Forest dynamics after thinning and fuel reduction in Pringle Falls Experimental Forest – bark beetle response data

A set of thinning and fuel reduction treatments were implemented in 2013-2015 as part of the Lookout Mountain Study in Pringle Falls Experimental Forest, Oregon. These data were collected post-treatment implementation in 2014-2016 to investigate the short-term response of bark beetle populations to the treatments. During a complete census of dead and dying trees, measurements recorded include tree species; diameter at breast height; diameter size class; cause of death; crown class; presence/absence of: red turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus valens), woodpeckers, and secondary infestation of beetles; burn severity at two heights; and coordinates.
Bark beetles are important disturbances in western forests. Some species cause extensive levels of tree mortality while others are secondary agents that cause only limited amounts of tree mortality that often goes unnoticed. Different types of thinning and fuel reduction treatments and the manner of implementation have different effects on the fuel matrix, which may influence the susceptibility of forests to bark beetles in different ways. These data investigate the short-term responses of bark beetles to thinning and fuel reduction treatments as part of the Lookout Mountain Study, which can inform management decisions in dry conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest, U.S.
For more information about this study and these data, see Sherman et al. (2023).