Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center (FRESC)
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Scientists from the Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center capitalize on their diverse expertise to answer scientific questions shaped by the environments of the western United States. We collaborate with each other and with partners to provide rigorous, objective, and timely information and guidance for the management and conservation of biological systems in the West and worldwide.
FRESC Research Teams
FRESC scientists, individually or collaboratively with partners, investigate high-priority questions about biological systems.
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News
Anticoagulant Rodenticides in Pacific Northwest Forest Owls
Researchers evaluated tissues from barred owls collected in Washington and Oregon to assess potential exposure of the Northern spotted owl and other old-forest wildlife in the Pacific Northwest to anticoagulant rodenticides (AR). They used ecologically similar barred owls as a surrogate species for the northern spotted owl, as the two species compete for space, habitat, and small mammal prey...
Encyclopedia Chapter Focuses on North American Sagebrush Steppe and Shrubland
In a chapter of The Encyclopedia of World’s Biomes titled “North American Sagebrush Steppe and Shrubland,” USGS Research Fire Ecologist Doug Shinneman documents the unique characteristics of the sagebrush biome.
Amphibian Occupancy in Chehalis River Floodplain
Floodplain ponds and wetlands are productive and biodiverse ecosystems. Protecting and restoring floodplain ecosystems requires understanding how organisms use these habitats and respond to altered environmental conditions.
Publications
Anticoagulant rodenticides in Strix owls indicate widespread exposure in west coast forests
Exposure of nontarget wildlife to anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) is a global conservation concern typically centered around urban or agricultural areas. Recently, however, the illegal use of ARs in remote forests of California, USA, has exposed sensitive predators, including the federally threatened northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis...
Wiens, David; Dilione, Krista E.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Herring, Garth; Lesmeister, Damon B.; Gabriel, Mourad W.; Wengert, Greta; Simon, David C. Floodplains provide important amphibian habitat despite multiple ecological threats
Floodplain ponds and wetlands are productive and biodiverse ecosystems, yet they face multiple threats including altered hydrology, land use change, and non‐native species. Protecting and restoring important floodplain ecosystems requires understanding how organisms use these habitats and respond to altered environmental conditions. We developed...
Holgerson, Meredith; Duarte, Adam; Hayes, Marc; Adams, Michael J.; Tyson, Julie A.; Douville, Keith; Strecker, Angela Adding invasive species bio-surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage network
The costs of invasive species in the United States alone are estimated to exceed US$100 billion per year so a critical tactic in minimizing the costs of invasive species is the development of effective, early-detection systems. To this end, we evaluated the efficacy of adding environmental (e)DNA surveillance to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)...
Sepulveda, Adam J.; Schmidt, Christian; Amberg, Jon J.; Hutchins, Patrick R.; Stratton, Christian; Mebane, Christopher A.; Laramie, Matthew; Pilliod, David