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Abstract
Frost heaving is a major cause of mortality in naturally and artificially regenerated ponderosa pine on basaltic soils in the Southwest. The effect of prescribed burning and mechanical removal of forest floor material on seedling size, soil nutrients, and subsequent susceptibility to frost heaving was observed in this study. A lower percentage of seedlings frost heaved on the burned treatment (3 percent) compared to scraped treatment (6 percent). The average seedling size that frost heaved was about the same for both treatments. Seedlings that survived the first winter were larger on the burned treatment. This is most likely related to the increased available nitrogen found in the soil after burning. Seedling total nitrogen concentration (percent) was about the same for both treatments. Results indicate that prescribed burning and seedling size may influence resistance to frost heaving
Citation
Haase, S.M. 1994. Prescribed burning and physical removal of forest flood material: effect on frost heaving of southwestern ponderosa pine seedlings. Proceedings of the 11th Conference on Fire and Forest Meteorology. Bethesda, MD: Society of American Foresters: 335-342.
