Various methods have been used to estimate the amount of above ground forest biomass across landscapes and to create biomass maps for specific stands or pixels across ownership or project areas. Without an accurate estimation method, land managers might end up with incorrect biomass estimate maps, which could lead them to make poorer decisions in their future management plans. Previous research has shown that nearest-neighbor imputation methods can accurately estimate forest volume across a landscape by relating variables of interest to ground data, satellite imagery, and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. Alternatively, parametric models, such as linear and non-linear regression and geographic weighted regression (GWR), have been used to estimate net primary production and tree diameter. The goal of this study was to compare various imputation methods to predict forest biomass, at a project planning scale (<20,000 acres) on the Malheur National Forest, located in eastern Oregon, USA. In this study I compared the predictive performance of, 1) linear regression, GWR, gradient nearest neighbor (GNN), most similar neighbor (MSN), random forest imputation, and k-nearest neighbor (k-nn) to estimate biomass (tons/acre) and basal area (sq. feet per acre) across 19,000 acres on the Malheur National Forest and 2) MSN and k-nn when imputing forest biomass at spatial scales ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 acres. To test the imputation methods a combination of ground inventory plots, LiDAR data, satellite imagery, and climate data were analyzed, and their root mean square error (RMSE) and bias were calculated. Results indicate that for biomass prediction, the k-nn (k=5) had the lowest RMSE and least amount of bias. The second most accurate method consisted of the k-nn (k=3), followed by the GWR model, and the random forest imputation. The GNN method was the least accurate. For basal area prediction, the GWR model had the lowest RMSE and least amount of bias. The second most accurate method was k-nn (k=5), followed by k-nn (k=3), and the random forest method. The GNN method, again, was the least accurate. The accuracy of MSN, the current imputation method used by the Malheur Nation Forest, and k-nn (k=5), the most accurate imputation method from the second chapter, were then compared over 6 spatial scales: 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, and 50,000 acres. The root mean square difference (RMSD) and bias were calculated for each of the spatial scale samples to determine which was more accurate. MSN was found to be more accurate at the 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, and 40,000 acre scales. K-nn (k=5) was determined to be more accurate at the 50,000 acre scale. / Graduation date: 2013

This thesis is an effort to provide the US Forest Service with a tool to effectively and efficiently protect and manage the cultural resource heritage of the Kisatchie National Forest. The development and subsequent evaluation of modeling efforts are vital to the archaeology of the region. There are two goals of this modeling project: to evaluate the active US Forest Service Predictive Model and secondly, if warranted, which it was, to improve upon previous models in the region. To do so 23 environmental variables were analyzed, many of which are inter-related, to develop a new set of probability zones while considering temporal and geographic variability in the Forest. The variables of distance to frequently flooded soils and distance to permanent streams proved the most significant and each play a prominent role in the creation of the proposed 2011 Kisatchie National Forest Model. The proposed model constructed within exhibits ideal gain values for each probability zone while accounting for the geographic and temporal variability present within the Kisatchie National Forest. The recommendation of this thesis is for the implementation of the proposed 2011 Kisatchie National Forest model in favor of both the 1995 Fort Polk Predictive Model and the 2010 Fort Polk Predictive Model for the Kisatchie National Forest and its surrounding region.

The purpose of this study has been an investigation of citizen participation in USDA Forest Service land management planning for the Coronado National Forest (CNF) in southeastern Arizona. Using an interdisciplinary approach, this research combined concepts from the fields of sociology, political science, natural resource planning and management to develop methods for obtaining citizen input, promoting ethnic minority participation, and following Forest Service use of public comment in the planning process. Data from existing questionnaires and a short questionnaire developed specifically for planning forums were used to investigate forms of participation, determine which publics participate and ascertain levels of interest in natural resource planning. Participation on the CNF core planning team provided observations on use of the publics' input. Despite a 20 percent Mexican-American population surrounding the CNF, there was essentially no ethnic minority participation in planning forums designed to gather public issues. Data support the thesis that minorities did not participate because they did not generally think that natural resource questions were important and did not support land planning. Ethnic minorities will come to meetings when they are directly affected, despite a low sense of efficacy. Ethnic minorities had equal access to information about planning forums; however, very few were on the mailing list because they did not respond to a letter inviting them to be on the CNF mailing and generally did not answer requests for public comment. The Forest Service used the public comments received as the basis for writing issue statements which set the parameters for integrating land and resource planning. Results were reported back to the public for review and issue statements were subsequently revised as a result of citizen and other agency comment. Citizen participation is one way to overcome skepticism of the Forest Service resource management performed in the name of the public interest. Different syles of decision-making imply different roles for citizen participation. Elections are decided by voting and legislative votes are influenced by lobbying. In a bureaucracy, incremental decision-making suggests citizen participation in order to map the political terrain, satisficing encourages interest group negotiation, and the synoptic approach wants facts from the publics. To count votes when decisions are being made to satisfice adds irrelevant data that frustrates both decision-maker and public. Comprehensive and useful public comment can be obtained from a structured process that is appropriate to the decision-making style the agency is using. Citizen views are part of the decision, but so also are economics, legal requirements, and resource constraints. Only in elections do a majority of citizens who vote, win. Bureaucratic decisions are not so neat in terms of popular will. But that is inherent in a government run by three branches, the legislative, executive, and judicial, in a complex society.

In 1996 and 1997, I studied the nest site selection of the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) in the George Washington National Forest, southwestern Virginia. Data were collected from nine 30 ha plots. I compared the habitat features of nest sites with two types of nonnest sites (nonuse and systematically random). Habitat features were measured at 3 spatial scales: nest tree, nest tree area (0.0049 ha centered on the nest), and nest stand (forest stand surrounding the nest). Yellow-billed cuckoo nests were oriented in a nonrandom direction (mean angle = 114°, r = 0.43, P = 0.05) with respect to the bole and were concealed more from above than from below (n = 14, M = 5, p = 0.01) or from the side (n = 14, M = 4, p = 0.04). Slope aspect was nonrandom at yellow-billed cuckoo nest sites (mean angle = 143°, r = 0.52, P < 0.05). Small stem density in the nest tree area was greater (P = 0.029) at nest sites than nonuse sites but species composition was similar. The density of grape (Vitus spp.) and dogwood (Cornus spp.) snags was greater at nest sites than random sites (P < 0.001). Total basal area at yellow-billed cuckoo nest stands was lower than nonuse or random sites with (P = 0.033, and 0.016, respectively) or without (P = 0.014, and 0.004, respectively) snags. Nest sites also occurred in areas with less (P = 0.008) canopy cover but more (P = 0.038) ground cover than random sites. Yellow-billed cuckoos appeared to select nest sites based on the structure and composition of the understory vegetation. Periodic disturbance that promotes the growth of shade intolerant species, but maintains the general structure of the stand may be beneficial for this species that appears to select disturbed areas in mature forests. / Department of Biology

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 1990. / Typescript (photocopy). Presented to the Department of Geological Sciences and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-164).

Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-42). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Submitted by Maria Medeiros (maria.dilva1@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-07-17T11:51:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JOÃO ALVINO SAMPAIO DA SILVA - DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMET) 2013.pdf: 8549821 bytes, checksum: 8d11d13bc0cf49c7310914618d846291 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-17T11:51:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JOÃO ALVINO SAMPAIO DA SILVA - DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGMET) 2013.pdf: 8549821 bytes, checksum: 8d11d13bc0cf49c7310914618d846291 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-31 / O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar e avaliar o comportamento anual do acúmulo de biomassa vegetal na Chapada do Araripe, a partir de dados do satélite Landsat 5-TM, com a combinação dos algoritmos SEBAL e CASA. Para a realização deste estudo foram obtidas 6 imagens, na órbita 217/ponto 65, nas datas de 30/07/2006, 18/08/2007, 21/09/2008, 24/09/2009, 13/10/2010, 29/08/2011 a que correspondem aos DJ de 211, 230, 264, 267, 286, 241, respectivamente. Avaliando a biomassa vegetal acumulada (Bio_Acum), obteve-se valores médios para a área de estudo iguais a 453,07 kg m-2, 486,50 kg m-2, 457,23 kg m-2, 571,82 kg m-2, 178,16 kg m-2 e 279,09 kg m-2, respectivamente para as referidas datas. Os elevados valores para a Bio_Acum na Chapada do Araripe, se deve ao fato de que a área com cobertura de árvores é responsável por aproximadamente 70% da biomassa estimada, onde o índice de vegetação por diferença normalizada (NDVI) é superior a 0,65. / The objective of this study was to determine and evaluate the annual performance of the accumulation of plant biomass in the Araripe, data from Landsat-5 TM, with the combination of algorithms SEBAL and CASA. For this study 6 images were obtained, in orbit 217/65 point, on the dates of 30/07/2006, 18/08/2007, 21/09/2008, 24/09/2009, 13/10/2010, 29/08/2011 corresponding to the DJ 211, 230, 264, 267, 286, 241, respectively. Evaluating plant biomass accumulated (Bio_Acum) gave average values for the area equal to 453.07 kg m-2 486.50 kg m-2 study, 457.23 kg m-2 571.82 kg m-2, 178.16 kg m-2 and 279.09 kg m-2, respectively, for these dates. The high values for the Bio_Acum Araripe, is due to the fact that the coverage area of trees is responsible for approximately 70% of the estimated biomass, where the vegetation index (NDVI) is greater than 0.65.

As the demand for freshwater resources increases due to increasing human populations, degradation of available resources, and climatic changes it will become increasingly important to understand the factors that impact the physicochemical characteristics of surface water resources over space and time. This study assessed a headwater stream over the course of a year in the San Bernardino National Forest that serves as both surface and groundwater resources for the Santa Ana River Watershed region, the largest and most populated watershed in Southern California. Streams were monitored bi-weekly during dry periods and weekly during wet periods from April 2018 through April 2019 for dissolved oxygen (DO), flow rate, temperature, conductivity, turbidity, pH, nitrate (NO3-), and ammonium (NH4+) with additional lab assessments for total dissolved solids (TDS), E. Coli (EC), and total coliform (TC). Findings illustrated that across the study sites NO3-, NH4+, and TDS exceeded federal and regional water quality standards for a majority of the sampling events (>60 percent). Additionally, NO3-, DO, and flow rates were elevated in the wet season, while conductivity, NH4+, TDS, pH, TC, and EC were elevated during the dry season.

As the effects of climate change worsen, the role and importance of forests in climate mitigation strategies seem to be growing. However, key actors have different views of how the forests should be used in order to curb the consequences of climate change. The future use of forest will therefore depend on these actors’ ability to realize their visions in the political arena. This thesis sets out to investigate how and to what extent a certain type of actor, in this case interest groups, influences forest policy. This is accomplished through a qualitative content analysis of the process toward Sweden’s first national forest program, using preference attainment as the theoretical approach to measure the influence of each interest group. The main finding is that interest groups representing economic values had a larger amount of influence on the policy-making process than interest groups representing environmental values. The study’s primary contribution to the interest group research field is hence empirical.

This study involved a dendrochronological examination of oak (Qeurcus.sp) and Scots pine (Pinus.sylvestris) in the nationalpark Blå Jungfrun, by measuring annual ringwidth data from tree-cores from the island, data from the national forest inventory and climatedata from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI). Using the analysis program Windendro an annual ringwidth analysis was performed. Trends that occured were that pine respondend more to precipitation than temperature and that oak respondend more to temperature. Ringwidth were higher for Scots pine than oak and for both species lower than on the mainland.