Current Research

Using FIA data (current inventory and past inventories) to understand the patterns and trends in Alaska’s forest. Examining the constraints on the ability of Alaskan tree species to migrate in response to climate change.

Past Research

Interpreting relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and shrub expansion in the Arctic tundra, (in progress). Understanding the influence of warming and snow addition on leaf nitrogen and 13C for arctic plants (in progress). Studying the impacts of a biological control agent on an invasive tree’s physiology, growth, water use, and litter dynamics in the Western United States. Determining the constraints on the spread of an invasive species at local and regional scales in the Southeastern United States. Examining physiological differences between native and invasive species in Hawaii. Surveying for invasive plants and feral pig presence in Hawaii’s natural area reserves. Developing monitoring protocols to access invasive species presence in natural area reserves in Hawaii.

Why This Research is Important

Much of my work to date has focused on invasive species--in particular understanding the factors contributing to their success and towards defining their distributions. This is important because invasives are among the most important threats to ecosystems and the services they provide. This is true as much or more in the Pacific Islands as elsewhere. Understanding the factors that define an invader’s distribution can provide information necessary to prevent and control spread. Biological control can be an effective means to reduce the impacts and spread of an invasive species. However the effects of biological control on target organisms are often not well studied. I have worked to determine the effectiveness of biological control agents both on the performance and growth of the target organism and on the effects that the target invader has on invaded ecosystems. More recently I have been involved in understanding how warming affects tundra plants in arctic ecosystems. This work is important because it provides insights into how warming is likely to affect arctic plant community structure and composition.

Education

• Washington State University, Ph.D. Biology Biology 2003
• University of Hawaii at Manoa, M.S. Botany 1997
• University of Oregon, B.S. Biology 1991

Featured Publications & Products

• Chakrabarty, Rajan K.; Gyawali, Madhu; Yatavelli, Reddy L. N.; Pandey, Apoorva; Watts, Adam C.; Knue, Joseph; Chen, Lung-Wen A.; Pattison, Robert R.; Tsibart, Anna; Samburova, Vera; Moosmuller, Hans. 2016. Brown carbon aerosols from burning of boreal peatlands: microphysical properties, emission factors, and implications for direct radiative forcing.
• Sullivan, Patrick F; Mulvey, Robin L; Brownlee, Annalis H; Barrett, Tara M; Pattison, Robert R. 2015. Warm summer nights and the growth decline of shore pine in Southeast Alaska.
• Pattison, Robert R.; Jorgenson, Janet C.; Raynolds, Martha K.; Welker, Jeffery M. 2015. Trends in NDVI and tundra community composition in the Arctic of NE Alaska between 1984 and 2009.
• Andersen, Hans-Erik; Babcock, Chad; Pattison, Robert; Cook, Bruce; Morton, Doug; Finley, Andrew. 2015. The 2014 tanana inventory pilot: A USFS-NASA partnership to leverage advanced remote sensing technologies for forest inventory.
• Pattison, Robert R.; Gray, Andrew N.; Sullivan, Patrick F.; Manies, Kristen L. 2015. Down woody material, soil and tree core collection and analysis from the 2014 Tanana pilot plots.
• Pattison, Robert R.; Gray, Andrew N.; Tango, Lori. 2015. A baseline assessment of forest composition, structure, and health in the Hawai i experimental tropical forests.
• Pattison, Robert R.; Welker, Jeffrey M. 2014. Differential ecophysiological response of deciduous shrubs and a graminoid to long-term experimental snow reductions and additions in moist acidic tundra, northern Alaska.
• Andersen, Hans-Erik; Pattison, Robert. 2012. Characterizing environmental change in interior Alaska (1982-2012) using multi-temporal, multi-scale remote sensing data and field measurements.
• Pattison, R.R.; D'Antonio, C.M.; Dudley, T.L. 2011. Biological control reduces growth, and alters water relations of the saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA.
• Pattison, Robert R.; D'Antonio, Carla M.; Dudley, Tom L.; Allander, Kip K.; Rice, Benjamin. 2010. Early impacts of biological control on canopy cover and water use of the invasive saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA.

Publications

• Pattison, Robert ; Andersen, Hans-Erik ; Gray, Andrew ; Schulz, Bethany ; Smith, Robert J.; Jovan, Sarah . 2018. Forests of the Tanana Valley State Forest and Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska: results of the 2014 pilot inventory.
• Babcock, Chad ; Finley, Andrew O.; Andersen, Hans-Erik ; Pattison, Robert ; Cook, Bruce D.; Morton, Douglas C.; Alonzo, Michael ; Nelson, Ross ; Gregoire, Timothy ; Ene, Liviu ; Gobakken, Terje ; Næsset, Erik . 2018. Geostatistical estimation of forest biomass in interior Alaska combining Landsat-derived tree cover, sampled airborne lidar and field observations.
• Sullivan, Patrick F.; Pattison, Robert R.; Brownlee, Annalis H.; Cahoon, Sean M. P.; Hollingsworth, Teresa N. 2017. Limited evidence of declining growth among moisture-limited black and white spruce in interior Alaska.
• Koch, Geoffrey; Pattison, Robert. 2017. Look again: Revising ideas about the greening of Alaska s arctic tundra.
• Barrett, Tara M.; Pattison, Robert R. 2017. No evidence of recent (1995-2013) decrease of yellow-cedar in Alaska.
• Sullivan, Patrick F; Pattison, Robert R; Brownlee, Annalis H; Cahoon, Sean M P; Hollingsworth, Teresa N. 2016. Effect of tree-ring detrending method on apparent growth trends of black and white spruce in interior Alaska.

Citations of non US Forest Service Publications

• Pattison RR, Gray AN, Sullivan PF, Manies KL (2015) Downed woody material, soil and tree core collection and analysis from the 2014 Tanana pilot plots. Forest Inventory and Analysis Symposium 2015. PNW-GTR-931
• Pattison RR, Jorgenson JC, Raynolds MK, Welker JM (2015) Trends in NDVI and tundra community composition in the Arctic of NE Alaska between 1988 and 2009. Ecosystems. 18:707-719

• Sullivan PF, Mulvey RL, Brownlee A, Barrett TM, Pattison RR. (2015) Warm summer nights and the growth decline of shore pine in Southeast Alaska. Environmental Research Letters. 10(12):124007.

• Pattison RR, Jorgenson JC, Raynolds MK, Welker JM (2015) Trends in NDVI and tundra community composition in the Arctic of NE Alaska between 1988 and 2009. Ecosystems. 18:707-719
• Pattison RR, Welker JM (2014) Differential ecophysiological response of deciduous shrubs and a graminoid to long-term experimental snow reductions and additions in moist acidic tundra, Northern Alaska. Oecologia. 174:339-350
• Pattison RR, Andersen HE (2013) Reviving an old inventory to understand changes in Alaska's boreal forest. Western Forester. Nov/Dec 2013
• Andersen HE, Pattison RR (2012) Characterizing environmental change in interior Alaska (1982-2012) using multi-temporal, multi-scale remote sensing data and field measurements. Moving from status to trends: Forest Inventory and Analysis Symposium 2012. GTR-NRS-P-105
• Dudley, T.L., Bean, D.W., Pattison, RR., Caires, A. (2012) Selectivity of a biological control agent, Diorhabda carinulata Desbrochers, 1870 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for host species within the genus Tamarix Linneaus, 1753. Pan-Pacific Entomologist, 88(3):319-341. 2012
• Pattison RR, D’Antonio CM, Dudley TL, Allander K, Rice B (2011) Early impacts of biological control on canopy cover and water use of the invasive saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA. Oecologia 165: 605-616
• Pattison RR, D’Antonio CM, Dudley TL (2011) Biological control reduces growth, and alters water relations of the saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA.. (2011) Journal of Arid Environments 75:346-352
• Pattison RR, and Mack RN (2009) Environmental constraints on the invasion of Triadica sebifera in the eastern U.S.: an experimental field assessment. Oecologia 158:591-602
• Pattison RR, and Mack RN (2008) Potential distribution of the invasive Triadica sebifera in the United States: evaluating CLIMEX predictions with field trials. Global Change Biology. 14:813-826.
  
• Gotthardt T, McClory J. Fields T, Jansen A, Coray C, Booz M, Weigner H, Davies E, Pattison R.(2007) Partnership in Nongame Wildlife Research and Data Management for the State of Alaska's Wildlife Conservation Plan, 2004 - 2007. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Environment and Natural Resource Institute, University of Alaska, Anchorage
• Gotthardt T, McClory J. Fields T, Jansen A, Coray C, Booz M, Weigner H, Davies E, Pattison R.(2007) Partnership in Nongame Wildlife Research and Data Management for the State of Alaska's Wildlife Conservation Plan, 2004 - 2007. Alaska Natural Heritage Program, Environment and Natural Resource Institute, University of Alaska, Anchorage
• Hudgeons J, Knutson A, Heinz K, DeLoach J, Dudley T, Pattison R, Kiniry J (2007) Defoliation by introduced Diorhabda elongata leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) reduces carbohydrate reserves and regrowth of Tamarix (Tamaricaceae). Biological Control. 43:213-221
• Baruch Z, Pattison RR, Goldstein G (2000) Responses to light and water availability of four invasive Melastomataceae in the Hawaiian Islands. International Journal of Plant Sciences. 161(1):107-118
• Pattison RR, Goldstein G, Ares A (1998) Growth, biomass allocation and photosynthesis of invasive and native rainforest species. Oecologia. 117:449-459
• Kitayama K, Pattison R, Cordell S, Webb D, Mueller-Dombois D (1997) Ecological and genetic implications of foliar polymorphism in Metrosideros polymorpha Gaud. (Myrtaceae) in a habitat matrix on Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Annals of Botany. 80:491-497

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
PNW-2011-04	Forest Inventory and Analysis begins work on Hawaiian Islands Policymakers and natural resource managers need up-to-date, consistent, and credible information on the status and trends of forests in Hawaii a ...	2011