Full Citation: Huebner, C. D., and J. L. Vankat. 2003. The importance of environment vs. disturbance in the vegetation mosaic of Central Arizona. Journal of Vegetation Science, v. 14, no. 1, p. 25-34.
External Identifier(s): 10.1111/j.1654-1103.2003.tb02124.x Digital Object Identifier
Location: Chino Valle and Verde Ranger Districts of Prescott National Forest, Arizona, U.S.
Ecosystem types: Chaparral; woodland; chaparral grassland; woodland grassland
Southwest FireCLIME Keywords: None
FRAMES Keywords: fire suppression, wildfires, disturbance, grazing, livestock, mosaic, succession, vegetation surveys, Arizona, fire management, forest management, range management, chaparral, grasslands, CCA - Canonical Correspondence Analysis, chaparral, conversion, grassland, grazing, multi-response permutation, procedure, stability, succession, woodland

The importance of environment vs. disturbance in the vegetation mosaic of Central Arizona

C. D. Huebner, John L. Vankat


Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors examined the relationships of environmental and disturbance variables to vegetation structure and composition to understand the relative importance of these variables to explain ecosystem structure in chaparral and woodland vegetation types.


Publication findings:

The authors found that environmental factors such as topographic features and soils were more important in determining vegetation structure and composition than disturbances such as fire area or fire frequency. Only woodland grasslands were likely maintained by frequent fire historically.

Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages

The authors found that environmental factors such as topographic features and soils were more important in determining vegetation structure and composition than disturbances such as fire area or fire frequency. Only woodland grasslands were likely maintained by frequent fire historically.

The authors found that environmental factors such as topographic features and soils were more important in determining vegetation structure and composition than disturbances such as fire area or fire frequency. Only woodland grasslands were likely maintained by frequent fire historically.