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Southern Rockies Fire Science Network

Southern Rockies Fire Science Network

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Wildfires and climate change push low-elevation forests across a critical climate threshold for tree regeneration

FULL RESEARCH PUBLICATION HERE

Changes in climate and disturbance regimes may cause abrupt shifts in vegetation communities. Identifying climatic conditions that can limit tree regeneration is important for understanding when and where wildfires may catalyze such changes. This study quantified relationships between annual climate conditions and regeneration of Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) and Pseudotsuga- menziesii (Douglas-fir), two ecologically and economically important conifer species in low-elevation forests of western North America. We found that regeneration exhibited a threshold response to annual climate conditions and the forests we sampled crossed these climate thresholds in the past 20 years, resulting in fewer recruitment opportunities through time. In areas that have crossed climatic thresholds for regeneration, stand-replacing fires may result in abrupt ecosystem transitions to nonforest states.

Posted by:
Southern Rockies Fire Science Network
Published on:
January 5, 2022

Categories: Publication, Research Brief/SynthesisTags: climate change, tree regeneration, wildfire

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This regional Fire Exchange is one of 15 regional fire science exchanges sponsored by the Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP).
View resources from multiple exchanges.