Variability of historical forest structure and fire across ponderosa pine landscapes of the Coconino Plateau and south rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
The authors examined ponderosa pine stands using historic General Land Office (GLO) land survey data to reconstruct forest structure and fire regimes of pre-widespread European settlement on the Coconino Plateau and Grand Canyon National Park.
The authors suggest that although the majority of the landscape on the Coconino Plateau was dominated by low severity fire, there is also evidence of a large amount of mixed severity fire and large patches of high severity were not uncommon. The mixed-severity fire may explain the greater variability in forest structure and composition observed at fine scales across the Coconino Plateau.
Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages
The authors suggest that although the majority of the landscape on the Coconino Plateau was dominated by low severity fire, there is also evidence of a large amount of mixed severity fire and large patches of high severity were not uncommon. The mixed-severity fire may explain the greater variability in forest structure and composition observed at fine scales across the Coconino Plateau.