Keyword: coarse woody debris

Fuel dynamics after reintroduced fire in an old-growth Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

cSurface fuel loadings are some of the most important factors contributing to fire intensity and fire spread. In old-growth forests where fire has been long excluded, surface fuel loadings can be high and can include woody debris ≥100 cm in diameter.

Correction to: A case study comparison of LANDFIRE fuel loading and emissions generation on a mixed conifer forest in Northern Idaho, USA

Following publication of the original article (Hyde et al., 2015), the authors have noticed two errors in the summarizing of our results and wish to point out the following corrections.

Environmental, structural, and disturbance influences over forest floor components in interior Douglas-fir forests of the Intermountain West, USA

Downed woody material (DWM) is a key component in forest ecosystems with age, structure, and disturbance described as primary factors that influence DWM dynamics. In particular, much emphasis is placed on large coarse woody debris (CWD).

Density-dependent woody detritus accumulation in an even-aged, single-species forest

Deadwood in forests influences fire intensity, stores carbon and nutrients, and provides wildlife habitat. We used a 54-year-old density management experiment in Larix occidentalis Nutt. forests to evaluate density dependence of woody detritus accumulation. Based on self-thinning theory, we expected woody detritus produced by the current stand to increase with stand density.

Historic range of variability for upland vegetation in the Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming

An approach for synthesizing the results of ecological research pertinent to land management is the analysis of the historic range of variability (HRV) for key ecosystem variables that are affected by management activities. This report provides an HRV analysis for the upland vegetation of the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming.

Historic range of variability for upland vegetation in the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

An approach for synthesizing the results of ecological research pertinent to land management is the analysis of the historic range of variability (HRV) for key ecosystem variables that are affected by management activities. This report provides an HRV analysis for the upland vegetation of the Bighorn National Forest in northcentral Wyoming.

Fuel: Logs, sticks, needles, duff, and much more

Fuels burned by either prescribed or wildfires are complex and important components of forested ecosystems. Fine fuels consisting of fallen limbs, twigs, and leaves of shrubs and trees are rich in nutrients. If these fuels are not immediately burned, nutrients can leach from these materials into the forest floor, especially if they overwinter.

Comparative trends in log populations in northern Arizona mixed-conifer and ponderosa pine forests following severe drought

Logs provide an important form of coarse woody debris in forest systems, contributing to numerous ecological processes and affecting wildlife habitat and fuel complexes. Despite this, little information is available on the dynamics of log populations in southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and especially mixed-conifer forests.

Does clear-cut harvesting accelerate initial wood decomposition? A five-year study with standard wood material

Coarse woody debris (CWD) serves a variety of ecological functions in forests, and the understanding of its decomposition is needed for estimating changes in CWD-dependent forest biodiversity, and for the quantification of forest ecosystem carbon and nutrient pools and fluxes.

The Fire and Fuels Extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator

The Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE) to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) simulates fuel dynamics and potential fire behaviour over time, in the context of stand development and management. Existing models of fire behavior and fire effects were added to FVS to form this extension. New submodels representing snag and fuel dynamics were created to complete the linkages. This report contains four chapters.