Evaluating the ecological sustainability of a ponderosa pine ecosystem on the Kaibab Plateau in northern Arizona
The authors created a process for evaluating the ecological sustainability of fire-adapted ecosystems in the face of climate change and analyzed a case study in ponderosa pine forests on the Kaibab Plateau within the Kaibab National Forest.
The authors found that current and projected conditions in the structure and composition of ponderosa pine forests are approximately 97% departed from reference conditions on the Kaibab Plateau. Conditions in these forests are likely to persist due to the continued fire suppression and lack of management activities to reduce forest density.
Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages
The authors found that current and projected conditions in the structure and composition of ponderosa pine forests are approximately 97% departed from reference conditions on the Kaibab Plateau. Conditions in these forests are likely to persist due to the continued fire suppression and lack of management activities to reduce forest density.