A fire history of a subalpine forest in south-eastern Wyoming, USA

Citation
Kf. Kipfmueller et Wl. Baker, A fire history of a subalpine forest in south-eastern Wyoming, USA, J BIOGEOGR, 27(1), 2000, pp. 71-85
Citations number
78
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
ISSN journal
03050270 → ACNP
Volume
27
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Pages
71 - 85
Database
ISI
SICI code
0305-0270(200001)27:1<71:AFHOAS>2.0.ZU;2-8
Abstract
Fire history was determined for part of the Routt-Medicine Bow National For est in south-eastern Wyoming using fire-scar and age-class analysis. A comp osite chronology of fire events was used to determine mean fire intervals ( MFI) for pre-EuroAmerican settlement, EuroAmerican settlement (before 1868 AD), EuroAmerican settlement and modern (after 1912) periods, for all fires and stand-replacing fires. Point-scale MFI was also determined using grand means from individual trees. Stand-replacing fires were reconstructed to d etermine fire rotation. MFI for the entire time period is 5.5-8.4 years. MF I decreased from 9.3 to 15.7-1.9-2.9 years from the preto post-EuroAmerican settlement periods, and increased during the modern period. Point-scale MF Is are longer than MFI of the study area. Fire rotation is 182 years for th e total period of record, but increased from 127 years during the pre-EuroA merican settlement period to 170 years during the EuroAmerican settlement p eriod. Fire rotation during the modern period dramatically increased to 27, 035 years. Results suggest fire suppression may have influenced the fire re gime. Comparison of regional fire events with fire events from this study i ndicate regional weather has an important influence on Rocky Mountain fire regimes.