Fire effects on gambel oak in southwestern ponderosa pine-oak forests

Abella, Scott R. and Fule, Peter Z. (2008) Fire effects on gambel oak in southwestern ponderosa pine-oak forests. RMRS-RN-34.

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Abstract

Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) is ecologically and aesthetically valuable in southwestern ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests. Fire effects on Gambel oak are important because fire may be used in pine-oak forests to manage oak directly or to accomplish other management objectives. We used published literature to: (1) ascertain historical fire regimes in pine-oak forests, (2) discern prescribed burning effects on Gambel oak survival and diameter growth, and (3) provide suggestions for using fire to manage oak. Frequent fire is part of Gambel oak's historical environment, as historical fire return intervals often averaged less than 10 years in pine-oak forests. More than 66 percent of oaks greater than 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter were alive at least 5 years after two contemporary prescribed fires, whereas survival was low (>20 percent) for small oaks less than 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Top-killed oaks resprout prolifically, suggesting that fire can maintain shrub-sprout forms of oak constituting browse and cover for some wildlife species. Unlike mechanically thinning competing trees, burning has not been found to increase oak diameter growth. We conclude that fire can be used to manage Gambel oak densities and growth forms, and that large oaks can be maintained during low-intensity burning. Several tactics may enhance survival of large oaks during prescribed fire: keeping pine slash away from oak boles, avoiding lightning near oaks or reducing fire intensity near oaks, and raking fuels away from oak boles.

Item Type:	Article
Publisher’s Statement:	Published by USDA Forest Service.
ID number or DOI:	https://doi.org/10.2737/RMRS-RN-34
Keywords:	Forest management; Forests and forestry; Gambel oak; Pinus ponderosa; Ponderosa pine; Prescribed burning; Quercus gambelii – Effect of fires on; Southwest; Centennial Forest
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Faculty/Staff
Department/Unit:	Research Centers > Ecological Restoration Institute College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Science > School of Forestry
Date Deposited:	17 May 2018 23:21
URI:	http://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/2950

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