Full Citation: Higgins, Anna M.; Waring, Kristen M.; Thode, Andrea E. 2015. The effects of burn entry and burn severity on ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests in Grand Canyon National Park. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24(4):495-506.
External Identifier(s): 10.1071/WF13111 Digital Object Identifier
Location: North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, U.S.
Ecosystem types: Dry mixed-conifer forest and ponderosa pine forest
Southwest FireCLIME Keywords: None
FRAMES Keywords: burn severity, Pinus ponderosa, ponderosa pine, regeneration, Arizona, aspen, Grand Canyon National Park, mixed conifer

The effects of burn entry and burn severity on ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests in Grand Canyon National Park

Anna M. Higgins, Kristen M. Waring, Andrea E. Thode


Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors investigated the effects of multiple burn entries and burn severity on stand structure, composition and regeneration on a dry mixed-conifer stand and a ponderosa pine stand with white fir encroachment.


Publication findings:

The authors found that a single entry, low severity fire was not effective in reducing tree densities in ponderosa pine trees with white fir encroachment, although a second entry fire did reduce white fir populations. Low severity fire, however, reduced fuel load density in the dry mixed-conifer stands. They also found that aspen regeneration after high severity fire was abundant. For ponderosa pine, seedlings did increase after fire, however, due to the dense overstory canopy, survival into adulthood was uncertain for both stand types.

Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages

The authors found that a single entry, low severity fire was not effective in reducing tree densities in ponderosa pine trees with white fir encroachment, although a second entry fire did reduce white fir populations.

Low severity fire reduced fuel load density in the dry mixed-conifer stands.

The authors found that a single entry, low severity fire was not effective in reducing tree densities in ponderosa pine trees with white fir encroachment, although a second entry fire did reduce white fir populations. Low severity fire, however, reduced fuel load density in the dry mixed-conifer stands. They also found that aspen regeneration after high severity fire was abundant. For ponderosa pine, seedlings did increase after fire, however, due to the dense overstory canopy, survival into adulthood was uncertain for both stand types.