Thinning and prescribed fire effects on dwarf mistletoe severity in an eastern Cascade Range dry forest,Washington

Forest thinning and prescribed fire practices are widely used, either separately or in combination, to address tree stocking, species composition, and wildland fire concerns in western US mixed conifer forests. We examined the effects of these fuel treatments alone and combined on dwarf mistletoe infection severity immediately after treatment and for the following 100 years. Thinning, burning, thin + burn, and control treatments were applied to 10 ha units; each treatment was replicated three times. Dwarf mistletoe was found in ponderosa pine and/or Douglas-fir in all units prior to treatment. Stand infection severity was low to moderate, and severely infected trees were the largest in the overstory. Thinning produced the greatest reductions in tree stocking and mistletoe severity. Burning reduced stocking somewhat less because spring burns were relatively cool with spotty fuel consumption and mortality. Burning effects on vegetation were enhanced when combined with thinning; thin + burn treatments also reduced mistletoe severity in all size classes. Stand growth simulations using the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) showed a trend of reduced mistletoe spread and intensification over time for all active treatments. When thinned and unthinned treatments were compared, thinning reduced infected basal area and treatment effects were obvious, beginning in the second decade. The same was true with burned and unburned treatments. Treatment effects on infected tree density were similar to infected basal area; however, treatment effects diminished after 20 years, suggesting a re-treatment interval for dwarf mistletoe.     

Transformation of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) tree crowns by dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense,Viscaceae)

Dwarf mistletoes (Arceuthobium species) are arboreal, hemiparasitic plants of conifers that can change the structure and function of the tree crown. Hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense subsp. tsugense) principally parasitizes western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) and effects 10.8% of all western hemlock trees in Oregon, USA. In this study, we climbed 16 western hemlock trees (age 97–321 years, height 33–54.7 m) across a gradient of infection (0%–100% of branches infected) and measured occurrence of all dwarf mistletoe infections, dwarf mistletoe caused deformities, foliage, branch and crown metrics, and sapwood area. We then modelled over 25 different response variables using linear and generalized linear models with three metrics of severity as explanatory variables: total infection incidence, proportion of all live branches infected, and proportion of all live, infected branches with 33 per cent or more foliage distal to infection. A strong effect of dwarf mistletoe intensification was the reduction of branch foliage and an increase in the proportional amount of foliage distal to infections, with severely infected trees having the majority of foliage distal to infections. Increasing severity led to an apparent crown compaction as crown volumes decreased and became increasingly comprised of deformities. Sapwood area was unrelated to infection severity. Branch length and diameters were unrelated to increasing infection severity despite severely infected branches supporting 1–70 infections. The most severely infected tree had 3,615 individual plants in the crown. Our results suggested that shifts in crown structure and branch deformation, foliage amount, and foliage distal to infection, reflected a likely reduction of capacity for tree growth that coincided with a hypothesized increase in resource demand by dwarf mistletoe plants as infection severity intensified.     

Mortality and growth of dwarf mistletoe‐infected red and white fir and the efficacy of thinning for reducing associated losses

In managed forests dominated by true fir (Abies) species, stands are often restocked using understory trees retained during timber harvest, making the effects of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) infestation on small true fir a concern. This study examined the response of small red (A. magnifica) and white (A. concolor) fir and their dwarf mistletoes (A. abietinum f.sp. magnificae and A. abietinum f.sp. concoloris, respectively) to precommercial thinning treatments in fir‐dominated stands in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Tree diameters and dwarf mistletoe ratings were monitored from 1981 to 2001, and mortality was observed from 1981 to 2006. Red and white fir survival and radial growth decreased significantly with greater mistletoe ratings and increased with larger diameters and live crown ratios. Thinning significantly increased survival and growth of white, but not red fir. Over the course of the study, mistletoe ratings for both fir species did not change significantly in unthinned stands, but increased in thinned stands. However, while statistically significant, increases in mistletoe ratings in thinned stands were gradual and mistletoe ratings did not statistically differ between treatments 20 years post‐thinning. Additionally, thinning did not significantly influence mistletoe spread to uninfected trees, indicating that precommercial thinning in lightly infested red and white fir stands will not likely result in substantial increases in dwarf mistletoe abundance over typical harvesting intervals. Overall, while severe dwarf mistletoe infection ratings reduced tree survival and growth, because ratings remained low, actual losses resulting from mistletoes during this study were minor and will not likely result in substantial economic losses over normal harvesting intervals. This finding indicates that precommercial thinning treatments designed specifically to compensate for mistletoe‐associated losses may not be necessary when managing red and white fir for timber production.     

火干扰对森林水文的影响

Fire is quite a common natural phenomenon closely related to forest hydrology in forest ecosystem. The influence of fire on water is indirectly manifested in that the post fire changes of vegetation, ground cover, soil and environment affect water cycle, water quality and aquatic lives. The effect varies depending upon fire severity and frequency. Light wildland fires or prescribed burnings do not affect hydrology regime significantly but frequent burnings or intense fires can cause changes in hydrology regime similar to that caused clear cutting.     

The effect of fire severity on first-year seedling establishment in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus canariensis</Emphasis> forest on Tenerife,Canary Islands

The Canarian pine (Pinus canariensis) exhibits a striking combination of high adult resistance to fire and intermediate serotiny. Hence, the study of its post-fire regeneration can support valuable new insights about functional adaptations to fire. Here, we analyse the first-year seedling establishment after fire in a P. canariensis forest on the northern slope of Tenerife, Canary Islands. The effects of fire severity and other explanatory variables on the seedling density recorded 9 months after fire were examined. We detected a clear unimodal relationship between seedling density and fire severity, with maximum regeneration associated with intermediate fire severity and no regeneration associated with very high crown damage. The results suggested that high severity fires may have caused the partial destruction of the aerial seed bank and/or the creation of unfavourable seedbed conditions for germination and seedling emergence. The density of large pine trees, reflecting seed availability, was the second most important factor explaining the distribution of seedlings. Cover of scorched needle litter on the ground correlated strongly and positively with pine seedling density and negatively with fire severity. The complete lack of regeneration at sites most strongly affected by fire does not represent a major threat for the stand recovery of the Canarian pine, due to the very high tree resistance to fire and the tremendous capacity of the Canarian pine to resprout after fire. The observed very high seedling densities at sites with intermediate fire impacts can probably be related to both the complete liberation of the seed bank (including seeds stored in serotinous cones) and favourable micro-environmental conditions for seed germination and seedling establishment.     

Growth characteristics and reproductive output of dwarf mistletoe-infected Juniperus polycarpos in Iran

Dwarf mistletoes are parasitic flowering plants that infect conifers, resulting in substantial loss of growth and mortality. Recently, forest managers in Iran are contemplating whether infection of Juniperus polycarpos C. Koch forests by dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium oxycedri （DC.） M. Bieb, influences tree vigor and contributes to insuffieient natural regeneration. The present study aimed at assessing the severity of infection and its impact on growth and reproductive output of./., polycar- pos. Infected and uninfected trees （n =20 each） were selected for assess- ment of diameter, height, crown area, and crown volume as well as quantity and quality of cones and seeds. The severity of infection of trees was determined by Hawksworth＇s 6-class dwarf mistletoe rating （DMR） system. The DMR system revealed that 40% of the infected sample trees were lightly infected （DMR =1-2） and 60% were moderately infected （DMR =3--4）. Growth characteristics did not differ significantly （p 〉 0.05） between infected and uninfected trees. However, moderate infec- tion affected the reproductive output of./. polycarpos by significantly （p 〈0.05） reducing the mean number of cones per unit area of the crown, increasing the number of damaged seeds, and reducing seed size and seedgermination capacity. We conclude that reproductive output of J.. poly- carpos is more sensitive than growth characters to moderate infection by juniper dwarf mistletoe, and this might partly account for poor natural regeneration.     

Prescribed fire effects on bark beetle activity and tree mortality in southwestern ponderosa pine forests

Prescribed fire is an important tool in the management of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) forests, yet effects on bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) activity and tree mortality are poorly understood in the southwestern U.S. We compared bark beetle attacks and tree mortality between paired prescribed-burned and unburned stands at each of four sites in Arizona and New Mexico for three growing seasons after burning (2004–2006). Prescribed burns increased bark beetle attacks on ponderosa pine over the first three post-fire years from 1.5 to 13% of all trees, increased successful, lethal attacks on ponderosa pine from 0.4 to 7.6%, increased mortality of ponderosa pine from all causes from 0.6 to 8.4%, and increased mortality of all tree species with diameter at breast height >13 cm from 0.6 to 9.6%. On a per year basis, prescribed burns increased ponderosa pine mortality from 0.2% per year in unburned stands to 2.8% per year in burned stands. Mortality of ponderosa pine 3 years after burning was best described by a logistic regression model with total crown damage (crown scorch + crown consumption) and bark beetle attack rating (no, partial, or mass attack by bark beetles) as independent variables. Attacks by Dendroctonus spp. did not differ significantly over bole heights, whereas attacks by Ips spp. were greater on the upper bole compared with the lower bole. Three previously published logistic regression models of tree mortality, developed from fires in 1995–1996 in northern Arizona, were moderately successful in predicting broad patterns of tree mortality in our data. The influence of bark beetle attack rating on tree mortality was stronger for our data than for data from the 1995–1996 fires. Our results highlight canopy damage from fire as a strong and consistent predictor of post-fire mortality of ponderosa pine, and bark beetle attacks and bole char rating as less consistent predictors because of temporal variability in their relationship to mortality. The small increase in tree mortality and bark beetle attacks caused by prescribed burning should be acceptable to many forest managers and the public given the resulting reduction in surface fuel and risk of severe wildfire.     

Pine mistletoe (Viscum album ssp. austriacum) contributes to Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) mortality in the Rhone valley of Switzerland

In recent years unusual high mortality of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) has been observed in the Swiss Rhone Valley. The exact causes, however, are not known. At a 2‐ha monitoring plot, tree mortality and crown condition have been monitored since 1996. Between 1996 and 2004, 59% of the Scots pines died, most of them following the drought periods 1996–1998 and 2003–2004, while only 15% of the deciduous trees died. Crown transparency, needle discolouration, dead branch percentage, mistletoe (Viscum album ssp. austriacum) rating, Tomicus sp. shoot feeding, male flowering effect, tree stem diameter, crown shading and social tree class assessed in 1998 were used in a logistic regression model to predict tree mortality. Crown transparency, mistletoe rating and percentage of dead branches were found significant in the model and the probability of tree mortality increased with increasing rankings of these parameters. Needle discolouration could be used to substitute ‘dead branch percentage’ as predictor. While crown transparency increased with mistletoe rating, for trees in the same transparency class, trees with medium and heavy mistletoe infection were two to four times more likely to die than trees with no or only low mistletoe infection. For the surviving trees we found that trees with mistletoes showed a significantly higher increase in transparency in the year following a drought than trees without, while in a drought year the opposite was true. At the beginning of the observations no significant differences in transparency had been found between the trees with and without mistletoe. However, by the end of the observation period trees with mistletoe had significantly higher crown transparency. We conclude that mistletoe infection can be considered as both a predisposing factor for tree death, by increasing needle loss following drought and a contributing factor by increasing water stress during drought.     

Fuel types and crown fire potential in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus halepensis</Emphasis> forests

There is a lack of knowledge to identify and classify forest structures according to the risk of crown fires, especially in Mediterranean regions. In this study, for the first time, we use real information, obtained after a wildfire that burnt under extreme meteorological conditions, to classify forest structures of Pinus halepensis into fuel types as a function of crown fire potential. We identified fourteen forest structures which characterize many forest types in Western Mediterranean areas depending on canopy closure, number of tree layers, percent of each tree layer and overall tree density. By using the pattern of fire types that burnt the most numerous forest structures, we have identified four fire hazard groups of forest structures which are considered different fuel types. The first two had the lowest risk of active crown fires and they differed in the proportion of surface fires and passive crown fires. The third fuel type was the threshold between structures with low and high extreme fire behavior; while the fourth had a high risk of active crown fires. Firefighters and forest managers who are demanding this kind of schema, will test and upgrade this classification of fuel types in function of crown fire potential during future wildfires.     

Long-term effects of prescribed fire on mixed conifer forest structure in the Sierra Nevada, California

The capacity of prescribed fire to restore forest conditions is often judged by changes in forest structure within a few years following burning. However, prescribed fire might have longer-term effects on forest structure, potentially changing treatment assessments. We examined annual changes in forest structure in five 1 ha old-growth plots immediately before prescribed fire and up to eight years after fire at Sequoia National Park, California. Fire-induced declines in stem density (67% average decrease at eight years post-fire) were nonlinear, taking up to eight years to reach a presumed asymptote. Declines in live stem biomass were also nonlinear, but smaller in magnitude (32% average decrease at eight years post-fire) as most large trees survived the fires. The preferential survival of large trees following fire resulted in significant shifts in stem diameter distributions. Mortality rates remained significantly above background rates up to six years after the fires. Prescribed fire did not have a large influence on the representation of dominant species. Fire-caused mortality appeared to be spatially random, and therefore did not generally alter heterogeneous tree spatial patterns. Our results suggest that prescribed fire can bring about substantial changes to forest structure in old-growth mixed conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada, but that long-term observations are needed to fully describe some measures of fire effects.     

Mastication and prescribed fire impacts on fuels in a 25-year old ponderosa pine plantation, southern Sierra Nevada

Due to increases in tree density and hazardous fuel loading in Sierra Nevadan forests, land management is focusing on fuel reduction treatments to moderate the risk of catastrophic fires. Fuel treatments involving mechanical and prescribed fire methods can reduce surface as well as canopy fuel loads. Mastication is a mechanical method which shreds smaller trees and brush onto the surface fuel layer. Little data exist quantifying masticated fuel beds. Despite the paucity of data on masticated fuels, land managers desire fuel loading, potential fire behavior and fire effects such as tree mortality information for masticated areas. In this study we measured fuel characteristics before and after mastication and mastication plus prescribed burn treatments in a 25-year old ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa C. Lawson) plantation. In addition to surface fuel characteristics and tree data collection, bulk density samples were gathered for masticated material. Regressions were created predicting masticated fuel loading from masticated fuel bed depth. Total masticated fuel load prior to fire treatment ranged from 25.9 to 42.9 Mg ha⁻¹, and the bulk density of masticated fuel was 125 kg m⁻³. Mastication treatment alone showed increases in most surface fuel loadings and decreases in canopy fuel loads. Masticated treatment in conjunction with prescribed burning reduced both surface and canopy fuel loads. Detailed information on fuel structure in masticated areas will allow for better predictions of fire behavior and fire effects for fire in masticated fuel types. Understanding potential fire behavior and fire effects associated with masticated fuels will allow managers to make decisions on the possibility of mastication to create fuel breaks or enhance forest health.     

Testing prescribed fire as a tool to promote Scots pine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> regeneration

Techniques for encouraging natural tree regeneration are of increasing interest to managers of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris forests. We tested prescribed fire at a management scale, with deer present or excluded, as a means of increasing rates of Scots pine forest expansion on heathland. At a semi-natural pinewood in Scotland, ten experimental blocks were established, within range of pine seed-fall. Each block comprised four, 100 m² plots. Two plots at each site were burnt and two fenced, allowing the effects of burning on pine regeneration to be measured at two levels of deer abundance. We monitored pine seedlings, seed-fall, deer dung and vegetation for 5 years following treatment. Differences in seedling detection rates between treatments were quantified using dummy seedlings, and analyses corrected accordingly. Mean new pine seedling establishment was 9.8 times higher on burnt ground than unburnt ground (confidence intervals 3.2–30). Differences were even more pronounced in a year of high seed-fall, and following fires with low rates of spread. Establishment rates varied strongly between experimental blocks. Exclusion of deer increased establishment rates, but only in the first 2 years after fire. There was evidence that both seedling survival, and cumulative recruitment of older (over 12 months) seedlings, were improved by prescribed burning. Our results support the use of prescribed fire as a tool to promote increased Scots pine seedling establishment. This technique is likely to give strong fine-scale variation in seedling densities, and so would most suit areas where a variable spatial pattern of regeneration is sought, for landscape or naturalness reasons. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Environmental and demographic correlates of tree recruitment and mortality in north Australian savannas

Tropical savannas cover approximately 20% of the earth’s land area, and therefore represent an important carbon store. Under scenarios of future climate change it is thus important to understand the demographic processes determining tree cover, namely tree recruitment, growth and mortality. This study measured tree recruitment and mortality in 123 (0.08 h) plots in Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Litchfield National Parks, in the Australian monsoonal tropics, over two consecutive 5-year intervals. Plots were located in two important habitats, both dominated by eucalyptus—lowland savanna and savanna growing on sandstone plateaux. All trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥5 cm were tagged and identified. Recruitment was calculated as the proportion of tagged trees present at the end of an interval that were not present at the beginning. There were a total of 6666 and 6571 tree-intervals for mortality and recruitment, respectively. We used Akaike Information Criterion (AIC)-based model selection and multi-model inference to relate tree mortality and recruitment to fire frequency, mean annual rainfall (MAR), stand basal area, tree density and eco-taxonomic group. Recruitment decreased with tree density in both savanna types, and in lowland savanna, with the frequency of fires. In sandstone savanna, recruitment increased with MAR. Effects of fire on recruitment were better explained by season than severity of fire, while fire severity had a stronger influence on mortality. Mortality decreased with tree size up to about 25 cm DBH, but increased sharply when DBH exceeded 50 cm. Mortality increased with stand basal area, and increased with the frequency of late dry season fires in lowland savanna only. There was little evidence that mortality was affected by the frequency of early dry season fires or MAR. Both recruitment and mortality rates were higher for Acacia and Proteaceae species than for pantropical or Myrtaceae (including Eucalyptus) species. We identified several negative feedbacks, mediated by changes in tree density and stand basal area that help confer long-term stability to savanna tree cover. Nonetheless, changes such as a long-term increase in MAR or an increase in frequency or severity of fires are likely to result in changes in tree density, stand basal area and therefore carbon storage potential of savannas.     

Pinus pinaster Ait. tree mortality following wildfire in Spain

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is the tree species most affected by wildfire in the Iberian Peninsula. Prediction of the probability of fire-injured tree mortality is critical for management of burned areas, evaluation of the ecological and economic impact of wildfire and prescribed fire planning and application. Pine bark beetles (Scolytidae) frequently attack burned maritime pine stands and cause extensive post-fire mortality throughout the Iberian Peninsula. In the present study, maritime pine trees were monitored for three years following 14 wildfires in four ecotypes in Spain (11 fires in Galicia (Galician ecotype - NW Spain), one fire in Portillo (Meseta-Castellana ecotype - Central Spain), one fire in Rodenal (Rodenal ecotype - Central Spain), and one fire in Genalguacil (Sierra Bermeja ecotype - SW Spain)). Data on tree attributes, crown and bole injury, ground fire severity, Ips sp. presence and tree survival were obtained by examining 3085 trees. Logistic regression models for predicting the probability of delayed maritime pine mortality were developed by use of generalized estimated equations (GEE). An ample range of response to fire damage in mortality was evident among the four ecotypes and different models were fitted for each. The most important variables for predicting tree mortality were total crown volume damaged, presence of Ips sp. attack and cambium kill rating. The results highlight the extensive presence of Ips sp. in burned maritime pine forests and its importance in tree mortality process, the ample range of response of P. pinaster, in terms of post-fire mortality, as well as the need to develop site specific mortality models for the different ecotypes of this species following fire.     

Incidence,severity, and aggregation patterns of two sympatric dwarf mistletoe species (Arceuthobium spp.) in Central Mexico

Dwarf mistletoes are widely studied because of their significant impact on host populations; however, few studies have focused on sympatric species. The understanding of their coexistence is important because it can provide useful knowledge for future management plans. We investigated the incidence, severity, and aggregation patterns of Arceuthobium vaginatum and A. globosum coexisting in Central Mexico. We estimated the correlation between both species incidences (N = 75 plots), the incidence–severity correlation (N = 47 plots) for each species, and the effect of biotic (host and non-host species abundance) and abiotic (altitude and slope) factors on the mistletoe incidence. In addition, we compared the hierarchical aggregation among and within plots of the two mistletoe species with a χ ² test. There is a clear dominance of A. vaginatum in the area, and both species incidences are negatively correlated with each other (r _s = ? 0.54, P < 0.05) and host abundance (r = ? 0.26, P < 0.05). The remaining factors were non-significant. Both species have a linear relationship between incidence and severity, i.e., they show a uniform increase in severity with incidence, which could help diagnose the degree of tree infection from incidence measurements. The species are aggregated within plots, but only A. globosum shows an aggregation among plots (χ ² = 82.25, P < 0.001); aggregation has not been shown previously for two sympatric dwarf mistletoe species. Our results can improve the scientific basis for forest management planning to control dwarf mistletoe and maintain biodiversity.     

Contrasting arthropod communities associated with dwarf mistletoes Arceuthobium globosum and A. vaginatum and their host Pinus hartwegii

Arthropod communities and epiphytic plants associated with tree canopies have been widely studied and have revealed a great diversity of organisms; however,the community hosted by parasitic plants,such as dwarf mistletoes,remains poorly known.In the coniferous forests of North America,dwarf mistletoe infection(Arceuthobium spp.) significantly damages the health of the forest,causing large financial losses for the forest industry,but it also positively affects diversity,especially of mammals and birds.This study examined the attributes of the arthropod communities associated with two species of dwarf mistletoe [Arceuthobium globosum Hawksw. Wiens and A.vaginatum(Humb. Bonpl.ex Willd.) J.Presl] and their host Pinus hartwegii Lindl.In 2010,in five sites located in Zoquiapan(Central Mexico),we collected plant tissue from the three species bimonthly.Arthropods were separated from the plant tissue and identified to the finest level possible.We collected 32,059 individuals,for which51 morphospecies were identified,belonging to 15 taxonomic orders; the most abundant orders for the three plants were Prostigmata,Thysanoptera and Homoptera.The community associated with P.hartwegii had the highest value of diversity(H'= 1.47; A.globosum,H'= 0.64; A.vaginatum,H'= 0.68) and species richness(S = 40; A.globosum,S = 30; A.vaginatum,S = 35); while abundance was significantly higher for the mistletoes(A.globosum,n = 407 individuals/sample; A.vaginatum,n = 536 individuals/sample; P.hartwegii,n = 134 individuals/sample).Species richness,abundance and diversity were significantly different for the three studied plants,as well for sampling month and the interaction of these two factors(except for diversity).The results suggest that the canopy of P.hartwegii is an important element in the ecosystem,providing a mosaic of resources and conditions to the associated fauna.We also propose that mistletoes are key species within the forest canopy,as they greatly influence the establishment of diverse organisms,particularly arthropods.     

Effects of Mexican dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. vaginatum) on the growth of Pinus cooperi in Durango,Mexico—A case study

Mexican dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium vaginatum subsp. vaginatum, Viscaceae) is the most widespread and damaging parasitic plant in Mexico. It parasitizes 10 species of pines (Pinus spp., Pinaceae) as principal hosts, including Pinus cooperi, one of the economically most important pines in the state of Durango. As a case study, we used stem analysis to estimate the effects of Mexican dwarf mistletoe on volume and height growth of dwarf mistletoe‐infected P. cooperi in western Durango (Ejido El Brillante, Municipality Pueblo Nuevo). This case study sampled a total of 48 trees, 12 in each of four infection classes estimated using the 6‐class dwarf mistletoe rating system (DMR): uninfected (DMR 0), lightly infected (DMR 1–2), moderately infected (DMR 3–4) and severely infected (DMR 5–6). Significant reductions in both volume and height growth were found for moderately and severely infected trees when compared to uninfected trees. On average, reductions in volume growth and height growth were as high as 50% and 17%, respectively. The largest growth reductions were for moderately infected trees, but large growth reductions also occurred for severely infected trees. Because of the reduced growth associated with moderate to severe infection, Mexican dwarf mistletoe‐infested pine forests in Durango, where timber production is a high priority, should be managed using harvesting practices that reduce dwarf mistletoe infection, and thereby, increase forest productivity.     

Thinning and prescribed fire effects on overstory tree and snag structure in dry coniferous forests of the interior Pacific Northwest

Forest thinning and prescribed fires are practices used by managers to address concerns over ecosystem degradation and severe wildland fire potential in dry forests. There is some debate, however, about treatment effectiveness in meeting management objectives as well as their ecological consequences. The purpose of this study was to assess changes to forest stand structure following thinning and prescribed fire treatments, alone and combined, in the eastern Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Treatments were applied to 12 management units, with each treatment combination replicated three times (including untreated controls). Thinning modified forest structure by reducing overall tree density by >60% and canopy bulk density by 50%, and increased canopy base height by ∼4 m, thereby reducing susceptibility to crown fire. The prescribed fire treatment, conversely, did not appreciably reduce tree density or canopy fuel loading, but was effective at increasing the density of standing dead trees, particularly when combined with thinning (37 snags/ha increase). Prescribed fire effects were more pronounced when used in combination with thinning. Thinning was more reliable for altering stand structure, but spring burning was lower in intensity and coverage than desired and may have led to results that downplay the efficacy of fire to meet forest restoration goals.