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Spatial models for inferring topographic controls on historical low-severity fire in the eastern Cascade Range of Washington, USA
Author(s): Lara-Karena B. Kellogg; Donald McKenzie; David L. Peterson; Amy E. Hessl
Date: 2008
Source: Landscape Ecology. 23: 227-240
Publication Series: Scientific Journal (JRNL)
PDF: Download Publication (2.20 MB)Description
Fire regimes are complex systems that represent an aggregate of spatial and temporal events whose statistical properties are scale dependent.\r\nDespite the breadth of research regarding the spatial controls on fire regime variability, few data sets are available with sufficient resolution to test spatially explicit hypotheses. We used a spatially distributed network of georeferenced fire-scarred trees to investigate the spatial structure of fire occurrence at multiple scales. Mantel's tests and geostatistical analysis of fire-occurrence time series led to inferences about the mechanisms that generated spatial patterns of historical fire synchrony (multiple trees recording fire in a single year) in eastern Washington, USA. The spatial autocorrelation structure of historical fire regimes varied within and among sites, with clearer patterns in the complex rugged terrain of the Cascade Range than in more open and rolling terrain farther north and east. Results illustrate that the statistical spatial characteristics of fire regimes change with landform characteristics within a forest type, suggesting that simple relationships between fire frequency, fire synchrony, and forest type do not exist. Quantifying the spatial structures in fire occurrence associated with topographic variation showed that fire regime variability depends on both landscape structure and the scale of measurement. Spatially explicit fire-scar data open new possibilities for analysis and interpretation, potentially informing the design and application of fire management on landscapes, including hazardous fuel treatments and the use of fire for ecosystem restoration.Publication Notes
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Citation
Kellogg, Lara-Karena B.; McKenzie, Donald; Peterson, David L.; Hessl, Amy E. 2008. Spatial models for inferring topographic controls on historical low-severity fire in the eastern Cascade Range of Washington, USA. Landscape Ecology. 23: 227-240Keywords
Topographic controls, historical fire regimes, spatial statistics, eastern Washington, scale dependenceRelated Search
- Using a stochastic model and cross-scale analysis to evaluate controls on historical low-severity fire regimes
- Using neutral models to identify constraints on low-severity fire regimes.
- A neutral model of low-severity fire regimes
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https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/30439