[ESSP] Fri Lunch

[Fred Wirth]

Last ESSP meet of the year, this Friday, May 4th at Noon CSC333
Lunch Provided - Pizza again.

Sustainability of North American Forests through Disturbance Ecology
Dr. James H. Speer

Abstract
Dendrochronology provides long-term information on the natural range of 
variability of forest disturbances, enabling forest managers to understand 
the natural processes that are operating in their managed lands.  Through 
tree-ring research we now understand that ponderosa pine forests would have 
a low intensity surface fire every 3-10 years.  Giant Sequoia forests need 
fire every 10 years for seedling to be able to establish in a clear 
understory.  Lodgepole pine forests senesce at 150 years of age and need 
catastrophic fires to open their serotinous cones so that the next 
generation of pine trees can establish.  Similarly, insects are an integral 
part to the functioning of many natural systems.  They play important roles 
in nutrient cycling and process regulation.  Dendrochronology provides a 
long-term record of these disturbance events enabling humans to manage 
natural lands in harmony with nature's processes.  In this talk, I will 
give examples of disturbance reconstructions of fires and insect outbreaks 
and describe what we have learned from studying these natural systems.

Hope to see you there

Fred
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