Microsite selection improves post‐fire restoration of singleleaf pinyon pine on Washoe Tribal lands in the Pine Nut Mountains, NV , USA

Abstract

Singleleaf pinyon pine ( Pinus monophylla ) holds both ecological and cultural significance for Indigenous Tribes of the Great Basin, such as the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California. Recent wildfires on Washoe Tribal lands have resulted in the loss of important pinyon pine groves, prompting collaborative efforts to develop post‐fire restoration guidelines.

This study evaluates the influence of microsite conditions on singleleaf pinyon pine post‐fire restoration across gradients of elevation and topography through a collaborative planting experiment on Washoe Tribal lands.

One‐year‐old seedlings were outplanted in seven restoration islands, into four microsite types: under shrubs, woody debris, perennial grasses/forbs, and in open interspaces. Seedlings were surveyed 1 year following planting, and their survival was modeled as a function of local microsite conditions, topography, and elevation.

Of all seedlings, 28% survived the first year after planting, and we found that microsite, topographic position, and elevation strongly impacted seedling survival. Survival probability increased with elevation. Seedlings planted under shrubs and grasses/forbs had much higher survival (35% and 40%, respectively) than those planted in open interspaces (10%). We identified an important interaction between canopy cover and topographic position, where the benefits of shade were most pronounced on ridgelines but diminished in valleys.

Shaded microsites were important for pinyon pine seedling survival, but this effect varied along topographic gradients, consistent with the stress gradient hypothesis. Reduced survival at lower elevations aligns with potential climate change responses, as rising temperatures are expected to limit tree regeneration at lower elevation range limits.

Citation

Reid, Hayley A.; Weisberg, Peter J.; Jones, Rhiana; Urza, Alexandra K. 2026. Microsite selection improves post-fire restoration of singleleaf pinyon pine on Washoe Tribal lands in the Pine Nut Mountains, NV, USA. Restoration Ecology. e70448. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.70448.