Giant Sequoia Ecology NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Giant Sequoia Ecology: Fire and Reproduction GIANT SEQUOIA ECOLOGY Fire and Reproduction H. Thomas Harvey Howard S. Shellhammer Ronald E. Stecker San Jose State University, California U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Washington, D.C. Scientific Monograph Series No. 12 1980 TABLE OF CONTENTS index.htm Last Updated: 06-Mar-2007 http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/index.htm[7/2/2012 4:39:15 PM] Giant Sequoia Ecology (Table of Contents) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Giant Sequoia Ecology: Fire and Reproduction CONTENTS COVER PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABSTRACT Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION Chapter 2 OBJECTIVES, DESIGN, STUDY AREAS, AND METHODS Objectives of the study Design The study areas Methods Chapter 3 ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS Introduction Methods and materials Results Discussion and summary Chapter 4 VEGETATIONAL CHANGES Introduction Methods and materials Results Discussion and summary Chapter 5 GIANT SEQUOIA REPRODUCTION, SURVIVAL, AND GROWTH Introduction Grove expansion and longevity of remnants Methods and Materials Seed production Seed germinability Seedling establishment and mortality rates Growth rate Seedling survival and growth Grove expansion and remnants http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/contents.htm[7/2/2012 4:39:16 PM] Giant Sequoia Ecology (Table of Contents) Results Seed production Seedling establishment Seedling mortality rates Growth of giant sequoias Discussion and summary Seed production Seedling establishment Seedling mortality Growth of giant sequoias Grove expansion Fire adaptations of giant sequoia Chapter 6 ARTHROPODS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GIANT SEQUOIA Introduction Methods Seedling studies Studies of downed trees Free-climbed tree studies Rigging of elevator in study trees Methods of sampling mature trees Results Insects of seedlings Insects of downed trees Insects of standing live trees Discussion Chapter 7 THE ROLE OF INSECTS IN GIANT SEQUOIA REPRODUCTION Introduction Methods Artificially seeded plots Naturally seeded plots In-crown sampling methods Results Seedling loss to insects Insect activity in cones Discussion and summary Seedling damage by insects Release of seed from sequoia cones Relationship and role of cone insects to other reproductive forces Chapter 8 BIRDS AND MAMMALS, FIRE, AND GIANT SEQUOIA REPRODUCTION Introduction Methods Avian studies Mammalian studies Seed preference studies Seedling studies http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/contents.htm[7/2/2012 4:39:16 PM] Giant Sequoia Ecology (Table of Contents) Results Avian studies Mammalian studies Seed preference studies Seedling studies Discussion Effects of fire on birds and mammals Birds, mammals, and giant sequoia reproduction Chapter 9 DOUGLAS SQUIRRELS AND SEQUOIA REGENERATION Introduction Natural history Methods Results Numbers and densities Natural history Foods Cone cutting behavior Behavior in years of high densities Behavior in years of moderate to low densities Behavior in years of very low densities Age class preference for cones by squirrels Impact of Douglas squirrels on cone loads Caloric studies of cones and seeds Weather factors Responses of squirrels to manipulations Discussion Territoriality Impact of Douglas squirrels on giant sequoias Impact of manipulations on Douglas squirrels Sequoia cones, weather and the survival of Douglas squirrels Chapter 10 CONCLUSIONS AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS Conclusions Introduction Successional role of giant sequoias Role of animals in giant sequoia reproduction Survival strategies of the giant sequoia Sequoia management Fire management policy Succession and management Hazard trees Summary of findings Natural history concepts APPENDIXES I Alphabetical listing of flowering plants Giant sequoia regeneration plots Kings Canyon National Park http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/contents.htm[7/2/2012 4:39:16 PM] Giant Sequoia Ecology (Table of Contents) II Insects associated with giant sequoias REFERENCES INDEX (omitted from the online edition) FIGURES Frontispiece Dick Hartesveldt coring a giant sequoia 1 The range of the giant sequoia 2 A portion of a giant sequoia grove 3 Location of Redwood Mountain Grove 4 Study areas in the Redwood Mountain Grove 5 Tempilaq° temperature recording device in place 6 Litter and seedfall panels with adjacent exclusion section 7 Soil moisture at 7.6 cm (3 in) among giant sequoia seedlings 8 Summer mean maxima and minima in giant sequoia canopy 9 Light ground fuel in foreground, heavy fuel in background 10 Patchy fuel consumption by surface fire 11 Mean maxima for Redwood Mt. Grove, Grant Grove and Whitaker's Forest 12 Mean minima for Redwood Mt. Grove, Grant Grove and Whitaker's Forest 13 Precipitation at Grant Grove 14 Climograph of Grant Grove 15 Monthly average maxima and minima relative humidities, North Area, 1966-69 16 White fir saplings growing beneath giant sequoias 17 Meter square grid being used by Tom Harvey 18 Plant response in 114 plots to percentage of full sunlight 19 Plant response in 114 plots to percentage of full sunlight 20 Plant response in 114 plots to percentage of full sunlight 21 Plant growth versus litter and duff thickness 22 Plant growth versus litter and duff thickness 23 Plant growth versus litter and duff thickness 24 Plant numbers in 52 2m2 plots in response to treatments in 1964 and 1965 25 Plant numbers in 52 2m2 plots in response to treatments in 1964 and 1965 26 Plant numbers in 52 2m2 plots in response to treatments in 1964 and 1965 27 Plant numbers in 52 2m2 plots in response to treatments in 1964 and 1965 28 Plant numbers in 52 2m plots in response to treatments in 1964 and 1965 29 Plant numbers in 37 20m x 1cm transects in response to treatment in South Area in 1966 30 Plant numbers in 37 20m x 1cm transects in response to treatment in South Area in 1966 31 Plant numbers in 37 20m x 1cm transects in response to treatment in South Area in 1966 32 Plant numbers in 41 2m2 plots in response to treatment in Trail Area in 1965 33 Plant numbers in 41 2m2 plots in response to treatment in Trail Area in 1965 34 Mortality of Abies concolor 35 Number of giant sequoias in two mature giant sequoia groves with respect to dbh 36 Regression of height of giant sequoias to diameter 37 Regression of diameter of giant sequoias to their age 38 Variation in number of seeds per cone for different trees 39 Germination of giant sequoia seeds in a gradient of pigment solution concentrations and distilled water 40 Concentrations of giant sequoia seedlings adjacent to mature trees http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/contents.htm[7/2/2012 4:39:16 PM] Giant Sequoia Ecology (Table of Contents) 41 Dense stand of staked seedlings (in 1m2 area) 42 Site quality and growth rate of giant sequoia saplings 43 Growth response of large sequoias to two levels of human activity 44 Elevator and bark protecting shield turned away from Albina Tree 45 Pendulum-prusik technique used by Ron Stecker in Castro study tree 46 Malaise trap modified for use in tree 47 Masonaphis morrisoni feeding on a seedling 48 First year cone which shows aristate tips of scales 49 Severed hypocotyls of giant sequoia seedlings due to insect feeding 50 Larva of Phymatodes nitidus and mining activity in a giant sequoia cone 51 Giant sequoia cone with emergence hole of Phymatodes nitidus 52 Adult of Gelechia sp 53 Double cone or "twin cones" of giant sequoia induced by gelechiid moth infestation 54 Lichen covered cone of a giant sequoia 55 Live trap held by Howard Shellhammer 56 Apparent sapsucker damage on the trunk of a giant sequoia 57 A deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus, tagged in the ear with a light-weight, numbered tag 58 Densities of Peromyscus maniculatus in North and Trail Areas 59 A Douglas squirrel Tamiasciurus douglasi 60 Seeds of the giant sequoia 61 Mean densities of Douglas squirrels in Ridge, North and Trail Areas 62 Sequoia cones: dry, brown cone on left; green, fleshy cone in center; cone chewed by Douglas squirrel on right TABLES 1 Comparison of the four study areas 2 Microclimate temperature (0d⪚C) gradients 3 Mean percentages of sunlight striking the forest floor 4 Relative importance of ground plant species in North Area 5 Mortality of Abies concolor (6 in dbh) in manipulated versus control sections 6 Giant sequoia seedlings per hectare in treated vs. control 7 Tree seedlings per hectare in treated vs. control 8 Percent survival of giant sequoia seedlings on burn piles vs. other substrates 9 Factors involved in giant sequoia seedling mortality 10 Giant sequoia seedling survival with respect to developmental stage during summer 11 Average heights of giant sequoia seedlings 12 Insect damage to giant sequoia seedlings in prepared seedbed 13 Random seedling plots showing insect and other damage 14 Insect loss to unusually dense seedlings in burned log trough 15 Distribution of ovulate cones and Phymatodes nitidus activity in the 290 foot Castro Tree (1970) 16 Age classes of 3,147 giant sequoia cones attacked by Phymatodes nitidus in the Castro Tree (August 1969) 17 Distribution of first year ovulate cones and Gelechia sp. activity in the 290 foot Castro Tree (1970) 18 Numbers of pairs of birds per hectare in Ridge, North and Trail Areas before and after manipulation and burning 19 Numbers of deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, in North and Trail Areas before and after manipulations 20 Preference of rodents in 1965 seed spot tests at Redwood Mountain Grove and near Grant http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/science/12/contents.htm[7/2/2012