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Fire history of pinyon-juniper woodlands at upper ecotones with ponderosa pine forests in Arizona and New Mexico

David W. Huffman, Peter Z. Fulé, Kristen M. Pearson, Joseph E. Crouse


Summary - what did the authors do and why?

The authors reconstructed the historical fire regime using dendrochronological and forest structure analysis techniques along the ecotonal boundary of pinyon-juniper woodlands and ponderosa pine forest.

Publication findings:

The authors found that fires within the ponderosa pine stands did not spread to the adjacent pinyon-juniper woodland. Historically, fire in pinyon-juniper was typically severe and stand-replacing, but limited in size with fire return intervals of 300 to 400 years. This has resulted in numerous small patches of same-aged pinyon stands.

Fire and Ecosystem Effects Linkages

The authors found that fires within the ponderosa pine stands did not spread to the adjacent pinyon-juniper woodland. Historically, fire in pinyon-juniper was typically severe and stand-replacing, but limited in size with fire return intervals of 300 to 400 years. This has resulted in numerous small patches of same-aged pinyon stands.

The authors found that fires within the ponderosa pine stands did not spread to the adjacent pinyon-juniper woodland. Historically, fire in pinyon-juniper was typically severe and stand-replacing, but limited in size with fire return intervals of 300 to 400 years. This has resulted in numerous small patches of same-aged pinyon stands.

The authors found that fires within the ponderosa pine stands did not spread to the adjacent pinyon-juniper woodland. Historically, fire in pinyon-juniper was typically severe and stand-replacing, but limited in size with fire return intervals of 300 to 400 years. This has resulted in numerous small patches of same-aged pinyon stands.