Type conversion in the US southwest: frontline observations and management responses

Christopher H. Guiterman; Rachel M. Gregg; Laura A. E. Marshall; Jill J. Beckmann; Phillip J. van Mantgem; Donald A. Falk; Jon E. Keeley; Anthony C. Caprio; Jonathan D. Coop; Paula J. Fornwalt; Collin Haffey; R. Keala Hagmann; Stephen T. Jackson; Ann M. Lynch; Ellis Q. Margolis; Christopher Marks; Marc D. Meyer; Hugh Safford; Alexandra Dunya Syphard; Alan Taylor; Craig Wilcox; Dennis Carril; Carolyn A. F. Enquist; David Huffman; Jose Iniguez; Nicole A. Molinari; Christina Restaino; Jens Stevens

doi:10.1186/s42408-022-00131-w

Treesearch

Type conversion in the US southwest: frontline observations and management responses

Formally Refereed

Authors:

Christopher H. Guiterman, Rachel M. Gregg, Laura A. E. Marshall, Jill J. Beckmann, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Donald A. Falk, Jon E. Keeley, Anthony C. Caprio, Jonathan D. Coop, Paula J. Fornwalt, Collin Haffey, R. Keala Hagmann, Stephen T. Jackson, Ann M. Lynch, Ellis Q. Margolis, Christopher Marks, Marc D. Meyer, Hugh Safford, Alexandra Dunya Syphard, Alan Taylor, Craig Wilcox, Dennis Carril, Carolyn A. F. Enquist, David Huffman, Jose Iniguez, Nicole A. Molinari, Christina Restaino, Jens Stevens

Year:

2022

Type:

Scientific Journal

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-022-00131-w

Source:

Fire Ecology. 18: 6.

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Download (PDF 7.42 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/64464.pdf

Abstract

Forest and nonforest ecosystems of the western United States are experiencing major transformations in response to land-use change, climate warming, and their interactive effects with wildland fire. Some ecosystems are transitioning to persistent alternative types, hereafter called “vegetation type conversion” (VTC). VTC is one of the most pressing management issues in the southwestern US, yet current strategies to intervene and address change often use trial-and-error approaches devised after the fact. To better understand how to manage VTC, we gathered managers, scientists, and practitioners from across the southwestern US to collect their experiences with VTC challenges, management responses, and outcomes.

Keywords

adaptive management, alternative stable states, forest management, high-severity fire, post-fire recovery, resilience, vegetation type conversion, community reorganization, wildland fire

Citation

Guiterman, Christopher H.; Gregg, Rachel M.; Marshall, Laura A. E.; Beckmann, Jill J.; van Mantgem, Phillip J.; Falk, Donald A.; Keeley, Jon E.; Caprio, Anthony C.; Coop, Jonathan D.; Fornwalt, Paula J.; Haffey, Collin; Hagmann, R. Keala; Jackson, Stephen T.; Lynch, Ann M.; Margolis, Ellis Q.; Marks, Christopher; Meyer, Marc D.; Safford, Hugh; Syphard, Alexandra Dunya; Taylor, Alan; Wilcox, Craig; Carril, Dennis; Enquist, Carolyn A. F.; Huffman, David; Iniguez, Jose; Molinari, Nicole A.; Restaino, Christina; Stevens, Jens T. 2022. Type conversion in the US southwest: frontline observations and management responses. Fire Ecology. 18: 6.