The national Fire and Fire Surrogate study: effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels

• DOI: 10.1890/07-1747.1
• Publication Date: 2009-02-25T14:51:09Z
• Authors: Dylan W. Schwilk; Jon E. Keeley; Eric E. Knapp; James McIver; John D. Bailey; Christopher J. Fe...; Carl E. Fiedler; Richy J. Harrod; Jason J. Moghaddas; Kenneth W. Outcalt; Carl N. Skinner; Scott L. Stephens; Thomas A. Waldrop; Daniel A. Yaussy; Andrew Youngblood
• Keywords: Fire ecology; Wildfire suppression

Changes in vegetation and fuels were evaluated from measurements taken before after fuel reduction treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical treatments, the combination of two) at 12 Fire Surrogate (FFS) sites located forests with a surface fire regime across conterminous United States. To test relative effectiveness their effect on ecological parameters we used an information‐theoretic approach suite variables representing overstory (basal area live tree, sapling, snag density), understory (seedling density, shrub cover, native alien herbaceous species richness), most relevant for wildfire damage (height to crown, total bed mass, forest floor woody mass). In short term (one year treatment), more effective reducing tree density basal increasing quadratic mean diameter. Prescribed creating snags, killing seedlings, elevating height fuels. Overall, response presented this paper was generally maximized by combined plus burning treatment. If management goal is quickly produce stands fewer larger diameter trees, less greater richness, treatment gave desirable results. However, because also favored invasion some sites, monitoring control need be part prescription when using