Evidence for declining forest resilience to wildfires under climate change
University of Idaho · Colorado State University · +8 more institutions
Abstract
Forest resilience to climate change is a global concern given the potential effects of increased disturbance activity, warming temperatures and increased moisture stress on plants. We used a multi-regional dataset of 1485 sites across 52 wildfires from the US Rocky Mountains to ask if and how changing climate over the last several decades impacted post-fire tree regeneration, a key indicator of forest resilience. Results highlight significant decreases in tree regeneration in the 21st century. Annual moisture deficits were significantly greater from 2000 to 2015 as compared to 1985-1999, suggesting increasingly unfavourable post-fire growing conditions, corresponding to significantly lower seedling densities…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 34.03
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 49
Authors
8- CSCamille S. Stevens‐RumannCorresponding
University of Idaho, Colorado State University
- KBKerry B. Kemp
The Nature Conservancy
- PEPhilip E. Higuera
University of Montana
- BJBrian J. Harvey
University of Washington, Washington Sea Grant
- MTMonica T. Rother
University of Colorado Boulder, Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy, University of Colorado System
Topics & keywords
- Climate change
- Disturbance (geology)
- Environmental science
- Ecosystem
- Psychological resilience
- Forest ecology
- Regeneration (biology)
- Ecology
- Climate action