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Coughenour, Michael B

The resilience of willow (Salix monticola Bebb, Salix geyeriana Anderss., Salix planifolia Pursh) stems released from intense elk (Cervus elaphus) browsing in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, was quantified in 1998 with a retrospective study that compared biomass, number, and length of segments on willow stems located inside (protected) and outside (browsed) elk exclosures. Segment biomass increased each year after protection by about 3?12 g year?1 on browsed stems and 10?27 g year?1 on protected stems. The number of segments on stems was similar for browsed and protected stems in the first 2 years after exclusion but differed in the next 3 years, when they increased exponentially on protected stems. Nearly...
Studies to identify gaps in the protection of habitat for species of concern have been inconclusive and ham- pered by single-scale or poor multi-scale sampling methods, large minimum mapping units (MMU?s of 2 ha to 100 ha), limited and subjectively selected field observations, and poor mathematical and ecological models. We overcome these obstacles with improved multi-scale sampling techniques, smaller MMU?s (< 0.02 ha), an unbiased sampling design based on double sampling, improved mathematical models including species-area curves corrected for habitat heterogeneity, and geographic information system-based ecological models. We apply this landscape analysis approach to address resource issues in Rocky Mountain...
We determined changes in willow (Salixspp.) cover in two valleys of the eastern slope of Rocky Mountain National Park,Colorado, USA, and related these changes to suspected causative factors. Changes in vegetation were inferred from digital maps generated from aerial photo-interpretation and field surveys conducted with a global positioning system. The decrease in riparian shrub cover was approximately 20% in both valleys over the period between 1937/46 and 1996, while the decline in tall willow (> 2 m tall) cover was estimated to be approximately 55%in both valleys. Suppressed willows (< 1.5 m tall) were predominantly located in areas affected by flooding and in areas where major river reductions were observed....
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