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Roy L Rich
Research Associate

Forest ecology

Office: 330e Green Hall
Phone: (612) 624-2202
Fax: (612) 625-5212
Email: rich0475@umn.edu

Areas of Interest:

I am interested in both basic and applied research questions related to forest dynamics and succession at various spatial scales. So far, this has included studying how disturbances such as wind and fire affect forest communities’ composition and distribution. In the future, I would like to apply my knowledge of disturbance and landscape ecology to questions maintaining and restoring ecological processes within components of the working landscape which may include managed forests, remnant forest patches, or more densely populated areas.

Current Research and Projects:

Leaf trait variation within and among boreal tree species:

This study examines how leaf traits vary across their natural geographic range along temperature and precipitation gradients. This study involves sampling leaves along a 2,000 mile latitudinal gradient and 1,500 mile longitudinal gradient from southern Wisconsin, USA to the Northwest Territories, Canada. This project is part of a larger effort to examine global and regional trends in leaf traits across known resource gradients.

Forest Dynamics and Disturbance in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness:

Wind disturbance impacts to near-boreal forests: Specifically, how differential susceptibility among tree species accelerates changes in composition and structure in forest communities.
Three Mile Island Prescribed Fire Experiment: Studies the use of prescribed fire on wind-damaged forests including questions of how fuel loadings affect fire severity, forest floor and fuel consumption across different community types in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Cavity Lake Fire Research: Examines how past forest composition and disturbance history influence fire severity and future forest succession following wildfire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Detecting disturbance severity: Build models that predict disturbance severity based on links between field-data and high-resolution IKONOS satellite imagery.

Biomass Harvesting Guideline Development:

Develop research background for biomass harvesting in northern Minnesota. Project is Coordinated by CINRAM and funded by IREE, the Initiative for Renewable Energy and Environment.

Classes:

FR 3204 / 5204: Landscape Ecology and Management

LA 3204: Landscape Ecology (Applied Landscape Ecology)

Forest Ecology Lab Group

Roy Rich site