Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Open Access Master's Report
Degree Name
Master of Science in Forest Ecology and Management (MS)
Administrative Home Department
College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science
Advisor 1
Tara L. Bal
Committee Member 1
Mickey P. Jarvi
Committee Member 2
Carsten Külheim
Abstract
Many forests have historically experienced mixed-severity fire regimes that were disrupted during the 20th century due to fire exclusion policy. A stand of relict Pinus ponderosa in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex that burned in 2003, 2011, and 2018 provides a unique case study for investigating the effects of returned fire to the landscape. Many of the trees have fire scars or Indigenous bark-peeling scars, preserving valuable ecological and anthropological history. We sought to determine whether scarred trees were more susceptible to fire damage, if larger trees had greater fire resilience than smaller trees, and if fuel loads have changed with fire. A stand inventory was conducted in 2024, continuing previous inventories since 2004. Results indicate a linear relationship between diameter and mortality suggesting that larger tree scars remain resilient to fire. Litter and duff loads are low compared to prefire loads and multiple fires have reduced sapling regeneration.
Recommended Citation
Schimmel, Laura K., "RELICT PONDEROSA PINE MORTALITY AND FUELS STUDY IN THE BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, MONTANA, USA", Open Access Master's Report, Michigan Technological University, 2025.