Evaluating Forest Health Change in the Subalpine Environment of Mount Hood, Oregon
by Tim Condon
Abstract
Over the past several decades, the impacts of white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetles have resulted in higher rates of mortality among forests in the Pacific Northwest. The expanded presence of these two species, possibly resulting from climate change, have caused vast changes throughout much of the high elevation forests in Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest peak in Oregon and is populated below the tree line with several different tree species including Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine), a species that is extremely vulnerable to both blister rust and mountain pine beetle infections. Typically, whitebark pine has resided at elevations high enough to prevent the spread of blister rust and mountain pine beetles due to the extreme temperatures and dryer environments. This study examines changes in forest health over the past couple of decades in the subalpine region of Mount Hood, Oregon in order to try and quantify the effects of various drivers on the ecosystem and reveal the degree of change that has occurred in the region. Forest health information is extracted from remotely sensed imagery, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values are calculated and applied to advanced classifiers. This process is utilized to quantify the vegetation health change that has occurred throughout the study area. Possible drivers of found change are then discussed to attempt to begin to explain the complex processes in action in the subalpine forests of Mount Hood.
by Tim Condon
Abstract
Over the past several decades, the impacts of white pine blister rust and mountain pine beetles have resulted in higher rates of mortality among forests in the Pacific Northwest. The expanded presence of these two species, possibly resulting from climate change, have caused vast changes throughout much of the high elevation forests in Oregon. Mount Hood is the highest peak in Oregon and is populated below the tree line with several different tree species including Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine), a species that is extremely vulnerable to both blister rust and mountain pine beetle infections. Typically, whitebark pine has resided at elevations high enough to prevent the spread of blister rust and mountain pine beetles due to the extreme temperatures and dryer environments. This study examines changes in forest health over the past couple of decades in the subalpine region of Mount Hood, Oregon in order to try and quantify the effects of various drivers on the ecosystem and reveal the degree of change that has occurred in the region. Forest health information is extracted from remotely sensed imagery, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values are calculated and applied to advanced classifiers. This process is utilized to quantify the vegetation health change that has occurred throughout the study area. Possible drivers of found change are then discussed to attempt to begin to explain the complex processes in action in the subalpine forests of Mount Hood.
Tim Condon