Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage
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The Ohio State University / OhioLINK
2009
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239375425 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-osu12393754252021-08-03T05:55:35Z Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage Miesel, Jessica Rae Biology Ecology Forestry fire thinning mixed-conifer soil foliage forest restoration Fire and Fire Surrogate The forests of northern California experienced frequent, low-intensity fire prior to Euro-American settlement, but more than a century of grazing, logging and fire suppression has resulted in changes in tree community structure that contribute to infrequent, high-intensity fires in these forests today. Although ecosystem restoration for reduction of wildfire hazard has received substantial attention in recent years, many ecological questions remain unanswered. For example, it is not yet clear how large-scale forest manipulations, such as reduction of tree density via forest thinning or prescribed fire, differentially affect soil fertility, nor how impacts on soil nutrient availability in turn affect forest productivity. My research in the Klamath National Forest of northern California investigates the impacts of experimental restoration treatments (prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, and their combination) on soil physical, chemical and microbial parameters and forest floor C and N content, and the time lag and duration of response of leaf nutrient concentrations of two dominant tree species to each treatment. Results showed that significant differences existed among treatments in terms of soil nutrient status and microbial activity, with the effect of fire either mediated or enhanced by thinning; however, for most variables the magnitude of effect was small. Prescribed fire had different effects on soil nutrients and microbial activity in unthinned areas than in areas that had been mechanically thinned prior to fire, and the species composition of trees that remain following thinning significantly affected soil nutrient availability and forest floor C and N content. Thinning also affected conifer needle nutrient concentration and size whereas fire alone does not, and the time since treatment as well as the magnitude and direction of response differed between tree species and among treatments. These results provide an intermediate-term evaluation of the effects of fire and thinning on soil and vegetation, and increase understanding of the link between the above- and belowground components of a mixed-conifer ecosystem. This study contributes to an ecosystem-level understanding of forest restoration strategies, and provides information that is directly applicable to fire and forest management policies in the western United States. 2009-06-26 English text The Ohio State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239375425 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239375425 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
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NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Biology Ecology Forestry fire thinning mixed-conifer soil foliage forest restoration Fire and Fire Surrogate |
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Biology Ecology Forestry fire thinning mixed-conifer soil foliage forest restoration Fire and Fire Surrogate Miesel, Jessica Rae Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| author |
Miesel, Jessica Rae |
| author_facet |
Miesel, Jessica Rae |
| author_sort |
Miesel, Jessica Rae |
| title |
Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| title_short |
Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| title_full |
Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| title_fullStr |
Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Restoring Mixed-Conifer Forests with Fire and Mechanical Thinning: Effects on Soil Properties and Mature Conifer Foliage |
| title_sort |
restoring mixed-conifer forests with fire and mechanical thinning: effects on soil properties and mature conifer foliage |
| publisher |
The Ohio State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2009 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1239375425 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT mieseljessicarae restoringmixedconiferforestswithfireandmechanicalthinningeffectsonsoilpropertiesandmatureconiferfoliage |
| _version_ |
1719427902956634112 |