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My research focuses on the effects of climate, disturbances, and land use on mountain forest ecosystems in the U.S. and in Europe. Important recent research themes include: 1) the causes and consequences of forest disturbances such as fires and insect outbreaks, 2) the effects of climate on tree mortality and forest dieback, 3) interactions and feedbacks among forest disturbances under climatic variability, and 4) resilience and management of ecological systems in the Anthropocene.
I have authored over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters with coauthors from over 20 different countries on various aspects of ecology and ecosystem management. I have been widely interviewed in the popular press, have testified about my research before the United States Congress on three occasions, and work actively with governmental and nongovernmental organizations in the States and abroad.
Prior to joining the Clark faculty, I was a research scientist at the University of Colorado-Boulder and at the Swiss Federal Institute of Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) in Davos. I earned a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management and a M.S. in Ecology at Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Geography at the University of Colorado-Boulder.Degrees
- Ph.D. in Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2002
- M.S. in Ecology, Pennsylvania State University, 1997
- B.S. in Environmental Resource Management, Pennsylvania State University, 1996
Affiliated Department(s)
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Scholarly and Creative Works
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Reduced fire severity offers near-term buffer to climate-driven declines in conifer resilience across the western United States
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
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2023
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Vol. 120
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Issue #11
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Detecting subtle change from dense Landsat time series: case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance
Remote Sensing of Environment
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2022
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Rocky Mountain forests are poised to recover following bark beetle outbreaks but with altered composition
Journal of Ecology
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2022
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Wildfire controls on land surface properties in mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests of Sierra Nevada and Klamath mountains, Western US
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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2022
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Vol. 320
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The Influence of Burn Severity on Post-Fire Spectral Recovery of Three Fires in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Remote Sensing
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2022
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Vol. 14
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Issue #6
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Toward the development of deep learning analyses for snow avalanche releases in mountain regions
Geocarto International
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2022
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Vol. 37
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Issue #25
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Debris flows modeling using geo-environmental factors: developing hybridized deep-learning algorithms
Geocarto International
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2022
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Vol. 37
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Issue #17
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Rocky Mountain forests poised to recover following recent bark beetle outbreaks, but with altered composition
Journal of Ecology
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2022
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Wildfire Controls on Land Surface Properties in Mixed Conifer and Ponderosa Pine Forests of Sierra Nevada and Klamath Mountains, Western US
Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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2022
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Post-fire spectral recovery of three fires in the Southern Rocky Mountains
Remote Sensing
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2022
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The Anthropocene
Chapter: Forests in the AnthropocenePublished by Routledge
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2022
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Long-term empirical evidence shows post-disturbance climate controls post-fire regeneration
Journal of Ecology
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2021
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Vol. 109
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Issue #12
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Detecting subtle change from dense Landsat time series: Case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance
Remote Sensing of Environment
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2021
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Vol. 263
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Effects of bark beetle outbreaks on forest landscape pattern in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA
Remote Sensing
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2021
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Vol. 13
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Issue #6
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Detecting subtle change from dense Landsat time series: case studies of mountain pine beetle and spruce beetle disturbance
Remote Sensing of Environment
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2021
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Toward the development of deep-learning analyses for snow avalanche release in global mountain regions
Geocarto International
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2021
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Long-term empirical evidence shows post-disturbance climate controls post-fire regeneration
Journal of Ecology
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2021
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Debris flows modeling using anthropogenic and geo-environmental factors: developing hybridized deep-learning algorithms
Geocarto International
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2021
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Recent Bark Beetle Outbreaks Transformed Forest Structure and Landscape Pattern in the Southern Rocky Mountains, U.S.A.
Remote Sensing
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2021
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Vol. 13
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Issue #6
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Forests in the Anthropocene
Annals of the American Association of Geographers
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2020
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Vol. 111
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Issue #3
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Disturbance history modulates how litter and herbaceous cover influence conifer regeneration after fire
International Journal of Wildland Fire
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2020
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Vol. 29
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Issue #6
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The ecology of forest disturbances
Encyclopedia of the World's Biomes
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2020
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Vol. 3
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A global view of aspen: Conservation science for widespread keystone systems
Global Ecology and Conservation
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2020
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Vol. 21
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Changing Forest Disturbances during the Anthropocene
Annals of the Association of American Geographers
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2020
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Drivers of fire ignition in Southern California Mediterranean-type Ecosystems
International Journal of Wildland Fire
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2020
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Disturbance history modulates how litter and herbaceous cover influence conifer regeneration
International Journal of Wildfire Research
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2020
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Changing drivers of the structure and dynamics of temperate mountain forests – a North American perspective
Temperate and Boreal Primeval Forests in the Face of Global Change Conference
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Lviv, Ukraine
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2019
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A global view of aspen: conservation science for widespread keystone systems
Global Ecology and Conservation
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2019
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Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes
Chapter: The ecology of forest disturbancePublished by Elsevier
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2019
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Pre-outbreak forest conditions mediate the effects of spruce beetle outbreaks on fuels in subalpine forests of Colorado
Ecological Applications
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2018
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Vol. 28
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Issue #2
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Assessing the interaction between mountain forests and snow avalanches at Nevados de Chill'an, Chile and its implications for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
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2018
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Vol. 18
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Issue #4
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Data: Pre-fire disturbance history modulates relationships between ground cover and post-fire conifer regeneration
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2018
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Large-scale disturbance legacies and the climate sensitivity of primary Picea abies forests
Global change biology
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2018
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Vol. 24
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Issue #5
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Patterns and drivers of recent disturbances across the temperate forest biome
Nature communications
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2018
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Vol. 9
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Issue #1
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Creating a buzz: insect outbreaks and disturbance interactions
Dendroecology: tree-ring analyses applied to ecological studies
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2017
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Assessing the interaction between mountain forests and natural hazards at Nevados de Chill'an, Chile, and its implications for Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
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2017
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Populus tremuloides seedling establishment: An underexplored vector for forest type conversion after multiple disturbances
Forest Ecology and Management
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2017
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Vol. 404
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Is initial post-disturbance regeneration indicative of longer-term trajectories?
Ecosphere
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2017
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Vol. 8
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Issue #8
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Long-term change in sub-alpine forest cover, tree line and species composition in the Swiss Alps
Journal of Vegetation Science
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2017
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Vol. 28
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Issue #5
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Wind effects and regeneration in broadleaf and pine stands after hurricane Felix (2007) in Northern Nicaragua
Forest Ecology and Management
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2017
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Vol. 400
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Abiotic disturbances in Bulgarian mountain coniferous forests--An overview
Forest Ecology and Management
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2017
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Vol. 388
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Changes of forest cover and disturbance regimes in the mountain forests of the Alps
Forest ecology and management
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2017
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Vol. 388
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A walk on the wild side: Disturbance dynamics and the conservation and management of European mountain forest ecosystems
Forest ecology and management
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2017
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Vol. 388
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Fire severity controlled susceptibility to a 1940s spruce beetle outbreak in Colorado, USA
PLoS One
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2016
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Vol. 11
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Issue #7
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Managing bark beetle outbreaks (Ips typographus, Dendroctonus spp.) in conservation areas in the 21st century
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2016
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Kontrolowanie gradacji kornik'ow (Ips typographus, Dendroctonus spp.) na obszarach chronionych w XXI wieku
Le'sne Prace Badawcze
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2016
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Vol. 77
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Issue #4
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The relative importance of tree and stand properties in susceptibility to spruce beetle outbreak in the mid-20th century
Ecosphere
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2016
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Vol. 7
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Issue #10
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Not only temperature: interacting drivers of treeline change in Europe
Geographia Polonica
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2016
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Vol. 89
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Issue #1
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Climate extremes during high competition contribute to mortality in unmanaged self-thinning Norway spruce stands in Bulgaria
Forest Ecology and Management
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2016
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Vol. 369
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Relative importance of climate and mountain pine beetle outbreaks on the occurrence of large wildfires in the western USA
Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America
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2016
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Vol. 26
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Issue #8
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Negative feedbacks on bark beetle outbreaks: widespread and severe spruce beetle infestation restricts subsequent infestation
PLoS One
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2015
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Vol. 10
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Issue #5
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Chapter: Bark beetles and high-severity fires in Rocky Mountain subalpine forestsPublished by Elsevier
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2015
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Interactions among spruce beetle disturbance, climate change and forest dynamics captured by a forest landscape model
Ecosphere
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2015
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Vol. 6
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Issue #11
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Long-term history and synchrony of mountain pine beetle outbreaks in lodgepole pine forests
Journal of Biogeography
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2015
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Vol. 42
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Issue #6
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The disturbance regime of Norway spruce forests in Bulgaria
Canadian Journal of Forest Research
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2015
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Vol. 45
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Issue #9
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Large carbon release legacy from bark beetle outbreaks across Western United States
Global change biology
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2015
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Vol. 21
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Issue #8
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Mapping Burn Severity using the Composite Burn Index in an Oak Savannah in Central Massachusetts
The Geographical Bulletin
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2014
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Vol. 55
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Issue #1
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Are density reduction treatments effective at managing for resistance or resilience to spruce beetle disturbance in the southern Rocky Mountains?
Forest Ecology and Management
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2014
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Vol. 334
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Albedo-induced radiative forcing from mountain pine beetle outbreaks in forests, south-central Rocky Mountains: magnitude, persistence, and relation to outbreak severity
Biogeosciences
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2014
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Vol. 11
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Issue #3
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Do tree and stand-level attributes determine susceptibility of spruce-fir forests to spruce beetle outbreaks in the early 21st century?
Forest Ecology and Management
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2014
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Vol. 318
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Drought induces spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreaks across northwestern Colorado
Ecology
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2014
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Vol. 95
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Issue #4
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The consequences of changing disturbance regimes for quaking aspen in the western US
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2013
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Albedo-induced radiative forcing from mountain pine beetle outbreaks in forests, south-central Rocky Mountains: magnitude, persistence, and relation to outbreak severity.
Biogeosciences Discussions
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2013
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Vol. 10
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Issue #7
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Natural forest disturbances and the design of REDD+ initiatives
Environmental science & policy
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2013
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Vol. 33
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Low-severity fires increase susceptibility of lodgepole pine to mountain pine beetle outbreaks in Colorado
Forest Ecology and Management
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2013
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Vol. 289
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Long-term aspen cover change in the western US
Forest Ecology and Management
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2013
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Vol. 299
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Do bark beetle outbreaks increase wildfire risks in the central US Rocky Mountains? Implications from recent research
Natural Areas Journal
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2013
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Vol. 33
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Issue #1
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Fire regimes of quaking aspen in the Mountain West
Forest Ecology and Management
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2013
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Vol. 299
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Compounded disturbances in sub-alpine forests in western Colorado favour future dominance by quaking aspen (P opulus tremuloides)
Journal of Vegetation Science
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2013
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Vol. 24
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Issue #1
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Bark beetle outbreaks, wildfires and defensible space: how much area do we need to treat to protect homes and communities?
International Journal of Wildland Fire
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2012
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Vol. 22
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Issue #2
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Stem exclusion and mortality in unmanaged subalpine forests of the Swiss Alps
European journal of forest research
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2012
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Vol. 131
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Stand-replacing fires reduce susceptibility of lodgepole pine to mountain pine beetle outbreaks in Colorado
Journal of Biogeography
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2012
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Vol. 39
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Issue #11
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The influences of climate on aspen dieback
Forest Ecology and Management
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2012
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Vol. 274
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Natural disturbance history of the pristine Picea abies forest Parangalitsa
Forestry
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2011
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Vol. 17
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Issue #1
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Stand development of Norway spruce dominated subalpine forests of the Swiss Alps
Forest Ecology and Management
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2011
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Vol. 262
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Issue #4
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Wind disturbances shape old Norway spruce-dominated forest in Bulgaria
Forest ecology and Management
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2011
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Vol. 262
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Issue #3
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The influence of mountain pine beetle outbreaks and drought on severe wildfires in northwestern Colorado and southern Wyoming: a look at the past century
Forest Ecology and Management
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2011
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Vol. 262
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Issue #9
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The interacting effects of land use change, climate change and suppression of natural disturbances on landscape forest structure in the Swiss Alps
Oikos
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2011
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Vol. 120
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Issue #2
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Improving forest type discrimination with mixed lifeform classes using fuzzy classification thresholds informed by field observations
Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing
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2010
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Vol. 36
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Issue #6
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Snow avalanche disturbances in forest ecosystems—State of research and implications for management
Forest ecology and Management
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2009
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Vol. 257
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Issue #9
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Effect of prior disturbances on the extent and severity of wildfire in Colorado subalpine forests
Ecology
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2007
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Vol. 88
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Issue #3
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COS 86-3: Multidecadal climate variability and climate interactions affect subalpine fire occurrence, western Colorado (USA)
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2007
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Natural avalanche disturbance shapes plant diversity and species composition in subalpine forest belt
Journal of Vegetation Science
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2007
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Vol. 18
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Issue #5
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A typology of stand structure and dynamics of Quaking aspen in northwestern Colorado
Forest Ecology and Management
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2007
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Vol. 252
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Issue #1-3
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Multidecadal climate variability and climate interactions affect subalpine fire occurrence, western Colorado (USA)
Ecology
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2007
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Vol. 88
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Issue #11
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Historical range of variability assessment for forest vegetation of the Grand Mesa National Forest, Colorado
USDA Forest Service, Golden, CO
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2006
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The effect of fires on susceptibility of subalpine forests to a 19th century spruce beetle outbreak in western Colorado
Canadian Journal of Forest Research
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2006
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Vol. 36
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Issue #11
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Influences of infrequent fire, elevation and pre-fire vegetation on the persistence of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in the Flat Tops area, Colorado, USA
Journal of Biogeography
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2006
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Vol. 33
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Issue #8
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Changes in forest structure and in the relative importance of climatic stress as a result of suppression of avalanche disturbances
Forest Ecology and Management
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2006
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Vol. 223
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Issue #1-3
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Recent forest insect outbreaks and fire risk in Colorado forests: a brief synthesis of relevant research
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
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2006
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Multiple disturbance interactions and drought influence fire severity in Rocky Mountain subalpine forests
Ecology
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2005
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Vol. 86
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Issue #11
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The persistence of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) in the Grand Mesa area, Colorado
Ecological Applications
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2004
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Vol. 14
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Issue #5
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Subalpine forest development following a blowdown in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado
Journal of Vegetation Science
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2003
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Vol. 14
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Issue #5
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Effects of fire and spruce beetle outbreak legacies on the disturbance regime of a subalpine forest in Colorado
Journal of Biogeography
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2003
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Vol. 30
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Issue #9
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Interactions between fire and spruce beetles in a subalpine Rocky Mountain forest landscape
Ecology
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2003
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Vol. 84
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Issue #2
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Effect of vegetation on the impact of a severe blowdown in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA
Forest Ecology and Management
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2002
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Vol. 168
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Issue #1-3
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Influences of fire history and topography on the pattern of a severe wind blowdown in a Colorado subalpine forest
Journal of Ecology
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2002
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Vol. 90
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Issue #5
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Subalpine forest damage from a severe windstorm in northern Colorado
Canadian Journal of Forest Research
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2001
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Vol. 31
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Issue #12
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Mixed-high severity fires: ecosystem processes and biodiversity
Chapter: Bark Beetles and High-Severity Fires in Rocky Mountain Subalpine ForestsPublished by Elsevier
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Centuries of Repeated Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks Increase Ground and Surface Fuels, But Have Negligible Effects on Canopy Fuels after Two Decades of Recovery
But Have Negligible Effects on Canopy Fuels after Two Decades of Recovery
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Repeated Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreaks Have Negligible Effects on Canopy Fuels While Enhancing Ecological Diversity
Available at SSRN 4104345
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Relative importance of climate and mountain pine beetle outbreaks on the
Journal of Wildland Fire
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Vol. 22
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Climate variability and historical spruce beetle outbreaks across northwestern Colorado
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FIRE-CLIMATE RELATIONSHIPS FROM LOWER MONTANE TO UPPER SUBALPINE FORESTS IN THE COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAINS
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Awards & Grants
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Optimising post-bark beetle disturbance management to promote forest biodiversity and recovery under climate change
Velux Foundation
Oct. 1, 2024
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How do bark beetle outbreaks, tree regeneration, and climate determine fuel treatment longevity?
JFSP
Sep. 12, 2023
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