scholarly journals Forest structure and mortality in an old-growth Jeffrey pine-mixed conifer forest in north-western Mexico

2005 ◽  
Vol 205 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 15-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L. Stephens ◽  
Samantha J. Gill
Keyword(s):  
Forest Structure ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Western Mexico ◽  
Jeffrey Pine ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
North Western

Stand-level spatial dependence in an old-growth Jeffrey pine – mixed conifer forest, Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Mexico

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 1803-1814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danny L. Fry ◽  
Scott L. Stephens
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Forest Structure ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Spatial Correlations ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Jeffrey Pine ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest

Descriptions of spatial patterns are important components of forest ecosystems, providing insights into functions and processes, yet basic spatial relationships between forest structures and fuels remain largely unexplored. We used standardized omnidirectional semivariance modeling to examine the spatial pattern of fuels and forest structure measured in a systematic nested plot grid covering 144 ha. Forest structure variables were spatially dependent at scales ranging from 62 to 572 m. Cross-variograms of fuels and forest structure showed both positive and negative correlations, ranging from 0.04 to 0.67. Notably, fine fuels were correlated positively and negatively with forest structure variables of white fir ( Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex Hildebr.) and Jeffrey pine ( Pinus jeffreyi Balf.), respectively. Old-growth Jeffrey pine – mixed conifer forest within the study area exhibited both identifiable spatial correlations and high stand-level spatial heterogeneity, as demonstrated by the influence of outliers on the underlying spatial pattern. The spatial dependency of fuels with species-specific variables suggests that less common species may have a large influence in the characterization of forest attributes and that fuel classifications may be improved by accounting for the spatial distributions of overstory species. Spatial correlations have many applications to forest management, including the classification and mapping of forest structure, establishing guidelines for fuel treatments, and restoration of old-growth forest ecosystems.

Coarse woody debris and canopy cover in an old-growth Jeffrey pine-mixed conifer forest from the Sierra San Pedro Martir, Mexico

2007 ◽  
Vol 240 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 87-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L. Stephens ◽  
Danny L. Fry ◽  
Ernesto Franco-Vizcaíno ◽  
Brandon M. Collins ◽  
Jason M. Moghaddas
Keyword(s):  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Jeffrey Pine ◽  
San Pedro ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Sierra San Pedro Martir

scholarly journals Fuel dynamics after reintroduced fire in an old-growth Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

Fire Ecology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Alina Cansler ◽  
Mark E. Swanson ◽  
Tucker J. Furniss ◽  
Andrew J. Larson ◽  
James A. Lutz
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest ◽  
Fuel Dynamics

Effects of restoration thinning on spatial heterogeneity in mixed-conifer forest

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 1505-1517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Larson ◽  
Kyle C. Stover ◽  
Christopher R. Keyes
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Heterogeneity ◽  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Reference Sites ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forest

Spatial pattern is an essential attribute of forest ecosystems and influences many ecological processes and functions. We hypothesized that restoration thinning conducted in fire-excluded ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex P. Lawson & C. Lawson) – western larch ( Larix occidentalis Nutt.) – mixed-conifer forest would restore spatial patterns characteristic of active fire regime old-growth. We evaluated effects of thinning on spatial patterns and also compared post-treatment patterns with reconstructions of pre-suppression patterns at nearby old-growth reference sites that developed in the historical mixed-severity fire regime. Restoration thinning reduced spatial aggregation and resulted in globally random tree patterns comprised of local tree clumps, openings, and widely spaced single trees, similar to reference conditions. Post-treatment spatial patterns in the replicate treatment units spanned the range of variability bounded by the reference sites. Our analyses indicate that, under certain circumstances, restoration of spatial heterogeneity in unlogged, fire-excluded forests can be achieved by retaining live legacy pre-suppression trees during thinning treatments. However, success is not assured. Restoration of spatial heterogeneity in forests where few live pre-suppression trees remain due to past mortality or harvest, a common condition of candidate restoration sites, presents a greater silvicultural challenge. Thus, we recommend that, as a general rule, managers deliberately address spatial pattern when crafting forest restoration treatment objectives and prescriptions.

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