Fire history and rotations in the New Brunswick Acadian Forest

1977 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross W Wein ◽  
Janice M. Moore
Keyword(s):  
New Brunswick ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Red Spruce ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Rotation Periods ◽  
Acadian Forest

From an analysis of fire records in New Brunswick for the period of 1920–1975, the fire history and rotation patterns are presented. Mean and median annual burns have been 12 000 ha (0.15% of the province) and 2500 ha (0.03% of the province), respectively, but the fire rotations have been widely different for different vegetation types. The most extensively burned vegetation type of red spruce – hemlock – pine has had a fire rotation period of 230 years. Hardwood and high-elevation conifer vegetation types have had fire rotation periods of over 1000 years.

Fire history and recent fire rotation periods in the Nova Scotia Acadian Forest

1979 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross W. Wein ◽  
Janice M. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Rotation Period ◽  
Turn Of The Century ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Cape Breton Island ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
Rotation Periods ◽  
Acadian Forest

Descriptive records of wildfires since the earliest writings and quantitative provincial fire records since 1915 have been used to produce a synthesis of fire history for the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Large annual burns were common up to the mid-1930's. Annual burns totalling over 15 000 ha occurred in each of the years 1918, 1920, 1921, 1930, 1934, 1944, and 1947, and annual burns totalling over 30 000 ha occurred in each of the years 1920 and 1921. Lightning has accounted for 1% of the number of fires (three per year). Thirty percent of the fires have occurred in the month of May; however, fires have been recorded for all months. Fire rotation periods for the province as a whole were 1000 or 2500 years, using the mean annual burn or median annual burn, respectively, for all burns in the years 1915 to 1975. In contrast, calculations of burned areas on maps produced at the turn of the century gave presuppression fire rotation periods of just over 200 years. Vegetation types have had widely varying fire rotation periods. The vegetation of Cape Breton Island has been subjected to almost no fires over 20 ha, whereas the vegetation type with the shortest fire rotation period (in the interior of western Nova Scotia) has been subjected to fire rotation periods as low as 65 years at the turn of the century, to about 2000 years for the years 1958 to 1975. A summary of fire rotation periods for the Boreal, Great Lakes – St. Lawrence, and Acadian Forest Regions found in the literature is presented for comparison with the Nova Scotia data, and more detailed comparisons are made between the fire rotation periods of the similar vegetation types in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

Contrasting mammal responses to vegetation type and fire

2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Lindenmayer ◽  
C. MacGregor ◽  
A. Welsh ◽  
C. Donnelly ◽  
M. Crane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fire History ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Arboreal Marsupials ◽  
Pseudocheirus Peregrinus ◽  
Antechinus Stuartii ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Ringtail Possum

The response of terrestrial mammals and arboreal marsupials to past burning history as well as a year prior to, and then for 4 years after, a major wildfire in 2003 at Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay Territory was quantified. The present study encompassed extensive repeated surveys at a set of 109 replicated sites stratified by vegetation type and fire history. It was found that most species exhibited significant differences in presence and abundance between major vegetation types. Detections of long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) increased significantly in all vegetation types surveyed, in both burnt and unburnt areas. Temporal patterns in captures of three species of small mammals (bush rat (Rattus fuscipes), swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus) and brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii)) showed a trend for lower numbers of captures on burnt sites compared with unburnt sites. Three species of arboreal marsupials, common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), greater glider (Petauroides volans) and common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), were moderately common and all showed marked differences in abundance between vegetation types. Whereas P. peregrinus and P. volans exhibited a temporal decline between 2003 and 2006, T. vulpecula exhibited a general increase from 2003 levels. However, arboreal marsupial responses did not appear to be directly fire related.

scholarly journals Satellite monitoring of different vegetation types by differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) in the red spectral range

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Wagner ◽  
S. Beirle ◽  
T. Deutschmann ◽  
M. Grzegorski ◽  
U. Platt
Keyword(s):  
Optical Absorption ◽  
Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Spectral Range ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Satellite Monitoring ◽  
Optical Absorption Spectroscopy ◽  
Vegetation Types

Abstract. A new method for the satellite remote sensing of different types of vegetation and ocean colour is presented. In contrast to existing algorithms relying on the strong change of the reflectivity in the red and near infrared spectral region, our method analyses weak narrow-band (few nm) reflectance structures (i.e. "fingerprint" structures) of vegetation in the red spectral range. It is based on differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS), which is usually applied for the analysis of atmospheric trace gas absorptions. Since the spectra of atmospheric absorption and vegetation reflectance are simultaneously included in the analysis, the effects of atmospheric absorptions are automatically corrected (in contrast to other algorithms). The inclusion of the vegetation spectra also significantly improves the results of the trace gas retrieval. The global maps of the results illustrate the seasonal cycles of different vegetation types. In addition to the vegetation distribution on land, they also show patterns of biological activity in the oceans. Our results indicate that improved sets of vegetation spectra might lead to more accurate and more specific identification of vegetation type in the future.

Body size and mean individual biomass variation of ground-beetles community (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as a response to increasing altitude and associated vegetation types in mountainous ecosystem

Biologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska ◽  
Slavčo Hristovski ◽  
Dana Prelić ◽  
Lucija Šerić Jelaska ◽  
Valentina Slavevska-Stamenković ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Altitudinal Gradient ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Ground Beetle ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Geologic History ◽  
White Oak ◽  
Mountain Ecosystems ◽  
Individual Biomass

AbstractCarabid fauna is not sufficiently explored in Central and Western Balkan areas, especially in mountain ecosystems with unique biodiversity which is a result of specific environmental factors and geologic history. Furthermore, distribution of species and adaptation to varying environmental parameters change along the altitudinal gradients. All this highlights the need for biodiversity and ecological studies in order to assess the state of the mountain ecosystems and conservation significance. Carabids as good bioindicator group can be used as a tool for monitoring those changes. The aim of this study was to analyse the differences of body size distribution and mean individual biomass (MIB) of ground beetle assemblages as a response of changing conditions and vegetation types along an altitudinal gradient on Belasitsa Mountain in south Macedonia. Both parameters significantly decreased with increasing altitude and were consequently associated with the vegetation type. Larger bodied individuals and higher values of MIB were recorded in the white oak and oriental hornbeam forest stands with the values decreasing in sessile oak forests towards submontane and montane beech forest stands. This research yielded first list of carabid species inhabiting Belasitsa Mountain with insight of carabid body length and biomass distribution along altitudinal gradient.

Catastrophic disturbance in the presettlement forests of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quanfa Zhang ◽  
Kurt S Pregitzer ◽  
David D Reed
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Mosaic Landscape ◽  
Upper Peninsula ◽  
Rotation Periods ◽  
General Land Office ◽  
Ecological Unit ◽  
Upper Peninsula Of Michigan

The General Land Office (GLO) survey notes (1840-1856) were used to examine the interaction among natural disturbance, vegetation type, and topography in the presettlement forests of the Luce District, an ecological unit of approximately 902 000 ha in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A. The surveyors recorded 104 fire and 126 windthrow incidences covering 3.1 and 2.8% of the total length of the surveyed lines, respectively. The rotation periods over the entire landscape were 480 years for fire and 541 years for windthrow, but these varied with vegetation type and topographic position. Fire occurred more frequently on southerly aspects and at elevations where pinelands were concentrated. The density of windthrow events increased with elevation and slope, with the highest occurrence on westerly aspects. Based on the estimated rotation periods, we calculated that 7.5, 24.4, and 68.1% of the presettlement forest were in the stand initiation, stem exclusion, and old forest (including both understory reinitiation and old growth) stages, respectively. Pinelands and mixed conifers were the major components in both the stand initiation (34.5 and 31.1%) and the stem exclusion stage (20.9 and 39.8%), while mixed conifers (39.3%) and northern hardwoods (34.7%) were the major old-forest cover types. The diverse mosaic of various successional stages generated by natural disturbance suggests a "shifting-mosaic" landscape in this region.

Exploring the Recruitment Dynamics of Sugar Maple and Yellow Birch Saplings into Merchantable Stems Following Harvesting in the Acadian Forest Region of New Brunswick, Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Noel ◽  
Jules Comeau ◽  
Salah-Eddine El Adlouni ◽  
Gaetan Pelletier ◽  
Marie-Andrée Giroux
Keyword(s):  
New Brunswick ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Stem Density ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
Probability Of Occurrence ◽  
Silvicultural Treatment ◽  
Forest Region ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Acadian Forest

The recruitment of saplings in forest stands into merchantable stems is a very complex process, thus making it challenging to understand and predict. The recruitment dynamics in the Acadian Forest Region of New Brunswick are not well known or documented. Our objective was to draw an inference from existing large scale routine forest inventories as to the different dynamics behind the recruitment from the sapling layer into the commercial tree size layer in terms of density and occurrence of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) following harvesting, by looking at many factors on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales using models. Results suggest that the variation in density and probability of occurrence is best explained by the intensity of silvicultural treatment, by the merchantable stem density in each plot, and by the proportion of merchantable basal area of each group of species. The number of recruits of sugar maple and yellow birch stems tend be higher when time since last treatment increases, when mid to low levels of silvicultural treatment intensity were implemented, and within plots having intermediate levels of merchantable stem density. Lastly, our modeling efforts suggest that the probability of occurrence and density of recruitment of both species tend to increase while its share of merchantable basal area increases.

Soil Moisture Responses Under Different Vegetation Types to Winter Rainfall Events in a Humid Karst Region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihong Yan ◽  
Qiuwen Zhou ◽  
Dawei Peng ◽  
Xiaocha Wei ◽  
Xin Tang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Karst Region ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Recovery Model ◽  
Winter Rainfall ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Karst Ecosystems

Abstract Humid karst ecosystems are fragile, with precipitation being the main source of soil moisture recharge. The process of soil moisture recharge and usage varies by vegetation type. To analyze the dynamics of soil moisture under different vegetation types during rainfall events, we continuously monitored soil moisture in arable land, grassland, shrub, and forest areas at 10-minute intervals from November 6, 2019, to January 6, 2020.The arable land was used as a control group. Soil moisture under the different vegetation types responded to light, moderate, and rainstorm events with large rainfall amounts. However, only the soil moisture in the grassland areas responded to a light rainfall event with a rainfall amount of 0.87 mm. The largest soil moisture recharge (12.63 mm) and decline (2.08%) were observed for the grassland areas, with the smallest observed for the forest areas. While the grassland areas showed the greatest decline in soil moisture following rainfall, they were more easily recharged during the winter rainfall events. Soil moisture in forests and shrubs was less recharged than in grasslands but also declined less. Therefore, forests and shrubs are better at retaining soil moisture in winter, which is informative for the formulation of a regional vegetation recovery model.

scholarly journals A proposed procedure for the analysis of large phytosociological data sets in the classification of South African grasslands

Koedoe ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Bredenkamp ◽  
H. Bezuidenhout
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Related Plant ◽  
Single Cluster ◽  
Synoptic Table

A procedure for the effective classification of large phytosociological data sets, and the combination of many data sets from various parts of the South African grasslands is demonstrated. The procedure suggests a region by region or project by project treatment of the data. The analyses are performed step by step to effectively bring together all releves of similar or related plant communities. The first step involves a separate numerical classification of each subset (region), and subsequent refinement by Braun- Blanquet procedures. The resulting plant communities are summarised in a single synoptic table, by calculating a synoptic value for each species in each community. In the second step all communities in the synoptic table are classified by numerical analysis, to bring related communities from different regions or studies together in a single cluster. After refinement of these clusters by Braun-Blanquet procedures, broad vegetation types are identified. As a third step phytosociological tables are compiled for each iden- tified broad vegetation type, and a comprehensive abstract hierarchy constructed.

Determinants of spatial variation in fire return period in a semiarid African savanna

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 540 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. G. O'Connor ◽  
C. M. Mulqueeny ◽  
P. S. Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Return Period ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Terrestrial Vegetation ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Data Set

Fire pattern is predicted to vary across an African savanna in accordance with spatial variation in rainfall through its effects on fuel production, vegetation type (on account of differences in fuel load and in flammability), and distribution of herbivores (because of their effects on fuel load). These predictions were examined for the 23 651-ha Mkuzi Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal, based on a 37-year data set. Fire return period varied from no occurrence to a fire every 1.76 years. Approximately 75% of the reserve experienced a fire approximately every 5 years, 25% every 4.1–2.2 years and less than 1% every 2 years on average. Fire return period decreased in relation to an increase in mean annual rainfall. For terrestrial vegetation types, median fire return periods decreased with increasing herbaceous biomass, from forest that did not burn to grasslands that burnt every 2.64 years. Fire was absent from some permanent wetlands but seasonal wetlands burnt every 5.29 years. Grazer biomass above 0.5 animal units ha–1 had a limiting influence on the maximum fire frequency of fire-prone vegetation types. The primary determinant of long-term spatial fire patterns is thus fuel load as determined by mean rainfall, vegetation type, and the effects of grazing herbivores.

Ecological thresholds and the status of fire-sensitive vegetation in western Arnhem Land, northern Australia: implications for management

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew C. Edwards ◽  
Jeremy Russell-Smith
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Ecological Thresholds ◽  
Arnhem Land ◽  
The Status

The paper examines the application of the ecological thresholds concept to fire management issues concerning fire-sensitive vegetation types associated with the remote, biodiversity-rich, sandstone Arnhem Plateau, in western Arnhem Land, monsoonal northern Australia. In the absence of detailed assessments of fire regime impacts on component biota such as exist for adjoining Nitmiluk and World Heritage Kakadu National Parks, the paper builds on validated 16-year fire history and vegetation structural mapping products derived principally from Landsat-scale imagery, to apply critical ecological thresholds criteria as defined by fire regime parameters for assessing the status of fire-sensitive habitat and species elements. Assembled data indicate that the 24 000 km2 study region today experiences fire regimes characterised generally by high annual frequencies (mean = 36.6%) of large (>10 km2) fires that occur mostly in the late dry season under severe fire-weather conditions. Collectively, such conditions substantially exceed defined ecological thresholds for significant proportions of fire-sensitive indicator rain forest and heath vegetation types, and the long-lived obligate seeder conifer tree species, Callitris intratropica. Thresholds criteria are recognised as an effective tool for informing ecological fire management in a variety of geographic settings.

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