Skip to main content Skip to footer unit links
← Back to all capstone projects
2011 Autumn | Education & Outreach, Natural Science & Restoration

Factors Associated with Tree Mortality in an Old-Growth White-fir and Sugar Pine Domi- nated Yosemite Forest

Student(s):

Kimberly Grant

Program or Department(s):

  • Program on the Environment
  • University of Washington

Site supervisor(s):

James Lutz

Partner(s):

  • The University of Washington and the University of Montana

Faculty advisor(s):

James Lutz, School of Environmental & Forest Sciences, University of Washington

I participated in the first annual mortality survey of the Yosemite Forest Dynamics Plot (YFDP). In the field we learned tree species, pathogen and bark beetle identification, and different mortality signs and indicators. After collecting the field data, the information was entered in Microsoft Excel. From there I analyzed the data by species mortality and tree diameter. Findings supported that tree mortality is caused by a variety of factors, and prominence of mortality varies between species, tree diameter classes, and location of trees in relation to the landscape.