This research theme coalesces studies of old-growth temperate forests in several major thematic areas including landscape and ecosystem controls on watershed nutrient export, wildfire disturbance legacies on biogeochemical cycling, and the imprint of tree species on soil nutrients in old-growth forests.
Biogeochemical cycles of essential nutrients exert strong control over the development of forest ecosystems. Human activities can however dramatically alter these cycles away from natural baseline conditions, often with poorly understood consequences for long-term ecosystem sustainability. Understanding the nature and extent of these changes requires information on how forest biogeochemical cycles work in the absence of significant human disturbance. Such baselines studies of unpolluted old-growth forests can be used to evaluate human influences on forests, test ecosystem biogeochemical theory, and set appropriate goals for forest restoration activities.
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Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Terrestrial Ecosystems Laboratory (FRESC)
Below are publications associated with this project.
Trait integration and functional differentiation among co-existing plant species
Intraspecific variability and reaction norms of forest understory plant species traits
Long-term forest productivity
A framework to assess biogeochemical response to ecosystem disturbance using nutrient partitioning ratios
Tree species and soil nutrient profiles in old-growth forests of the Oregon Coast Range
Complementary models of tree species-soil relationships in old-growth temperate forests
Four centuries of soil carbon and nitrogen change after stand-replacing fire in a forest landscape in the western Cascade Range of Oregon
Nitrogen dynamics across silvicultural canopy gaps in young forests of western Oregon
Nitrogen loss from nonpolluted South American forests mainly via dissolved organic compounds
- Overview
This research theme coalesces studies of old-growth temperate forests in several major thematic areas including landscape and ecosystem controls on watershed nutrient export, wildfire disturbance legacies on biogeochemical cycling, and the imprint of tree species on soil nutrients in old-growth forests.
Biogeochemical cycles of essential nutrients exert strong control over the development of forest ecosystems. Human activities can however dramatically alter these cycles away from natural baseline conditions, often with poorly understood consequences for long-term ecosystem sustainability. Understanding the nature and extent of these changes requires information on how forest biogeochemical cycles work in the absence of significant human disturbance. Such baselines studies of unpolluted old-growth forests can be used to evaluate human influences on forests, test ecosystem biogeochemical theory, and set appropriate goals for forest restoration activities.
Click here to return to FRESC Terrestrial Ecosystems Laboratory.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Terrestrial Ecosystems Laboratory (FRESC)
Research in our laboratory centers on the ecology and biogeochemistry of forest ecosystems, as well as grassland and riparian systems. We examine how factors such as natural and human disturbances, climate and climate change, succession, and soil fertility shape ecosystem biogeochemistry - and the reciprocal effect of biogeochemical cycles on these and other factors. - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Trait integration and functional differentiation among co-existing plant species
PremiseDetermining which traits characterize strategies of coexisting species is important to developing trait‐based models of plant communities. First, global dimensions may not exist locally. Second, the degree to which traits and trait spectra constitute independent dimensions of functional variation at various scales continues to be refined. Finally, traits may be associated with existing cateAuthorsJulia I. Burton, Steven Perakis, J. Renee Brooks, Klaus J. PuettmannIntraspecific variability and reaction norms of forest understory plant species traits
Trait-based models of ecological communities typically assume intraspecific variation in functional traits is not important, though such variation can change species trait rankings along gradients in resources and environmental conditions, and thus influence community structure and function.We examined the degree of intraspecific relative to interspecific variation, and reaction norms of 11 functiAuthorsJulia I. Burton, Steven Perakis, Sean C. McKenzie, Caitlin E. Lawrence, Klaus J. PuettmannLong-term forest productivity
No abstract available.AuthorsBernard T. Bormann, Steven S. Perakis, Robyn Darbyshire, Jeff HattenA framework to assess biogeochemical response to ecosystem disturbance using nutrient partitioning ratios
Disturbances affect almost all terrestrial ecosystems, but it has been difficult to identify general principles regarding these influences. To improve our understanding of the long-term consequences of disturbance on terrestrial ecosystems, we present a conceptual framework that analyzes disturbances by their biogeochemical impacts. We posit that the ratio of soil and plant nutrient stocks in matuAuthorsJ. Marty Kranabetter, Kendra K. McLauchlan, Sara K. Enders, Jennifer M. Fraterrigo, Philip E. Higuera, Jesse L. Morris, Edward B. Rastetter, Rebecca Barnes, Brian Buma, Daniel G. Gavin, Laci M. Gerhart, Lindsey Gillson, Peter Hietz, Michelle C. Mack, Brenden McNeil, Steven PerakisTree species and soil nutrient profiles in old-growth forests of the Oregon Coast Range
Old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest provide a unique opportunity to examine tree species – soil relationships in ecosystems that have developed without significant human disturbance. We characterized foliage, forest floor, and mineral soil nutrients associated with four canopy tree species (Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) SargAuthorsAlison Cross, Steven S. PerakisComplementary models of tree species-soil relationships in old-growth temperate forests
Ecosystem-level studies identify plant–soil feedbacks as important controls on soil nutrient availability, particularly for nitrogen and phosphorus. Although site- and species-specific studies of tree species–soil relationships are relatively common, comparatively fewer studies consider multiple co-existing species in old-growth forests across a range of sites that vary in underlying soil fertilitAuthorsAlison Cross, Steven S. PerakisFour centuries of soil carbon and nitrogen change after stand-replacing fire in a forest landscape in the western Cascade Range of Oregon
Episodic stand-replacing wildfire is a significant disturbance in mesic and moist Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forests of the Pacific Northwest. We studied 24 forest stands with known fire histories in the western Cascade Range in Oregon to evaluate long-term impacts of stand-replacing wildfire on carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools and dynamics within the forest floor (FF, OeAuthorsT.W. Giesen, S.S. Perakis, K. CromackNitrogen dynamics across silvicultural canopy gaps in young forests of western Oregon
Silvicultural canopy gaps are emerging as an alternative management tool to accelerate development of complex forest structure in young, even-aged forests of the Pacific Northwest. The effect of gap creation on available nitrogen (N) is of concern to managers because N is often a limiting nutrient in Pacific Northwest forests. We investigated patterns of N availability in the forest floor and uppeAuthorsA.L. Thiel, S.S. PerakisNitrogen loss from nonpolluted South American forests mainly via dissolved organic compounds
Conceptual1,2,3,4 and numerical5,6,7,8 models of nitrogen cycling in temperate forests assume that nitrogen is lost from these ecosystems predominantly by way of inorganic forms, such as nitrate and ammonium ions. Of these, nitrate is thought to be particularly mobile, being responsible for nitrogen loss to deep soil and stream waters. But human activities—such as fossil fuel combustion, fertilizeAuthorsSteven S. Perakis, L. O. Hedin