Fire history of a mixed conifer forest on the Mogollon Rim, northern Arizona, USA
The authors reconstructed the fire regime characteristics of a warm-dry mixed conifer forest to evaluate potential changes to the fire regime since Euro-American settlement and examine the extent of high- or mixed-severity fire in these ecosystems historically.
The authors found that current tree establishment patterns do not suggest that high-severity fire was widespread historically at this site with only small patches of young trees up to 25 ha in size that may have established after stand-replacing fire. Fire cessation after 1879 has led to an overall increase in density at the site and an increase in southwestern white pine and white fir, now co-dominate with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.
Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages
Fire cessation after 1879 has led to an overall increase in density at the site and an increase in southwestern white pine and white fir, now co-dominate with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.
Fire cessation after 1879 has led to an overall increase in density at the site and an increase in southwestern white pine and white fir, now co-dominate with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.
The authors found that current tree establishment patterns do not suggest that high-severity fire was widespread historically at this site with only small patches of young trees up to 25 ha in size that may have established after stand-replacing fire.