Structure, diversity and health of Sierra Nevada red fir forests with reestablished fire regimes
Marc D. Meyer A H , Becky L. Estes B , Amarina Wuenschel C , Beverly Bulaon D , Alexandra Stucy E , Douglas F. Smith F and Anthony C. Caprio G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 351 Pacu Lane, Bishop, CA, 93514, USA.
B USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667, USA.
C USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, 57003 Road 225, North Fork, CA 93643, USA.
D USDA Forest Service, South Sierra Shared Service Area, Forest Health Protection, 19777 Greenley Road, Sonora, CA 95370, USA.
E Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764, USA.
F PO Box 577, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, CA 95389, USA.
G National Park Service, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271, USA.
H Corresponding author. Email: mdmeyer@fs.fed.us
International Journal of Wildland Fire 28(5) 386-396 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF18114
Submitted: 21 July 2018 Accepted: 7 December 2018 Published: 19 February 2019
Abstract
The reestablishment of natural fire regimes may benefit forest ecosystems by restoring their fundamental structural, compositional or functional attributes. We examined the influence of fire on the structure, understorey diversity and health of red fir (Abies magnifica) forests by comparing burned and unburned stands in 22 separate, paired fires of Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Burned red fir plots were characterised by lower tree densities and canopy cover, restored spatial heterogeneity and higher understorey species richness than unburned plots. Densities of large trees and large snags and red fir regeneration were similar between burned and unburned sites. Forest health indicators were similar between burned and unburned sites, and red fir crown loss ratings were primarily associated with topographic variables indicative of increased moisture stress or reduced soil moisture availability (i.e. lower elevations, south-facing slopes). Our results suggest that fire does not improve the health of red fir trees especially in areas of greater moisture stress, but it can restore red fir forest structure, increase understorey diversity and enhance adaptive capacity in landscapes with reestablished fire regimes.
Additional keywords : fire effects, forest health, moisture stress, natural fire regime, wildfire.
References
Asner G, Brodrick PG, Anderson CB, Vaughn N, Knapp DE, Martin RE (2015) Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012–2015 California drought. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113, E249–E255.| Progressive forest canopy water loss during the 2012–2015 California drought.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26712020PubMed |
Becker KML, Lutz JA (2016) Can low-severity fire reverse compositional change in montane forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA? Ecosphere 7, e01484
| Can low-severity fire reverse compositional change in montane forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Boisramé G, Thompson S, Collins B, Stephens S (2017) Managed wildfire effects on forest resilience and water in the Sierra Nevada. Ecosystems 20, 717–732.
| Managed wildfire effects on forest resilience and water in the Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brodrick PG, Asner GP (2017) Remote-sensed predictors of conifer tree mortality during severe drought. Environmental Research Letters 12, 115013
| Remote-sensed predictors of conifer tree mortality during severe drought.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brown JK (1974) Handbook for inventorying downed woody material. USDA Forest Service, Interior Forest and Range Experimental Station, General Technical Report INT-16. (Ogden, UT, USA)
Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) ‘Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information–theoretic approach, 2nd edn.’ (Springer Science Business Media Inc.: New York, NY, USA)
Chappell C (1991) Fire ecology and seedling establishment in Shasta red fir (Abies magnifica var. shastensis) forests of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. MSc Thesis, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Cline SP, Berg AB, White HM (1980) Snag characteristics and dynamics in Douglas-fir forests, western Oregon. The Journal of Wildlife Management 44, 773–786.
| Snag characteristics and dynamics in Douglas-fir forests, western Oregon.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Collins BM, Miller JD, Thode AE, Kelly M, van Wagtendonk JW, Stephens SL (2009) Interactions among wildland fires in a long-established Sierra Nevada natural fire area. Ecosystems 12, 114–128.
| Interactions among wildland fires in a long-established Sierra Nevada natural fire area.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Collins BM, Lydersen JM, Fry DL, Wilkin K, Moody T, Stephens SL (2016) Variability in vegetation and surface fuels across mixed-conifer-dominated landscapes with over 40 years of natural fire. Forest Ecology and Management 381, 74–83.
| Variability in vegetation and surface fuels across mixed-conifer-dominated landscapes with over 40 years of natural fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dolanc CR, Safford HD, Thorne JH, Dobrowski SZ (2014) Changing forest structure across the landscape of the Sierra Nevada, CA, USA, since the 1930s. Ecosphere 5, art101
| Changing forest structure across the landscape of the Sierra Nevada, CA, USA, since the 1930s.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dunbar-Irwin M, Safford HD (2016) Climatic and structural comparison of yellow pine and mixed-conifer forests in northern Baja California (México) and the eastern Sierra Nevada (California, USA). Forest Ecology and Management 363, 252–266.
| Climatic and structural comparison of yellow pine and mixed-conifer forests in northern Baja California (México) and the eastern Sierra Nevada (California, USA).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) (2017) Fire perimeters [database]. (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: Sacramento, CA, USA). Available at http://frap.fire.ca.gov/data/frapgisdata-sw-fireperimeters_download [Verified 11 July 2018].
Fontaine JB, Kennedy PL (2012) Meta-analysis of avian and small-mammal response fire severity and fire surrogate treatments in US fire-prone forests. Ecological Applications 22, 1547–1561.
| Meta-analysis of avian and small-mammal response fire severity and fire surrogate treatments in US fire-prone forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22908713PubMed |
Fulé PJ, Laughlin DC (2007) Wildland fire effects on forest structure over an altitudinal gradient, Grand Canyon National Park, USA. Journal of Applied Ecology 44, 136–146.
| Wildland fire effects on forest structure over an altitudinal gradient, Grand Canyon National Park, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Gesch DB, Oimoen M, Greenlee S, Nelson C, Steuck M, Tyler D (2002) The national elevation dataset. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 68, 5–32.
Hawksworth FG (1977) The 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating system. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest Range Experimental Station, General Technical Report RM-48. (Fort Collins, CO, USA)
Holden ZA, Morgan P, Rollins MG, Kavanagh K (2007) Effects of multiple fires on ponderosa pine on stand structure in two south-western wilderness areas. Fire Ecology 3, 18–33.
| Effects of multiple fires on ponderosa pine on stand structure in two south-western wilderness areas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Huisinga KD, Laughlin DC, Fulé PZ, Springer JD, McGlone CM (2005) Effects of an intense prescribed fire on understory vegetation in a mixed-conifer forest. The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 132, 590–601.
| Effects of an intense prescribed fire on understory vegetation in a mixed-conifer forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kane VR, Lutz JA, Roberts SL, Smith DF, McGaughey RJ, Povak NA, Brooks ML (2013) Landscape-scale effects of fire severity on mixed-conifer and red fir forest structure in Yosemite National Park. Forest Ecology and Management 287, 17–31.
| Landscape-scale effects of fire severity on mixed-conifer and red fir forest structure in Yosemite National Park.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kane VR, North MP, Lutz JA, Churchill DJ, Roberts SL, Smith DF, McGaughey RJ, Kane JT, Brooks ML (2014) Assessing fire effects on forest spatial structure using a fusion of Landsat and airborne LiDAR data in Yosemite National Park. Remote Sensing of Environment 151, 89–101.
| Assessing fire effects on forest spatial structure using a fusion of Landsat and airborne LiDAR data in Yosemite National Park.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keeley JE, Lubin D, Fotheringham CJ (2003) Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and alien plant invasions in the southern Sierra Nevada. Ecological Applications 13, 1355–1374.
| Fire and grazing impacts on plant diversity and alien plant invasions in the southern Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Krofcheck DJ, Hurteau MD, Scheller RM, Loudermilk EL (2017) Restoring surface fire stabilizes forest carbon under extreme fire weather in the Sierra Nevada. Ecosphere 8, e01663
| Restoring surface fire stabilizes forest carbon under extreme fire weather in the Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Larson AJ, Churchill D (2012) Tree spatial patterns in fire-frequent forests of western North America, including mechanisms of pattern formation and implications for designing fuel reduction and restoration treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 267, 74–92.
| Tree spatial patterns in fire-frequent forests of western North America, including mechanisms of pattern formation and implications for designing fuel reduction and restoration treatments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lydersen J, North M (2012) Topographic variation in structure of mixed-conifer forests under an active-fire regime. Ecosystems 15, 1134–1146.
| Topographic variation in structure of mixed-conifer forests under an active-fire regime.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lydersen J, North MP, Knapp EE, Collins BM (2013) Quantifying spatial patterns of tree groups and gaps in mixed-conifer forests: reference conditions and long-term changes following fire suppression and logging. Forest Ecology and Management 304, 370–382.
| Quantifying spatial patterns of tree groups and gaps in mixed-conifer forests: reference conditions and long-term changes following fire suppression and logging.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mallek C, Safford H, Viers J, Miller J (2013) Modern departures in fire severity and area vary by forest type, Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades, California, USA. Ecosphere 4, art153
| Modern departures in fire severity and area vary by forest type, Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades, California, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meyer MD (2015) Forest fire severity patterns of resource objective wildfires in the southern Sierra Nevada. Journal of Forestry 113, 49–56.
| Forest fire severity patterns of resource objective wildfires in the southern Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meyer MD, North MP (in press) Natural range of variation of red fir and subalpine forests in the Sierra Nevada bioregion. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, General Technical Report PSW-GTR. (Albany, CA, USA)
Miller C, Aplet GH (2016) Progress in wilderness fire science: embracing complexity. Journal of Forestry 114, 373–383.
| Progress in wilderness fire science: embracing complexity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miller JD, Thode AE (2007) Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). Remote Sensing of Environment 109, 66–80.
| Quantifying burn severity in a heterogeneous landscape with a relative version of the delta Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mortenson LA, Gray AN, Shaw DC (2015) A forest health inventory assessment of red fir (Abies magnifica) in upper montane California Ecoscience 22, 47–58.
| A forest health inventory assessment of red fir (Abies magnifica) in upper montane CaliforniaCrossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Mutch LS, Parsons DJ (1998) Mixed-conifer forest mortality and establishment before and after prescribed fire in Sequoia National Park, California. Forest Science 44, 341–355.
National Park Service (NPS) (2017) Fire history of Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks. Yosemite National Park and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Available at: https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/ [Verified 26 June 2018]
North M (2012) Managing Sierra Nevada forests. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-247. (Albany, CA, USA)
North M, Innes J, Zald H (2007) Comparison of thinning and prescribed fire treatments to Sierran mixed-conifer historic conditions. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 37, 331–342.
| Comparison of thinning and prescribed fire treatments to Sierran mixed-conifer historic conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parker AJ (1982) The topographic relative moisture index: an approach to soil-moisture assessment in mountain terrain. Physical Geography 3, 160–168.
| The topographic relative moisture index: an approach to soil-moisture assessment in mountain terrain.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parks SA, Miller C, Nelson CR, Holden ZA (2014) Previous fires moderate burn severity of subsequent wildland fires in two large western US wilderness areas. Ecosystems 17, 29–42.
| Previous fires moderate burn severity of subsequent wildland fires in two large western US wilderness areas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Paz-Kagan T, Brodrick PG, Vaughn NR, Das AJ, Stephenson NL, Nydick KR, Asner GP (2017) What mediates tree mortality during drought in the southern Sierra Nevada? Ecological Applications 27, 2443–2457.
| What mediates tree mortality during drought in the southern Sierra Nevada?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28871610PubMed |
Ponisio LC, Wilkin K, M’Gonigle LK, Kulhanek K, Cook L, Thorp R, Griswold T, Kremen C (2016) Pyrodiversity begets plant–pollinator community diversity. Global Change Biology 22, 1794–1808.
| Pyrodiversity begets plant–pollinator community diversity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26929389PubMed |
Potter DA (1998) Forested communities of the upper montane in the central and southern Sierra Nevada. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-169. (Albany, CA, USA)
Preisler HK, Grulke NE, Heath Z, Smith SL (2017) Analysis and out-year forecast of beetle, borer, and drought-induced tree mortality in California. Forest Ecology and Management 399, 166–178.
| Analysis and out-year forecast of beetle, borer, and drought-induced tree mortality in California.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roberts SL, Van Wagtendonk JW, Miles AK, Kelt DA (2011) Effects of fire on spotted owl site occupancy in a late-successional forest. Biological Conservation 144, 610–619.
| Effects of fire on spotted owl site occupancy in a late-successional forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roberts SL, Kelt DA, van Wagtendonk JW, Miles AK, Meyer MD (2015) Effects of fire on small-mammal communities in frequent-fire forests in California. Journal of Mammalogy 96, 107–119.
| Effects of fire on small-mammal communities in frequent-fire forests in California.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ryan KC, Knapp EE, Varner JM (2013) Prescribed fire in North American forests and woodlands: history, current practice, and challenges. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11, e15–e24.
Safford HD, Van de Water K (2014) Using Fire Return Interval Departure (FRID) analysis to map spatial and temporal changes in fire frequency on national forest lands in California. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Research Paper PSW-RP-266. (Albany, CA, USA)
Safford HD, North M, Meyer MD (2012) Climate change and the relevance of historical forest conditions. In ‘Managing Sierra Nevada forests’. (Ed. M North) USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, General Technical Report PSW-GTR-237, pp 23–46. (Albany, CA, USA)
Safford HD, van de Water K, Clark C (2015) California Fire Return Interval Departure (FRID) map. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. (Sacramento, CA, USA)
Steel ZL, Safford HD, Viers JH (2015) The fire frequency-severity relationship and the legacy of fire suppression in California forests. Ecosphere 6, art8
| The fire frequency-severity relationship and the legacy of fire suppression in California forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stephens SL, Moghaddas JJ, Edminster C, Fiedler CE, Haase S, Harrington M, Keeley JE, Knapp EE, Mciver JD, Metlen K, Skinner CN, Youngblood A (2009) Fire treatment effects on vegetation structure, fuels, and potential fire severity in western US forests. Ecological Applications 19, 305–320.
| Fire treatment effects on vegetation structure, fuels, and potential fire severity in western US forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19323192PubMed |
Stephens SL, Agee JK, Fulé PZ, North MP, Romme WH, Swetnam TW, Turner MG (2013) Managing forests and fire in changing climates. Science 342, 41–42.
| Managing forests and fire in changing climates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24092714PubMed |
Taylor A (2004) Identifying forest reference conditions on early cut-over lands, Lake Tahoe Basin, USA. Ecological Applications 14, 1903–1920.
| Identifying forest reference conditions on early cut-over lands, Lake Tahoe Basin, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Teske CC, Seielstad CA, Queen LP (2012) Characterizing fire-on-fire interactions in three large wilderness areas. Fire Ecology 8, 82–106.
| Characterizing fire-on-fire interactions in three large wilderness areas.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van de Water KM, Safford HD (2011) A summary of fire frequency estimates for California vegetation before Euro-American settlement. Fire Ecology 7, 26–58.
| A summary of fire frequency estimates for California vegetation before Euro-American settlement.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Mantgem PJ, Stephenson NL (2007) Apparent climatically induced increase of tree mortality rates in a temperate forest. Ecology Letters 10, 909–916.
| Apparent climatically induced increase of tree mortality rates in a temperate forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17845291PubMed |
van Mantgem PJ, Caprio AC, Stephenson NL, Das AJ (2016) Does prescribed fire promote resistance to drought in low elevation forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA? Fire Ecology 12, 13–25.
| Does prescribed fire promote resistance to drought in low elevation forests of the Sierra Nevada, California, USA?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Riper C, Fontaine JJ, van Wagtendonk JW (2013) Great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: on the importance of food, forest structure, and human disturbance. Natural Areas Journal 33, 286–295.
| Great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: on the importance of food, forest structure, and human disturbance.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Wagtendonk JW (2007) The history and evolution of wildland fire use. Fire Ecology 3, 3–17.
| The history and evolution of wildland fire use.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Wagtendonk JW, Lutz JA (2007) Fire regime attributes of wildland fires in Yosemite National Park, USA. Fire Ecology 3, 34–52.
| Fire regime attributes of wildland fires in Yosemite National Park, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
van Wagtendonk JW, van Wagtendonk KA, Thode AE (2012) Factors associated with the severity of intersecting fires in Yosemite National Park, California. Fire Ecology 8, 11–31.
| Factors associated with the severity of intersecting fires in Yosemite National Park, California.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Webster KM, Halpern CB (2010) Long-term vegetation responses to reintroduction and repeated use of fire in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada. Ecosphere 1, art9
| Long-term vegetation responses to reintroduction and repeated use of fire in mixed-conifer forests of the Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White AM, Manley PN, Tarbill GL, Richardson TW, Russell RE, Safford HD, Dobrowski SZ (2016) Avian community responses to post-fire forest structure: implications for fire management in mixed conifer forests. Animal Conservation 19, 256–264.
| Avian community responses to post-fire forest structure: implications for fire management in mixed conifer forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
