RAPID: Pre-disturbance surveys of wood loads in headwater streams of the Colorado Front Range

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。木材在山区水源水流动力学调节中起着至关重要的作用。松甲虫目前正在穿越科罗拉多落基山脉的森林，威胁着这些溪流环境中木材的数量和分布。甲虫侵扰和树木死亡的速度使得在相对未受影响的源头溪流中快速记录干扰前的情况势在必行，尤其是因为这些溪流的恢复时间可能至少需要一个世纪。大量枯死树木的存在最初会增加对邻近河道的木材负荷，但森林再生缓慢造成的滞后最终会导致木材负荷的大幅减少。在甲虫大范围死亡之前，现在就建立木材负荷的基线清单，以便分析森林变化对河流流量和地貌的影响。这项研究将集中于对科罗拉多前山脉未受干扰的源头溪流沿线现有木材负荷的广泛调查。其他目标是将观察到的木材负荷变化与地貌和生态变量联系起来，并制定在甲虫杀死的树木采伐木材后恢复溪流时使用木材的准则。由于木材在调节水源溪流环境中如此重要，采伐木材后的溪流恢复可能包括人工将木材重新引入河道。该项目将在2009年夏季对一系列未受干扰的水源渠道的现有木材负荷进行广泛调查，从而提供最佳恢复策略所需的信息。主要目的是记录沿着未受干扰的科罗拉多前山脉源头溪流的木材负荷。其他目标是将观察到的木材负荷变化与地貌和生态变量联系起来，并制定在恢复溪流中使用木材的准则。该项目将沿着20条河流进行基本的木材调查，每条河流的长度为10公里。该项目的重要意义包括：开发了第一个关于半干旱落基山脉未受干扰的水源溪流中木材负荷空间变化的广泛区域数据库；学生教育；制定管理和恢复溪流木材的准则；向公众宣传杀死甲虫和砍伐木材对水源的影响。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Wood plays a critical goal in regulating the flow dynamics of headwater streams in mountain areas. The pine beetle is currently making its way across the forests of the Colorado Rocky Mountains and threatens to change the amount and distribution of wood in these stream environments. The speed of beetle infestation and tree die-off makes it imperative to quickly document pre-disturbance conditions in relatively unaffected headwater streams, not least because the recovery times of these streams are likely to be at least a century. The presence of numerous standing dead trees will initially increase wood load to adjacent stream channels, but the lag created by slow forest regrowth will eventually result in substantial decreases in wood load. Creation of baseline inventories of wood loads now, prior to widespread beetle die-off enable an analysis of the effects of forest changes on stream flow and geomorphology. This research will focus on a widespread survey of existing wood loads along undisturbed headwater streams of the Colorado Front Range. Additional objectives are to relate observed variations in wood load to geomorphic and ecological variables and to develop guidelines for use of wood in restoration of streams following timber harvest of beetle-killed trees. Since wood is so important in regulating the environment of headwater streams, stream restoration following timber harvest is likely to include artificial reintroduction of wood to channels. This project will provide needed information about optimal restoration strategies by carrying out a widespread survey of existing wood loads in a range of undisturbed headwater channels during summer 2009. The primary objective is to document wood loads along undisturbed headwater streams of the Colorado Front Range. Additional objectives are to relate observed variations in wood load to geomorphic and ecological variables and to develop guidelines for use of wood in restoration of streams. The project will conduct basic wood surveys along 20 stream reaches, each of which is 10 km in length. The significance of this project includes: development of the first extensive regional database for the semarid Rocky Mountains on spatial variations in wood load within undisturbed headwater streams; education of students; development of guidelines for management and restoration of instream wood; and outreach to the public regarding the effects of beetle kill and timber harvest on headwater streams.