Current Research

I assist program scientists in the design, implementation, and data analysis of research studies, primarily related to silviculture in the northern Rocky Mountains.  I maintain a set of permanent plots, and the associated data, for measuring forest growth and development over time. These plots are scattered in the forests of northern Idaho, northeastern Washington, and western Montana. I also supervise field crews in taking measurements at research study sites and permanent plots. Back at the lab, I led an effort by lab employees to convert part of the lawn to a native Palouse prairie.

Past Research

Education

• Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, M.S. Forest Biometrics 1985
• Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, B.S. Forest Management, Watershed Management, Biology 1981
• Rochester Community College, Rochester, MN, A.A. Conservation 1976

Featured Publications & Products

• Jain, Theresa B.; Graham, Russell T.; Byrne, John C.; Bright, Benjamin C. 2020. Canopy opening and site preparation effects on conifer and understory establishment and growth after an uneven-aged free selection regeneration harvest in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA.
• Strand, Eva K.; Satterberg, Kevin L.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Byrne, John ; Khalyani, Azad Henareh; Smith, Alistair M. S. 2019. Does burn severity affect plant community diversity and composition in mixed conifer forests of the United States Intermountain West one decade post fire.
• Jain, Theresa ; Sikkink, Pamela ; Keefe, Robert ; Byrne, John . 2018. To masticate or not: Useful tips for treating forest, woodland, and shrubland vegetation.
• Galvez, Fabian B.; Hudak, Andrew T.; Byrne, John C.; Crookston, Nicholas L.; Keefe, Robert F. 2014. Using climate-FVS to project landscape-level forest carbon stores for 100 years from field and LiDAR measures of initial conditions.
• Hudak, Andrew T.; Strand, Eva K.; Vierling, Lee A.; Byrne, John C.; Eitel, Jan U. H.; Martinuzzi, Sebastian; Falkowski, Michael J. 2012. Quantifying aboveground forest carbon pools and fluxes from repeat LiDAR surveys.
• Ferguson, Dennis E.; Byrne, John C.; Wykoff, William R.; Kummet, Brian; Hensold, Ted. 2011. Response of ponderosa pine stands to pre-commercial thinning on Nez Perce and Spokane Tribal forests in the Inland Northwest, USA.
• Ferguson, Dennis E.; Byrne, John C. 2016. Shrub succession on eight mixed-severity wildfires in western Montana, northeastern Oregon, and northern Idaho.
• van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Byrne, John C.; Daniels, Lori D.; Franklin, Jerry F.; Fule, Peter Z.; Harmon, Mark E.; Larson, Andrew J.; Smith, Jeremy M.; Taylor, Alan H.; Veblen, Thomas T. 2009. Widespread increase of tree mortality rates in the Western United States.

Publications

• van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Byrne, John C.; Daniels, Lori D.; Franklin, Jerry F.; Fule, Peter Z.; Harmon, Mark E.; Larson, Andrew J.; Smith, Jeremy M.; Taylor, Alan H.; Veblen, Thomas T. 2009. Widespread increase of tree mortality rates in the western United States.
• Ferguson, Dennis E.; Byrne, John C.; Coffen, Dale O. 2005. Reforestation trials and secondary succession with three levels of overstory shade in the Grand Fir Mosaic ecosystem.
• Moore, James A.; Hamilton, David A, Jr..; Xiao, Yu; Byrne, John. 2004. Bedrock type significantly affects individual tree mortality for various conifers in the inland Northwest, U.S.A.
• Ferguson, Dennis E.; Byrne, John C. 2000. Environmental characteristics of the Grand Fir Mosaic and adjacent habitat types.
• Byrne, John C. 1993. Incorporating additional tree and environmental variables in a lodgepole pine stem profile model.
• Byrne, John C. 1993. Maintaining a permanent plot data base for growth and yield research: Solutions to some recurring problems.
• Byrne, John C.; Sweet, Michael D. 1992. Managing data from remeasured plots: An evaluation of existing systems.
• Sweet, Michael D.; Byrne, John C. 1990. A standardized data structure for describing and exchanging data from remeasured growth and yield plots.
• Byrne, John C.; Stage, Albert R. 1988. A data structure for describing sampling designs to aid in compilation of stand attributes.
• Byrne, John C.; Stage, Albert R. 1988. Description of sampling designs using a comprehensive data structure.
• Byrne, John C.; Stage, Albert R.; Renner, David L. 1988. Distribution of permanent plots to evaluate silvicultural treatments in the Inland Empire.
• Byrne, John C.; Reed, David D. 1986. Complex compatible taper and volume estimation systems for red and loblolly pine.