Forest pathogens and insects can accelerate tree mortality, increase stand structural heterogeneity, and alter tree community composition. In northern California, the canopy trees Abies concolor var. lowiana (Gord. & Glend.) Lemmon (white fir) and Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Douglas-fir) co-occur but vary in shade tolerance and regenerative abilities following disturba...

A detailed 3D structural model of a conifer forest canopy was developed in order to simulate the reflectance (optical) and backscatter (microwave) signals measured remotely. We show it is feasible to model forest canopy scattering using detailed 3D models of tree structure including the location and orientation of individual needles. An existing structural growth model of Scots pine (Pinus sylv...

We present the Moment Distance (MD) method to advance spectral analysis in vegetation studies. It was developed to take advantage of the information latent in the shape of the reflectance curve that is not available from other spectral indices. Being mathematically simple but powerful, the approach does not require any curve transformation, such as smoothing or derivatives. Here, we show the fo...

Canopy photosynthesis models have predicted an optimal leaf area index (LAI; leaf area per unit surface area) and leaf nitrogen distribution at which whole-plant carbon gain per unit N is maximized. In this study we experimentally tested these models, using transgenic P(SAG12)-IPT tobacco (SAG; Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants with delayed leaf senescence and therefore a greater LAI and more unifor...

The canonical form of atmospheric flows near the land surface, in the absence of a canopy, resembles a rough-wall boundary layer and has been extensively studied for more than half a century. However, in the presence of an extensive and dense canopy, the flow within and just above the foliage resembles a perturbed mixing layer – a hypothesis proposed about 2 decades ago and appears supported by...

Fire is frequently used as a land management tool for cattle ranching and annual crops in the Amazon. However, these maintenance fires often escape into surrounding forests, with potentially severe impacts for forest biodiversity. We examined the effect of experimental fires on leaf-litter arthropod abundance in a seasonally-dry forest in the Brazilian Amazon. The study plots (50 ha each) inclu...

pistachio psylla, agonoscena pistaciae burckhardt & lauterer, is a key pest of pistachio trees in the pistachio-producing regions throughout iran. the investigation of biology of pests under the field condition in each region is the first step that must be taken in developing an integrated pest management program. the seasonal fluctuations of eggs, nymphs and adults of pistachio psylla were inv...

Successful implementation of projects under the REDD+ mechanism, securing payment for storing forest carbon as an ecosystem service, requires quantification of biomass. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is a relevant technology to enhance estimates of biomass in tropical forests. We present the analysis and results of modeling aboveground biomass (AGB) in a Tanzanian rainforest utilizing data from ...

We study water flows and wave dissipation within near-bed pneumatophore canopies at the wave-exposed fringe of a mangrove forest on Cù Lao Dung Island, in the Mekong Delta. To evaluate canopy drag, the three-dimensional geometry of pneumatophore stems growing upward from the buried lateral roots of Sonneratia caseolaris mangroves was reconstructed from photogrammetric surveys. In cases where hy...