Estimating postfire survival of Douglas-fir in the Cascade Range

Abstract

Factors related to survival of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) 2 years after spring wildfires were evaluated at four sites in the Cascade Range. A logistic regression model was developed to estimate postfire survival. Crown scorch and three variables related to bole damage were significant in the regression model, with differences in response among sites attributed to differences in size class. The regression model predicted postfire response of live trees more accurately than that of dead trees, based on estimates of survival probability. Crown scorch was the most significant predictor of tree response, although the importance of additional variables indicated that evaluating bole damage greatly improves postfire survival estimates.

Predicting postfire Douglas-fir beetle attacks and tree mortality in the northern Rocky Mountains

“…Given similar levels of crown scorch, mortality would be underpredicted for trees with high levels of cambium injury and overpredicted for those with low levels. Peterson and Arbaugh (1989) also found that the number of dead cambium quadrants was significant in predicting Douglas-fir postfire mortality, and Hood et al (2007) reported that CKR was a significant variable in predicting postfire mortality of incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin), California red fir, white fir, ponderosa pine, and Jeffrey pine.…”

“…Bark-char codes, or some measure of char height, have often been used as a surrogate for cambium injury in modeling postfire tree mortality, to avoid direct sampling of the cambium (Wyant et al 1986;Peterson and Arbaugh 1989;Thies et al 2006). However, our comparison of ocular estimates of bark char with direct measurement of cambium condition suggests that a great deal of uncertainty would be introduced into a model that uses the extent of bark char rather than a direct measurement of cambium status.…”

The direct and indirect effect of fire on radial growth of Pinus koraiensis trees in a northern temperate forest of China

“…Similarly, reduced growth of loblolly pines (Pinus taeda) that had been highly scorched was also observed by McInnis et al (2004). The negative effect of fire seems to be related to damage to foliage (Peterson & Arbaugh, 1989), cambium (Ryan & Frandsen, 1991), and fine roots (Kummerow & Lantz, 1983). In contrast, no changes in radial growth following fire were detected in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) (Wooldridge & Weaver, 1965), slash pine (Pinus elliottii) (Hunt & Simpson, 1985), Douglas fir (Ryan & Reinhardt, 1988), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) (Elliott et al, 2002).…”

Mortality Assessment of Redwood and Mixed Conifer Forest Types in Santa Cruz County Following Wildfire

“…These evaluation techniques all point to the importance of evaluating cambium as a major component of survivability. Peterson and Arbaugh (1989) and Ryan et al (1988) studied Douglas-fir using chemical tests for the enzyme peroxidase to indicate live/dead cambium layers taken from four increment borer samples: upslope, downslope, and both cross-slopes. Exploring the cambium, the live tissue layer under the bark, is another method to determine cambium viability, but both of these methods are labor-intensive and expensive for landowners and foresters who need immediate information.…”

“…Hood (2007) predicted mortality using percent crown length kill and cambium kill in all optimal models for Douglas-fir. Fowler (2004) stated that crown scorch volume were clearly the best crown damage measurement to predict post fire mortality of Douglas-fir, citing Peterson (1984 and1985), Peterson and Arbaugh (1986and 1989), and Ryan et al (1988. However, Ryan et al (1988) reported that cambial death measured directly was a better predictor of Douglas-fir tree mortality than crown scorching.…”