Perspectives: Six opportunities to improve understanding of fuel treatment longevity in historically frequent-fire forests

Forest Ecology and Management, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 592, С. 122761 - 122761

Опубликована: Май 28, 2025

Язык: Английский

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Contemporary wildfires further degrade resistance and resilience of fire-excluded forests

Forest Ecology and Management, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 506, С. 119975 - 119975

Опубликована: Дек. 30, 2021

Язык: Английский

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Assessing the effects of burn severity on post-fire tree structures using the fused drone and mobile laser scanning point clouds

Frontiers in Environmental Science, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 10

Опубликована: Авг. 31, 2022

Wildfires burn heterogeneously across the landscape and create complex forest structures. Quantifying structural changes in post-fire forests is critical to evaluating wildfire impacts providing insights into severities. To advance understanding of severities at a fine scale, attributes individual tree level need be examined. The advent drone laser scanning (DLS) mobile (MLS) has enabled acquisition high-density point clouds resolve structures trees. Yet, few studies have used DLS MLS data jointly examine their combined capability describe assess 2017 Elephant Hill British Columbia, Canada, we scanned trees that experienced range 2 years using both MLS. After fusing data, reconstructed quantitative structure models compute 14 biometric, volumetric, crown attributes. At level, our suggest smaller pre-fire tend experience higher levels scorch than larger Among with similar sizes, those within mature stands (age class: > 50 years) had lower young 15—50 years). small- medium-diameter trees, experiencing high crowns unevenly distributed branches compared unburned In contrast, large-diameter were more resistant scorch. plot low-severity fires minor effects, moderate-severity mostly decreased height, high-severity significantly reduced diameter breast biomass. Our exploratory factor analyses further revealed dominated by large sizes relatively wide spacing could less severely characterized regenerating fuel density continuity. Overall, results demonstrate fused DLS-MLS can effective quantifying structures, which facilitates foresters develop site-specific management plans. findings imply abundance configuration vital controlling

Язык: Английский

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Too hot, too cold, or just right: Can wildfire restore dry forests of the interior Pacific Northwest?

PLoS ONE, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 18(2), С. e0281927 - e0281927

Опубликована: Фев. 27, 2023

As contemporary wildfire activity intensifies across the western United States, there is increasing recognition that a variety of forest management activities are necessary to restore ecosystem function and reduce hazard in dry forests. However, pace scale current, active insufficient address restoration needs. Managed landscape-scale prescribed burns hold potential achieve broad-scale goals but may not desired outcomes where fire severity too high or low. To explore for alone forests, we developed novel method predict range severities most likely historical basal area, density, species composition forests eastern Oregon. First, probabilistic tree mortality models 24 based on characteristics remotely sensed from burned field plots. We applied these estimates unburned stands four national post-fire conditions using multi-scale modeling Monte Carlo framework. compared results reconstructions identify with highest potential. Generally, found area density targets could be achieved by relatively narrow moderate-severity (roughly 365–560 RdNBR). single events did were historically maintained frequent, low-severity fire. Restorative ranges stand strikingly similar ponderosa pine ( Pinus ) mixed-conifer broad geographic range, part due tolerance large grand Abies grandis white fir concolor) . Our suggest created recurrent readily restored fires landscapes have passed thresholds preclude effectiveness managed as tool.

Язык: Английский

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Does large area burned mean a bad fire year? Comparing contemporary wildfire years to historical fire regimes informs the restoration task in fire-dependent forests

Forest Ecology and Management, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 546, С. 121372 - 121372

Опубликована: Сен. 4, 2023

Язык: Английский

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Climate change, wildfire, and past forest management challenge conservation of Canada lynx in Washington, USA

Journal of Wildlife Management, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 87(5)

Опубликована: Апрель 11, 2023

Abstract The synergistic effects of climate change, wildfires, fire suppression, and past forest management are challenging efforts to protect recover Canada lynx ( Lynx canadensis ) in the North Cascades Washington, USA. is a threatened species United States focal used gain insights into structure function boreal ecosystems. To understand how multiple stressors influencing populations we developed spatially explicit carrying capacity model HexSim using local data on resource selection life history. We this estimate changes population persistence for 3 time steps: year 2000, which represented limited historical wildfire aggressive suppression; 2013, after nearly 2,000 km 2 wildfires burned about 17% habitat; 2020, an additional another 15% habitat our study area. Fires altered distribution landscape support lynx. There was 66–73% reduction area because large, high‐severity fires that have occurred from 2000–2020, despite suppression. This concurrent with decreases probability 2000 2020 simulations most pronounced included no immigration largest home range size. negative influences long‐term timber harvest, increased drought, longer seasons, declining mountain snowpack, increasingly frequent large pose considerable challenges conservation recovery ecosystem upon they depend. discuss alternative approach vegetation conserve restore Washington.

Язык: Английский

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Net Primary Production of Ecoregions Across North America in Response to Drought and Wildfires From 2015 to 2022

Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 129(4)

Опубликована: Апрель 1, 2024

Abstract Ecosystem models are valuable tools to make climate‐related assessments of change when ground‐based measurements water and carbon fluxes not adequate realistically capture regional variability. The Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford Approach (CASA) is one such model based on satellite observations monthly vegetation cover estimate net primary production (NPP) terrestrial ecosystems. CASA predictions from 2015 2022 revealed several notable high low periods in growing season NPP totals certain biomes. Both Temperate Broadleaf Boreal Forest shifted relatively average values through 2019 lower levels 2020, typically representing a loss 10%–14% flux. This rapid decline 2020–2021 was also estimated for the Grasslands Savanna, Conifer Forest, Tundra In contrast climate patterns temperate biomes that developed into severe widespread drought 2020 2021 due precipitation extreme hot temperatures, biome depressed these same years by colder temperature induced conditions at latitudes North America. Drought severity classes were closely associated with different most Trends areas largest wildfires America burned between 2012 examined assess recovery resiliency ecosystems during periods.

Язык: Английский

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Drought, wildfire and forest transformation: characterizing trailing edge forests in the eastern Cascade Range, Washington, USA

Forestry An International Journal of Forest Research, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 96(3), С. 340 - 354

Опубликована: Ноя. 8, 2022

Abstract Climate change and the compounding effects of drought wildfire are catalyzing rapid ecosystem changes throughout world. Relatively dry, trailing edge (TE) forests especially vulnerable to ecological transformation when tree regeneration is moisture-limited following high-severity fire. Here, we illustrate potential landscape-scale impacts changing disturbance regimes by focusing on TE in eastern Cascades Washington, USA. Our specific objectives were to: (1) map based climatic water deficit forest cover; (2) characterize composition, structure, ownership non-TE forests; (3) quantify recent fire activity (4) identify locations loss where fires have burned severely forests. Across study area, encompassed 387 000 ha, representing a substantial portion (21 per cent) total forested landscape. generally characterized mixed-conifer types with more open structure less biomass than The structural compositional conditions within make them ideal for management strategies designed enhance landscape resilience sustain fire-resistant trees. forestland diverse (35 cent federal, 19 Tribal, 16 Washington State, 14 private non-industrial 13 industrial), indicating that successful land will require collaboration among numerous partners. Recent wildfires (1984–2020) cumulatively covered 84 300 ha (22 363 500 (25 experienced (39 vs. 46 cent, respectively). occurred primarily northern region, reflecting distribution individual large fires. By quantifying variability their activity, this supports adaptive restoration, post-disturbance reforestation climate adaptation.

Язык: Английский

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Temporal and Spatial Analyses of Forest Burnt Area in the Middle Volga Region Based on Satellite Imagery and Climatic Factors

Climate, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 12(3), С. 45 - 45

Опубликована: Март 17, 2024

Wildfires are important natural drivers of forest stands dynamics, strongly affecting their regeneration and providing ecosystem services. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis spatiotemporal burnt area (BA) patterns in the Middle Volga region Russian Federation from 2000 to 2022, using remote sensing time series data considering influence climatic factors on fires. To assess temporal trends, Mann–Kendall nonparametric statistical test Theil–Sen’s slope estimator were applied LandTrendr algorithm Google Earth Platform (GEE). The accuracy assessment revealed high overall (>84%) F-score value (>82%) for detection, evaluated against 581 reference sites. results indicate that fire occurrences predominantly irregular, with highest frequency recorded as 7.3 over 22-year period. total BA was estimated be around 280 thousand hectares, accounting 1.7% land surface or 4.0% forested region. Coniferous found most fire-prone ecosystems, contributing 59.0% BA, while deciduous accounted 25.1%. Insignificant observed young forests shrub lands. On seasonal scale, temperature have greater impact compared precipitation wind speed.

Язык: Английский

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Learning from wildfires: A scalable framework to evaluate treatment effects on burn severity

Ecosphere, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 15(12)

Опубликована: Дек. 1, 2024

Abstract Interruption of frequent burning in dry forests across western North America and the continued impacts anthropogenic climate change have resulted increases fire size severity compared to historical regimes. Recent legislation, funding, planning emphasized increased implementation mechanical thinning prescribed treatments decrease risk undesirable ecological social outcomes due fire. As wildfires continue interact, managers require consistent approaches evaluate treatment effectiveness at moderating burn severity. In this study, we present a repeatable, remote sensing–based, analytical framework for conducting fire‐scale assessments that informs local management while also supporting cross‐fire comparisons. We demonstrate on 2021 Bootleg Fire Oregon Schneider Springs Washington. Our used (1) machine learning identify key bioclimatic, topographic, weather drivers each fire, (2) standardized workflows statistically sample untreated control units, (3) spatial regression modeling effects type time since The application our showed that, both fires, recent were most effective reducing relative controls. contrast, thinning‐only only produced low/moderate‐severity under more moderate conditions Fire. offers robust approach evaluating scale individual which can be scaled up assess multiple fires. brings uncertainty forest ecosystems America, support strategic actions reduce wildfire foster resilience.

Язык: Английский

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