Content Description
Abstract:
Rates of subalpine tree reestablishment were
measured on the 1978 Hoh burn (3 yr old), the 1924
Mount Wilder burn (55 yr old), and the 1891 High
Divide burn (88yr old) in Olympic National Park,
Washington, USA. All three sites were Abies
lasiocarpa/Tsuga mertensiana forest at the time of
burning; Vaccinium spp. were dominant after the
fire. Tree establishment rates were higher on
burned sites during periods with generally
above-average to average spring/summer
precipitation than during below-average periods.
Highest rates of tree establishment occurred close
to fire edges. Current species composition on the
older burns closely reflects the composition of
residual trees. Drought resistance of the residual
tree species may interact with climate to affect
establishment rates. Tsuga mertensiana establishes
best during wet periods; Abies lasiocarpa,
Pseudotsuga menziesii and Pinus monticola
establish well during normal periods. These
patterns are quite different from tree invasion
into heather (Phyllodoce/Cassiope) meadows, which
occurred during a fairly discrete 1920-1940
regional drought when extended snow-free periods
apparently existed in these meadows.
Purpose:
The study was concerned with identifying which
subalpine plant communities are most flammable,
how long fire-created meadows persist, and to what
degree the reforestation process is predictable.
This information was needed to evaluate the impact
of allowing some naturally occurring fires to burn
in Olympic National Park.
Supplemental Information:
The geographic coordinates for this study are the
coordinates of the Olympic Peninsula, estimated
from as USGS 1:24000 map. For exact coordinates of
the study sites, please contact the author.
Content Status
Progress: Complete
Update Frequency: None Planned
Content Keywords
Theme Keywords: None, fire effects, meadow invasion, subalpine forests
Place Keywords: USA, Pacific Northwest, Washington, Olympic Peninsula, Olympic National Park, Hoh, Mount Wilder, High Divide