Response of ground-dwelling spider assemblages to prescribed fire following stand structure manipulation in the southern Cascade RangeThis article is one of a selection of papers from the Special Forum on Ecological Studies in Interior Ponderosa Pine — First Findings from Blacks Mountain Interdisciplinary Research.

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 969-980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy E. Gillette ◽  
Richard S. Vetter ◽  
Sylvia R. Mori ◽  
Carline R. Rudolph ◽  
Dessa R. Welty
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Growth Characteristics ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
High Diversity

We assessed spider (Arachnida: Araneae) responses to prescribed fire following stand structure treatments in ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) stands in the Cascade Range of California. Stands were logged or left untreated to create three levels of structural diversity. We logged one treatment to minimize old-growth characteristics (low diversity) and one to enhance old-growth characteristics (high diversity) and we used unlogged Research Natural Areas (RNAs) as old-growth, highest-diversity reference stands. We conducted low-intensity prescribed fire on half of each plot following harvest. Spider assemblages in unburned, logged stands were similar to one another but diverged from those in RNAs, with increased abundance, species richness, and diversity in more structurally diverse stands. Prescribed fire, which altered habitat in the organic soil layer where many spiders forage, resulted in altered spider assemblages and population declines in most plots. Fire generally reduced spider species richness, evenness, and diversity. Several taxa were potential indicators of fire and old-growth structure, and we discovered one species and one genus that were previously unknown. There was evidence that old-growth characteristics intensified the effects of fire on spider abundance. This outcome probably results from the deep litter layers in high-diversity stands and RNAs, which constituted greater fuel loads than low-diversity stands.

Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest: bark beetle responses to differences in forest structure and the application of prescribed fire in interior ponderosa pineThis article is one of a selection of papers from the Special Forum on Ecological Studies in Interior Ponderosa Pine — First Findings from Blacks Mountain Interdisciplinary Research.

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 924-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Fettig ◽  
Robert R. Borys ◽  
Stephen R. McKelvey ◽  
Christopher P. Dabney
Keyword(s):  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Dendroctonus Brevicomis ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pine Beetle ◽  
Low Diversity ◽  
High Diversity

Mechanical thinning and the application of prescribed fire are commonly used tools in the restoration of fire-adapted forest ecosystems. However, few studies have explored their effects on subsequent amounts of bark beetle caused tree mortality in interior ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws. var. ponderosa. In this study, we examined bark beetle responses to creation of midseral (low diversity) and late-seral stages (high diversity) and the application of prescribed fire on 12 experimental units ranging in size from 76 to 136 ha. A total of 9500 (5.0% of all trees) Pinus and Abies trees died 2 years after treatment of which 28.8% (2733 trees) was attributed to bark beetle colonization. No significant difference in the mean percentage of trees colonized by bark beetles was found between low diversity and high diversity. The application of prescribed fire resulted in significant increases in bark beetle caused tree mortality (all species) and for western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte, mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, Ips spp., and fir engraver, Scolytus ventralis LeConte, individually. Approximately 85.6% (2339 trees) of all bark beetle caused tree mortality occurred on burned split plots. The implications of these and other results to sustainable forest management are discussed.

Response of forest soil Acari to prescribed fire following stand structure manipulation in the southern Cascade RangeThis article is one of a selection of papers from the Special Forum on Ecological Studies in Interior Ponderosa Pine — First Findings from Blacks Mountain Interdisciplinary Research.

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 956-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Camann ◽  
Nancy E. Gillette ◽  
Karen L. Lamoncha ◽  
Sylvia R. Mori
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Forest Soil ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Growth Characteristics ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Organic Layer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Dominance Relationships

We studied responses of Acari, especially oribatid mites, to prescribed low-intensity fire in an east side pine site in the southern Cascade Range in California. We compared oribatid population and assemblage responses to prescribed fire in stands that had been selectively logged to enhance old growth characteristics, in logged stands to minimize old growth characteristics, and in undisturbed forest reference stands. Low-intensity prescribed fire altered habitat characteristics within the organic layer of forest soil. Acarine populations declined following prescribed fire, and oribatid losses accounted for two thirds of that decline. Individual oribatid species responded differently to prescribed fire, with a few populations increasing after fire but most declining. The prescribed fire also altered oribatid assemblages, reducing species richness and species diversity and modifying assemblage dominance relationships. We also identified several oribatid taxa that were potential indicator species of fire effects upon forest soil fauna. Finally, our results suggested that oribatid responses to fire were intensified by stand alteration and especially by removal of old growth structural characteristics. Decline in oribatid abundance, species richness and diversity, and loss of equilibrium dominance relationships was greatest in the low structural diversity plots.

Vegetation responses to stand structure and prescribed fire in an interior ponderosa pine ecosystemThis article is one of a selection of papers from the Special Forum on Ecological Studies in Interior Ponderosa Pine — First Findings from Blacks Mountain Interdisciplinary Research.

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 909-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianwei Zhang ◽  
Martin W. Ritchie ◽  
William W. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Ponderosa Pine Forest ◽  
Selection Of

A large-scale interior ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) study was conducted at the Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest in northeastern California. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the influence of structural diversity on the dynamics of interior pine forests at the landscape scale. High structural diversity (HiD) and low structural diversity (LoD) treatments were created with mechanical thinning on 12 main plots. Each plot was then split in half with one-half treated with prescribed fire. During the 5 year period after the treatments, the LoD treatments showed slightly higher periodic annual increments for basal area (BA) and significantly higher diameter increments than did the HiD treatments, although HiD carried twice as much BA as LoD did immediately after the treatments. Prescribed fire did not affect growth, but killed and (or) weakened some trees. No interaction between treatments was found for any variable. Stand density was reduced from the stands before treatments, but species composition did not change. Old dominant trees still grew and large snags were stable during the 5 year period. Treatments had minor impacts on shrub cover and numbers. These results suggest that ponderosa pine forest can be silviculturally treated to improve stand growth and health without sacrificing understory shrub diversity.

Reproductive output of ponderosa pine in response to thinning and prescribed burning in western Montana

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 844-850 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Peters ◽  
Anna Sala
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Western Montana ◽  
Cone Production

Thinning and thinning followed by prescribed fire are common management practices intended to restore historic conditions in low-elevation ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) forests of the northern Rocky Mountains. While these treatments generally ameliorate the physiology and growth of residual trees, treatment-specific effects on reproductive output are not known. We examined reproductive output of second-growth ponderosa pine in western Montana 9 years after the application of four treatments: thinning, thinning followed by spring prescribed fire, thinning followed by fall prescribed fire, and unthinned control stands. Field and greenhouse observations indicated that reproductive traits vary depending on the specific management treatment. Cone production was significantly higher in trees from all actively managed stands relative to control trees. Trees subjected to prescribed fire produced cones with higher numbers of filled seeds than trees in unburned treatments. Seed mass, percentage germination, and seedling biomass were significantly lower for seeds from trees in spring burn treatments relative to all others and were generally higher in trees from fall burn treatments. We show for the first time that thinning and prescribed-burning treatments can influence reproductive output in ponderosa pine.

Effect of thinning and prescribed burning on crown fire severity in ponderosa pine forests

2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolie Pollet ◽  
Philip N. Omi
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Pine Forests ◽  
Crown Fire ◽  
Fuel Treatments ◽  
Ponderosa Pine Forests ◽  
Wildfire Hazard

Fire exclusion policies have affected stand structure and wildfire hazard in north American ponderosa pine forests. Wildfires are becoming more severe in stands where trees are densely stocked with shade-tolerant understory trees. Although forest managers have been employing fuel treatment techniques to reduce wildfire hazard for decades, little scientific evidence documents the success of treatments in reducing fire severity. Our research quantitatively examined fire effects in treated and untreated stands in western United States national forests. Four ponderosa pine sites in Montana, Washington, California and Arizona were selected for study. Fuel treatments studied include: prescribed fire only, whole-tree thinning, and thinning followed by prescribed fire. On-the-ground fire effects were measured in adjacent treated and untreated forests. We developed post facto fire severity and stand structure measurement techniques to complete field data collection. We found that crown fire severity was mitigated in stands that had some type of fuel treatment compared to stands without any treatment. At all four of the sites, the fire severity and crown scorch were significantly lower at the treated sites. Results from this research indicate that fuel treatments, which remove small diameter trees, may be beneficial for reducing crown fire hazard in ponderosa pine sites.

Fine root growth and mortality in different-aged ponderosa pine stands

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 1797-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris P. Andersen ◽  
Donald L. Phillips ◽  
Paul T. Rygiewicz ◽  
Marjorie J. Storm
Keyword(s):  
Root Growth ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Standing Crop ◽  
Fine Root ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Root Production ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Pine Stands

Root minirhizotron tubes were installed at two sites around three different age classes of ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) to follow patterns of fine root (≤2 mm diameter) dynamics during a 4 year study. Both sites were old-growth forests until 1978, when one site was clear-cut and allowed to regenerate naturally. The other site had both intermediate-aged trees (50–60 years) and old-growth trees (>250 years old). Estimates of fine root standing crop were greatest around young trees and least around intermediate-aged trees. Root production was highly synchronized in all age classes, showing a single peak in late May – early June each year. Root production and mortality were proportional to standing root crop (biomass), suggesting that allocation to new root growth was proportional to root density regardless of tree age. The turnover index (mortality/maximum standing crop) varied from 0.62 to 0.89·year–1, indicating root life spans in excess of 1 year. It appears that young ponderosa pine stands have greater rates of fine root production than older stands but lose more fine roots each year through mortality. The results indicate that soil carbon may accumulate faster in younger than in older stands.

scholarly journals Mastication and Prescribed Fire Influences on Tree Mortality and Predicted Fire Behavior in Ponderosa Pine

2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia L. Reiner ◽  
Nicole M. Vaillant ◽  
Scott N. Dailey
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Fire Behavior ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Random Block Design ◽  
Four Blocks

Abstract The purpose of this study was to provide land managers with information on potential wildfire behavior and tree mortality associated with mastication and masticated/fire treatments in a plantation. Additionally, the effect of pulling fuels away from tree boles before applying fire treatment was studied in relation to tree mortality. Fuel characteristics and tree mortality data were gathered before and after treatments in a 25-year-old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa C. Lawson) plantation. A random block design was used with three treatments plus a control at each of four blocks. Four plots were established as subsamples within each of the treatment and control sections of each block. Potential wildfire behavior for posttreatment fuel conditions was modeled for 90th and 97th percentile fire weather. Predicted rates of spread and flame lengths were higher for fuel conditions resulting from the mastication treatments than for the masticated/fire treatments or the controls. Torching and crowning indices indicated that higher windspeeds would be necessary to promote torching for areas treated with mastication/fire than for mastication or the controls. Tree mortality was 32 and 17% the first year after burning in masticated/fire and masticated/pull-back/fire plots, respectively, and 49 and 27% the second year. Our potential wildfire behavior results indicate that the risk of crown fire can be somewhat reduced by mastication and further reduced if mastication is followed up with prescribed fire to consume surface fuels. However, moderate levels of tree mortality seem inevitable when burning masticated fuels in a plantation and may only marginally be reduced by pulling fuels away from tree boles, which increases treatment costs.

The effects of dwarf mistletoe, witches' brooms, stand structure, and site characteristics on the crown architecture of lodgepole pine in Oregon

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (8) ◽  
pp. 1360-1371 ◽  
Author(s):  
R C Godfree ◽  
R O Tinnin ◽  
R B Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Pinus Contorta ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Lodgepole Pine ◽  
Stand Density ◽  
Dwarf Mistletoe ◽  
Site Characteristics ◽  
Crown Dimensions

We investigated the importance of lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum Nutt.) in determining the height to crown top (HCT), height to crown base (HCB), and live crown ratio (LCR) of 2025 lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. murrayana (Grev. & Balf.) Engelm.) growing over a 24-km2 study site in central Oregon. We compared the effects of infection and associated witches' brooms with those of site topography, soil type, shrub cover, stand density, and the abundance of mature ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws. & C. Laws). using multiple regression and path analysis. The density of dominant-size P. contorta was consistently the most important factor influencing HCT, HCB, and LCR across the study site. In dense stands, trees tended to have elevated crown bases due to self-pruning and, hence, lower values of LCR. Dwarf mistletoe and related witches' brooms uniquely explained 6.9% of the variance in LCR, which was close to that of dominant P. contorta (7.1%) and more than that of soil type (3.0%), but explained only 2.6% of the variance in HCB, which was less than that of dominant P. contorta (6.5%) and soil type (4.6%). Regression models suggest that heavily infected trees should be 18% shorter and have crown bases 37% lower than uninfected trees, while moderately infected trees should have an LCR over 20% larger than that of uninfected and heavily infected trees. We also found that the largest 25 heavily infected trees sampled were approximately 19% shorter and 11–13% smaller in diameter than the largest 25 uninfected trees. The results suggest that dwarf mistletoe can be an important factor in determining the crown dimensions of P. contorta but that these effects may be interpreted only in the context of site characteristics and stand structure.

The influence of stand structure on ecophysiological leaf characteristics of Pinus ponderosa in western Montana

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 2173-2182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda M Nagel ◽  
Kevin L O'Hara
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Structural Difference ◽  
Leaf Nitrogen ◽  
Western Montana ◽  
Light Extinction ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Canopy Depth

The effects of vertical arrangement of foliage in even-aged and multiaged stand structures of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws. & C. Laws.) on overall stand growth, light interception, and physiological leaf properties were tested on five plot pairs in western Montana. The primary structural difference between stand structures involves greater canopy depth and stratification of foliage in the multiaged stands. Both area- and mass-based maximum photosynthetic rates (Aarea and Amass) were relatively constant with canopy depth in both stand structures. Area- and mass-based leaf nitrogen (Narea and Nmass) decreased with increasing canopy depth in the even-aged stand structures but not in the multiaged. Specific leaf area (SLA) tended to increase with increasing canopy depth, although this relationship was only significant in the multiaged stand structures. The typical linear relationship observed for many species between photosynthetic rate and leaf nitrogen was not present in either stand structure; however, Narea was highly correlated to SLA in both even-aged and multiaged stand structures (R2 = 0.66 and R2 = 0.52, respectively). There were no differences in the light extinction coefficient (k), basal area growth or efficiency, or stand-level leaf area index between even-aged and multiaged plot pairs. Relative constancy in leaf physiology combined with similarities in site occupancy and growth rates help explain how different stand structures of ponderosa pine maintain similar rates of woody biomass productivity.

"Black Bark" Ponderosa Pine: Tree Grade Definition and Value Comparison with Old-Growth Trees

1994 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Willits
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Control Sample ◽  
Small Diameter ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Pine Tree ◽  
Common Grade ◽  
Small Diameter Trees ◽  
Crown Characteristics ◽  
Eastern Washington

Abstract A ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) tree grade has been developed to separate lower value, small-diameter trees typical of young-growth stands from small-diameter old-growth trees. The tree grade uses a combination of bark, limb, and crown characteristics to identify the "black bark," trees. The tree grade was tested in two shop type mills and one dimension mill in southern Oregon and eastern Washington. Significant differences in value were found between the sample of black bark pine and the grade 5 control sample. Differences in value increased with diameter because of increased opportunities to recover high-quality lumber from the larger old-growth trees. The dimension mill recovered more lumber volume from the smaller diameter logs because of fewer sawlines and smaller rough-green sizes. Even though the shop mills recovered lower volumes, they did recover higher value by producing Shop and Common grade lumber rather than standard Dimension grades. Overall the differences compensated for each other, and both mill types recovered roughly equal value from logs of similar grade and size. West. J. Appl. For. 9(1): 8-13.

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