Temperate Hardwood Research Articles

Correction: Social Insects Dominate Eastern US Temperate Hardwood Forest Macroinvertebrate Communities in Warmer Regions

Correction: Social Insects Dominate Eastern US Temperate Hardwood Forest Macroinvertebrate Communities in Warmer Regions

Social insects dominate eastern US temperate hardwood forest macroinvertebrate communities in warmer regions.

Earthworms, termites, and ants are common macroinvertebrates in terrestrial environments, although for most ecosystems data on their abundance and biomass is sparse. Quantifying their areal abundance is a critical first step in understanding their functional importance. We intensively sampled dead wood, litter, and soil in eastern US temperate hardwood forests at four sites, which span much of the latitudinal range of this ecosystem, to estimate the abundance and biomass m−2 of individuals in macroinvertebrate communities. Macroinvertebrates, other than ants and termites, differed only slightly among sites in total abundance and biomass and they were similar in ordinal composition. Termites and ants were the most abundant macroinvertebrates in dead wood, and ants were the most abundant in litter and soil. Ant abundance and biomass m−2 in the southernmost site (Florida) were among the highest values recorded for ants in any ecosystem. Ant and termite biomass and abundance varied greatly across the range, from <1% of the total macroinvertebrate abundance (in the northern sites) to >95% in the southern sites. Our data reveal a pronounced shift to eusocial insect dominance with decreasing latitude in a temperate ecosystem. The extraordinarily high social insect relative abundance outside of the tropics lends support to existing data suggesting that ants, along with termites, are globally the most abundant soil macroinvertebrates, and surpass the majority of other terrestrial animal (vertebrate and invertebrate) groups in biomass m−2. Our results provide a foundation for improving our understanding of the functional role of social insects in regulating ecosystem processes in temperate forest.

Variation in biotic linkages with slope aspect in a temperate hardwood forest

Variation in biotic linkages with slope aspect in a temperate hardwood forest

Carbon and water flux responses to physiology by environment interactions: a sensitivity analysis of variation in climate on photosynthetic and stomatal parameters

Sensitivity of carbon uptake and water use estimates to changes in physiology was determined with a coupled photosynthesis and stomatal conductance (g s) model, linked to canopy microclimate with a spatially explicit scheme (MAESTRA). The sensitivity analyses were conducted over the range of intraspecific physiology parameter variation observed for Acer rubrum L. and temperate hardwood C3 (C3) vegetation across the following climate conditions: carbon dioxide concentration 200–700 ppm, photosynthetically active radiation 50–2,000 μmol m−2 s−1, air temperature 5–40 °C, relative humidity 5–95 %, and wind speed at the top of the canopy 1–10 m s−1. Five key physiological inputs [quantum yield of electron transport (α), minimum stomatal conductance (g 0), stomatal sensitivity to the marginal water cost of carbon gain (g 1), maximum rate of electron transport (J max), and maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (V cmax)] changed carbon and water flux estimates ≥15 % in response to climate gradients; variation in α, J max, and V cmax input resulted in up to ~50 and 82 % intraspecific and C3 photosynthesis estimate output differences respectively. Transpiration estimates were affected up to ~46 and 147 % by differences in intraspecific and C3 g 1 and g 0 values—two parameters previously overlooked in modeling land–atmosphere carbon and water exchange. We show that a variable environment, within a canopy or along a climate gradient, changes the spatial parameter effects of g 0, g 1, α, J max, and V cmax in photosynthesis-g s models. Since variation in physiology parameter input effects are dependent on climate, this approach can be used to assess the geographical importance of key physiology model inputs when estimating large scale carbon and water exchange.

Assessing the invasive potential of Eucalyptus globulus in Australia: quantification of wildling establishment from plantations

Eucalyptus globulus is one of the most widely planted temperate hardwood species in the world, and in Australia there are 538,000 hectares growing in plantations. Although it has been reported as invasive, quantification of E. globulus invasion is rare. We conducted surveys at two geographic scales to assess the level of, and factors influencing, wildling establishment from industrial E. globulus plantations in Australian. We surveyed 290 km of plantation boundary, both within (22 %) and outside (78 %) the species native range. In areas of relatively high establishment, a density triggered paired plot approach (plots with and without wildlings) was used to assess fine-scale factors influencing establishment. We recorded 4,939 wildlings (17/km), 98 % of which occurred within 10 m of the plantation edge (maximum 175 m). Establishment varied between regions, ranging from 1.2 to 39.6 wildlings/km. Generalized linear models showed that the probability of a wildling being present increased with plantation age, that wildling abundance was higher along burnt transects, as well as sites that received regular, relatively high rainfall and had lower mean annual temperatures. The only fine-scale/local factor influencing wildling presence was the reproductive output of the plantation. The current level of E. globulus establishment in Australia is low in comparison to other invasive forestry trees. However, given the relatively young age of the Australian estate, local and regional variation in establishment, and potential future changes in plantation management, monitoring is warranted. Implications for assessing the general invasiveness of Eucalyptus and possibilities for E. globulus wildling control are discussed.

Diel patterns of autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration among phenological stages

Improved understanding of the links between aboveground production and allocation of photosynthate to belowground processes and the temporal variation in those links is needed to interpret observations of belowground carbon cycling processes. Here, we show that combining a trenching manipulation with high-frequency soil respiration measurements in a temperate hardwood forest permitted identification of the temporally variable influence of roots on diel and seasonal patterns of soil respiration. The presence of roots in an untrenched plot caused larger daily amplitude and a 2-3 h delay in peak soil CO2 efflux relative to a root-free trenched plot. These effects cannot be explained by differences in soil temperature, and they were significant only when a canopy was present during the growing season. This experiment demonstrated that canopy processes affect soil CO2 efflux rates and patterns at hourly and seasonal time scales, and it provides evidence that root and microbial processes respond differently to environmental factors.

Mycorrhizal response to experimental pH and P manipulation in acidic hardwood forests.

Many temperate forests of the Northeastern United States and Europe have received significant anthropogenic acid and nitrogen (N) deposition over the last century. Although temperate hardwood forests are generally thought to be N-limited, anthropogenic deposition increases the possibility of phosphorus (P) limiting productivity in these forest ecosystems. Moreover, inorganic P availability is largely controlled by soil pH and biogeochemical theory suggests that forests with acidic soils (i.e., <pH 5) are particularly vulnerable to P limitation. Results from previous studies in these systems are mixed with evidence both for and against P limitation. We hypothesized that shifts in mycorrhizal colonization and community structure help temperate forest ecosystems overcome an underlying P limitation by accessing mineral and organic P sources that are otherwise unavailable for direct plant uptake. We examined arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) communities and soil microbial activity in an ecosystem-level experiment where soil pH and P availability were manipulated in mixed deciduous forests across eastern Ohio, USA. One year after treatment initiation, AM root biomass was positively correlated with the most available P pool, resin P, while AM colonization was negatively correlated. In total, 15,876 EcM root tips were identified and assigned to 26 genera and 219 operational taxonomic units (97% similarity). Ectomycorrhizal richness and root tip abundance were negatively correlated with the moderately available P pools, while the relative percent of tips colonized by Ascomycetes was positively correlated with soil pH. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed regional, but not treatment, differences in AM communities, while EcM communities had both treatment and regional differences. Our findings highlight the complex interactions between mycorrhizae and the soil environment and further underscore the fact that mycorrhizal communities do not merely reflect the host plant community.

A physiological trait‐based approach to predicting the responses of species to experimental climate warming

Physiological tolerance of environmental conditions can influence species-level responses to climate change. Here, we used species-specific thermal tolerances to predict the community responses of ant species to experimental forest-floor warming at the northern and southern boundaries of temperate hardwood forests in eastern North America. We then compared the predictive ability of thermal tolerance vs. correlative species distribution models (SDMs) which are popular forecasting tools for modeling the effects of climate change. Thermal tolerances predicted the responses of 19 ant species to experimental climate warming at the southern site, where environmental conditions are relatively close to the ants' upper thermal limits. In contrast, thermal tolerances did not predict the responses of the six species in the northern site, where environmental conditions are relatively far from the ants' upper thermal limits. Correlative SDMs were not predictive at either site. Our results suggest that, in environments close to a species' physiological limits, physiological trait-based measurements can successfully forecast the responses of species to future conditions. Although correlative SDMs may predict large-scale responses, such models may not be accurate for predicting site-level responses.

Forest protection and forest harvest as strategies for ecological sustainability and climate change mitigation

An important consideration in forest management to mitigate climate change is the balance between forest carbon (C) storage and ecological sustainability. We explore the effects of management strategies on tradeoffs between forest C stocks and ecological sustainability under five scenarios, three of which included management and two scenarios which provide baselines emulating the natural forest. Managed forest scenarios were: (a) Protection (PROT), i.e., management by suppression of natural disturbance and harvest exclusion; (b) Harvest at a higher rate removing all sustainably available wood (HHARV); (c) Harvest at the lower historical average rate of harvest, AHARV. Both harvest scenarios reflected current forest management practices in the study area, including suppression of natural disturbance and a large (>20% of total) forest area reserved from harvest. Scenarios (d) and (e) simulated “natural” forest with unsuppressed fire at higher (NDH) or lower (NDL) levels and no harvest. Ecological sustainability was evaluated using a coarse filter approach where forest age class and tree species composition were indicators of condition. The study area encompassed 3.4 million hectares of forest in northeastern Ontario at the interface between the temperate hardwood and boreal forest zones. Future forest condition for each scenario was modeled using a timber supply model (SFMM), and C stored in forests and wood products were estimated using the FORCARB-ON model. Forest protection (PROT) resulted in greatest forest C stocks, especially in the near term, but was within 95% of its maximum, becoming saturated within 30years. Harvesting (HHARV and AHARV) resulted in less forest C stock compared to PROT, however, after 100years of adding C in wood products to that in regenerating forests total C storage was equivalent or greater than forest C with PROT. In contrast, removing management (NDH and NDL) decreased C relative to any of the management regimes, though in NDL the decrease was delayed for 30years compared to HHARV. Forest sustainability measured by similarity to natural forest age class was superior with HHARV and AHARV compared to PROT, although no management regime produced a fully natural result. PROT in particular largely lacked younger age classes. All management regimes produced species composition that was near or within the range of natural variation. This analysis provides an example of the types of tradeoffs that can be considered in evaluating the contribution of forests to climate change mitigation, either in a commercial forestry context or in an approach based on protected areas.

Responses of the extracellular enzyme activities in hardwood forest to soil temperature and seasonality and the potential effects of climate change

The activities of extracellular enzymes that participate in the decomposition of litter and organic matter in forest soils depend on, among other factors, temperature and soil moisture content and also reflect the quality of litter, which changes dramatically after a short litterfall period. Here, we explored the effects of soil temperature and seasonality on the sizes of extracellular enzyme pools and activities in a temperate hardwood forest soil with dominant Quercus petraea (cambisol, mean annual temperature 9.3 °C). We hypothesized that the most significant variation of enzyme activity would occur in the litter, which faces greater variations in temperature, moisture content and chemical quality during the season, which decrease with soil depth. The site exhibited relatively large seasonal temperature differences and moderate changes in soil moisture content. Enzyme activity, microbial biomass, soil moisture content, temperature and pH were monitored for three years in the litter (L), organic horizon (O) and upper mineral horizon (Ah). Enzyme activity in vitro strongly increased with temperature until 20–25 °C, the highest temperatures recorded in situ. While no significant differences in the pools of most extracellular enzymes and in the content of microbial biomass were found among the seasons, enzyme activity typically increased during the warm period of the year, especially in the O and Ah horizons. Approximately 63%, 64%, and 69% of total annual activity was recorded during the warm period of the year in the L, O, and Ah horizons, respectively. Significant positive correlations were observed between soil moisture content and fungal biomass, but not bacterial biomass, indicating a decrease of the fungal/bacterial biomass ratio under dry conditions. The effect of moisture on enzyme activities was not significant except for endoxylanase in the litter. If soil temperature rises as predicted due to global climate change, enzyme activity is predicted to rise substantially in this ecosystem, especially in winter, when decomposition is not limited by drought and fresh litter that can decompose rapidly is present.

Assessing the Efficacy of Two Indirect Methods for Quantifying Canopy Variables Associated with the Interception Loss of Rainfall in Temperate Hardwood Forests

Forest canopy water storage (S), direct throughfall fraction (p) and mean evaporation rate to mean rainfall intensity ratio (E/R) vary between storms and seasonally. Typically, researchers only quantify the mean growing and dormant season values of S, p and E/R for deciduous forests, thereby ignoring seasonal changes S, p and E/R .Past researchers adapted the mean method, which is usually used to estimate S, p and E/R on an annual or seasonal basis, to estimate the same canopy variables on a per storm basis (individual storm (IS) method). The disadvantage of the IS method is that it requires more expensive equipment and the calculation of the canopy variables is more labor intensive relative to the mean method. The goal of this study was to explore the use of the IS method for northern hardwood forests and to determine whether estimates of S, p and E/R derived by the IS method produce more accurate estimates of rainfall interception loss (In) using the Gash model relative to estimates derived by the mean method. The IS method estimated that S increased from approximately 0.11 mm in the early spring to 1.2 mm in the summer and then declined to 0.24 mm after fall senescence. Direct throughfall decreased from 0.4 in the early spring to 0.11 in the summer, and then increased to 0.4 after leaf senescence. When measurement period estimates of p, S and E/R derived by the IS and mean methods were applied to the Gash model, the modeled estimates of In differed from the measured values by 14.0 mm and 1.3 mm, respectively. Therefore, because the mean method provided more accurate estimates of In, the extra effort and expense required by the IS method is not advantageous for studies in northern hardwood forests that only need to model annual or seasonal estimates of In.

Synergistic use of very high-frequency radar and discrete-return lidar for estimating biomass in temperate hardwood and mixed forests

Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass is essential to better understand the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine whether biomass in temperate hardwood forests is better estimated using very high-frequency radar data (from BioSAR) alone or in combination with small-footprint discrete-return lidar data (both profiling and scanning). The study area was in the Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest, Virginia, USA (78°41′W, 37°25′N). Aboveground biomass for 28 stands was estimated using 131 basal area factor 10 point samples. The resulting stand biomass estimates were used as the dependent variable in a multiple linear regression. Descriptors of the lidar distributions (both profiling and scanning) and averaged normalized radar cross-sections in each of these stands were used as independent variables. Regression results revealed the following: (1) neither BioSAR nor scanning lidar data alone are good predictors of stand biomass (R 2 = 0.57, root mean squared error (RMSE) = 31.0 tonnes/ha and R 2 = 0.64, RMSE = 28.5 tonnes/ha, respectively); (2) BioSAR data combined with small-footprint discrete lidar data (either profiling or scanning) are the best predictors of stand biomass (R 2 = 0.80, RMSE = 21.3 tonnes/ha and R 2 = 0.76, RMSE = 24.2 tonnes/ha, respectively); and (3) when used with BioSAR data for stand biomass estimation, less costly profiling lidar data convey the same information as more costly scanning lidar data. Useful synergy can be realized by considering lidar and radar measurements jointly in estimating aboveground biomass in hardwood and mixed forests.

Ballooning propensity of canopy and understorey spiders in a mature temperate hardwood forest

1. Spiders frequently disperse and colonise habitats through ballooning, a passive aerial dispersal process. Ballooning is pre-eminent in open habitat spider communities and its propensity can be modulated by habitat conditions and availability, and by life-history traits such as body size, degree of specialisation, and feeding behaviour. 2. Using spiders from the canopy and understorey of a north-temperate hardwood forest as a model system, our main objectives were to detect if foliage spiders of a mature forest disperse through ballooning, and identify life-history traits that influence ballooning propensity. 3. Our results demonstrate that foliage spiders living in the canopy and understorey of a mature forest do balloon, and in some cases have very high ballooning propensities similarly to open field spiders. Species level models showed that small body size had a strong positive effect on ballooning for juveniles of species with large-bodied adults, while individuals of small-bodied species initiated ballooning regardless of size, habitat or development stage. A generalised linear mixed model indicated that small size web-building spiders from the Retro Tibial Apophysis (RTA) and Orbicularia clades had the highest propensity for foliage spiders of this north-temperate hardwood forest. 4. In conclusion, we provide the first demonstration that forest spiders can have high ballooning propensities and that ballooning propensity is negatively affected by body size and positively affected by the prominent use of silk to catch prey. However, spiders originating from the canopy and understorey of a north-temperate hardwood forest did not differ in their ballooning propensities.

Close relationship between leaf life span and seedling relative growth rate in temperate hardwood species

AbstractThe life span of resource‐acquiring organs (leaves, shoots, fine roots) is closely associated with species successional position and environmental resource availability. We examined to what extent leaf life span is related to inter‐ and intraspecific variation in seedling relative growth rate (RGR). We examined relationships between relative growth rate in mass (RGRM) or height (RGRH) and leaf life span, together with classical RGRM components [net assimilation rate (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf weight ratio (LWR), and leaf area ratio (LAR)] for seedlings of five hardwood species of different successional position across a wide range of environmental resource availability, including the presence or absence of leaf litter in shaded forest understory, small canopy gaps, and large canopy gaps. Both SLA and LAR were negatively correlated with RGRM along the environmental gradient for all species. However, positive correlations were observed among species within microsites, indicating that these two components cannot consistently explain the variation in RGRM. Both NAR and LWR affect interspecific, but not intraspecific, variation in RGRM. Leaf life span was negatively correlated with either RGRM or RGRH in both inter‐ and intraspecific comparisons. Species with short‐lived, physiologically active leaves have high growth rates, particularly in resource‐rich environments. Consequently, leaf life span is a good predictor of seedling RGR. Leaf life span affects plant performance and has a strong and consistent effect on tree seedling growth, even among contrasting environments.

Responses of an herbaceous community to wild boar (Sus scrofa coreanus Heude) disturbance in a Quercus mongolica forest at Mt. Jeombong, Korea

This research identified a disturbance regime caused by wild boar in a mature Quercus mongolica forest and analyzed the impact of this disturbance on the structure and distribution of herbaceous plants in Mt. Jeombong, Korea. We demonstrate that disturbance by wild boar was most frequent from winter to early spring, but also occurred year round. Areas which were frequently disturbed by wild boar included the mountain ridge, the mild slope on the north face, and sites with high concentration of Erythronium japonicum. The disturbance cycle by the wild boar in this region was estimated at approximately 2.8 years. The wild boar's reduced the community's species diversity and herbaceous coverage, and increased its evenness. This disturbance reduced the coverage of spring ephemeral; Veratrum nigrum var. ussuriense, Symplocarpus niponnicus, Anemone koraiensis and Corydalis turtschaninovii were particularly sensitive. In addition, summer green herbaceous plants such as Astilbe chinensis, Ainsliaea acerifolia, Meehania urticifolia, and Pimpinella brachycarpa were sensitive to the wild boar's. It was found that wild boar ate E. japonicum most selectively of all plants in this investigation area. In conclusion, together with micro-topography, wind, formation of gaps of a forest and rearrangement of litter layer, wild boar's disturbance is an important factor influencing the dynamic changes of an herbaceous community in a mature temperate hardwood forest.

Editorial: Fire in the Earth System

Fire as an Earth System process Satellite images showing the broad extent of biomass burning, especially in the tropics and subtropics, bear testimony to fire’s significance as an Earth System process (Fig. 1). Modern observations of fire, however, describe only part of its dynamics, particularly in biomes where fire reoccurs on timescales of decades or centuries, or is highly variable (e.g., in the boreal forest, tropical rainforests and temperate hardwood forests). Gaining information about these regions requires fire archives that span longer timescales (centuries to millennia), such as tree rings, sediments and ice cores (Fig. 2). This issue of PAGES news highlights current research that examines past fire activity, its consequences and its relevance for the future. The articles feature a small sample of fire-history research currently underway and give special attention to new insights that have come from records that span millennia.

Multivariate forest structure modelling and mapping using high resolution airborne imagery and topographic information

Remote sensing has been widely used for modelling and mapping individual forest structural attributes, such as LAI and stem density, however the development and evaluation of methods for simultaneously modelling and mapping multivariate aspects of forest structure are comparatively limited. Multivariate representation of forest structure can be used as a means to infer other environmental attributes such as biodiversity and habitat, which have often been shown to be enhanced in more structurally diverse or complex forests. Image-based modelling of multivariate forest structure is useful in developing an understanding of the associations between different aspects of vertical and horizontal structure and image characteristics. Models can also be applied spatially to all image pixels to produce maps of multivariate forest structure as an alternative to sample-based field assessment. This research used high spatial resolution multispectral airborne imagery to provide spectral, spatial, and object-based information in the development of a model of multivariate forest structure as represented by twenty-four field variables measured in plots within a temperate hardwood forest in southern Quebec, Canada. Redundancy Analysis (RDA) was used to develop a model that explained a statistically significant proportion of the variance of these structural attributes. The resulting model included image variables representing mostly within-crown and within-shadow brightness variance (texture) as well as elevation, taken from a DEM of the study area. It was applied spatially across the entire study area to produce a continuous map of predicted multivariate forest structure. Bootstrapping validation of the model provided an RMSE of 19.9%, while independent field validation of mapped areas of complex and simple structure showed accuracies of 89% and 69%, respectively. Multiscale testing using resampled imagery suggested that the methods could possibly be used with current pan-sharpened, or future sub-metre resolution, multispectral satellite imagery, which would provide much greater spatial coverage and reduced image processing compared to airborne imagery.

Leaf area index retrieval using gap fractions obtained from high resolution satellite data: Comparisons of approaches, scales and atmospheric effects

This study is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of the large scale LAI inversion algorithms using red and near infrared reflectance obtained from high resolution satellite imagery. Radiances in digital counts were obtained in 10m resolution acquired on cloud free day of August 23, 2007, by the SPOT 5 high resolution geometric (HRG) instrument on mostly temperate hardwood forest located in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence forest in Southern Quebec. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), scaled difference vegetation index (SDVI) and modified soil-adjusted vegetation index (MSAVI) were applied to calculate gap fractions. LAI was inverted from the gap fraction using the common Beer–Lambert's law of light extinction under forest canopy. The robustness of the algorithm was evaluated using the ground-based LAI measurements and by applying the methods for the independently simulated reflectance data using PROSPECT+SAIL coupled radiative transfer models. Furthermore, the high resolution LAI was compared with MODIS LAI product. The effects of atmospheric corrections and scales were investigated for all of the LAI retrieval methods. NDVI was found to be not suitable index for large scale LAI inversion due to the sensitivity to scale and atmospheric effects. SDVI was virtually scale and atmospheric correction invariant. MSAVI was also scale invariant. Considering all sensitivity analysis, MSAVI performed best followed by SDVI for robust LAI inversion from high resolution imagery.

Isolation and Characterization of Lignin from Tropical and Temperate Hardwood

Dioxane and milled wood lignins (MWL) were isolated from tropical hardwood, Nalita (Trema orientalis) and temperate hardwood, aspen. These lignins were characterized by UV, FTIR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy, alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation, molecular weight determination, elemental and methoxyl analysis. The structural analysis revealed that Nalita and aspen lignin is syringyl-guaiacyl type. Aspen lignin had higher syringyl unit than Nalita lignin. The β-O-4 type linkages are the main interunit linkages and more abundant in aspen than Nalita. Dioxane lignin showed higher free phenolic hydroxyl group than MWL in both species. The weight average molecular weight of aspen lignin was lower than that of Nalita lignin. Nalita and aspen lignins contained both erythro and threo configuration, but erythro proton gave stronger peak. A UV absorption maximum of aspen lignin was at 274 nm, whereas it was shifted to 280 nm for Nalita lignin. Keywords: Trema orientalis, Aspen, Dioxane lignin, Milled wood lignin, Syringyl-guaiacyl, β-O-4 linkages DOI: 10.3329/bjsir.v44i3.4399 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 44(3), 271-280, 2009

Mapping dead wood distribution in a temperate hardwood forest using high resolution airborne imagery

Dead wood, in the form of coarse woody debris and standing dead wood, or snags, is an essential structural component of forest ecosystems. It plays a key role in nutrient cycling, ecosystem functions and provision of habitat for a wide variety of species. In order to manage dead wood in a temperate hardwood forest, an understanding of its availability and spatial distribution is important. This research evaluates airborne digital camera remote sensing for mapping temperate forest dead wood across an area within Gatineau Park, Canada. Two approaches were evaluated: (1) direct detection and mapping of canopy dead wood (dead branches and tall snags) through the combination of three techniques in a hybrid classification: ISODATA clustering, object-based classification, and spectral unmixing, and (2) indirect modelling of coarse woody debris and snags using spectral and spatial predictor variables extracted from the imagery. Indirect modelling did not provide useful results while direct detection was successful with field validation showing 94% accuracy for detected canopy level dead wood objects (i.e. 94% of validation sites with canopy dead wood were detected correctly) and 90% accuracy for control sites (i.e. 90% of validation sites with no canopy level dead wood were identified correctly). The procedures presented in this paper are repeatable and could be used to monitor dead wood over time, potentially contributing to applications in forest carbon budget estimation, biodiversity management, and forest inventory.