately proportional to basal area removal in these two cuts. Stream chemistry returned to values close to those of the pre-cut period and to reference values by early spring of 2003, just over a year after the initiation of the harvest, except for NO 3- concentrations, which remained elevated above background 18-20 months after completion of the cut.

Forest Ecology and Management↗

USGS2009

Male Kirtland's Warblers' patch-level response to landscape structure during periods of varying population size and habitat amounts

Forest planners must evaluate how spatiotemporal changes in habitat amount and configuration across the landscape as a result of timber management will affect species' persistence. However, there are few long-term programs available for evaluation. We investigated the response of male Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) to 26 years of changing patch and landscape structure during a large, 26-year forestry-habitat restoration program within the warbler's primary breeding range. We found that the average density of male Kirtland's Warblers was related to a different combination of patch and landscape attributes depending on the species' regional population level and habitat amounts on the landscape (early succession jack pine (Pinus banksiana) forests; 15-42% habitat cover). Specifically, patch age and habitat regeneration type were important at low male population and total habitat amounts, while patch age and distance to an occupied patch were important at relatively high population and habitat amounts. Patch age and size were more important at increasing population levels and an intermediate amount of habitat. The importance of patch age to average male density during all periods reflects the temporal buildup and decline of male numbers as habitat suitability within the patch changed with succession. Habitat selection (i.e., preference for wildfire-regenerated habitat) and availability may explain the importance of habitat type and patch size during lower population and habitat levels. The relationship between male density and distance when there was the most habitat on the landscape and the male population was large and still increasing may be explained by the widening spatial dispersion of the increasing male population at the regional scale. Because creating or preserving habitat is not a random process, management efforts would benefit from more investigations of managed population responses to changes in spatial structure that occur through habitat gain rather than habitat loss to further our empirical understanding of general principles of the fragmentation process and habitat cover threshold effects within dynamic landscapes.

Forest Ecology and Management↗

USGS2017

Breeding birds in managed forests on public conservation lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Managers of public conservation lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley have implemented forest management strategies to improve bottomland hardwood habitat for target wildlife species. Through implementation of various silvicultural practices, forest managers have sought to attain forest structural conditions (e.g., canopy cover, basal area, etc.) within values postulated to benefit wildlife. We evaluated data from point count surveys of breeding birds on 180 silviculturally treated stands (1049 counts) that ranged from 1 to 20 years post-treatment and 134 control stands (676 counts) that had not been harvested for >20 years. Birds detected during 10-min counts were recorded within four distance classes and three time intervals. Avian diversity was greater on treated stands than on unharvested stands. Of 42 commonly detected species, six species including Prothonotary Warbler ( Prothonotaria citrea ) and Acadian Flycatcher ( Empidonax virescens ) were indicative of control stands. Similarly, six species including Indigo Bunting ( Passerina cyanea ) and Yellow-breasted Chat ( Icteria virens ) were indicative of treated stands. Using a removal model to assess probability of detection, we evaluated occupancy of bottomland forests at two spatial scales (stands and points within occupied stands). Wildlife-forestry treatment improved predictive models of species occupancy for 18 species. We found years post treatment (range = 1–20), total basal area, and overstory canopy were important species-specific predictors of occupancy, whereas variability in basal area was not. In addition, we used a removal model to estimate species-specific probability of availability for detection, and a distance model to estimate effective detection radius. We used these two estimated parameters to derive species densities and 95% confidence intervals for treated and unharvested stands. Avian densities differed between treated and control stands for 16 species, but only Common Yellowthroat ( Geothlypis trichas ) and Yellow-breasted Chat had greater densities on treated stands.

Mississippi Alluvial Valley↗

USGS2017

Nocturnal insect availability in bottomland hardwood forests managed for wildlife in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Silviculture used to alter forest structure and thereby enhance wildlife habitat has been advocated for bottomland hardwood forest management on public conservation lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Although some songbirds respond positively to these management actions to attain desired forest conditions for wildlife, the response of other species, is largely unknown. Nocturnal insects are a primary prey base for bats, thereby influencing trophic interactions within hardwood forests. To better understand how silviculture influences insect availability for bats, we conducted vegetation surveys and sampled insect biomass within silviculturally treated bottomland hardwood forest stands. We used passive blacklight traps to capture nocturnal flying insects in 64 treated and 64 untreated reference stands, located on 15 public conservation areas in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Dead wood and silvicultural treatments were positively associated with greater biomass of macro-Lepidoptera, macro-Coleoptera, and all insect taxa combined. Biomass of micro-Lepidoptera was negatively associated with silvicultural treatment but comprised only a small proportion of total biomass. Understanding the response of nocturnal insects to wildlife-forestry silviculture provides insight for prescribed silvicultural management affecting bat species.

Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi↗

USGS2018

Bat community response to silvicultural treatments in bottomland hardwood forests managed for wildlife in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley

Silvicultural treatments (e.g., selective timber harvests) that are prescribed to promote wildlife habitat are intended to alter the physical structure of forests to achieve conditions deemed beneficial for wildlife. Such treatments have been advocated for management of bottomland hardwood forests on public conservation lands in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Although some songbirds respond positively to these management actions, and wildlife-forestry indirectly promotes bat prey availability, bat response is largely unknown. Forest structure may affect bat use of bottomland forests due to differences in foraging space or roost sites. We examined the effects of silvicultural treatments that were implemented to promote wildlife habitat on bat species activity. We conducted vegetation surveys and sampled insect biomass within 64 treated and 64 reference stands located on 15 public conservation areas in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, USA. We examined the influence of vegetation metrics and insect biomass on acoustic detections of bats during passive nocturnal surveys in these stands. Detections of bat activity were similar between silviculturally treated stands and reference stands, indicating that both managed and reference stands provide habitat for generalist and forest interior bat species. Generalist bat species (e.g., evening bats, eastern red bats, and Seminole bats) were positively associated with increased insect biomass and the amount of dead wood within a stand. Basal area of large trees was positively associated with detection of tri-colored bats and bottomland specialists (Rafinesque’s big-eared bats and myotine bats). Conversely, acoustic detection of bats was negatively associated with increased vegetative density (i.e., clutter). Managers that implement silvicultural treatments to improve desired forest conditions for wildlife can provide habitat for both generalist and forest interior bat species by providing heterogeneous forest structure that includes dead wood, high basal area of large trees, high tree species diversity, and gaps that are sufficiently thinned to allow unimpeded flight by bats.

Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi↗

USGS2021

Bat activity patterns relative to temporal and weather effects in a temperate coastal environment

The northeastern and mid-Atlantic coasts of the United States are important summer maternity habitat and seasonal migratory corridors for many species of bats. Additionally, the effects of weather on bat activity are relatively unknown beyond coarse nightly scales. Using acoustic detectors, we assessed nightly and hourly activity patterns for eight species of bats over 21 consecutive months at Fire Island National Seashore, New York. The site is an important bat conservation area because it hosts one of the few confirmed northern long-eared bat ( Myotis septentrionalis ) maternity colonies in the region despite their widespread extirpation due to white-nose syndrome (WNS). There have been no reported captures of little brown bats ( M. lucifugus ), Indiana bats ( M. sodalis ), or tri-colored bats ( Perimyotis subflavus ) at the site post-WNS. Overall, we found mean hourly temperature, time since sunset, day of year, and year to be the most important predictors of bat activity levels for all examined species. Most non-hibernating, migratory species in our study demonstrated a positive relationship to mean temperature at the hourly timescale, whereas cave-hibernating bats tended to show a negative relationship to mean temperature during the time of year when they are expected to be active. Although most bat activity occurred in the late spring through early autumn, peaking in summer, some activity occurred periodically in the winter months, mostly attributable to the big brown bat ( Eptesicus fuscus ) and silver-haired bat ( Lasionycteris noctivigans ) phonic group. Unexpectedly, relationships of bat activity to wind and precipitation were largely equivocal. Initial presence (as early as March 30) and departure (between November 1–4) for northern long-eared bats at our study area occurred earlier in the spring and later in the fall than occurs for inland populations, suggesting that the species overwinters on Long Island rather than at inland karst caves or mines. A peak in spring activity characteristic of migratory behavior in the central Appalachians and Atlantic Coast was not observed at Fire Island, although Eastern red bats ( Lasiurus borealis ) and hoary bats (L. cinereus ) – both migratory species – did show a notable rise in activity in the late summer and early fall, suggesting these populations may migrate to and from Fire Island. Understanding the temporal and weather relationships to bat activity in this coastal environment may have important implications for tailoring more effective conservation and management strategies by identifying optimal timing for surveys, tracking bats during peak migratory windows, and providing insights that minimizes impacts to extant bats from activities such as wind-energy development or land management, i.e., forestry.

New York↗

USGS2015

The economic viability of smallholder timber production under expanding açaí palm production in the Amazon Estuary

Relatively little attention has been paid to the economic potentials and limitations of tropical timber production and management at smallholder scales, with the most relevant research focusing on community forestry efforts. As a rare tropical example of long-lasting small-scale timber production, in this study we explore the economics of smallholder vertically integrated timber use to better understand the activity in the context of its primary land use alternative in the Amazon Estuary, açaí palm fruit production. We use data from landowner and firm surveys, participatory monitoring of firms, and detailed forest and sawmill operation monitoring to devise financial returns models of smallholder timber micro firms and açaí palm fruit production. We then compare the economics of the two activities to better understand how differences may shape decisions at the small holder scale that impact current land use shifts in the region.

Amazon River, Mazagão watershed↗

USGS2012

Complementarity of ResourceSat-1 AWiFS and Landsat TM/ETM+ sensors

Considerable interest has been given to forming an international collaboration to develop a virtual moderate spatial resolution land observation constellation through aggregation of data sets from comparable national observatories such as the US Landsat, the Indian ResourceSat and related systems. This study explores the complementarity of India's ResourceSat-1 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) with the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). The analysis focuses on the comparative radiometry, geometry, and spectral properties of the two sensors. Two applied assessments of these data are also explored to examine the strengths and limitations of these alternate sources of moderate resolution land imagery with specific application domains. There are significant technical differences in these imaging systems including spectral band response, pixel dimensions, swath width, and radiometric resolution which produce differences in observation data sets. None of these differences was found to strongly limit comparable analyses in agricultural and forestry applications. Overall, we found that the AWiFS and Landsat TM/ETM+ imagery are comparable and in some ways complementary, particularly with respect to temporal repeat frequency. We have found that there are limits to our understanding of the AWiFS performance, for example, multi-camera design and stability of radiometric calibration over time, that leave some uncertainty that has been better addressed for Landsat through the Image Assessment System and related cross-sensor calibration studies. Such work still needs to be undertaken for AWiFS and similar observatories that may play roles in the Global Earth Observation System of Systems Land Surface Imaging Constellation.

Remote Sensing of Environment↗

USGS2023

Evaluating and mitigating the impact of systematic geolocation error on canopy height measurement performance of GEDI

NASA's Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) is designed to provide high-resolution measurements of forest structure and topography between 52° N and S. However, current geolocation accuracy may limit further science applications of footprint-level products as early adopters have found it difficult to align with in-situ forestry inventory data and high-resolution imagery for calibration and validation purpose. Here we developed a new means to rapidly evaluate and mitigate the impact of systematic geolocation error on the performance of GEDI's forest height estimates in the US. By integrating nationwide high-resolution airborne lidar data collected through the 3D Elevation Program of the USGS, we provided optimal geolocation adjustments of GEDI at per beam level and tracked their performances over the first 18-mo. Our results suggest that the first release of GEDI product (R01) can have large systematic geolocation errors at beam level (i.e., 50.5% of beams with an error > 20 m). Its impact on canopy height measurement could drastically vary in space and time, which in turn also offers a separate indirect method to evaluate and track geolocation performance. The second release of GEDI data (R02) has achieved a much-improved systematic geolocation accuracy which is shown to meet the mission requirement (0.2% beams >20 m and 80.8% beams <10 m) and should be able to meet requirements from many practical science applications tolerant to moderate geolocation errors. In sum, our approach has provided a short-term solution for an enhanced Cal/Val strategy for GEDI. While further improvements will certainly be made in future releases, it can potentially create an alternative pathway to generate and validate biomass products by linking GEDI footprint samples directly with in-situ data collections.

Remote Sensing of Environment↗

USGS2024

The EnMAP spaceborne imaging spectroscopy mission: Initial scientific results two years after launch

Imaging spectroscopy has been a recognized and established remote sensing technology since the 1980s, mainly using airborne and field-based platforms to identify and quantify key bio- and geo-chemical surface and atmospheric compounds, based on characteristic spectral reflectance features in the visible-near infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR). Spaceborne missions, a leap in technology, were sparse, starting with the CHRIS/PROBA and EO1/Hyperion missions in the early 2000s, and providing spectroscopy data with limited spectral coverage and/or low data quality in the SWIR. Since 2019, several countries and agencies have successfully launched a number of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy systems into orbit or deployed them on the International Space Station (ISS) such as DESIS, PRISMA, HISUI, GF-5, EnMAP and EMIT. Among these recent missions, the German Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) stands for its long-term development, sophisticated design with on-board calibration, high data quality requirements, and extensive accompanying science program. EnMAP was launched in April 2022 and, following a successful commissioning phase, started its operational activities in November 2022. The EnMAP mission encompasses global coverage from 80° N to 80° S through on-demand data acquisitions. Data are free and open access with 30 m spatial resolution, a high spectral resolution with a spectral sampling distance of 6.5 nm and 10 nm in the VNIR and SWIR regions respectively, and a high signal-to-noise ratio. In this paper, we aim to present the mission's current status, coverage, science capabilities and performance two years after launch. We show the potential of EnMAP for space-based imaging spectroscopy to operate in various environments, including high and low light levels, dense forests, Antarctic glaciers, and arid agricultural areas. EnMAP enables various applications in fields such as agriculture and forestry, soil compositional, raw materials, and methane mapping, as well as water quality assessment, and snow and ice properties. The results show that EnMAP's performance exceeds the mission requirements, and highlights the significant potential for contribution to scientific exploitation in various geo- and biochemical sciences. EnMAP is also expected to serve as a key tool for the development and testing of data processing algorithms for upcoming global operational missions.

Remote Sensing of Environment↗

USGS2016

Spatial and temporal variability of contaminants within estuarine sediments and native Olympia oysters: A contrast between a developed and an undeveloped estuary

Chemical contaminants can be introduced into estuarine and marine ecosystems from a variety of sources including wastewater, agriculture and forestry practices, point and non-point discharges, runoff from industrial, municipal, and urban lands, accidental spills, and atmospheric deposition. The diversity of potential sources contributes to the likelihood of contaminated marine waters and sediments and increases the probability of uptake by marine organisms. Despite widespread recognition of direct and indirect pathways for contaminant deposition and organismal exposure in coastal systems, spatial and temporal variability in contaminant composition, deposition, and uptake patterns are still poorly known. We investigated these patterns for a suite of persistent legacy contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and chemicals of emerging concern including pharmaceuticals within two Oregon coastal estuaries (Coos and Netarts Bays). In the more urbanized Coos Bay, native Olympia oyster ( Ostrea lurida ) tissue had approximately twice the number of PCB congeners at over seven times the total concentration, yet fewer PBDEs at one-tenth the concentration as compared to the more rural Netarts Bay. Different pharmaceutical suites were detected during each sampling season. Variability in contaminant types and concentrations across seasons and between species and media (organisms versus sediment) indicates the limitation of using indicator species and/or sampling annually to determine contaminant loads at a site or for specific species. The results indicate the prevalence of legacy contaminants and CECs in relatively undeveloped coastal environments highlighting the need to improve policy and management actions to reduce contaminant releases into estuarine and marine waters and to deal with legacy compounds that remain long after prohibition of use. Our results point to the need for better understanding of the ecological and human health risks of exposure to the diverse cocktail of pollutants and harmful compounds that will continue to leach from estuarine sediments over time.

Oregon↗

USGS2016

Modeled effects of soil acidification on long-term ecological and economic outcomes for managed forests in the Adirondack region (USA)

Sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) is among the most ecologically and economically important tree species in North America, and its growth and regeneration is often the focus of silvicultural practices in northern hardwood forests. A key stressor for sugar maple (SM) is acid rain, which depletes base cations from poorly-buffered forest soils and has been associated with much lower SM vigor, growth, and recruitment. However, the potential interactions between forest management and soil acidification – and their implications for the sustainability of SM and its economic and cultural benefits – have not been investigated. In this study, we simulated the development of 50 extant SM stands in the western Adirondack region of NY (USA) for 100 years under different soil chemical conditions and silvicultural prescriptions. We found that interactions between management prescription and soil base saturation will strongly shape the ability to maintain SM in managed forests. Below 12% base saturation, SM did not regenerate sufficiently after harvest and was replaced mainly by red maple ( Acer rubrum ) and American beech ( Fagus grandifolia ). Loss of SM on acid-impaired sites was predicted regardless of whether the shelterwood or diameter-limit prescriptions were used. On soils with sufficient base saturation, models predicted that SM will regenerate after harvest and be sustained for future rotations. We then estimated how these different post-harvest outcomes, mediated by acid impairment of forest soils, would affect the potential monetary value of ecosystem services provided by SM forests. Model simulations indicated that a management strategy focused on syrup production – although not feasible across the vast areas where acid impairment has occurred – may generate the greatest economic return. Although pollution from acid rain is declining, its long-term legacy in forest soils will shape future options for sustainable forestry and ecosystem stewardship in the northern hardwood forests of North America.

New York↗

USGS2021

An increase in the slope of the concentration-discharge relation for total organic carbon in major rivers in New England, 1973 to 2019

The mobilization and transport of organic carbon (OC) in rivers and delivery to the near-coastal ocean are important processes in the carbon cycle that are affected by both climate and anthropogenic activities. Riverine OC transport can affect carbon sequestration, contaminant transport, ocean acidification , the formation of toxic disinfection by-products, ocean temperature and phytoplankton productivity. There have been many studies reporting temporal trends in OC concentrations in comparatively small streams with minimal anthropogenic influences but there have been fewer studies on larger rivers and fewer still that have investigated changes in OC concentration-discharge (C-Q) relations. This study examined changes in C-Q relations for total organic carbon (TOC) from 1973 to 2019 in 8 rivers in New England, USA. TOC concentrations declined in all rivers, and in most rivers, and in most seasons, the slope of the C-Q relation increased between 1973 to 1995 and 1996 to 2019. The increase in C-Q slope between periods may be related to changes in the magnitude of TOC sources. The most likely sources to have changed are wastewater inputs, urban runoff, production through photosynthesis in aquatic systems, and runoff from agricultural and forestry practices. Changes in wetland abundance and changes in sulfate concentrations can be ruled out as drivers of the observed changes in C-Q.

Connecticut↗

USGS2016

Historical reconstructions of California wildfires vary by data source

Historical data are essential for understanding how fire activity responds to different drivers. It is important that the source of data is commensurate with the spatial and temporal scale of the question addressed, but fire history databases are derived from different sources with different restrictions. In California, a frequently used fire history dataset is the State of California Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) fire history database, which circumscribes fire perimeters at a relatively fine scale. It includes large fires on both state and federal lands but only covers fires that were mapped or had other spatially explicit data. A different database is the state and federal governments’ annual reports of all fires. They are more complete than the FRAP database but are only spatially explicit to the level of county (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection – Cal Fire) or forest (United States Forest Service – USFS). We found substantial differences between the FRAP database and the annual summaries, with the largest and most consistent discrepancy being in fire frequency. The FRAP database missed the majority of fires and is thus a poor indicator of fire frequency or indicators of ignition sources. The FRAP database is also deficient in area burned, especially before 1950. Even in contemporary records, the huge number of smaller fires not included in the FRAP database account for substantial cumulative differences in area burned. Wildfires in California account for nearly half of the western United States fire suppression budget. Therefore, the conclusions about data discrepancies and the implications for fire research are of broad importance.

California↗

USGS2017

Different historical fire–climate patterns in California

The relationship between annual variation in area burned and seasonal temperatures and precipitation was investigated for the major climate divisions in California. Historical analyses showed marked differences in fires on montane and foothill landscapes. Based on roughly a century of data, there are five important lessons on fire–climate relationships in California: (1) seasonal variations in temperature appear to have had minimal influence on area burned in the lower elevation, mostly non-forested, landscapes; (2) temperature has been a significant factor in controlling fire activity in higher elevation montane forests, but this varied greatly with season – winter and autumn temperatures showed no significant effect, whereas spring and summer temperatures were important determinants of area burned; (3) current season precipitation has been a strong controller of fire activity in forests, with drier years resulting in greater area burned on most United States Forest Service (USFS) lands in the state, but the effect of current-year precipitation was decidedly less on lower elevation California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection lands; (4) in largely grass-dominated foothills and valleys the magnitude of prior-year rainfall was positively tied to area burned in the following year, and we hypothesise that this is tied to greater fuel volume in the year following high rainfall. In the southern part of the state this effect has become stronger in recent decades and this likely is due to accelerated type conversion from shrubland to grassland in the latter part of the 20th century; (5) the strongest fire–climate models were on USFS lands in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and these explained 42–52% of the variation in area burned; however, the models changed over time, with winter and spring precipitation being the primary drivers in the first half of the 20th century, but replaced by spring and summer temperatures after 1960.

California↗

USGS2016

Modeled historical land use and land cover for the conterminous United States

The landscape of the conterminous United States has changed dramatically over the last 200 years, with agricultural land use, urban expansion, forestry, and other anthropogenic activities altering land cover across vast swaths of the country. While land use and land cover (LULC) models have been developed to model potential future LULC change, few efforts have focused on recreating historical landscapes. Researchers at the US Geological Survey have used a wide range of historical data sources and a spatially explicit modeling framework to model spatially explicit historical LULC change in the conterminous United States from 1992 back to 1938. Annual LULC maps were produced at 250-m resolution, with 14 LULC classes. Assessment of model results showed good agreement with trends and spatial patterns in historical data sources such as the Census of Agriculture and historical housing density data, although comparison with historical data is complicated by definitional and methodological differences. The completion of this dataset allows researchers to assess historical LULC impacts on a range of ecological processes.

Journal of Land Use Science↗

USGS2020

Vegetation management on private forestland can increase avian species richness and abundance

Conservation efforts on private lands are important for biodiversity conservation. On private lands in South Carolina, in the southeastern United States, forestry management practices (prescribed burning, thinning, herbicide application) are used to improve upland pine habitat for wildlife and timber harvest and are incentivized through U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Bill cost-share programs. Because many forest-dependent avian species have habitat requirements created primarily through forest management, data are needed on the effectiveness of these management activities. We studied privately owned loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) stands in the South Carolina Piedmont region. Our objective was to understand how management practices influence avian species richness and abundance at local (forest stand) and landscape levels in relatively small stands (average ~28 ha). We surveyed 49 forest stands during 2 bird breeding seasons with traditional point counts and vegetation surveys. We evaluated the effects of management on pine stand characteristics, avian species richness, and abundance of state-designated bird species of concern. Repeated burning and thinning shifted stand conditions to open pine woodlands with reduced basal area and herbaceous understories. Stands with lower basal area supported greater avian species richness. Some species increased in abundance in response to active management (e.g., Brown-headed Nuthatch [ Sitta pusilla ] and Indigo Bunting [ Passerina cyanea ]), but relationships varied. Some species responded positively to increases in forest quantity at a landscape scale (1–5 km; e.g., Northern Bobwhite [ Colinus virginianus ]). We found species-rich avian communities and species of conservation concern on working timber lands, indicating that incentivized forest management on private lands can provide valuable habitat for wildlife.

South Carolina↗

USGS2025

Occurrence of pesticides in Oregon coastal waters

Pesticides are used globally for a wide range of applications including agricultural, forestry, roadsides, freshwater systems, and personal use. While pesticides have ensured efficient crop production, they are frequently transported away from application sites and are found in almost all terrestrial and aquatic environments. Pesticides are frequently detected in watersheds and rivers, but there is limited research on pesticide presence in United States (U.S.) marine environments. To address these data gaps, this study documents pesticide occurrence in U.S. coastal waters, providing new understanding of pesticide contamination in offshore environments. Polar organic chemical integrative samples (POCIS) were deployed at five sites along the Oregon, U.S. coast to examine the occurrence of pesticides. Between two and seven different pesticides were detected at every site, with herbicides diuron, and atrazine, and fungicides carbendazim, propiconazole, and tebuconazole being the most frequently detected at three sites. The prevalence of herbicides and fungicides in coastal waters indicates a connection between terrestrial pesticide practices and marine contamination. These findings provide new insights into the presence of pesticides in coastal nearshore and offshore waters and suggest that a comprehensive monitoring effort could enhance our understanding of sources, transport, and pesticide risks for marine species both nearshore and offshore.

Oregon↗