M. Lisa Floyd

Relationship of stand characteristics to drought‐induced mortality in three Southwestern piñon–juniper woodlands

Extreme drought conditions accompanied by rising temperatures have characterized the American Southwest during the past decade, causing widespread tree mortality in piñion-juniper woodlands. Piñon pine (Pinus edulis Engelm.) mortality is linked primarily to outbreaks of the pinyon ips (Ips confusus (Leconte)) precipitated by drought conditions. Although we searched extensively, no biotic agent was identified as responsible for death in Juniperus L. spp. in this study; hence this mortality was due to direct drought stress. Here we examine the relationship between tree abundance and patterns of mortality in three size classes (seedling/sapling, pre-reproductive, reproductive) during the recent extended drought in three regions: southwest Colorado, northern New Mexico, and northern Arizona. Piñon mortality varied from 32% to 65%, and juniper mortality from 3% to 10% across the three sites. In all sites, the greatest piñon mortality was in the larger, presumably older, trees. Using logistic regression models, we examined the influence of tree density and basal area on bark beetle infestations (piñon) and direct drought impacts (juniper). In contrast to research carried out early in the drought cycle by other researchers in Arizona, we did not find evidence for greater mortality of piñon and juniper trees in increasingly high density or basal area conditions. We conclude that the severity of this regional drought has masked density-dependent patterns visible in less severe drought conditions. With climate projections for the American Southwest suggesting increases in aridity and rising temperatures, it is critical that we expand our understanding of stress responses expected in widespread piñon-juniper woodlands.

CLIMATIC AND HUMAN INFLUENCES ON FIRE REGIMES OF THE SOUTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS, COLORADO, USA

Fire severity, frequency, and extent are expected to change dramatically in coming decades in response to changing climatic conditions, superimposed on the adverse cumulative effects of various human-related disturbances on ecosystems during the past 100 years or more. To better gauge these expected changes, knowledge of climatic and human influences on past fire regimes is essential. We characterized the temporal and spatial properties of fire regimes in ponderosa pine forests of the southern San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado by collecting 175 fire-scarred tree samples from nine sites across a wide range of topographic settings. All tree rings and fire scars were dated using standard dendrochronological techniques. Fire-free intervals were statistically modeled using the Weibull distribution to provide quantitative measures that characterized the historical range of variation in pre-EuroAmerican fire regimes. Fires during our reference period were more frequent in the low elevation ponderosa pine forests (6-10 yr) than in the high elevation, mixed conifer forests (18-28 yr). Fires at lower elevations were predominantly low-severity, isolated fires. Fires during some years (e.g., 1748) were spatially extensive throughout the entire mountain range. Intervals that delimited significantly long fire-free periods ranged from 10-19 yr (low elevation) to 27- 50 yr (high elevation). Fire histories were similar between the eastern and western portions of the mountain range, although we found significant evidence of topographic isolation on fire regimes at one site. Pre-1880 fires primarily occurred in the dormant season, and we found no temporal changes in past fire seasonality. We found no compelling evidence that Native Americans influenced fire regimes in our study sites. We found a hiatus in fire occurrence between 1750 and 1770 that we believe was likely related to weakened El Nino-Southern Oscillation activity, an extended series of cool-phase Pacific Decadal Oscillation events, and weakened monsoonal moisture, all possibly en- trained in an invasive air mass typical of locations that are more northerly. In addition, pre-1880 fires occurred during years of severe drought, conditioned by above average moisture conditions in preceding years. The 20th century is characterized by a near complete absence of fires (fire-free interval of .100 yr), suggesting future wildfires may be more widespread and ecologically severe compared to pre-1880 fires.

Predicting and mitigating weed invasions to restore natural post-fire succession in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, USA

Six large wildfires have burned in Mesa Verde National Park during the last 15 years, and extensive portions of burns were invaded by non-native plant species. The most threatening weed species include Carduus nutans, Cirsium arvense, and Bromus tectorum, and if untreated, they persist at least 13 years. We investigated patterns of weed distribution to identify plant communities most vulnerable to post-fire weed invasion and created a spatially explicit model to predict the most vulnerable sites. At the scale of the entire park, mature pinon–juniper woodlands growing on two soil series were most vulnerable to post-fire weed invasion; mountain shrublands were the least vulnerable. At a finer scale, greater richness of native species was correlated with greater numbers of non-native species, indicating that habitats with high native biodiversity are at the greatest risk of weed invasion. In unburned areas, weed density increased with greater soil nitrogen and phosphorus, and lower salinity. In burned areas weed density correlated with soil nitrogen status and textural class. We also evaluated the effectiveness of a variety of weed mitigation methods; aerial seeding of targeted high-risk areas with native grasses was the most effective treatment tested. We recommend a conservative mitigation plan using natives grass seed on only the most invasible sites.

Fire History of Piñon-juniper Woodlands on Navajo Point, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Abstract Navajo Point, on the southeast tip of the Kaiparowits Plateau, supports Pinus edullis Engelm. var edulis-Juniperus osteosperma (Torrey) Little (piñon-juniper) woodlands undisturbed by large wildfires in the recent past. We developed a fire history and characterized the current fuel structure and plant biodiversity in the piñon-juniper woodlands on Navajo Point. Using a combination of 18 stand ages, stand structural characteristics classified from satellite imagery, and line intercept sampling, we determined that it would take 400–600 years to burn a cumulative area equal in extent to Navajo Point. Despite a long history of livestock grazing and fire suppression policies, the woodlands on Navajo Point still retain most of their primeval character. Specifically, the landscape patch mosaic on Navajo Point has not been fundamentally altered by 20th century fire exclusion. We conclude that the old-growth woodlands that cover at least half of Navajo Point are a natural and ecologically significant component of this ecosystem, resulting from the combination of the areas soils, climate, and inherently infrequent disturbance regime. Today, the rich understory supports 207 plant species of which only 6% are exotic. Despite the current pristine character of this woodland, the greatest potential threat comes from Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass), which occurs intermittently throughout the area. If expansion occurs, this flashy fuel (which has no native counterpart) could significantly shorten the centuries-long fire cycle that has allowed for the development of the biologically rich woodland on Navajo Point.

Ecological Restoration Priorities and Opportunities in Piñon-Juniper Woodlands

Piñon-juniper (Pinus spp.-Juniperus spp.) vegetation covers a large area of western North America and exhibits enormous diversity in environmental conditions, species composition, historical disturbance regimes, and changes during the past century. Many stands have degraded canopies, understories, or both, and are candidates for ecological restoration. Development of an effective restoration strategy entails understanding the historical conditions and dynamics of the specific area and distinguishing between passive vs. active restoration, structural vs. functional restoration, and restoration of canopy vs. understory. Restoration objectives and methods must be tailored to suit a particular woodland area; consequently, a “one-size-fits-all” approach is unlikely to produce satisfactory results. This paper presents 5 case studies to illustrate a spectrum of historical and current ecological conditions and appropriate restoration strategies that managers may encounter in piñon-juniper woodlands of the southwestern U.S. The case studies include passive restoration of a generally pristine old-growth woodland and active restoration of 4 habitats that are degraded in different ways. We close by suggesting a general approach to assessing restoration needs and methods. Although the examples are from the Four Corners region of the U.S., the general principles apply to other piñon-juniper vegetation across the West.

Historical and Modern Fire Regimes in Piñon-Juniper Woodlands, Dinosaur National Monument, United States ☆

ABSTRACT Twentieth-century fire exclusion has produced unnatural and undesirable changes in vegetation structure and dynamics of many rangelands of western North America, but not all kinds of ecosystems have been so affected. A comparison of the historical and modern fire regimes, especially in peripheral populations that can be particularly vulnerable to climatic change, can help guide fire management planning with information on the degree to which a local area has been altered by past fire exclusion. Historical fire rotations in piñon-juniper (Pinus edlis Engelm.-Juniperus spp. L.) woodlands vary widely across woodland types, hence management applications should be specific to local historical and modern fire characteristics. We asked if the modern fire rotation is similar to or longer than the historical fire rotation before arrival of Euro-American settlers on the northern woodland boundary in northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah. This study was initiated by managers from Dinosaur National Monument (DINO) concerned that lack of 20th-century fire may have allowed unnatural expansion of piñon-juniper woodlands into grasslands and shrublands. Fire history analysis using dendrochronology methods suggests a historical (pre-1900) fire rotation of ca. 550 yr, comparable with or longer than many other woodlands on the Colorado Plateau. In contrast, analysis of digital fire records reveals that the fire rotation between 1981 and 2010 was substantially shorter than historical; if only natural fires are considered, the piñon-juniper fire rotation was 364 yr, and if anthropogenic fires were included, the fire rotation was 233 yr. This shorter fire rotation supports a previously documented contraction in woodland extent in DINO during the past 90 yr. Our data support reducing the amount of fire in the landscape to preserve the integrity of the natural vegetation of this and other piñon-juniper woodlands, especially under projections of warmer and drier future climates.