Examining historical and current mixed-severity fire regimes in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western North America.

ABSTRACT: There is widespread concern that fire exclusion has led to an unprecedented threat of uncharacteristically severe fires in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex. Laws) and mixed-conifer forests of western North America. These extensive montane forests are considered to be adapted to a low/moderate-severity fire regime that maintained stands of relatively old trees. However, there is increasing recognition from landscape-scale assessments that, prior to any significant effects of fire exclusion, fires and forest structure were more variable in these forests. Biota in these forests are also dependent on the resources made available by higher-severity fire. A better understanding of historical fire regimes in the ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western North America is therefo

SUBMITTER: Odion DC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3912150 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature