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。木材在调节山区源头河流的流动动力学方面发挥着关键作用。松树甲虫目前正在穿越科罗拉多落基山脉的森林，并威胁要改变这些河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必须迅速记录相对未受影响的源头河流的干扰前条件，尤其是因为这些河流的恢复时间可能至少是世纪。大量立枯树木的存在最初会增加邻近河道的木材负荷，但缓慢的森林再生所造成的滞后最终会导致木材负荷大幅减少。在甲虫普遍死亡之前，现在就建立木材负荷基线清单，可以分析森林变化对水流和地貌的影响。这项研究将集中在现有的木材负载沿着未受干扰的源头流的科罗拉多前线范围广泛的调查。其他目标是与观察到的变化，在木材负荷的地貌和生态变量，并制定准则，使用木材恢复流木材收获后，甲虫杀死的树木。由于木材是如此重要，在调节上游河流的环境，河流恢复木材采伐后，很可能包括人工重新引入木材的渠道。该项目将提供所需的信息，最佳的恢复策略进行了广泛的调查，现有的木材负载在一系列的未受干扰的水源渠道在2009年夏天。主要目的是记录木材负荷沿着未受干扰的源头流的科罗拉多前线范围。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，并制定在恢复河流中使用木材的准则。该项目将沿沿着20条河流进行基本的木材调查，每条河流长10公里。该项目的重要性包括：为半干旱的落基山脉开发第一个关于未受干扰的源头溪流内木材负荷空间变化的广泛区域数据库;教育学生;制定管理和恢复未受干扰的木材的准则;以及就甲虫死亡和木材采伐对源头溪流的影响向公众进行宣传。

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.