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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1997

W Photoprotection in Tropical Marine Organisms

Increasing levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the earth's surface which results from stratospheric ozone depletions could have serious implications for terrestrial plants and for aquatic organisms within the euphotic zone. A documented 9% decline in ozone at mid-latitudes is considered to produce a 12% increase in harmful UV radiation. The biologically damaging effects of higher UV levels, particularly W-B (280-320 rim), could manifest earlier in the tropics because of the relative thinness of the earth's equatorial ozone layer. Tropical marine organisms are also living close to their upper tolerance levels of water temperature, However, despite the large potential effects on plants and animals, little is known about UV effects on tropical ecosystems. Long-term ecological studies are needed to quantify the effects of increased UV radiation on terrestrial and marine ecosystems and to produce reliable data for prediction. Plants have developed several mechanisms to protect themselves from harmful UV radiation, one of which is the production of secondary leaf pigments that absorb W-B radiation (screening pigments). A higher concentration of screening pigments (e.g. flavonoids) in leaves may be interpreted as a natural response to increased W radiation. If higher concentrations of flavonoids filter out the excessive W radiation, no damage will occur, as suggested by Caldwell et al. (1989) and Tevini (1993). Failure to screen all W-B may result in deleterious effects on photosynthesis, plant genetic material, and plant and leaf morphology and growth. Eventually this will have an impact on ecosystem processes, structure, species composition, and productivity. This paper describes an ongoing project that is assessing the responses of mangroves, seagrasses and corals to W radiation by studying pigment concentrations, biophysical parameters, and variations in spectral reflectance in the field and in W-reduction experiments. Preliminary results on the distribution of W-absorbing flavonoid compounds in red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and the seagrass Thalassia testudinum, are presented. This research also provides, for the first time, a permanent record of daily W irradiance measurements at a tropical -location.

Armstrong, Roy A.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Hydrogen Fluxes from Photosynthetic Communities: Implications for Early Earth Biogeochemistry

More than half the history of life on Earth was dominated by photosynthetic microbial mats, which must have represented the preeminent biological influence on global geochemical cycling during that time. In modem analogs of then ancient communities, hypersaline microbial mats from Guerrero Negro, Mexico, we have observed a large flux of molecular hydrogen originating in the cyanobacteria-dominated surface layers. Hydrogen production follows a distinct diel pattern and is sensitive to both oxygen tension and microbial species composition within the mat. On an early Earth dominated by microbial mats, the observed H2 fluxes would scale to global levels far in excess of geothermal emissions. A hydrogen flux of this magnitude represents a profound transmission of reducing power from oxygenic photosynthesis, both to the anaerobic biosphere, where H2 is an almost universally-utilized substrate and regulator of microbial redox chemistry, and to the atmosphere, where subsequent escape to space could provide an important mechanism for the net oxidation of Earth's surface.

Hoehler, Tori M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Quantitative Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry as a Temperature Diagnostic for Spherical Flames

Numerical analysis and experimental results are presented to define a method for quantitatively measuring the temperature distribution of a spherical diffusion flame using Rainbow Schlieren Deflectometry in microgravity. First, a numerical analysis is completed to show the method can suitably determine temperature in the presence of spatially varying species composition. Also, a numerical forward-backward inversion calculation is presented to illustrate the types of calculations and deflections to be encountered. Lastly, a normal gravity demonstration of temperature measurement in an axisymmetric laminar, diffusion flame using Rainbow Schlieren deflectometry is presented. The method employed in this paper illustrates the necessary steps for the preliminary design of a Schlieren system. The largest deflections for the normal gravity flame considered in this paper are 7.4 x 10(-4) radians which can be accurately measured with 2 meter focal length collimating and decollimating optics. The experimental uncertainty of deflection is less than 5 x 10(-5) radians.

Feikema, Douglas A.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Simulation Studies of the Effect of Forest Spatial Structure on InSAR Signature

The height of scattering phase retrieved from InSAR data is considered being correlated with the tree height and the spatial structure of the forest stand. Though some researchers have used simple backscattering models to estimate tree height from the height of scattering center, the effect of forest spatial structure on InSAR data is not well understood yet. A three-dimensional coherent radar backscattering model for forest canopies based on realistic three-dimensional scene was used to investigate the effect in this paper. The realistic spatial structure of forest canopies was established either by field measurements (stem map) or through use of forest growth model. Field measurements or a forest growth model parameterized using local environmental parameters provides information of forest species composition and tree sizes in certain growth phases. A fractal tree model (L-system) was used to simulate individual 3- D tree structure of different ages or heights. Trees were positioned in a stand in certain patterns resulting in a 3-D medium of discrete scatterers. The radar coherent backscatter model took the 3-D forest scene as input and simulates the coherent radar backscattering signature. Interferometric SAR images of 3D scenes were simulated and heights of scattering phase centers were estimated from the simulated InSAR data. The effects of tree height, crown cover, crown depth, and the spatial distribution patterns of trees on the scattering phase center were analyzed. The results will be presented in the paper.

Sun, Guoqing↗
NASA NTRS2011

Mapping Canopy Damage from Understory Fires in Amazon Forests Using Annual Time Series of Landsat and MODIS Data

Understory fires in Amazon forests alter forest structure, species composition, and the likelihood of future disturbance. The annual extent of fire-damaged forest in Amazonia remains uncertain due to difficulties in separating burning from other types of forest damage in satellite data. We developed a new approach, the Burn Damage and Recovery (BDR) algorithm, to identify fire-related canopy damages using spatial and spectral information from multi-year time series of satellite data. The BDR approach identifies understory fires in intact and logged Amazon forests based on the reduction and recovery of live canopy cover in the years following fire damages and the size and shape of individual understory burn scars. The BDR algorithm was applied to time series of Landsat (1997-2004) and MODIS (2000-2005) data covering one Landsat scene (path/row 226/068) in southern Amazonia and the results were compared to field observations, image-derived burn scars, and independent data on selective logging and deforestation. Landsat resolution was essential for detection of burn scars less than 50 ha, yet these small burns contributed only 12% of all burned forest detected during 1997-2002. MODIS data were suitable for mapping medium (50-500 ha) and large (greater than 500 ha) burn scars that accounted for the majority of all fire-damaged forest in this study. Therefore, moderate resolution satellite data may be suitable to provide estimates of the extent of fire-damaged Amazon forest at a regional scale. In the study region, Landsat-based understory fire damages in 1999 (1508 square kilometers) were an order of magnitude higher than during the 1997-1998 El Nino event (124 square kilometers and 39 square kilometers, respectively), suggesting a different link between climate and understory fires than previously reported for other Amazon regions. The results in this study illustrate the potential to address critical questions concerning climate and fire risk in Amazon forests by applying the BDR algorithm over larger areas and longer image time series.

Morton, Douglas C.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Frame-Transfer Gating Raman Spectroscopy for Time-Resolved Multiscalar Combustion Diagnostics

Accurate experimental measurement of spatially and temporally resolved variations in chemical composition (species concentrations) and temperature in turbulent flames is vital for characterizing the complex phenomena occurring in most practical combustion systems. These diagnostic measurements are called multiscalar because they are capable of acquiring multiple scalar quantities simultaneously. Multiscalar diagnostics also play a critical role in the area of computational code validation. In order to improve the design of combustion devices, computational codes for modeling turbulent combustion are often used to speed up and optimize the development process. The experimental validation of these codes is a critical step in accepting their predictions for engine performance in the absence of cost-prohibitive testing. One of the most critical aspects of setting up a time-resolved stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) diagnostic system is the temporal optical gating scheme. A short optical gate is necessary in order for weak SRS signals to be detected with a good signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) in the presence of strong background optical emissions. This time-synchronized optical gating is a classical problem even to other spectroscopic techniques such as laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) or laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Traditionally, experimenters have had basically two options for gating: (1) an electronic means of gating using an image intensifier before the charge-coupled-device (CCD), or (2) a mechanical optical shutter (a rotary chopper/mechanical shutter combination). A new diagnostic technology has been developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center that utilizes a frame-transfer CCD sensor, in conjunction with a pulsed laser and multiplex optical fiber collection, to realize time-resolved Raman spectroscopy of turbulent flames that is free from optical background noise (interference). The technology permits not only shorter temporal optical gating (down to <1 s, in principle), but also higher optical throughput, thus resulting in a substantial increase in measurement SNR.

Nguyen, Quang-Viet↗
NASA NTRS2012

Arctic Tundra Vegetation Functional Types Based on Photosynthetic Physiology and Optical Properties

Climate change in tundra regions may alter vegetation species composition and ecosystem carbon balance. Remote sensing provides critical tools for monitoring these changes as optical signals provide a way to scale from plot measurements to regional patterns. Gas exchange measurements of pure patches of key vegetation functional types (lichens, mosses, and vascular plants) in sedge tundra at Barrow AK, show three significantly different values of light use efficiency (LUE) with values of 0.013+/-0.001, 0.0018+/-0.0002, and 0.0012 0.0001 mol C/mol absorbed quanta for vascular plants, mosses and lichens, respectively. Further, discriminant analysis of patch reflectance identifies five spectral bands that can separate each vegetation functional type as well as nongreen material (bare soil, standing water, and dead leaves). These results were tested along a 100 m transect where midsummer spectral reflectance and vegetation coverage were measured at one meter intervals. Area-averaged canopy LUE estimated from coverage fractions of the three functional types varied widely, even over short distances. Patch-level statistical discriminant functions applied to in situ hyperspectral reflectance successfully unmixed cover fractions of the vegetation functional types. These functions, developed from the tram data, were applied to 30 m spatial resolution Earth Observing-1 Hyperion imaging spectrometer data to examine regional variability in distribution of the vegetation functional types and from those distributions, the variability of LUE. Across the landscape, there was a fivefold variation in tundra LUE that was correlated to a spectral vegetation index developed to detect vegetation chlorophyll content.

Huemmrich, Karl F.↗
NASA NTRS2012

G-LiHT: Goddard's LiDAR, Hyperspectral and Thermal Airborne Imager

Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have developed an ultra-portable, low-cost, multi-sensor remote sensing system for studying the form and function of terrestrial ecosystems. G-LiHT integrates two LIDARs, a 905 nanometer single beam profiler and 1550 nm scanner, with a narrowband (1.5 nanometers) VNIR imaging spectrometer and a broadband (8-14 micrometers) thermal imager. The small footprint (approximately 12 centimeters) LIDAR data and approximately 1 meter ground resolution imagery are advantageous for high resolution applications such as the delineation of canopy crowns, characterization of canopy gaps, and the identification of sparse, low-stature vegetation, which is difficult to detect from space-based instruments and large-footprint LiDAR. The hyperspectral and thermal imagery can be used to characterize species composition, variations in biophysical variables (e.g., photosynthetic pigments), surface temperature, and responses to environmental stressors (e.g., heat, moisture loss). Additionally, the combination of LIDAR optical, and thermal data from G-LiHT is being used to assess forest health by sensing differences in foliage density, photosynthetic pigments, and transpiration. Low operating costs (approximately $1 ha) have allowed us to evaluate seasonal differences in LiDAR, passive optical and thermal data, which provides insight into year-round observations from space. Canopy characteristics and tree allometry (e.g., crown height:width, canopy:ground reflectance) derived from G-LiHT data are being used to generate realistic scenes for radiative transfer models, which in turn are being used to improve instrument design and ensure continuity between LiDAR instruments. G-LiHT has been installed and tested in aircraft with fuselage viewports and in a custom wing-mounted pod that allows G-LiHT to be flown on any Cessna 206, a common aircraft in use throughout the world. G-LiHT is currently being used for forest biomass and growth estimation in the CONUS and Mexico in support of NASA's Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) and AMIGA-Carb (AMerican Icesat Glas Assessment of Carbon). For NASA's CMS, wall-to-wall G-LiHT data have been acquired over intensive study sites with historic LiDAR datasets, dense inventory data, stem maps and flux tower observations. For AMIGA-Carb, G-LiHT transects have been acquired over ICESat tracks and USDA-FS inventory plots throughout the CONUS, and similar data will be acquired in Mexico during 2013. This talk will highlight recent science results from continental-scale transects landscape-scale deployments of G-LiHT, as well as seasonal forest dynamics from repeat pass G-LiHT acquisitions.

Cook, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS2017

Patterns of Canopy and Surface Layer Consumption in a Boreal Forest Fire from Repeat Airborne Lidar

Fire in the boreal region is the dominant agent of forest disturbance with direct impacts on ecosystem structure, carbon cycling, and global climate. Global and biome-scale impacts are mediated by burn severity, measured as loss of forest canopy and consumption of the soil organic layer. To date, knowledge of the spatial variability in burn severity has been limited by sparse field sampling and moderate resolution satellite data. Here, we used pre- and post-fire airborne lidar data to directly estimate changes in canopy vertical structure and surface elevation for a 2005 boreal forest fire on Alaskas Kenai Peninsula. We found that both canopy and surface losses were strongly linked to pre-fire species composition and exhibited important fine-scale spatial variability at sub-30m resolution. The fractional reduction in canopy volume ranged from 0.61 in lowland black spruce stands to 0.27 in mixed white spruce and broad leaf forest. Residual structure largely reflects standing dead trees, highlighting the influence of pre-fire forest structure on delayed carbon losses from above ground biomass, post-fire albedo, and variability in understory light environments. Median loss of surface elevation was highest in lowland black spruce stands (0.18 m) but much lower in mixed stands (0.02 m), consistent with differences in pre-fire organic layer accumulation. Spatially continuous depth-of-burn estimates from repeat lidar measurements provide novel information to constrain carbon emissions from the surface organic layer and may inform related research on post-fire successional trajectories. Spectral measures of burn severity from Landsat were correlated with canopy (r = 0.76) and surface (r = -0.71) removal in black spruce stands but captured less of the spatial variability in fire effects for mixed stands (canopy r = 0.56, surface r = -0.26), underscoring the difficulty in capturing fire effects in heterogeneous boreal forest landscapes using proxy measures of burn severity from Landsat.

Alonzo, Michael↗
NASA NTRS2019

Anthropogenic Nitrogen Inputs and Impacts on Oceanic N2O Fluxes in the Northern Indian Ocean: the Need for an Integrated Observation and Modelling Approach

Anthropogenically-derived nitrogen input to the northern Indian Ocean has increased significantly in recent decades, based on both observational and model derived estimates This external nutrient source is supplied by atmospheric deposition and riverine fluxes, and has the potential to affect the vulnerable biogeochemical systems of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, influencing productivity and oceanic production of the greenhouse-gas nitrous-oxide (N2O). We summarize current estimates of this external nitrogen source to the northern Indian Ocean from observations and models, highlight implications for regional marine N2O emissions using model-based analyses, and make recommendations for measurement and model needs to improve current estimates and future predictions of this impact. Current observationally-derived estimates of deposition and riverine nitrogen inputs are limited by sparse measurements and uncertainties on accurate characterization of nitrogen species composition. Ocean model assessments of the impact of external nitrogen sources on regional marine N2O production in the northern Indian Ocean estimate potentially significant changes but also have large associated uncertainties. We recommend an integrated program of basin-wide measurements combined with high-resolution modeling and more detailed characterization of nitrogen-cycle process to address these uncertainties and improve current estimates and predictions.

Parvadha Suntharalingam↗
NASA NTRS2019

Progress and Challenges in Quantifying Wildfire Smoke Emissions, Their Properties, Transport, and Atmospheric Impacts

Wildfire is a natural and integral ecosystem process that is necessary to maintain species composition, structure, and ecosystem function. Extreme fires have been increasing over the last decades, which have a substantial impact on air quality, human health, the environment, and climate systems. Smoke aerosols can be transported over large distances, acting as pollutants that affect adjacent and distant downwind communities and environments. Fire emissions are a complicated mixture of trace gases and aerosols, many of which are short‐lived and chemically reactive, and this mixture affects atmospheric composition in complex ways that are not completely understood. We present a review of the current state of knowledge of smoke aerosol emissions originating from wildfires. Satellite observations, from both passive and active instruments, are critical to providing the ability to view the large‐scale influence of fire, smoke, and their impacts. Progress in the development of fire emission estimates to regional and global chemical transport models has advanced, although significant challenges remain, such as connecting ecosystems and fuels burned with dependent atmospheric chemistry. Knowledge of the impact of smoke on radiation, clouds, and precipitation has progressed and is an essential topical research area. However, current measurements and parameterizations are not adequate to describe the impacts on clouds of smoke particles (e.g., CNN, INP) from fire emissions in the range of representative environmental conditions necessary to advance science or modeling. We conclude by providing recommendations to the community that we believe will advance the science and understanding of the impact of fire smoke emissions on human and environmental health, as well as feedback with climate system.

I N Sokolik↗
NASA NTRS2022

Woody Plant Decline in the Sahel of Western Niger (1996-2017): Is it Driven by Climate or Land Use Changes?

Although a recovery of woody vegetation has been observed throughout the Sahel, western Niger has not followed the overall satellite-derived greening trend. While satellite imagery can be used to study overall patterns and trends, only field observations can provide insights in the dynamics of woody plant populations. Here we used field data from 29 sites in the Dantiandou district in Niger to study woody species composition, plant density, crown cover, basal area, foliage and wood mass from 1996 to 2017. All sites show a decrease in woody plant parameters with a faster decrease in rangeland than in agricultural land. Most of the decrease is due to the loss of shrubs, while trees do not change significantly. When field observations were scaled up to the district level using land use maps, shrub density decreased from 342 to 155 ha-1in agricultural land, and from 1567 to 250 ha-1in rangeland. Trends in annual rainfall and soil moisture during the study period were not significant and cannot explain the decrease of woody vegetation. Instead, the expansion of cropped areas, shortened crop-fallow cycles and the increasing pressure on wood resources to satisfy demand for fuel and construction materials may have contributed to the decline.

Pierre Hiernaux↗
NASA NTRS2022

Quantifying Mangrove Canopy Regrowth and Recovery After Hurricane Irma With Large-Scale Repeat Airborne Lidar in the Florida Everglades

Hurricane Irma caused significant damages to mangrove forested wetlands in south Florida, including defoliation, tree snapping, and uprooting. Previous studies have used optical satellite imagery to estimate large-scale forest disturbance and resilience patterns. However, satellite images alone cannot provide measurements of vertical mangrove structure. In this study, we used dense point cloud data collected by NASA Goddard’s LiDAR, Hyperspectral, and Thermal (G-LiHT) airborne imager before (March 2017) and after (December 2017 and March 2020) Hurricane Irma to quantify the recovery, or lack thereof, of the three-dimensional (3D) mangrove forest structure. Recent resilience and vulnerability models developed from Landsat time series following the storm were used to group the lidar data into distinct disturbance-recovery classes. We then analyzed lidar-based forest canopy within each of the recovery classes to test a suite of forest structural characteristics. Our results indicate that 77.0 % of the survey area experienced canopy height loss three months after Hurricane Irma, whereby the majority of canopy height loss occurred in areas with the tallest mangrove forests (i.e., 15–25 m tall). Our analysis shows that the mangrove canopy height in South Florida increased by an average 0.26 m from December 2017 to March 2020, with most of the forest (84.7 % of the survey area) experiencing canopy height regrowth. However, only 38.1 % of the survey area has recovered to pre-storm canopy height. The distribution of canopy height was significantly altered by Hurricane Irma in the low and intermediate resilience classes, but were not significantly different 2.5 years later. Indeed, in areas of low resilience, little to no vertical change has occurred suggesting the absence of canopy regrowth and natural regeneration. Conversely, mangroves in high resilience class, which are dominated by shorter canopies (<5 m), were not heavily damaged by the storm and have maintained the same structural attributes as those before Hurricane Irma. Our findings highlight that hurricane disturbances significantly alter mangrove forest canopy structure, but recovery of vertical structure varies by resilience classes, species composition, and canopy height.

Lidar↗
NASA NTRS2023

Quantitative Gas Property Measurements By Filtered Rayleigh Scattering: A Review

Filtered Rayleigh scattering (FRS) is a laser-based diagnostic technique used to nonintrusively quantify various thermodynamic properties of a light-scattering gas. The backbone of FRS is the molecular filtering of Rayleigh scattered light. This concept was initially introduced by the atmospheric LIDAR community before being adopted within the aerospace research field in the early 1990s. Since then, FRS has matured into a versatile quantitative diagnostic tool and has found use in a variety of flow regimes ranging from sub- to supersonic speeds in both reacting and nonreacting environments. This adoption can be attributed to the wealth of information that can be obtained via FRS, including the gas density, pressure, temperature, velocity, species composition, or, in some cases, several of these properties at once. This article reviews the current state of FRS methodology in recovering such gas properties. As knowledge of the fundamentals of Rayleigh scattering and spectral light filtering is crucial to the design of an FRS experiment, we begin by briefly reviewing these areas. Subsequently, we conduct a survey of experimental design strategies, assumptions, and data reduction methods used to measure different gas properties using FRS. We conclude the review with a short discussion on quantification of experimental uncertainty and future trends in FRS.

filtered Rayleigh scattering↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

On-ground Live Fuel Moisture Content Sampling Along California’s Central Coast Santa Lucia Preserve - Carmel Valley, CA

The ratio of water to dry mass within live plants is an important factor when determining the severity and intensity of potential wildfires. Currently, live fuel moisture content (LFMC) samples support wildland fire management, but are limited in number and spatial extent. In Monterey County, the only LFMC data to analyze spatial and temporal trends is collected by CalFire and the Los Padres National Forest Unit of the United States Forest Service across five long-term sampling sites. Our project aims to enhance the spatial coverage of current LFMC data being collected across Monterey County. Here, we share results from the ongoing work to monitor LFMC across Carmel Valley, CA. We evaluate LFMC data by environmental factors such as slope, aspect, topography, and species composition. We also place our LFMC samples in relation to nearby long-term sampling locations. We conclude by interpreting spatial and temporal trends in the preliminary data and discuss logistical challenges of establishing more long-term LFMC sampling sites to better represent the complex topography and vegetation composition of Central California.

On-ground↗
NASA NTRS1973

Some environmental considerations relating to the interaction of the solid rocket motor exhaust with the atmosphere: Predicted chemical composition of exhaust species and predicted conditions for the formation of HCl aerosol

The exhaust products of a solid rocket motor using as propellant 14% binder, 16% aluminum, and 70% (wt) ammonium perchlorate consist of hydrogen chloride, water, alumina, and other compounds. The equilibrium and some frozen compositions of the chemical species upon interaction with the atmosphere were computed. The conditions under which hydrogen chloride interacts with the water vapor in humid air to form an aerosol containing hydrochloric acid were computed for various weight ratios of air/exhaust products. These computations were also performed for the case of a combined SRM and hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine. Regimes of temperature and relative humidity where this aerosol is expected were identified. Within these regimes, the concentration of HCL in the aerosol and weight fraction of aerosol to gas phase were plotted. Hydrochloric acid aerosol formation was found to be particularly likely in cool humid weather.

Rhein, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Ectomycorrhizal Community Structure and Soil Characteristics of Mature Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta) and Adjacent Stands of Old Growth Mixed Conifer in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming USA

Forest development patterns following disturbance are known to influence the physical and chemical attributes of soils at different points in time. Changes in soil resources are thought to have a corresponding effect on ectomycorrhizal (ECM) community structure. We used molecular methods to compare below-ground ECM species richness, composition, and abundance between adjacent stands of homogenous lodgepole pine and old growth mixed conifer in Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In each stand-type we collected soil cores to both identify mycorrhizae and assess soil chemistry. Although no statistical difference was observed in the mean number of ECM root tips per core between stand types, the total number of species identified (85 versus 35) and the mean number of species per core (8.8 +/- 0.6 versus 2.5 +/- 0.3) were significantly higher in lodgepole pine. Differences between the actual and estimated species richness levels indicated that these forest types support a high number of ECM species and that undersampling was severe. Species compositions were widely disparate between stands where only four species were shared out of a total of 116. Soil analysis also revealed that mixed conifer was significantly lower in pH, but higher in organic matter, potassium, phosphorus, and ammonium when compared to lodgepole pine stands. Species richness per core was correlated with these chemical data, however, analysis of covariance indicated that stand type was the only statistically significant factor in the observed difference in species richness. Our data suggest that ECM fungal richness increases as homogenous lodgepole pine stands grow and mature, but declines after Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir colonize. Despite difficulties linking species composition with soil chemistry, there are a variety of physical and chemical factors that could be influencing ECM community structure. Future field experiments are necessary to test some of the mechanisms potentially operating within this system.

Douglas, Robert B.↗