主要研究 今天

北红橡木(Quercus rubra)在东北地区具有重要的生态和经济价值, 作为重要的野生动物栖息地和该地区木材工业的重要组成部分. 红橡木因其强度而受到高度重视, 耐用性和美观性, 使它成为家具制造的首选材料, 地板及橱柜. It also offers an important food source – acorns – for many forest species; provides a home for birds, mammals and insects; helps photosynthesize and sequester carbon, even during periods of drought; and tolerates low-intensity ground fires among numerous other ecological benefits. 然而, 森林管理者很早就认识到再生这个物种的困难-种植幼苗和树苗以取代采伐的树木-在新英格兰，它在六个州都有发现.

“这个地区以种植一些你能找到的最高质量的红橡树而闻名...它在美国和国际市场上的价格都很高.安迪·法斯特，森林工业国家专家/ 主要研究合作推广的推广教授

由 马修Vadeboncoeur他是一位研究科学家 联合国大学地球系统研究中心 在 地球、海洋和空间研究所, is investigating how prescribed fire could be used improve red oak regeneration and expand its range northward.

The use of prescribed fire as a 森林管理 tool for regenerating desirable timber species is more common in parts of the country where prescribed fires are also used to prevent catastrophic wildfires. 在新英格兰, 它的使用更少了, 主要侧重于保护稀有物种，而不是管理生产木材的林地. 但是把规定的火作为保护工具的做法 它可以追溯到几个世纪以前，被土著居民普遍使用.

“There’s some skepticism among New England's forest managers whether the long-term timber benefits of prescribed burns are worth the short-term cost or inherent risk,Vadeboncoeur补充道, 同时也是主要研究的研究科学家 生命科学与农业学院. “So this study is aimed at measuring the benefits in terms of improving the health and diversity of tree seedlings and share that information out, 通过主要研究 Extension, 促进接受和实施以消防为本的管理策略.”

根据 安迪快他是森林工业专家 联合国卫生组织合作推广, 新罕布什尔州每年收获超过2000万英尺的红橡木板, 红橡木在国内和国际市场上都是需求量很大的木材.

“这个地区以种植一些你能找到的最高质量的红橡树而闻名,” said Fast. 而且，无论是在美国还是在国际市场上，它的价格都很高.”

Vadeboncoeur和 同庆吨, 联合国大学自然资源与环境专业硕士生, 领导这项研究, 和其他调查人员一起, 海蒂Asbjornsen他是联合国大学自然资源与环境系的教授，也是联合国环境规划署的科学家 新罕布什尔州农业实验站; and 娜塔莉Cleavitt他是康奈尔大学的高级研究员. The team has adopted a multifaceted approach to examining northern red oak regeneration that includes monitoring the establishment of oak seedlings and their growth in recent (2017-2021) prescribed burns in the White Mountain National Forest. The team is also using potted seedlings to isolate and study the effects of oak regeneration under controlled conditions, and they’re analyzing tree rings from oaks in forests that have a history of wildfire to determine how many mature trees germinated following the fire event.

到目前为止, they’ve found about three times as many oak seedlings growing in stands that were both thinned and burned, 相对于那些只会变薄的看台. They’ve learned th在 root collars (the area where the trunk and roots meet) are significantly greater for seedlings in burn stands, 意思是火灾后树木长得更好更茂盛. And they’re discovering how both timing and burn intensity of fire can play a key role in oak regeneration.

烧伤后, 其他物种对光线和养分的竞争可能会减少, 让更多的红橡树得以再生,瓦德本科解释说. “然而, we’ve also seen th在 acorns grown in pots in burned soil outperformed those planted in unburned soil, 这表明土壤中可能有其他过程在起作用.”

In examining the site of a wildfire (which often burns hotter and more intense than a prescribed fire) from 2022, 科学家们在地上发现了许多烧焦的橡子, 但很少有幼苗, 导致其他物种在再生方面领先一步. 当一场大火在一年中地面上红橡树橡子充足的时候燃烧时, 在橡子下一次丰收之前，橡树几乎没有机会再生, 每2-3年发生一次, 据研究人员称. 即使橡子发芽了, the resulting seedlings need to become large enough to fully take advantage of the species’ fire tolerance to fully compete with less resilient but faster-growing species. 

“Forest managers may want to keep that in mind while carrying out their silvicultural practices to avoid doing more harm than good,汤姆说。. “有时候，等待合适的时机比不断改变环境要好.” 

The practical applications of this study—being able to use prescribed fire to facilitate the expansion of a species’ range—are also underpinned by the need for plant species to expand or move their ranges as our climate changes. 对于某些物种, 比如树, their ability to move their ranges more toward ideal climate conditions may not be quick enough on their own.

随着气候变化, 森林的功能多样性, 包括耐热性, 干旱和野火, 会比以往更重要吗,”他说. “So we’re studying the processes that could make prescribed fire a useful tool to manage for a more climate-prepared Northern Forest.”

另外, this project will engage community scientists and forest managers through educational fieldwork and demonstrations on prescribed fire. 这次外联活动将由 联合国推广中心的林业专家.

与新罕布什尔州的森林管理者合作, 法斯特说，他经常听说再生橡木面临的挑战. 他还指出，规定的火灾往往难以大规模实施. 然而, 在他与森林管理者的谈话中, 他知道他们“渴望有效的工具”来解决这个问题.

“如果科学支持使用更多的火, 我们可以提供具有成本效益的途径来实施它, 我认为新罕布什尔的森林管理者会尝试使用更多的火来管理他们的土地,他补充道.

As northern red oak continues to be a cornerstone of the Northeast's forest ecosystems and timber industry, this research offers critical insights into sustainable 森林管理 practices that support both economic and ecological objectives. The findings will help ensure the resilience of forest landscapes in the face of changing climatic conditions and help secure economic benefits derived from the timber industry, 它是美国经济的重要贡献者.S. GDP和当地就业.

本材料是基于由美国农业部的美国食品和药物管理局支持的工作.S. 林务局通过 东北州研究合作项目. 合作者包括美国.S. 林业局和康奈尔大学.