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termed ‘‘dead,’ ’ DWM may affect most biotic processes in forest ecosystems (Harmon et al., 1986; Stokland et al., 2012). With the recent emergence of C/bioenergy economies, the attributes of et al., 2011). On s ecosystem pro-ks, tree reg maintain increase DWM in some ecosystems (Campbell et al., 2012). P at no other time in the course of forest science have ob assessments of the DWM resources and associated dynamic so critical to a wide breadth of scientists, policy makers, and stakeholders. Assessments of DWM have largely focused on the unique char-acteristics of detritus in individual forest types or regions. In North America, there is an abundance of DWM studies in ecosystems ranging from boreal to temperate (Gough et al., 2007; Hall et al., 2006) to sub-tropical using an equally abundant diversity of sam-ple designs. Given the costs and logistics necessary to develop