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LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model

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LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model LANDFIRE Biophysical Setting Model Biophysical Setting 2310520 Southern Rocky Mountain Mesic Montane Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland This BPS is lumped with: This BPS is split into multiple models: General Information Contributors (also see the Comments field) Date 3/3/2005 Modeler 1 Mark Loewen [email protected] Reviewer Tim Christiansen [email protected] Modeler 2 Doug Page [email protected] Reviewer One anonymous reviewer Modeler 3 Beth Corbin [email protected] Reviewer Vegetation Type Dominant Species Map Zone Model Zone PSEUD7 Forest and Woodland 23 Alaska Northern Plains PICO California N-Cent.Rockies General Model Sources Great Basin Pacific Northwest Literature Great Lakes South Central Local Data Hawaii Southeast Expert Estimate Northeast S. Appalachians Southwest Geographic Range Rocky Mountains west into the ranges of the Great Basin. Biophysical Site Description Elevations range from 1200-3300m. Sites are dry/steep montane with a variety of aspects (often northerly) and soil conditions. Occurrences of this system are found on cooler and more mesic sites than Rocky Mountain Montane Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland (1051). Mesic sites where it may be found include lower and middle slopes of ravines, along stream terraces, moist, concave topographic positions and north and east-facing slopes which burn somewhat infrequently. Vegetation Description Pseudotsuga menziesii and Abies concolor are most common canopy dominants, but Picea engelmannii, Picea pungens or Pinus ponderosa may be present. This system includes mixed conifer/Populus tremuloides stands. A number of cold-deciduous shrub species can occur, including Acer glabrum, Acer grandidentatum, Alnus incana, Betula occidentalis, Cornus sericea, Jamesia americana, Physocarpus malvaceus, Robinia neomexicana, Vaccinium membranaceum and Vaccinium myrtillus. Herbaceous species include Bromus ciliatus, Carex geyeri, Carex rossii, Carex siccata, Muhlenbergia virescens, Pseudoroegneria spicata, Erigeron eximius, Fragaria virginiana, Luzula parviflora, Osmorhiza berteroi, Packera cardamine, Thalictrum occidentale and Thalictrum fendleri. Disturbance Description Naturally occurring fires are of variable return intervals, and mostly light, erratic and infrequent due to the cool, moist conditions. These ecological systems are in a Fire Regime Group III. Some portions of **Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity. Monday, March 03, 2014 Page 1 of 6 these sites are transition zones to Fire Regime Groups I and IV. This vegetation is a transition between the frequent surface and mixed severity fires and the more stand replacement regimes common in high elevation fir and spruce ecosystems. Surface fire and mixed severity fire intervals were about 30-50yrs (Brown et al 1994). Stand replacement fires occurred at intervals of 120-400yrs+ (Crane 1986; Barrett 1988; Bradley 1992a,b; Brown et al 1994; Morgan et al 1996). Likelihood of stand replacement fires increased with canopy closure and fuel ladders caused by white fir growth, however ground fires acted as replacement fires during early stand development (class A). Other disturbances included insect, disease, drought and wind and ice damage. Fire was by far the dominant disturbance agent. Adjacency or Identification Concerns Occurrences of this system are found on cooler and more mesic sites than Rocky Mountain Montane Dry- Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland (1051). This ecological system is often transitional between Fire Regime Group I at lower elevations and Fire Regime Groups II, IV and V at higher elevations. It may grade into Rocky Mountain Dry-Mesic Mixed Conifer Forest and Woodland (1051), Rocky Mountain Subalpine Dry-Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland (1055), Rocky Mountain Subalpine Mesic Spruce-Fir Forest and Woodland (1056) and Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine Forest (1050). Native Uncharacteristic Conditions Scale Description This PNVG occurs in patches ranging from 100s to 1000s of acres. Issues/Problems Anonymous reviewer has concerns with mixed severity fire in class A. Others would have expected higher percentages in mid and late closed classes, but still works. Comments This model is identical to the model for the same BpS in MZ16 (Utah High Plateaus), with descriptive adjustments based on peer-review for MZ23 and MZ24. This model was originally coded as R2PSMEnr and was changed to R2PSMEms on 12/13/2004 by Lynn Bennett ([email protected]). This model was changed into BpS 1052 by Mark Loehen, Doug Page, Beth Corbin and Linda Chappell on 3/3/05. Reviewers of R2PSMEms were: Hugh Safford ([email protected]), Steve Barrett ([email protected]) and Clinton K Williams (cwiliam03/@fs.fed.us). Peer review for MZ23 and MZ24 raised questions about how to term the severity of fire in class A (ie, any fire would top-kill the dominant vegetation, which is herbs and shrubs). One reviewer also expected more mid- and late-development closed conditions, but thought that the fire frequency and other disturbances seemed accurate. No changes were made to the model. As a result of final QC for LANDFIRE National by Kori Blankenship the user-defined min and max fire return intervals for mixed and surface severity fires were deleted because they were not consistent with the modeled fire return intervals for these fire severity types. **Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity. Monday, March 03, 2014 Page 2 of 6 Vegetation Classes Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class A 10 % Canopy Position Min Max Early Development 1 All Structure PSEUD7 Cover 020%% Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Tree 0m Tree 5m Herbaceous ABCO Tree Size Class Seedling <4.5ft Upper Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model 2 Description Tree seedling and/or shrub, grass or forbs. Succession to B after 30yrs unless replacement fire occurs (average FRI of 120yrs). Mixed severity fire (FRI of 50yrs) occurs but does not change the succession age. Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 30 % Class B Canopy Position Min Max Mid Development 1 Closed PSEUD7 Cover 41%% 100 Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Tree 5.1m Tree 25m Herbaceous ABCO Tree Size Class Medium 9-21"DBH Upper Shrub Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model 10 Description Forest canopy closure is >35%. Closed trees, sapling, large poles, grass and scattered shrub, 75-100% Douglas-fir/white fir, some lodgepole pine and spruces at higher elevations. Primary succession is to E, the closed late development condition after 70yrs. Mixed severity fire (FRI of 47yrs) and wind/weather/stress every 200yrs on average will open the stand, thus causing a transition to class C. Insects/disease (50yrs mean return interval) cause minor mortality to this state. Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Class C 30 % Canopy Position Min Max PSEUD7 Mid Development 1 Open Cover 21%% 40 Upper Height Tree 5.1m Tree 25m Upper Layer Lifeform ABCO Tree Size Class Medium 9-21"DBH Herbaceous Upper Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Shrub Fuel Model Tree Upper 8 Description Forest canopy closure is 15-35%. Open pole-sapling/grass scattered shrubs, maybe 90% Douglas-fir. This state will succeed to the closed mid-development condition (B) after 35yrs in the absence of surface fire (surface FRI of 40yrs on average). With fire, insect outbreaks (every 100yrs) and weather-related stress (every 1000yrs), the vegetation will become open late-development after 70yrs. Stand replacement fire occurs on **Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity. Monday, March 03, 2014 Page 3 of 6 average every 400yrs. Indicator Species and Class D 20 % Canopy Position Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Min Max Late Development 1 Open PSEUD7 Cover 21%% 40 Upper Upper Layer Lifeform Height Tree 25.1m Tree 50m ABCO Herbaceous Tree Size Class Large 21-33"DBH Shrub Upper Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree Fuel Model ABLA 8 Mid-Upper Description Forest canopy closure is 15-35%. Open large tree/grass and scattered shrubs; potentially 90% Douglas-fir. Replacement fire occurs every 400yrs on average, whereas surface fire (FRI of 40yrs) maintains the open condition of the stand. Insects/disease every 100yrs also maintain the structure of the stand open. After 35yrs without fire, existing trees will fill out the stand and cause succession to the late closed condition (E). Class E Indicator Species and Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) 10 % Canopy Position Min Max Late Development 1 Closed PSEUD7 Cover 41%% 100 Upper Layer Lifeform Upper Height Tree 25.1m Tree 50m Herbaceous ABCO Tree Size Class Large 21-33"DBH Shrub Upper Fuel Model Upper layer lifeform differs from dominant lifeform. Tree ABLA 10 Upper Description Forest canopy closure is >35%. Closed medium to large trees, scattered shrubs, 60-100% Douglas-fir. Replacement fire every 120yrs will remove the canopy, whereas mixed severity fire every 50yrs will return the stand to the open structure (D). Surface fire (FRI of 50yrs) will not affect the structure and age of trees. Occasional weather-related stress every 200yrs will open the structure of the stand and cause a transition to class D. Insect/diseases damage occurs every 50yrs causing a transition to class D 60% of the time and to class C 40% of the time. Disturbances **Fire Regime Groups are: I: 0-35 year frequency, surface severity; II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity; III: 35-100+ year frequency, mixed severity; IV: 35-100+ year frequency, replacement severity; V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity.
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