Shawn Fraver – Research
My research addresses a wide range of questions related to the ecology of both natural and managed forests. Much of this work relies on dendrochronology (tree-ring) methods to assess tree growth and forest productivity through time. The following overview of topics captures the breadth of my work, as well as listing primary collaborators.
Old-growth forest structure and dynamics
This work addresses the current structure and long-term development and disturbance histories of old-growth forests, with projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Sweden, and Central Europe. This work relies heavily on dendrochronological methods.
Forest carbon dynamics
This work addresses forest carbon stores and fluxes for the purpose of better quantifying the forest carbon cycle, including factors (such as climate) that influence fluxes. This work is based on field and laboratory studies, as well as modelling (by colleagues).
Woody debris dynamics, biodiversity, and biometrics
This work encompasses a large number of topics related to woody debris, an important forest structural attribute, in terms of biodiversity, carbon storage, and fire behavior.
Climate–growth relationships of forest trees
This work investigates the effects of climate, in some cases combined with past silvicultural treatments, on forest growth and productivity. The work relies on long-term permanent plot data, combined with dendrochronological methods.
Tree-tree competition in natural forests
This work addresses the growth constraints and mortality risk due to tree-tree competition, as well as the role of tree spatial patterning in moderating competitive effects. This work relies heavily on dendrochronological methods and detailed tree mapping.
Impacts of salvage logging following natural disturbances
This work addresses the impacts of salvage logging on forest structure and composition. It also addresses the compound effects of salvage logging in combination with severe wind storms and wildfire.