Title:

Pinyon and juniper expansion areas and persistent woodlands in the Snake River Plain, Northern Basin and Range, and Central Basin and Range level III ecoregions in the western United States

Author(s):

Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C.

Publication Year:

2024

How to Cite:

These data were collected using funding from the U.S. Government and can be used without additional permissions or fees. If you use these data in a publication, presentation, or other research product please use the following citation:

Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C. 2024. Pinyon and juniper expansion areas and persistent woodlands in the Snake River Plain, Northern Basin and Range, and Central Basin and Range level III ecoregions in the western United States. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2024-0007

Abstract:

This data publication contains raster spatial data (GeoTIFF) representing areas of pinyon-juniper (PJ) expansion into sagebrush ecosystems and persistent woodland and expansion within the Great Basin region of the western United States, which includes portions of Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, and Utah. To determine areas for potential fuel treatments, we overlayed PJ cover onto the dominant sagebrush associations. We used the Rangeland Analysis Platform to identify three phases (I, II, and III) or successional stages of PJ expansion based on the amount of tree cover expected for the different sagebrush associations. Because fuel treatments are conducted primarily in the early phases (Phase I and II successional stages) of tree expansion, it is important to designate these phases on the landscape. To characterize the persistent woodlands, we identified the LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings (BPS) categories that represented persistent pinyon and juniper (PJ; Pinus monophylla, Juniperus occidentalis and/or J. osteosperma) woodlands within the dominant sagebrush associations. These areas are considered high value resources and are excluded from fuel treatments. The data for PJ expansion areas and persistent woodlands represent conditions from 2016-2022.

Keywords:

environment; Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment; Landscape ecology; Fire; Fire effects on environment; Fire ecology; Forest & Plant Health; Climate effects; Invasive species; Inventory, Monitoring, & Analysis; Resource inventory; Natural Resource Management & Use; woody fuel treatments; ecological resilience; resistance to invasion; treatment durability; pinyon-juniper expansion; persistent woodlands; Fuel Treatment Response Groups; Joint Fire Science Program; JFSP; Great Basin; Nevada; Oregon; Idaho; Utah; Northern Basin and Range; Central Basin and Range; Snake River Plain

Related publications:

• Chambers, Jeanne C.; Brown, Jessi L.; Reeves, Matthew C.; Strand, Eva K.; Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Tortorelli, Claire M.; Urza, Alexandra K.; Short, Karen C. 2023. Fuel treatment response groups for fire-prone sagebrush landscapes. Fire Ecology. 19: 70. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-023-00230-2 https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/67189

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