Research Interests
I study ecophysiology in western coniferous forests and woodlands. My research investigates tree water use, growth, physiology, and responses to management and climate. I also study canopy ecology, tall tree physiology, and how ecosystem biodiversity responds to land use history. As my primary research tools, I use stable isotope analyses, dendrochronology, and gas exchange measurements. Our lab is equipped with a cryogenic vacuum extraction line, a LI-COR 6400, leaf porometers, stem psychrometers, pressure chambers, a cavitation chamber, fog chambers, mesocosms, and a complete setup for dendrochronological analyses. Ongoing studies include conifer responses to drought, conifer encroachment of oak woodlands, restoration in second-growth redwood forests, forest mortality and regeneration, and foliar water uptake in conifers.
Selected Publications (Google Scholar)
Lemmo, S.L.B., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, J.J. Beckmann. 2024. Drought effects on tree mortality and regeneration in northern California. Forest Ecology and Management 563: 121969. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., N. Umstattd, G.W. Koch. 2023. Seasonal water source patterns in a northern Arizona pine forest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6: 1150413. (PDF)
Robinson, W.L., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, G.J. Roletti, P.J. van Mantgem. 2023. Drought survival strategies differ between coastal and montane conifers in northern California. Ecosphere 14: e4480. (PDF)
Kane, J.M., L.P. Kerhoulas, G.S. Goff. 2023. Conifer encroachment increases foliar moisture content in a northwestern California oak woodland. International Journal of Wildland Fire: 22184. (PDF)
Goodwin, M.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, H.S.J. Zald, M.P. North, M.D. Hurteau. 2022. Conifer water-use patterns across temporal and topographic gradients in the southern Sierra Nevada. Tree Physiology 43: 210-220. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, L.P. Kerhoulas, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Acclimation of interacting leaf surface traits affects foliar water uptake. Tree Physiology: 1-12. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, S.C. Sillett, L.P. Kerhoulas, A.R. Ambrose, A. R. McElrone, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Tracheid buckling buys time, foliar water uptake pays it back: Coordination of leaf structure and function in tall redwood trees. Plant, Cell & Environment 45: 2607-2616. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, S.C. Sillett, J. Orozco, R.D. Kramer, L.P. Kerhoulas, Z.J. Moore, M. Reed, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Shoot dimorphism enables Sequoia sempervirens to separate requirements for foliar water uptake and photosynthesis. American Journal of Botany 109: 564-579. (PDF)
Beckmann, J.J., R.L. Sherriff, L.P. Kerhoulas, and J.M. Kane. 2021. Douglas-fir encroachment reduces drought resistance in Oregon white oak of northern California. Forest Ecology and Management 498: 119543. (PDF)
Soland, K.R., L.P. Kerhoulas, N.J. Kerhoulas, and J.R. Teraoka. 2021. Second-growth redwood forest responses to restoration treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 496: 119370. (PDF)
Weinberg, W.C., J.R. Suoja, L.P. Kerhoulas, R.J. Maberry, C.A. Lee, D.S. Baston, and S.E. Marshall. 2021. Phytophthora ramorum foliar infection reduces leaf-level productivity in tanoak and California by: A pilot study from Redwood National Park. Madroño 68: 99-108. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., D.T. Hammons, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2020. Bigleaf maple within-crown leaf morphology and seasonal physiology. Northwest Science 94: 176-187. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., W.T. Polda, N.J. Kerhoulas, and J.-P. Berrill. 2020. Physiology and growth of Douglas-fir and redwood seedlings planted after partial harvesting. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3: 49. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., A.S. Weisgrau, E.C. Hoeft, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2020. Vertical gradients in foliar physiology of tall Picea sitchensis trees. Tree Physiology: 1-12. (PDF)
van Mantgem, P.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, and Z.J. Wenderott. 2020. Tree-ring evidence of forest management moderating drought responses: implications for dry, coniferous forests in the southwestern U.S. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3: 41. (PDF)
Gorman, A.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, W.T. Polda, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2019. Epiphyte diversity and distribution in an old Sitka spruce crown. Evansia 36: 12–22. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E. Kolb, and G.W. Koch. 2017. The influence of monsoon climate on latewood growth in southwestern ponderosa pine. Forests 8: 1–16. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E Kolb, and G.W. Koch. 2013. Tree size, stand density, and the source of water used across seasons by ponderosa pine in northern Arizona. Forest Ecology and Management 289: 425–433. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E Kolb, M.D. Hurteau and G.W. Koch. 2013. Managing climate change adaptation in forests: a case study from the U.S. Southwest. Journal of Applied Ecology 50: 1311–1320. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., and J.M. Kane. 2012. Sensitivity of ring growth and carbon allocation to climatic variation vary within ponderosa pine trees. Tree Physiology 32: 14–23. (PDF)
Mullin (Kerhoulas), L.P., Sillett, S.C., Koch, G.W., K.P. Tu, and M.E. Antoine. 2009. Physiological consequences of height-related morphological variation in Sequoia sempervirens foliage. Tree Physiology 29: 999–1010. (PDF)
I study ecophysiology in western coniferous forests and woodlands. My research investigates tree water use, growth, physiology, and responses to management and climate. I also study canopy ecology, tall tree physiology, and how ecosystem biodiversity responds to land use history. As my primary research tools, I use stable isotope analyses, dendrochronology, and gas exchange measurements. Our lab is equipped with a cryogenic vacuum extraction line, a LI-COR 6400, leaf porometers, stem psychrometers, pressure chambers, a cavitation chamber, fog chambers, mesocosms, and a complete setup for dendrochronological analyses. Ongoing studies include conifer responses to drought, conifer encroachment of oak woodlands, restoration in second-growth redwood forests, forest mortality and regeneration, and foliar water uptake in conifers.
Selected Publications (Google Scholar)
Lemmo, S.L.B., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, J.J. Beckmann. 2024. Drought effects on tree mortality and regeneration in northern California. Forest Ecology and Management 563: 121969. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., N. Umstattd, G.W. Koch. 2023. Seasonal water source patterns in a northern Arizona pine forest. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 6: 1150413. (PDF)
Robinson, W.L., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, G.J. Roletti, P.J. van Mantgem. 2023. Drought survival strategies differ between coastal and montane conifers in northern California. Ecosphere 14: e4480. (PDF)
Kane, J.M., L.P. Kerhoulas, G.S. Goff. 2023. Conifer encroachment increases foliar moisture content in a northwestern California oak woodland. International Journal of Wildland Fire: 22184. (PDF)
Goodwin, M.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, H.S.J. Zald, M.P. North, M.D. Hurteau. 2022. Conifer water-use patterns across temporal and topographic gradients in the southern Sierra Nevada. Tree Physiology 43: 210-220. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, L.P. Kerhoulas, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Acclimation of interacting leaf surface traits affects foliar water uptake. Tree Physiology: 1-12. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, S.C. Sillett, L.P. Kerhoulas, A.R. Ambrose, A. R. McElrone, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Tracheid buckling buys time, foliar water uptake pays it back: Coordination of leaf structure and function in tall redwood trees. Plant, Cell & Environment 45: 2607-2616. (PDF)
Chin, A.R.O., P.G. Guzmán-Delgado, S.C. Sillett, J. Orozco, R.D. Kramer, L.P. Kerhoulas, Z.J. Moore, M. Reed, M.A. Zwieniecki. 2022. Shoot dimorphism enables Sequoia sempervirens to separate requirements for foliar water uptake and photosynthesis. American Journal of Botany 109: 564-579. (PDF)
Beckmann, J.J., R.L. Sherriff, L.P. Kerhoulas, and J.M. Kane. 2021. Douglas-fir encroachment reduces drought resistance in Oregon white oak of northern California. Forest Ecology and Management 498: 119543. (PDF)
Soland, K.R., L.P. Kerhoulas, N.J. Kerhoulas, and J.R. Teraoka. 2021. Second-growth redwood forest responses to restoration treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 496: 119370. (PDF)
Weinberg, W.C., J.R. Suoja, L.P. Kerhoulas, R.J. Maberry, C.A. Lee, D.S. Baston, and S.E. Marshall. 2021. Phytophthora ramorum foliar infection reduces leaf-level productivity in tanoak and California by: A pilot study from Redwood National Park. Madroño 68: 99-108. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., D.T. Hammons, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2020. Bigleaf maple within-crown leaf morphology and seasonal physiology. Northwest Science 94: 176-187. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., W.T. Polda, N.J. Kerhoulas, and J.-P. Berrill. 2020. Physiology and growth of Douglas-fir and redwood seedlings planted after partial harvesting. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3: 49. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., A.S. Weisgrau, E.C. Hoeft, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2020. Vertical gradients in foliar physiology of tall Picea sitchensis trees. Tree Physiology: 1-12. (PDF)
van Mantgem, P.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, R.L. Sherriff, and Z.J. Wenderott. 2020. Tree-ring evidence of forest management moderating drought responses: implications for dry, coniferous forests in the southwestern U.S. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3: 41. (PDF)
Gorman, A.J., L.P. Kerhoulas, W.T. Polda, and N.J. Kerhoulas. 2019. Epiphyte diversity and distribution in an old Sitka spruce crown. Evansia 36: 12–22. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E. Kolb, and G.W. Koch. 2017. The influence of monsoon climate on latewood growth in southwestern ponderosa pine. Forests 8: 1–16. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E Kolb, and G.W. Koch. 2013. Tree size, stand density, and the source of water used across seasons by ponderosa pine in northern Arizona. Forest Ecology and Management 289: 425–433. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., T.E Kolb, M.D. Hurteau and G.W. Koch. 2013. Managing climate change adaptation in forests: a case study from the U.S. Southwest. Journal of Applied Ecology 50: 1311–1320. (PDF)
Kerhoulas, L.P., and J.M. Kane. 2012. Sensitivity of ring growth and carbon allocation to climatic variation vary within ponderosa pine trees. Tree Physiology 32: 14–23. (PDF)
Mullin (Kerhoulas), L.P., Sillett, S.C., Koch, G.W., K.P. Tu, and M.E. Antoine. 2009. Physiological consequences of height-related morphological variation in Sequoia sempervirens foliage. Tree Physiology 29: 999–1010. (PDF)