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Detailed analysis of mixed-conifer and red fir forests were made from extensive, large vegetation sampling, systematically conducted throughout the Teakettle Experimental Forest. Mixed conifer is characterized by distinct patch conditions of closed-canopy tree clusters, persistent gaps and shrub thickets. This heterogeneous spatial structure provides contrasting microclimate, habitat and resource conditions probably associated with the high diversity of understory plants, fungi, and invertebrates found in ongoing studies in the Teakettle Experiment. In contrast, red fir forests are more homogeneous with continuous high canopy cover, cooler, more consistent microclimate conditions and fewer plant species. In both forests, annual fluctuations in available soil moisture resulting from El Niño influences on snow pack depth may have a significant influence on tree establishment and understory diversity. In depth descriptions of Teakettle's mixed conifer may provide a target of historic old-growth conditions for forest management.

Although fungal fruiting bodies are a common food supplement for many forest animals and an important dietary staple for several small mammals, changes in their abundance and consumption with forest succession or disturbance have not been quantified. Above-and belowground fungal fruiting bodies (epigeous and hypogeous sporocarps) were sampled for 46 mo in managed-young, natural-mature, and old-growth western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) stands in Washington State. Screen exclosures were placed over the surface of half of the sample plots to prevent aboveground predation of sporocarps. Standing crop of epigeous sporocarps was low in most seasons and then increased 30-fold to a mean of 2.28 kg/ha in the fall. Epigeous biomass varied little between stand types, and animal consumption of these sporocarps was low. Standing crop of hypogeous sporocarps was 0.78 kg/ha in managed-young stands, compared to 4.51 and 4.02 kg/ha in natural-mature and old-growth stands. In all stands, standing crop peaked in the summer and was lowest in the winter. Mean animal consumption of hypogeous sporocarps was 0.64 kg/ha, a value that exceeded the available standing crop quantity of 0.36 kg/ha in managed-young stands during the winter. In natural-mature and old-growth stands, truffle biomass remained high year-round and exceeded consumption in all seasons. Low hypogeous sporocarp biomass in the managed-young stands resulted from the general absence of large clusters of Elaphomyces granulatus, which made up Ͼ90% of the biomass in older stands. This absence in managed-young stands may be associated with the thin organic layer that has developed following harvest and burning 60 yr ago. The consistent level of animal consumption indicates that truffles may be an important and readily available year-round food source, compared to the ephemeral fruiting of epigeous sporocarps. Changes in forest composition and age due to natural disturbance or human management influence fungal sporocarp productivity and diversity and, consequently, affect food availability for animals dependent on hypogeous sporocarps.

We examined the distribution and abundance of nonvascular epiphytes on western hemlock trees in an old-growth coniferous forest focusing on patterns of epiphyte distribution at different spatial scales, epiphyte abundance amongst trees differing in size, and crown structures associated with epiphyte abundance. Total epiphyte cover was greatest in four canopy microhabitats: the upper canopy strata, crowns of large trees, lower crown branches, and inner branch plots. Epiphyte functional groups were stratified vertically within the stand and horizontally within branches. Alectorioid and "other" lichens were most abundant in the upper canopy and outer branch plots. Cyanolichens and Sphaerophorus globosus (Huds.) Vain. were most abundant in the lower to mid canopy. Although cyanolichens were most abundant in middle branch plots, Sphaerophorus was most abundant in inner branch plots. Bryophytes were most abundant in the lower canopy and inner branch plots. At the stand level, canopy height and tree size were the main influences on epiphytes. Within trees, plots closer to the tree trunk and lower in the crown had the greatest abundance of epiphytes. In this forest, understory trees were colonized first by bryophytes, not by alectorioid and "other" lichens as is common for small trees in young stands.Key words: epiphyte succession, lichens, western hemlock, old growth, forest canopy, crown structure.

van Mantgem. 2015. Increasing elevation of fire in the Sierra Nevada and implications for forest change. Ecosphere 6(7):121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES15-00003.1Abstract. Fire in high-elevation forest ecosystems can have severe impacts on forest structure, function and biodiversity. Using a 105-year data set, we found increasing elevation extent of fires in the Sierra Nevada, and pose five hypotheses to explain this pattern. Beyond the recognized pattern of increasing fire frequency in the Sierra Nevada since the late 20th century, we find that the upper elevation extent of those fires has also been increasing. Factors such as fire season climate and fuel build up are recognized potential drivers of changes in fire regimes. Patterns of warming climate and increasing stand density are consistent with both the direction and magnitude of increasing elevation of wildfire. Reduction in high elevation wildfire suppression and increasing ignition frequencies may also contribute to the observed pattern. Historical biases in fire reporting are recognized, but not likely to explain the observed patterns. The four plausible mechanistic hypotheses (changes in fire management, climate, fuels, ignitions) are not mutually exclusive, and likely have synergistic interactions that may explain the observed changes. Irrespective of mechanism, the observed pattern of increasing occurrence of fire in these subalpine forests may have significant impacts on their resilience to changing climatic conditions.