2013 Research Highlights
National Ecological Network Monitors Ecosystem Health
Shared research informs forest management decisions and reduces climate change impacts
The AmeriFlux Network Management Project selected three Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center research sites for inclusion in a national network of long-term core ecological monitoring stations as part of its new planning effort. The sites, located in eastern North Carolina, include a loblolly pine plantation, a recent clear-cut plantation, and a forested wetland and fill an important gap in the national monitoring network. “Flux towers” on the sites are outfitted with state-of-the-art sensors to continuously measure the movement of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and energy between the atmosphere and land surface and provide real-time information that researchers around the world can use to study forest ecosystem responses to climatic changes and management operations.
Researchers with the Eastern Threat Center and North Carolina State University (NCSU) use data from the flux towers and on-the-ground measurements to examine the effects of climate variability and forest management practices on forest ecosystem health, water supply, and carbon sequestration. Findings from this research can inform sustainable forest management decisions that contribute to broader efforts to lessen the impacts of climate change.
Right: A flux tower in eastern North Carolina
External Partners/Collaborators: North Carolina State University
Contact: Michael Gavazzi, Eastern Threat Center biological scientist, michael.gavazzi@usda.gov
