Publication Date:
2021-03-24
Description:
Megafires in dry conifer forests of the Southwest US are driving transitions to alternative vegetative states, including extensive shrubfields dominated by Gambel oak ( Quercus gambelii). Recent tree-ring research on oak shrubfields that predate the 20th century suggests that these are not a seral stage of conifer succession but are enduring stable states that can persist for centuries. Here we combine soil charcoal radiocarbon dating with tree-ring evidence to refine the fire origin dates for three oak shrubfields (500 years, meaning modern forest-shrub conversion of patches as large as 〉10,000 ha will likely persist for centuries.
Print ISSN:
0959-6836
Electronic ISSN:
1477-0911
Topics:
Geography
,
Geosciences
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