Post-fire Climate Effects on Montane Forest Tree Species in Glacier National Park
McKenzie DA. 2009. Post-fire Climate Effects on Montane Forest Tree Species in Glacier National Park. University of Wyoming
In a forest, post-fire stand establishment and subsequent species composition is typically set during the first few years following a fire. Where survivors of the fire are present, they contribute to dominance of a species within a stand, however, where there are no survivors, life history traits such as whether a species is capable of resprouting following fire may influence post-fire dominance. For species that do not have the ability to resprout, propagules must be reintroduced to a burned site, while those that can resprout or those with a canopy seed bank may have a higher chance at early reestablishment in a burned stand. Further, post-fire climate can influence the success of individual species by its effects on seedling establishment. For example conditions may be too dry for mesic species to establish or those same species could have a competitive advantage over xeric species in times of wet conditions. As climatic conditions change through time, different species may have different levels of regeneration success following fire. This study provides insight into possible effects of drier than usual post-fire climate conditions and describes some site characteristics associated with some montane forest species found in Glacier National Park. We expect to find that resprouters and xerophytic species increase in proportion in fires followed by dry conditions and reseeding mesophytes will decrease in proportion in the same conditions.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- McKenzie, David
- Date of Issue
- 2009-01
- Units
- GLAC
- Keywords
- Abies lasiocarpa, Douglas-Fir, Engelmann Spruce, Fire Ecology, Fire History, fire science, Glacier National Park, Larix occidentalis, Lodgepole Pine, Picea engelmannii, Pinus contorta, Pseudotsuga menziesii, subalpine fir, Western larch, Wildfire