Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center
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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
Northern Spotted Owl Still Fights for Survival
Three studies highlight how the interactions between northern spotted owl and the invasive barred owl are intertwined.
Invader Removal Halts Long-term Population Declines of Northern Spotted Owls
Invasive species can cause extinctions of native species and widespread biodiversity loss. Invader removal is a common management response, but the use of long-term field experiments to test the effectiveness of removals in benefitting impacted native species is rare.
Species Interactions Shape Increasing Rates of Breeding Dispersal of Northern Spotted Owls
Recent evidence suggests that frequency of breeding dispersal – the movement from one breeding territory to another – may be increasing in northern spotted owl populations, which could have consequences on population dynamics of this declining species.
Publications
A riverscape approach reveals downstream propagation of stream thermal responses to riparian thinning at multiple scales
Hydrological connectivity in river networks influences their response to environmental changes as local effects may extend downstream via flowing water. For example, localized changes in riparian forest conditions can affect stream temperatures, and these effects may propagate downstream. However, studies evaluating stream temperature responses to...
Roon, David A.; Dunham, Jason B.; Torgersen, Christian E. Integrating regional and local monitoring data and assessment tools to evaluate habitat conditions and inform river restoration
RRestoring degraded rivers requires initial assessment of the fluvial landscape to identify stressors and riverine features that can be enhanced. We associated local-scale river habitat data collected using standardized national monitoring tools with modeled regional water temperature and flow data on mid-sized northwest U.S. rivers (30–...
Mejia, Francine H.; Connor, Jason M; Kaufmann, Phil R; Torgersen, Christian E.; Berntsen, Eric K; Andersen, Todd Intraspecific variation mediates density dependence in a genetically diverse plant species
Interactions between neighboring plants are critical for biodiversity maintenance in plant populations and communities. Intraspecific trait variation and genome duplication are common in plant species and can drive eco-evolutionary dynamics through genotype-mediated plant–plant interactions. However, few studies have examined how species-wide...
Zaiats, Andrii; Germino, Matthew; Serpe, Marcelo D; Richardson, Bryce; Caughlin, Trevor