Vegetation response to restoration thinning and slash pile burning in aspen: Presentation PDF

This is a presentation from the Aspen Restoration and Ecology Workshop in 2015.  This study's findings support notion that heavier thinning favors aspen/plants and longer treatment persistence but cut conifer fuel load becomes excessive.

Presenter:  Pascal Berrill/ Christa M. Dagley   
View Presentation PDF >

Read More

The Western Aspen Alliance: Promoting sustainable aspen ecosystems: Presentation PDF

This is a presentation from the Aspen Restoration and Ecology Workshop in 2015. The Western Aspen Alliance's mission is to "facilitate cooperative research and disseminate state-of-the-science aspen information." This mission and the activities of this organization are discussed. 

Presenter:  Bobbette Jones  
View Presentation PDF >

Read More

Tahoe National Forest aspen restoration: A 20-year journey: Presentation PDF

This is a presentation from the Aspen Restoration and Ecology Workshop in 2015.The process of past restoration efforts and the lessons learned from these projects are discussed. 

Presenter: Tina Mark  
View Presentation PDF >

Read More

Perspectives on bird-aspen relationships from the Tahoe region: Presentation PDF

This is a presentation from the Aspen Restoration and Ecology Workshop in 2015. The summary of this presentation is that pure, mature aspen are best for avian species richness and abundance. Specific characteristics of aspen stands that benefit avian species are also discussed.  

Presenter: Will Richardson   
View Presentation PDF >

Read More

How climatic variability can increase or decrease the amount of aspen in the landscape: Presentation PDF

This is a presentation from the Aspen Restoration and Ecology Workshop in 2015.

The consequences of climate change for quaking aspen are likely to be complex and contingent on effects of post-disturbance climate as well as on feedbacks among climate, disturbances, and forest composition.
Presenter: Dominik Kulakowski
View Presentation PDF>

Read More

Prehistoric anthroprogenic wildland burning by hunter-gatherer societies in the temperate regions: A net source, sink, or neutral to the global carbon budget?  Journal Article

Abstract excerpt: "There is a need for more intensive multi-disciplinary study of prehistoric "hunter-gatherer" burning patterns in temperate regions. Calilbrnia is presented as a case study to demonstrate how powerful, effective, and widely employed fire was in the native repertoire for directly manipulating the wildland environment. It is highly likely that the magnitude of burning in other temperate regions as well as in California, has been underestimated by anthropologists."      
View Full Article PDF >

Read More

A Tale of Two Fire Syndromes: Recruiters vs. Resisters: Research Brief

Chaparral  species  can  be  sorted  into  two   life  history  types:  those  with  dormant  seed   banks  that  germinate  after  fire  and  those   with  very  short-­‐lived  seeds  and these   species survive  fire  by  resprouting.

View Research Brief (PDF) >

Read More

A Shifting Mosaic of Grasslands and Shrublands: Research Brief

To  better  understand  vegetation  succession  in  the   Los  Angeles,  California  basin,  modern  aerial   photos  (1980)  were  measured  and  compared  to   older  aerial  photos  (1928  &  1936),  spanning   roughly  50  years  of  vegetation  change.  Through   this  comparison,  the  authors  found  that shrublands  and  grasslands  formed  a  dynamic   mosaic. 
View Research Brief PDF >

Read More

Fire-Driven Alien Plant Invasion in a Fire-Prone Community: USGS Research Brief

This study showed that fire-adapted shrublands are vulnerable to changes in fire regime, leading to loss of native diversity and setting the community on a trajectory towards type conversion from a woody to an herbaceous system. 

View USGS Research Brief PDF >

Read More

Prescribed fires do not reduce future area burned in central and southern California: USGS Research Brief

Researchers used 29 years of historical fire mapping to quantify the relationship between annual wildfire area and previous fire area in seven California counties to address the question of prescribed fire effectiveness in these counties. 
View USGS Research Brief PDF >

Read More

The Built Environment Is More Influential Than Fuel Breaks in Exposure to Wind-Driven Chaparral Fire: USGS Research Brief

A Bayesian Network model was used to evaluate the relative importance of fuel and fuel treatments compared to weather and variables of the built and natural environment on wildfire risk at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in San Diego County. 
View USGS Research Brief PDF > 

Read More