Stability of the large tree component in treated and untreated late-seral interior ponderosa pine stands

Abstract

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. & C. Laws.) stands with late-seral features are found infrequently, owing to past management activities throughout western North America. Thus, management objectives often focus on maintaining existing late-seral stands. Observations over a 65 year period, of stands with not past history of harvest, showed substantial ingrowth in the smaller diameter classes and elevated raes of mortality among the largest mature trees in the stand. Adjacent stands, with combinations of thinning and prescribed fire, had far fewer high-risk mature trees and generally lower rates of mortality after treatment. Forecasts using individual-tree diameter growth and mortality models suggest that observed declines in these stands with remaining old trees and a dense understory will continue in the absence of any treatment. Increased vigor in thinned stands appeared to be offset by an increase in mortality when thinning was followed by prescribed fire.

Citation

Ritchie, Martin W.; Wing, Brian M.; Hamilton, Todd A. 2008. Stability of the large tree component in treated and untreated late-seral interior ponderosa pine stands. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 38:919-923.