Colonization of a Volcanic Mudflow by an Upper Montane Coniferous Forest at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Kroh GC, White JD, Heath SK, Pinder JE. 2000. Colonization of a Volcanic Mudflow by an Upper Montane Coniferous Forest at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California. The American Midland Naturalist. 143(1):126-140
A relatively undisturbed debris flow in an upper montane coniferous forest was studied for colonization, in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Seventy circular plots arranged in four transects across the flow were samples for tree densities, heights, basal areas and ages. The forest was a mixture of Abies magnifica, Pinus monticola, and Pinus contorta on steep slopes changed to a forest of predominately P. contorta on shallow slopes. This was a typical pattern at 2000-m elevations on the flow. Little colonization success was indicated before the late 1930s from age data and historical photographs, peak colonization was around 1955. Growth in height was slow with most trees being >20 years old but <2 meters high, but some individuals do show rapid growth. The variation among individuals suggests a) early colonizers are not necessarily the dominates in the eventual forest and b) opportunities to invade and occupy the canopy exceeds 30 years after the initial colonization.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Kroh, Glenn; White, Joseph; Heath, Shelly; Pinder, John
- Units
- LAVO
- Keywords
- conifer forests, Forest, Forestry, Lassen Volcanic National Park CA., Plant Studies, Volcanology/Geothermal