ALBERT

Description: To mitigate the impact of direct human activity on treeline pattern and process, much alpine treeline research in the western USA has been conducted in nationally protected areas. The use of treeline as a proxy for climate change has been assessed in parks throughout the west but often at the expense of geology or geomorphology as controls of treeline variation. The dissimilar geology and geomorphic processes of the western national parks suggest that treeline may respond differently between national parks when subjected to disturbance. Therefore, predicted vegetation response to disturbance across the western USA may provide a limited assessment of change beyond fine-scale analysis due to data collection from a limited number of national parks containing alpine treeline. We performed a content analysis on previous research that examined alpine treeline in national parks and classified each treeline study as anthropogenic, orographic/edaphic, or climatic according to the primary factor attributed to treeline control. Results indicated that the three types of treeline are not uniformly studied. Climatic treeline is most commonly studied whereas anthropogenic and orographic/edaphic studies are often lacking. Furthermore, several western national parks are entirely devoid of anthropogenic and orographic treeline research. Similar findings exist for treeline studies in protected places worldwide. More research in protected places is required to broaden our understanding of multiple treeline processes across both regional and worldwide extents.

Description: Although Henry Gannett is best known as “the father of American map-making,” he made noteworthy contributions to timberline research in the late 1800s. Gannett’s studies attempted to identify a standard isotherm for alpine timberline in the USA, explained the mass elevation effect on timberline altitude in the Rocky Mountains, and recognized the importance of geology and geomorphology as controlling factors. Despite these contributions, Gannett’s timberline work remains in obscurity. As technology enhances our ability to find and cite older literature, the contributions of Gannett, and other unknown scholars, may provide us with insight and useful data that have lain dormant for decades or centuries.

Description: Darwin’s analysis of the geomorphology of worms is the first documented account of fauna influencing the landscape and established the foundation upon which many current studies in ecosystem engineering, zoogeomorphology, soil science, and biogeomorphology are more broadly predicated. The focus of this assessment is to analyze the long-lasting and broad application of his 1881 work, The Formation of Vegetable Mould, Through the Action of Worms, with Observations on their Habits. In particular, this assessment identifies and elaborates on underlying lessons for today’s geomorphologists. The underlying lessons presented here are three-fold: (1) be multidisciplinary, (2) assess the trivial, and (3) be impactful. First, we review the context of geomorphology in his essay on worms. Then, we address each of the three underlying lessons. We discuss how geomorphologists have adopted these lessons, and what geomorphology can continue to learn from Darwin (1881). In doing so, we analyze the wide influence Darwin’s Worms has had on the scientific community, with an emphasis on geomorphic implications. Our analysis shows that over 900 publications refer to Darwin (1881). In addition, these publications were derived from a variety of disciplines including, but not limited to, anthropology, biogeography, botany, geology, paleontology, philosophy, psychology, scientific travel writing, taxonomy, and zoology. At first glance, it may appear trivial to assess the amount of earth moved by worms, yet this is how Darwin spent his final years. His efforts were not in vain, but rather found that worms play an essential role in soil health, and his work continues to gain recognition and inspire geomorphologists.

Description: Rexford Daubenmire’s 1954 seminal review of alpine timberline in North America remains a valuable classic for timberline scholars. His article was published at a formative time for timberline studies and, as such, has affected the direction of timberline research for nearly 70 years. Daubenmire’s definition of timberline, his review of climatological theories controlling timberline, and his additions to altitudinal variations of timberline across latitudes remain at the forefront of timberline research.