1. Data Book Review & Discussion Biometric & Spectral Analysis
2004/2005 Forest Watch
Data Book Review & Discussion
Biometric & Spectral Analysis

2. Figure 1:
New FW Teachers Trained
2003 = 20
2004 = 31
2005 = 20
2005 New Forest Watch
Schools By State:
NH =11
MA = 5
CT = 2
ME =1

3. Distribution of Active Forest Watch
Teachers & Schools
Total = 236 Teachers
Total = 179 Schools

4. A Bad Ozone Day for New England
Ozone Summary 2004
NEW AQI
8-hour Average Peak Concentration
                     
0-50 ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
ppb
OLD AQI
A Bad Ozone Day for New England
July
1-hour Average Peak Concentration
                     
0-60 ppb Good
61-79 ppb
80-99 ppb Moderate
ppb
ppb Unhealthy for Sensitive
Groups
125+ ppb Unhealthy
On June the EPA revoked the old 1 hr
standard for the new 8-hr standard. One aspect
of this policy in transition is a change in the AQI
(Air Quality Index), the system used by the EPA
for displaying health risks associated with varying
levels of ground-level ozone.
This years OZONE summary uses only data representing the 8hr ozone standard where in past years both standards were displayed in most
figures and discussions.

5. Figure 27: Trend in 8-Hour Ozone Levels, , Averaged across EPA Regions Based on Annual 4th Maximum 8-Hour Average
Figure 26: Areas in the US which have been designated as non attainment areas to the new 8-hr ozone standard as designated by the EPA Officially on June 15, 2005.
Areas which have seen the greatest reductions in ozone levels are same areas
that are still out of compliance to the new standard
State, tribal and local governments must submit SIP’s (State Implementation Plans)
To the EPA by 2007, documenting how they will meet compliance by 2010.

6. Figure 28: Number of ozone 8-hr exceedances, compared to the number of days with temperatures greater than 90ºF, as measured at Bradley Airport outside Hartford, CT.

7. Figure 30: Graph of the Number of Exceedence Days by State in Region 1:New England from based on the 8-hr standard.
Source :

8. Averaged 4 highest 8 hour ozone
concentrations & The number of
8hr exceedances for 2004.
Similar to 2003, the 2004 summer
was another year of good air quality
and low ozone exceedance days
With few exceptions, urban and
coastal monitoring sites were the only areas that experienced ozone levels high enough to exceed the
8-hr standard in 2004.

9. since Forest Watch began. 2003 and 2004 are our highest REIP values.
Figure 4: REIP vs. Ozone from six NH schools from
In 2004, mean monthly max ozone increased some while REIP remained elevated
and although monthly max increased, exceedances were lower in region 1 for 2004 than in 2003.
In 2004, high REIP values corresponded to low ozone values as they have in most years
since Forest Watch began and 2004 are our highest REIP values.
Spearman’s coefficient of correlation:
(1998 = -0.81) (2002 = -0.39) (2003 = -0.51) (2004 = -0.53)
Probability: = < = < = <0.05

10. REIP vs. OZONE, (All NH Schools vs. Original Schools)
Figure 6: Number of trees used in analysis of REIP vs. ozone for the original six schools (Figure 4) & number of trees for REIP vs. ozone for all NH schools (Figure 8).

11. Figure 8: REIP vs. Ozone – All New Hampshire Schools.
Results are very similar between All NH schools and the original schools vs. REIP.
Slight differences are seen in many years, however no differences exceed 2nm
2 nanometers is the resolving power of the VIRIS, signifying that the differences
seen Are not statistically significant.

12. Both studies show a steady rise in REIP values between 1991 & 2004
Figure 7: REIP values for the original six schools compared to all NH Schools from
Both studies show a steady rise in REIP values between 1991 & 2004
Overlapping error bars show us again that the differences between the two
datasets are not significant
Smaller error bars in the larger all NH Schools dataset give us confidence that
the results from this study accurately reflect the chlorophyll levels from year to year

13. 2004 White Pine REIP Distribution

14. Long Term Analysis of Selected Student Collected Biometric Data
Photos by: Louise James
Students from Sewell-Anderson School
Lynn MA. Spring 2005

15. Drought Years 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001 (1993, 2002 summers)
(1999, Spring and Summer)
Wet Years
1996, 1998, 2000, 2003,2004
Figure 12.
Figure 13

16. Figure 14: Average Yearly Needle Retention 1992-2004.

17. Figure 15: Average Annual Needle & Fascicle Length 1992-2004.
Average needle length is always slightly shorter than average fascicle length. Including the fascicle and measuring the longest needle should give us the results we see above,
showing us that students are making careful measurements!
Low precipitation in 1992 (spring) & 1997 (annual) correlate well with reduced needle length. Increased length in and 2001 does not correlate with the dry conditions.
A steady decrease in needle length is seen from This trend could be the result of a series of mini droughts (1999, 2001 & 2002).
Needle length may be on the rise if precipitation levels continue to be above average
as they were in 2003 and 2004.

18. general precipitation trends for the northeast region
Water content data &
general precipitation trends
for the northeast region
correlate well for some years
1995,1997,1999,2000, 2003
…and not so well for others
1992, 1996
Figure 16: Percent needle water content
Relationships might be even
Stronger if we factor in spring
vs. fall sample dates and use
more specific precipitation
data and conduct this analysis
on a state to state basis.

19. A Closer look at water content data comparing two different methods
with state specific spring precipitation
Outliers are present in both data sets
With outliers removed the relationship
between spring preipitation and needle water content is nearly perfect.
Gilmanton rs = +0.83
Mabel I Wilson rs = +0.95
Figure 17: Percent needle water content for Gilmanton Middle School
Figure 18: Percent needle water content Mabel I Wilson Elementary School

20. Figure 21: Mean Percent Needle Damage Length 1996-2003.
Figure 22: Average Percent Needle Damage calculated by Forest Watch students and UNH researchers.

21. Figure 20: Percentage of both symptoms (chlorotic mottle & Tip Necrosis)
vs. REIP,