Photographer Nancy Floyd works with the Big Plots field crew, making photos and recording sound and video

Photographer Nancy Floyd works with the Big Plots field crew, making photos and recording sound and video

Photographer Nancy Floyd works with the Big Plots field crew, making photos and recording sound and video

Undergraduate researcher Spencer Jackson and project lead Andy Bluhm look for the metal tag of a tree that burned in the 2023 Lookout Fire

Jack Horton, Ruric Bowman, Andy Bluhm, Spencer Jackson

RS21 in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, July 2025

Research equipment that burned in the 2023 Lookout Fire

RS21 in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, with installed sensors, July 2025

Mature forest along Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Mature forest along Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Mature forest along Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Mature forest along Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Andy Bluhm next to one of the bigger trees in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Andy Bluhm next to one of the bigger trees in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Andy Bluhm next to one of the bigger trees in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Mature forest along Lookout Creek in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Student researcher Kian Howe records stem distance for mapping using a laser survey tool (total station)

Student researcher Kian Howe records stem distance for mapping using a laser survey tool (total station)

Student researcher Kian Howe records stem distance for mapping using a laser survey tool (total station)

Student researcher Kian Howe records stem distance for mapping using a laser survey tool (total station)

Andy Bluhm next to one of the bigger trees in the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest

Researcher Gabby Robinson records information on each woody plant in the study plot with a diameter larger than 1 cm

Researcher Kate Forsman moves through Reference Stand 38, with a tape to measure tree diameter

New tree tags, attached to trees that will become part of the long-term study

Researcher Gabby Robinson uses a caliper to measure the diameter of a tree in the study plot RS38

Researcher Gabby Robinson records the diameter of a tree in the study plot RS38

Researcher Gabby Robinson flags a tree that will later be mapped as part of the study

Researcher Kate Forsman holds a marked up PVC pipe used with the laser tool to map out tree stems in a plot

Student researcher Kian Howe records stem distance for mapping using a laser survey tool (total station)

Researcher Kate Forsman reads off information about the tree behind her that will become part of the long term study. Species, size, condition.

Researcher Sydney Gastman records diameter of a tree in the study plot RS38

Researcher Sydney Gastman records the tree tag number of a tree in the study plot RS38

Researcher Sydney Gastman uses a wax pencil to mark the height at which she'll measure the diameter of this small tree

Researcher Sydney Gastman measures tree diameter

Researcher Kate Forsman holds a PVC pipe that is marked and used with the laser tool to map out tree stems in a plot

Samples of Douglas fir being measured for water potential.

Undergraduate researcher Cooper Parkins uses a nitrogen pressure bomb to measure water potential in Doug fir branches.

Undergraduate researcher Cooper Parkins uses a nitrogen pressure bomb to measure water potential in Doug fir branches.

Undergraduate students Spencer Jackson and Jack Horton record data on trees in the study plot

completed moss reciprocal transplant plot

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

Postdoc Amelia Fitch with moss samples

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

a Douglas Fir seedling and plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The field crew raced to get tree seedlings, moss, and lichen transplanted before the snow covered the plots

Field technician Yausi Khajavei plants tree seedlings

lichen reciprocal transplant experiment

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The lichen reciprocal transplant experiment involves hanging different species of lichen anchored into embroidery hoops

The field crew raced to get tree seedlings, moss, and lichen transplanted before the snow covered the plots

The field crew from 2024: from left to right Libby Taylor-Manning, Amelia Fitch, Katelin Kutella, Eleanor Cook, Yausi Khajavei

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Moving through a burned area of the forest is part of field work

Trays of tree seedlings organized and ready to be transplanted in the forest as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

Graduate student Abbey Neat with trays of tree seedlings ready to be planted in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Graduate student Abbey Neat plants tree seedlings in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers record tag numbers for seedlings in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Postdoc Amelia Fitch transplants a Douglas fir tree seedling into the ground as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

a Douglas Fir seedling and plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Postdoc Emily Conklin reads off the tag number on a newly-transplanted tree seedling

Field technicians Yausi Khajavei (right) and Eleanor Cook (left) transplant a tree seedlings

Field technician Eleanor Cook transplants a Douglas-Fir tree seedling

Field technician Eleanor Cook transplants a Douglas-Fir tree seedling

a Douglas Fir seedling and plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Field technician Libby Talyor-Manning records data in the field

Postdoc Amelia Fitch with a tray of tree seedlings

A western hemlock tree seedling with a healthy root system, ready for transplant

transplanting tree seedlings in a plot, next to the large "parent" tree in the background

a tray of seedlings that will be planted out as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

Field technician Eleanor Cook with a tray of tree seedlings

Field technician Yausi Khajavei with a tray of tree seedlings

forest canopy

each tree seedling in the experiment was marked with a unique identification number to help researchers track growth over time

Postdoc Amelia Fitch transplants tree seedlings into the ground as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

Field technician Yausi Khajavei transplanting tree seedlings

Postdoc Emily Conklin plants a western hemlock tree seedling

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researcher Matt Betts confirms the tag number on a Douglas Fir seedling before planting

Field technician Libby Talyor-Manning plants a western hemlock tree seedling

Empty containers and a completed research plot

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Plots have sensors that to track soil moisture and temperature over time to measure the effect of microclimate

Postdoc Emily Conklin with a tray of tree seedlings ready to plant

Postdoc Emily Conklin plants a Douglas fir tree seedling

Researcher Matt Betts plants a Douglas fir tree seedling

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Postdoc Emily Conklin plants a Douglas fir tree seedling

Field tecnician Eleanor Cook plants a Western Hemlock tree seedling

Field technician Yausi Khajavei plants a Western Hemlock tree seedling

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

tree seedlings ready for planting, with Douglas fir on the left and western hemlock on the right

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Field technician Libby Talyor-Manning plants a western hemlock tree seedling

Researchers assess vegetation cover before planting a reciprocal transplant plot

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

A naturally-growing tree seedling in a nearby part of the forest

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

a Douglas Fir seedling and plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers collect data on planted plots in the reciprocal transplant experiment

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Forest structure in area adjacent to study area

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Forest structure in area adjacent to study area

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

the field crew on the reciprocal transplant experiment

Amelia Fitch, Emily Conlkin, Matt Betts returning from field work

The Busby Lab group meets at a reciprocal transplant plot

A planted plot with moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

A planted plot with tree seedlings in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Matt Betts and a hobo logger that records weather data as a part of the long-term bird monitoring study

Forest structure in area adjacent to study area

A planted plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Field technician Yausi Khajavei after a day of field work in the rain

Trays of tree seedlings organized and ready to be transplanted in the forest as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

a tray of seedlings that will be planted out as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

forest canopy

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

a Douglas Fir seedling and plot in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Douglas fir and western hemlock tree seedlings planted out in a plot for the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment. Note the burned PVC pipe that had to be replaced as corner markers for the plots

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers plant out tree seedlings and moss in the reciprocal transplant experiment

Moss patches as part of the reciprocal transplant experiment

Researchers Jeff Diez (left) and Bruce McCune (right) at a moss reciprocal transplant plot

forest and landscape burned in the Lookout Fire

Researchers re-tag trees that are part of a long-term study on vegetation

Researchers in an area burned the prior year in the 2023 Lookout Fire

forest and landscape burned in the Lookout Fire