Effects of an Intense Wildfire in a Mexican Oak-Pine Forest

摘要

An oak-pine forest burned by intense wildfire in April, 1996, and a companion unburned area were sampled 1 month and 1 yr postfire in La Michilia Biosphere Reserve, Durango, Mexico. Up to 90 /100 of the trees were killed or top-killed in the burned area, but larger trees tended to survive, so basal area was only reduced by 66 /100. Top-killing was relatively higher among fire-susceptible oaks and lower among fire-resistant pines. However, oaks were strong resprouters both in the canopy and at the base of top-killed trees.