Climbing rope, harnesses, lanyard, ascenders and carabiners are tools of the trade for a canopy ecologist whose field work is up in the trees
Canopy Ecology Field Work 2021
Researchers with the Long-Term Ecological Research program at the HJ Andrews Experimental Forest use climbing gear to ascend more than 50 meters (160 ft) into the tree canopy to learn more about the forest and the microclimate of the canopy. The highly-instrumented "Discovery Tree" is fitted with sensors that measure air temperature, air humidity, and air movement. Little is known about the environment within the canopy of old-growth trees and forests because accessing the high canopy is so difficult. Researchers hope to learn more about how microclimate variation across the vertical gradient affects physiology and stress of trees and epiphytes in a changing climate. The canopy microclimate project is led by Chris Still (https://directory.forestry.oregonstate.edu/people/still-chris), a professor in the Forest Ecosystems and Society Department at Oregon State University, and Mark Schulze, the Andrews Forest Director (https://directory.forestry.oregonstate.edu/people/schulze-mark).
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_001
Instruments measure air temperature, air humidity, and air movement. The measurements on the ground are compared to measurements taken in the tree canopy.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_002
A dendrometer band around a large Douglas-fir tree measures the daily and annual swell and contraction of the tree trunk.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_003
A dendrometer band around a large Douglas-fir tree measures the daily and annual swell and contraction of the tree trunk.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_004
Tree climbers use carabiners to climb and to attach their gear to their harnesses
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_005
Adam Sibley 56 meters above ground in the Discovery Tree. The white enclosure above his head contains the data logger that records and transmits data from sensors in the upper canopy.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_006
Lookout Creek along the Discovery Trail
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_007
Mark Schulze, Andrews Forest Director, begins his ascent into the canopy to take measurements
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_008
Mark Schulze, Andrews Forest Director, takes a few minutes in the mid canopy as he makes his way high into the tree tops to make measurements
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_009
The blue and white discs in this image contain spore collectors for measuring the diversity of fungal spores which make it to this height in the canopy. This setup is replicated at six canopy heights.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_010
The orange needles on this western hemlock branch are scorched, caused by a heat dome in summer 2021 that brought maximum air temperatures above 110 o F for three consecutive days.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_011
The orange needles on this western hemlock branch are scorched, caused by a heat dome in summer 2021 that brought maximum air temperatures above 110 o F for three consecutive days.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_012
Mark Schulze clips samples of branches high in the canopy as part of a study on needle scorch caused by the heat dome of summer 2021
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_013
Adam Sibley, graduate student, at ease high in the canopy. Adam spend many days and hours in the canopy for his research on assessing tree canopy microclimate and the response of trees to environmental stress
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_014
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_015
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_016
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_017
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_018
The cables and instruments along the tree trunk measure microclimate from the bottom of the tree to the top. Researchers measure temperature, humidity, leaf wetness and wind speed and direction. Suspended buckets measure fungal spore diversity.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_019
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_020
Looking down from high in the canopy into the crowns of neighboring trees
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_021
Mark Schulze, Andrews Forest Director, takes a few minutes in the mid canopy as he makes his way high into the tree tops to make measurements
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_022
Mark Schulze climbing a neighbor of the Discovery Tree
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_023
The cables and instruments along the tree trunk measure microclimate from the bottom of the tree to the top. Researchers measure temperature, humidity, leaf wetness and wind speed and direction.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_024
The cables and instruments along the tree trunk measure microclimate from the bottom of the tree to the top. Researchers measure temperature, humidity, leaf wetness and wind speed and direction.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_025
The cables and instruments along the tree trunk measure microclimate from the bottom of the tree to the top. Researchers measure temperature, humidity, leaf wetness and wind speed and direction.
Photographed by: Lina DiGregorio
Date: 8/18/2021
Photo number: aez_026