Fire History in California’s Southern Sierra Nevada Blue Oak Woodlands

摘要

Fire history for blue oak (Quercus douglasii Hook. & Arn.) woodlands in California’s southern Sierra Nevada range was characterized with samples of 49 trees. Mean fire interval was 12.8 years from 1850 to 1965, with apparent fire exclusion since that time. Changes in fire frequency could affect oak woodland ecosystem processes such as recruitment, tree growth and mortality, and vegetation composition.