Characteristics of historical forest fires in complex mixed-conifer forests of southeastern British Columbia
department or school: Arts, Faculty of
department or school: Geography, Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Cochrane, Jared Douglas
issued: 2011-02-23T00:55:47Z
issued: 2007
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Forest fires in southeastern British Columbia are considered the dominant natural disturbance to have shaped forest structure. In the mixed conifer montane forests of the Dry Cool Montane Spruce (MSdk) biogeoclimatic subzone, we have limited understanding of the characteristics of fire which have resulted in current forest structure. A better understanding of fire in these forests is needed to improve forest management and ecosystem restoration strategies which seek to emulate natural disturbance. To assess the historic role of fire in mixed conifer forests and to test the null hypothesis that fires do not vary spatially or temporally, this study uses cambial fire scars to analyze the historic frequency of fire in 20 stands that are statistically representative of complex, mixed-conifer forests in the southern Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. Determining the date of cambial injury on a tree is an important objective of ecological research that determines the timing of disturbances such as fire, tree falls, or human modification of trees. Methods to determine scar dates require either a full stem cross-section or a partial cross-section of the wounded area. The latter method is less destructive however it is rarely used in British Columbia due to potential violations of established standard of care procedures regarding wildlife and danger trees. I developed procedures and protocols that provide a standard of care that was reviewed by WorkSafeBC and found to meet the intent of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations ensuring the health and safety of workers. These procedures allow large, old trees of interest to researchers to contribute to the ecosystem over the long term and prevent the creation of dangerous trees that may threaten the safety of other forest users, making a valuable contribution to future research using cambial injuries in British Columbia. Spatial variation in fire is an important driver of forest heterogeneity at the stand and lan…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/31644
note: CHARACTERISTICS OF HISTORICAL FOREST FIRES IN COMPLEX MIXED-CONIFER FORESTS OF SOUTHEASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA by JARED DOUGLAS COCHRANE B.Sc, University of Victoria, 2002 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Geography) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA August 2007 © Jared Douglas Cochrane, 2007 Abstract Forest fires in southeastern British Columbia are considered the dominant natural disturbance to have shaped forest structure. In the mixed conifer montane forests of the Dry Cool Montane Spruce (MSdk) biogeoclimatic subzone, we have limited understanding of the characteristics of fire which have resulted in current forest structure. A better understanding of fire in these forests is needed to improve forest management and ecosystem restoration strategies which seek to emulate natural disturbance. To assess the historic role of fire in mixed conifer forests and to test the null hypothesis that fires do not vary spatially or temporally, this study uses cambial fire scars to analyze the historic frequency of fire in 20 stands that are statistically representative of complex, mixed-conifer forests in the southern Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. Determining the date of cambial injury on a tree is an important objective of ecological research that determines the timing of disturbances such as fire, tree falls, or human modification of trees. Methods to determine scar dates require either a full stem cross-section or a partial cross-section of the wounded area. The latter method is less destructive however it is rarely used in British Columbia due to potential violations of established standard of care procedures regarding wildlife and danger trees. I developed procedures and protocols that provide a.standard of care that was reviewed by WorkSafeBC and found to meet the intent of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations ensuring the health and safety of workers…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0100776
language: eng
degree discipline: Geography
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/31644