Bulkley Valley Research Centre - Science in the Public Interest

Analysis of PSP Data

Project Reference Number: 2014-06

Project Status: Complete

Led by: Dave Coates, PhD, Research Silviculturist, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources, Smithers

Amalesh Dhar, NSERC Industrial R&D Postdoctoral Fellow, Bulkley Valley Research Centre; Erica Lilles, Soil & Vegetation Scientist, Bulkley Valley Research Centre; Laura V. Grant, Masters Candidate, UNBC

Funder: Ministry of Forest Lands & Natural Resource Operations

The Bulkley Valley Research Centre will:

1. Acquire 2013 PSP datasets and format for analysis.
2. Continue to identify other existing datasets that provide information on release dynamics post-MPB attack.
3. Match year of red attack from different sources to plot locations to determine most likely year of release.
4. Continue analysis of all datasets to determine growth patterns of individual trees and stands prior- and post-red attack by various categories of damage impact.
5. All results will be summarized in Excel spreadsheets (graphs and tables). All newly compiled datasets will be provided in Excel. Analysis will b undertaken in R and all R programs will be described and provided. Analysis will be to standard required for journal paper submission.
6. Prepare draft methods and results based on data acquisition and analysis using a scientific journal style.