Rooting for the little guys: understory vegetation responses to fuels reduction treatments in the Jemez mountains, New Mexico

Dreher, Meagan (2023) Rooting for the little guys: understory vegetation responses to fuels reduction treatments in the Jemez mountains, New Mexico. Masters thesis, Northern Arizona University.

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Abstract

The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires in Southwestern ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests pose significant threats to biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. In response, forest and fire managers have implemented fuels reduction treatments, including thinning, mastication, and prescribed burns. This research aims to understand the long-term effects of these treatments on understory communities, focusing on two sites in the Monument Canyon Research Natural Area in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Mastication and prescribed burning treatments were applied to one site in the Monument Canyon Research Natural Area, while the other site was left untreated. My research compares the treated and untreated sites using datasets from the University of Arizona and the Pueblo/Four Winds Fire Ecology Program. I aimed to answer the following questions: 1) Were the sites similar prior to treatment? 2) Is there a treatment effect in 2022 and 2023? 2.a) What species are driving these differences? 3) What was the recovery trajectory in the treated site from 2009-2023? Results reveal pre-treatment site similarity and significant post-treatment differences among functional groups, particularly in forbs, abiotic, and biotic substrates. Lifeforms such as graminoids and shrubs endured notable shifts over time. Indicator species analyses identify key contributors to community changes in the treated site. These long-term shifts in species and lifeform cover highlight the importance of extended monitoring for understanding post-treatment ecological dynamics. This study contributes valuable insights into the enduring effects of treatments on biodiversity, with implications for ecological management in fire-prone landscapes.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Publisher’s Statement:	© Copyright is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the Cline Library, Northern Arizona University. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.
Keywords:	fire ecology; fuels reduction treatments; understory vegetation; Monument Canyon Research Natural Area, New Mexico; Jemez Mountains, New Mexico
Subjects:	S Agriculture > SD Forestry
NAU Depositing Author Academic Status:	Student
Department/Unit:	Graduate College > Theses and Dissertations College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences > School of Forestry
Date Deposited:	09 Jul 2026 17:56
Last Modified:	09 Jul 2026 17:56
URI:	https://openknowledge.nau.edu/id/eprint/6287

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