How do plant communities differ between fire refugia and firegenerated early‐seral vegetation?

William M. Downing; Meg A. Krawchuk; Jonathan D. Coop; Garrett W. Meigs; Sandra L. Haire; Ryan B. Walker; Ellen Whitman; Geneva Chong; Carol L. Miller; Claire Tortorelli

doi:10.1111/jvs.12814

Treesearch

How do plant communities differ between fire refugia and firegenerated early‐seral vegetation?

Formally Refereed

Authors:

William M. Downing, Meg A. Krawchuk, Jonathan D. Coop, Garrett W. Meigs, Sandra L. Haire, Ryan B. Walker, Ellen Whitman, Geneva Chong, Carol L. Miller, Claire Tortorelli

Year:

2020

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12814

Source:

Journal of Vegetation Science. 31: 26-39.

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Download (PDF 2.95 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/61389.pdf

Abstract

Wildfires in dry forest ecosystems in western North America are producing fire effects that are more severe than historical estimates, raising concerns about the resilience of these landscapes to contemporary disturbances. Despite increasing fire activity, relatively little is known about the structure and composition of fire refugia - unburned or low‐severity burned patches where trees survived fire - or the degree to which their understory composition differs from fire‐generated early‐seral forests. Locations: Four recent large fires in dry mixed‐conifer forest in eastern Oregon, USA.

Keywords

invasive grasses, mixed‐conifer forest, plant species diversity, post‐fire succession, refugia, resilience, US Pacific Northwest, wildfire

Citation

Downing, William M.; Krawchuk, Meg A.; Coop, Jonathan D.; Meigs, Garrett W.; Haire, Sandra L.; Walker, Ryan B.; Whitman, Ellen; Chong, Geneva; Miller, Carol; Tortorelli, Claire. 2020. How do plant communities differ between fire refugia and firegenerated early‐seral vegetation? Journal of Vegetation Science. 31: 26-39.