Downed Dead Woody Fuel and Biomass in the Northern Rocky Mountains

摘要

Weights and volumes of downed woody material in diameter classes of one-fourth to 1, 1 to 3, and greater than 3 inches and forest floor duff depths were summarized from extensive inventories in northern Idaho and Montana. Biomass loadings are shown by cover types and habitat types within National Forests. Total downed woody biomass ranged from 5 tons per acre in ponderosa pine to 33 tons per acre in cedar-hemlock. Loadings generally increased with increased productivity, but varied greatly with stand age. Fuels tended to become predictably high in overmature stands but upredictable in young, immature, and mature stands. Forest fuel succession is discussed in relation to tree mortality, fuel buildup, and depletion.