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Investigating causes of mortality in Vermont

Informally Refereed

Abstract

In preparing the 5-year Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) report for Vermont in 2007–08, analyses showed an increase in tree mortality since the previous inventory of 1996–97. Adjacent States had a similar spike in mortality. Further evaluation of FIA plot data helped focus the investigation. Some general characteristics of the mortality included: (1) distribution in both northern and southern Vermont, (2) high-elevation forests and timberland forests were affected, and (3) mortality was not related to stocking levels. Several species seemed to be affected, including red spruce (Picea rubens), paper birch (Betula papyrifera), balsam ­r (Abies balsamea), red maple (Acer rubrum), and American beech (Fagus grandifolia). Local concern about white ash (Fraxinus americana) decline led to its inclusion in this investigation even though FIA data did not show signi­cant mortality.

Parent Publication

Citation

Wilmot, Sandy, Randy Morin, Robert DeGeus, and Lindsay Watkins. 2015. Investigating causes of mortality in Vermont. Chapter 9 in K.M. Potter and B.L. Conkling, eds., Forest Health Monitoring: National Status, Trends and Analysis, 2014. General Technical Report SRS-209. Asheville, North Carolina: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station. p. 109-117.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/57837