Northern Research Station
11 Campus Blvd., Suite 200
Newtown Square, PA 19073
(610) 557-4017
(610) 557-4132 TTY/TDD
Nicholas Skowronski
Title: Research Forester
Unit: Climate, Fire, and Carbon Cycle Sciences
Address: NRS
180 Canfield Street
Morgantown, WV 26505
Phone: 304-285-1507
E-mail: Contact Nicholas Skowronski
Education
- Ph.D. Ecology and Evolution, 2011, Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ)
- B.S. Environmental Science, 2001, Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
Civic & Professional Affiliations
- Ecological Society of America
- International Association of Wildland Fire
Current Research
My current research focuses on the quantification and analysis of the structural characteristics of forest canopies and how this relates to carbon and water cycles. I have recently been using a newly emerging remote sensing technology called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) which actively characterizes the canopy with a laser beam. My work is split between developing methods for using LiDAR and other remotes sensing techniques for wildfire mitigation and studying how forest functionality changes after disturbance.
Why is This Important
This research is being conducted to provide information that is allows us to map wildfire risks in 3-D across large areas and to use this information to strategically implement fuel reduction treatments. We are also working to apply this work in the wildland urban interface and intermix environments (where homes and forests come together) to help understand how property owners can manage vegetation around their homes to minimize the effects of potential wildfires.
We also use this research to help us quantify how changes in canopy structure from human caused and natural disturbances change an ecosystem's cycling of carbon and water. By further studying these forest dynamics, we can better understand how the forest's ability to sequester carbon changes after different levels of disturbance.
Featured Publications
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Gallagher, Michael; Renninger, Hedi; Schafer, Karina. 2012. Effects of invasive insects and fire on energy exchange and evapotranspiration in the New Jersey pine lands. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 166-167: 50-61.
- Medvigy, D.; Clark, K.L.; Skowronski, N.S.; Schafer, K.V.R. 2012. Simulated impacts of insect defoliation on forest carbon dynamics. Environmental Research Letters. 7(4): 045703.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Lister, Andrew J. 2012. Utility of LiDAR for large area forest inventory applications. In: Morin, Randall S.; Liknes, Greg C., comps. Moving from status to trends: Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) symposium 2012; 2012 December 4-6; Baltimore, MD. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-105. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. [CD-ROM]: 410-413.
- Miao, Zewei; Lathrop, Richard G.; Xu, Ming; La Puma, Inga P.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Hom, John; Skowronski, Nicholas; Van Tuyl, Steve. 2011. Simulation and sensitivity analysis of carbon storage and fluxes in the New Jersey Pinelands. Environmental Modelling & Software. 26(9): 1112-1122.
- Skowronski, Nicholas S.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Duveneck, Matthew; Hom, John. 2011. Three-dimensional canopy fuel loading predicted using upward and downward sensing LiDAR systems. Remote Sensing of Environment. 115: 703-714.
Additional Online Publications
- Clark, Ken; Skowronski, Nicholas; Michael, Gallagher; Heilman, Warren E.; Hom, John. 2010. Fuel consumption and particulate emissions during fires in the New Jersey Pinelands. In: Proceedings of the 3rd fire behavior and fuels conference; 2010 October 25-29; Spokane, WA. Birmingham AL: International Association of Wildland Fire. 19 p. [On CD-ROM].
- Schafer, Karina V.; Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hamerklynck, Erik P. 2010. Impact of insect defoliation on forest carbon balance as assessed with a canopy assimilation model. Global Change Biology. 16: 546-560.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hom, John. 2010. Invasive insects impact forest carbon dynamics. Global Change Biology. 16: 88-101.
- Clark, Kenneth L.; Skowronski, Nicholas; Hom, John; Duveneck, Matthew; Pan, Yude; Van Tuyl, Stephen; Cole, Jason; Patterson, Matthew; Maurer, Stephen. 2009. Decision support tools to improve the effectiveness of hazardous fuel reduction treatments in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. International Journal ofWildland Fire. 18: 268-277.
- Skowronski, Nicholas; Clark, Kenneth; Nelson, Ross; Hom, John; Patterson, Matt. 2007. Remotely sensed measurements of forest structure and fuel loads in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Remote Sensing of Environment. 108: 123-129.
- Clark, Kenneth; Skowronski, Nick; Pan, Yude; Van Tuyl, Steve; Heilman, Warren. 2006. Fire research in the pine barrens of New Jersey. In: Dickinson, Matthew B., ed. 2006. Fire in eastern oak forests: delivering science to land managers, proceedings of a conference; 2005 November 15-17; Columbus, OH. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-1. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 271.
Last Modified: 02/15/2012