Wildfire: Helping aspen get one step ahead of a warming climate

Michael A. Battaglia; Katherine Nigro

Treesearch

Wildfire: Helping aspen get one step ahead of a warming climate

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Michael A. Battaglia, Katherine Nigro

Year:

2022

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), September 2022. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Download (PDF 3.15 MB)

Download (PDF 3.15 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/66070.pdf

Abstract

High severity fires of unprecedented size have become regular occurrences and land managers are now facing the challenge of how to manage the increasing expanse of postburn landscapes. As the climate warms, tree species distributions are shifting, and managers are considering whether to promote the same tree species that previously existed at a site or more climate-adapted trees. Will long-lived tree species migrate on their own as fast as the climate is changing? Recently published work by Rocky Mountain Research Station research forester Mike Battaglia, Colorado State University’s Katie Nigro, Miranda Redmond, and Monique Rocca, and Western Colorado University’s Jonathan Coop addressed this question.

Keywords

ecological impact of climate change, tree species distributional shifts, wildfire effect on aspen

Citation

Battaglia, Mike; Nigro, Katie. 2022. Wildfire: Helping aspen get one step ahead of a warming climate. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), September 2022. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.