The Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir tree, also identified by its Latin name, Pseudotsuga menziesii, is one of the most beautiful and beloved trees in the United States. They are also known by several nicknames: red firs, Oregon pines, and Douglas spruce. Douglas-fir trees have distinct characteristics, a wide range of uses, impact multiple aspects of wildlife and our culture, and could be utilized for future development.
Douglas-firs are not actually a fir, spruce, or a pine tree. They are evergreen trees. This means that they stay green year-round. Douglas-fir trees, as we know them in the United States, are actually only two species of six, as they have their own genus. They are often referred to as false-Hemlocks, which…show more content… Douglas-Fir seeds are used by rabbits, squirrels, blue grouse, songbirds, and other small creatures as a food source. Deer, elk, antelope, mountain goats and mountain sheep eat branches and vegetation from the trees. The large branches and tightly packed needles also make it a good source of shelter for a myriad of species. The Douglas-fir tussock moth, or DFTM, is a moth native to the Californian coast that defoliates Douglas-fir trees, as well as some other true firs. These moths had a recent increase in its populations, and has affected the population of Douglas-fir on the coast, and will continue to do so. The reasons for the outbreak of DFTM was likely recent changes in forest management policy, and fire suppression regulations. Another nemesis of the tree is the Douglas-fir Beetle, which borrows into the tree, and causes damage in the understory and overstory of the tree. The Douglas-fir tree is a common Christmas tree choice, as it does not lose its needles easily. It also has a nice shape and color for holiday décor. Its effect on the nitrogen and hydrogen cycle is discussed in the book “Biogeochemistry”, “Nitrous oxide fluxes and soil nitrogen transformations were measured in experimentally-treated high elevation Douglas-fir forests in northwestern New Mexico, USA. On an annual basis, forests that were fertilized with 200 kg N/ha emitted an average of 0.66 kg/ha of N2O-N, with highest fluxes occurring in
