Forest ThreatNet

Volume 8, Issue 4 - September/October 2015

Eastern Threat Center Highlights Cont'd

Biological Scientist Honored for Research Professional Support

For 18 years, Eastern Threat Center biological scientist Johnny Boggs has worked with a research team studying the effects of global change on the hydrology, soil functions, and health of forested watersheds. He has planned field data collection outings to maximize resources and efficiency and diagnosed and repaired field equipment when unexpected problems arose, all while maintaining a 100 percent safety record. He has implemented a strategy for ensuring quality and continuity of field data collection by a variety of staff and interns and has developed databases and written software programs for managing and analyzing the large datasets they generate. He has also co-authored 17 scientific papers describing the team's body of work. These efforts are among those recognized by Southern Research Station (SRS) Director Rob Doudrick, who recently named Boggs the recipient of the 2015 SRS Director's Award for Research Professional Support. Boggs will receive the award during a ceremony on November 17. Read more in CompassLive...

Johnny Boggs. Photo by Perdita Spriggs, U.S. Forest Service.

On National Forests and Grasslands, All Droughts are not Created Equal

Researchers say today’s droughts are setting in more quickly and becoming more intense. How does this affect the productivity of national forests and grasslands and their ability to provide fresh water to millions of Americans? Eastern Threat Center scientists collaborated with Southern Research Station and university researchers to model the impacts of the five most extreme droughts between 1962 and 2012 across the conterminous United States and estimate their potential impacts on each of 170 national forests and grasslands. Their findings, recently published in Forest Ecology and Management, indicate that the “top five” droughts, on average, resulted in a 22 percent reduction in annual precipitation on national forests and grasslands. Potential impacts included reductions in ecosystem water use by 8 percent, water yield by 37 percent, and productivity by 9 percent. The highest potential reductions were found in the West and Southeast. Read more in CompassLive...

Researchers estimate that 14 percent of the national water supply originates on national forests. Drought impacts on these lands have important implications for land managers. Photo by U.S. Forest Service.

Southern Research Station Volunteers Get "Buggy About Pollinators" at Bugfest

Are insects needed to produce coffee? What about apples and chocolate? Children and families learned the answers to these questions during a pollinator game at the Southern Research Station (SRS) exhibit, themed "Buggy About Pollinators," at the annual Bugfest in Raleigh. Held at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Bugfest is a free, fun-filled event that invites people of all ages to learn more about the world of insects. Eastern Threat Center resource information specialist Erika Mack, research ecologist Frank Koch, and North Carolina State University cooperating scientist Barb Conkling were among the SRS volunteers who staffed the exhibit and engaged in hands-on activities that highlighted the importance of pollinators, especially native bees. Nearly 32,000 people attended Bugfest. Read more in CompassLive...