scholarly journals Predicting conifer establishment post wildfire in mixed conifer forests of the North American Mediterranean‐climate zone

Ecosphere ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin R. Welch ◽  
Hugh D. Safford ◽  
Truman P. Young
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Conifer Forests ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Climate Zone ◽  
The North ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forests

Silvicultural implications from analyzing light induced height growth development of eight North American juvenile tree species in mixed-conifer forests

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 616-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Annighöfer ◽  
Dominik Seidel ◽  
Christian Ammer ◽  
Scott L Stephens ◽  
Robert A York
Keyword(s):  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
North American ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Light Environment ◽  
Conifer Forests ◽  
Conifer Forest ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forests

Abstract Modern silviculture is based on simulating natural disturbance regimes on the one side and reducing their impact on the other side. Disturbances modify light regimes of forests along complex spatial patterns, and species participating in the ecosystem tend to have unique adaptations to the multitude of light conditions found in forests. We studied the height growth reaction of saplings from eight native North American tree species to different light availabilities in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest. Large height growth differences occurred between species. Height growth increased for most species with increasing light availability. However, black oak but also incense cedar and tanoak reached an optimal value or saturation point of light availability at intermediate light levels, above which their growth stayed the same or slightly declined on average. A variety of stand conditions, representing the range from early to late successional stages, are beneficial to maintain tree species diversity across stands. Such a gradient of conditions can be achieved by diversifying silvicultural regimes and using regeneration approaches that mimic a range of disturbance intensities. The results add to knowledge on the species’ ecology by specifying their height growth in dependence of a quantified light environment. The quantification of the light environment can directly be linked to % canopy cover and a range of regeneration methods, respectively. With this, the results may help achieve a more precise and target-oriented management of Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests.

scholarly journals Contrasting Spatial Patterns in Active-Fire and Fire-Suppressed Mediterranean Climate Old-Growth Mixed Conifer Forests

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e88985 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danny L. Fry ◽  
Scott L. Stephens ◽  
Brandon M. Collins ◽  
Malcolm P. North ◽  
Ernesto Franco-Vizcaíno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterns ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Conifer Forests ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forests

Fire Ecology of the North American Mediterranean-Climate Zone

2021 ◽  
pp. 337-392
Author(s):  
Hugh D. Safford ◽  
Ramona J. Butz ◽  
Gabrielle N. Bohlman ◽  
Michelle Coppoletta ◽  
Becky L. Estes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Fire Ecology ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Climate Zone ◽  
The North

scholarly journals Pyric tree spatial patterning interactions in historical and contemporary mixed conifer forests, California, USA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin P. Ziegler ◽  
Chad M. Hoffman ◽  
Brandon M. Collins ◽  
Eric E. Knapp ◽  
William (Ruddy) Mell
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Patterning ◽  
Conifer Forests ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forests

Characterizing the light environment in Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests using a spatially explicit light model

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1332-1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf Gersonde ◽  
John J Battles ◽  
Kevin L O'Hara
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Sierra Nevada ◽  
Forest Type ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Spatially Explicit ◽  
Conifer Forests ◽  
Prediction Equations ◽  
Mixed Conifer ◽  
Sapwood Area ◽  
Mixed Conifer Forests

The spatially explicit light model tRAYci was calibrated to conditions in multi-aged Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forests. To reflect conditions that are important to growth and regeneration of this forest type, we sampled a variety of managed mature stands with multiple canopy layers and cohorts. Calibration of the light model included determining leaf area density for individual species with the use of leaf area – sapwood area prediction equations. Prediction equations differed between species and could be improved using site index. The light model predicted point measurements from hemispherical photographs well over a range of 27%–63% light. Simplifying the crown representation in the tRAYci model to average values for species and canopy strata resulted in little reduction in model performance and makes the model more useful to applications with lower sampling intensity. Vertical light profiles in managed mixed-conifer stands could be divided into homogeneous, sigmiodal, and continuous gradients, depending on stand structure and foliage distribution. Concentration of leaf area in the upper canopy concentrates light resources on dominant trees in continuous canopies. Irregular canopies of multiaged stands, however, provide more light resources to mid-size trees and could support growth of shade-intolerant species. Knowledge of the vertical distribution of light intensity in connection with stand structural information can guide regulation of irregular stand structures to meet forest management objectives.

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