Carolyn T. Hunsaker People Profile - Research USDA Forest Service

current research

The Kings River Experimental Watershed (KREW) is being developed to: (1) quantify the variability in characteristics of stream ecosystems and their associated watersheds in the southern Sierra Nevada; and (2) evaluate the effects of forest management (prescribed fire and uneven-aged, small group tree thinning) on the physical, chemical, and biological components of stream ecosystems.
Forest Structure from Remotely Sensed Imagery. Radar and laser altimetry (Lidar) are being investigated for their ability to characterize forest structure at multiple spatial scales. Such data could be used for monitoring changes in forests and for describing habitat for organisms such as owls, goshawks, and fisher.

research interest

My general research interests are in (1) stream ecosystems and watersheds and (2) landscape ecology.

In the future, I plan to continue examining ecosystems holistically at the watershed scale, rather than as a series of disparate parts. I also will be evaluating approaches to managing forests that are subjected to multiple stressors, such as climate change and air pollution.

past research

The Kings River Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Project was established in 1994 to investigate the use of management tools, prescribed fire and uneven-aged, small group tree thinning, for creating a landscape mosaic that mimics the historical distribution of vegetation resulting from frequent, low-intensity fires prevalent before European settlement of the West. It is a joint effort between Pacific Southwest Research Station and the Sierra National Forest. Several long-term research studies exist within the Project: California spotted owl demographic study (11 years), forest bird study (7 years), and Kings River Experimental watershed (KREW) study (2 years).

Education

University of California Doctor of Environmental Science and Engineering D.Env. 1980
Loma Linda University Biology M.A. 1976
Pacific Union College Biology B.S. 1974

Professional Organizations

Ecological Society of America Senior Ecologist (1993 - current)
Institute of Professional Environmental Practice Qualified Environmental Professional (1994 - current)
American Geophysical Union Member ( - )
Association for Women in Science Member ( - )
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society Member ( - )
American Institute of Biological Sciences Member ( - )
Water Environment Federation Member ( - )
Ecological Society of America Member ( - )
International Association for Landscape Ecology Member ( - )

Awards & Recognition

Award, 1997
YWCA Tribute to Women Award in science and technology, Knoxville, TN,
Award, 1997
Distinguished and Sustained Scientific Contributions Award, East Tennessee Chapter of Association for Women in Science
Award, 1994
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Technical Achievement Award
Award, 1991
Service Award, Water Pollution Control Federation
Award, 1987
Distinguished Service Award, East Tennessee Chapter of Association for Women in Science

Featured Publications & Products

Liu, Fengjing; Hunsaker, Carolyn; Bales, Roger C. 2012 Controls of streamflow generation in small catchments across the snow-rain transition in the southern Sierra Nevada, California
Johnson, D.W.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Glass, D.W.; Rau, B.M.; Roath, B.A. 2011 Carbon and nutrient contents in soils from the Kings River Experimental Watersheds, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Publications

Bart, Ryan R.; Safeeq, Mohammad ; Wagenbrenner, Joseph W.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2020 Do fuel treatments decrease forest mortality or increase streamflow? A case study from the Sierra Nevada (USA)
Callahan, Russell P.; Ferrier, Ken L.; Dixon, Jean ; Dosseto, Anthony ; Hahm, W. Jesse; Jessup, Barbara S.; Miller, Scott N.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Johnson, Dale W.; Sklar, Leonard S.; Riebe, Clifford S. 2019 Arrested development: Erosional equilibrium in the southern Sierra Nevada, California, maintained by feedbacks between channel incision and hillslope sediment production
Herbst, David B.; Cooper, Scott D.; Medhurst, Robert Bruce; Wiseman, Sheila W.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2019 Drought ecohydrology alters the structure and function of benthic invertebrate communities in mountain streams
Lydersen, Jamie M.; Collins, Brandon M.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2019 Implementation constraints limit benefits of restoration treatments in mixed-conifer forests
Stacy, Erin M.; Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Johnson, Dale W.; Meding, S. Mercer; Hart, Stephen C. 2019 Stabilization mechanisms and decomposition potential of eroded soil organic matter pools in temperate forests of the Sierra Nevada, California
Bales, Roger C.; Goulden, Michael L.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Conklin, Martha H.; Hartsough, Peter C.; O’Geen, Anthony T.; Hopmans, Jan W.; Safeeq, Mohammad 2018 Mechanisms controlling the impact of multi-year drought on mountain hydrology
Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Johnson, Dale W. 2017 Concentration-discharge relationships in headwater streams of the Sierra Nevada, California
Dolanc, Christopher R.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2017 The transition from riparian to upland forest plant communities on headwater streams in the southern Sierra Nevada, California, United States
Safeeq, Mohammad; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2016 Characterizing runoff and water yield for headwater catchments in the southern Sierra Nevada
Son, Kyongho; Tague, Christina; Hunsaker, Carolyn 2016 Effects of model spatial resolution on ecohydrologic predictions and their sensitivity to inter-annual climate variability
Jepsen, S.M.; Harmon, T.C.; Meadows, M.W.; Hunsaker, C.T. 2016 Hydrogeologic influence on changes in snowmelt runoff with climate warming: Numerical experiments on a mid-elevation catchment in the Sierra Nevada, USA
McCorkle, Emma P.; Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Johnson, Dale W.; McFarlane, Karis J.; Fogel, Marilyn L.; Hart, Stephen C. 2016 Tracing the source of soil organic matter eroded from temperate forest catchments using carbon and nitrogen isotopes
Miller, Matthew P.; Boyer, Elizabeth W.; McKnight, Diane M.; Brown, Michael G.; Gabor, Rachel S.; Hunsaker, Carolyn; Iavorivska, Lidiia; Inamdar, Shreeram; Johnson, Dale W.; Kaplan, Louis A.; Lin, Henry; McDowell, William H.; Perdrial, Julia N. 2016 Variation of organic matter quantity and quality in streams at Critical Zone Observatory watersheds
Stacy, E. M.; Hart, S. C.; Hunsaker, C. T.; Johnson, D. W.; Berhe, A. A. 2015 Soil carbon and nitrogen erosion in forested catchments: implications for erosion-induced terrestrial carbon sequestration
Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Long, Jonathan W. 2014 Forested riparian areas
Long, J.W.; Skinner, Carl; North, M.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Quinn-Davidson, L. 2014 Integrative approaches: promoting socioecological resilience
Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Long, Jonathan W.; Herbst, David B. 2014 Watershed and stream ecosystems
Hunsaker, Carolyn 2013 The Kings River Experimental Watersheds: new findings about headwater streams of the southern Sierra Nevada
Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Neary, Daniel G. 2012 Sediment loads and erosion in forest headwater streams of the Sierra Nevada, California
Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Whitaker, Thomas W.; Bales, Roger C. 2012 Snowmelt runoff and water yield along elevation and temperature gradients in California's southern Sierra Nevada
Bales, Roger C.; Conklin, Martha H.; Kerkez, Branko; Glaser, Steven; Hopmans, Jan W.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Meadows, Matt; Hartsough, Peter C. 2011 Chapter 2: Sampling strategies in forest hydrology and biogeochemistry
Bales, Roger C.; Hopmans, Jan W.; O’Geen, Anthony T.; Meadows, Matthew; Hartsough, Peter C.; Kirchner, Peter; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Beaudette, Dylan 2011 Soil moisture response to snowmelt and rainfall in a Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest
Johnson, D.W.; Fenn, M.E.; Miller, W.W.; Hunsaker, C.T. 2009 Fire effects on carbon and nitrogen cycling in forests of the Sierra Nevada
Bergen, K.M.; Goetz, S.J.; Dubayah, R.O.; Henebry, G.M.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Imhoff, M.L.; Nelson, R.F.; Parker, G.G.; Radeloff, V.C. 2009 Remote sensing of vegetation 3-D structure for biodiversity and habitat: Review and implications for lidar and radar spaceborne missions
Brown, Larry R.; May, Jason T.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2008 Species Composition and Habitat Associations of Benthic Algal Assemblages in Headwater Streams of the Sierra Nevada, California
Hunsaker, Carolyn; Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Auman, Jessica; Cisneros, Ricardo 2007 Air pollution and watershed research in the central Sierra Nevada of California: nitrogen and ozone
Eagan, S.M.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Dolanc, C.R.; Lynch, M.E.; Johnson, C.R. 2007 Discharge and sediment loads at the Kings River Experimental Forest in the Southern Sierra Nevada of California
Dolanc, Christopher R.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T. 2007 Riparian and upland vegetation on the Kings River Experimental Watershed, Sierra Nevada, California
Hunsaker, C.T.; Eagan, S.M. 2003 Small stream ecosystem variability in the Sierra Nevada of California
Schiller, A.; Hunsaker, Carolyn; Kane, M.A.; Wolfe, A.K.; Dale, V.H.; Suter, G.W.; Russell, C.S.; Pion, G.; Jensen, N.H.; Konar, V.C. 2001 Communicating Ecological Indicators to Decision Makers and the Public
Fortin, M.-J.; Olson, ; R.J., ; Ferson, S.; Iverson, L.; Hunsaker, C.; Edwards, G.; Levine, D.; Butera, K.; Klemas, V.; Klemas, V. 2000 Issues related to the detection of boundaries
O'Neill, Robert V.; Hunsaker, Carolyn T.; Jones, K. Bruce; Riitters, Kurt H.; Wickham, James D.; Schwartz, Paul M.; Goodman, Iris A.; Jackson, Barbara L.; Baillargeon, William S. 1997 Monitoring environmental quality at the landscape scale