Assessing Landscape Vulnerability to Drought and Megafires using Linked Forest Condition-Water Models to Guide Resilience Planning
Boisrame G, Anderson C, Fong C. 2024. Assessing Landscape Vulnerability to Drought and Megafires using Linked Forest Condition-Water Models to Guide Resilience Planning. National Park Service. Yosemite National Park
This study assessed how fires have affected the landscape conditions we see today in Yosemite National Park and identified areas with high potential for future change in response to different treatments. The report describes the creation and output of multiple maps and models to help with future management decisions. A combination of remote sensing, field measurements, and modeling showed that areas of dense forest cover generally have higher drought stress and lower snowpack retention compared to more open areas. Field measurements showed increased soil water repellence following fire, but hydrophobicity began decreasing after the first post-fire year, and fell to a minimum approximately 5-10 years post-fire. The study also found strongly hydrophobic soils in areas that had not burned for over 20 years, showing that long periods without fire might also have unwanted impacts on soil properties. Therefore, even though recently burned water-repellent soils can see reduced infiltration and soil moisture in the short term, soils appear able to recover and even improve their ability to infiltrate and retain moisture over multiple years following fire. This project led to the creation of a unique dataset of soil properties across a gradient of fire histories and landscapes within Yosemite National Park. This dataset, as well as the files and R code necessary to run the statistical models described in this report, are included in the attached zip files for use by Yosemite National Park researchers and managers.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Boisrame, Gabrielle; Anderson, Chad; Fong, Catherine
- Date of Issue
- 2024-04-02
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- YOSE
- Keywords
- fire, fire effects, fire severity, forest, forest condition, forest cover, fuel treatments, hydrology, hydrophobicity, infiltration, prescribed burns, soil, wildfire