Effect of mastication and other mechanical treatments on fuel structure in chaparral
Teresa J. Brennan A C and Jon E. Keeley A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A US Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Sequoia-Kings Canyon Field Station, 47050 General’s Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271, USA.
B Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 612 Charles E. Young Drive, South Los Angeles, CA 90095-7246, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: tjbrennan@usgs.gov
International Journal of Wildland Fire 24(7) 949-963 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF14140
Submitted: 6 August 2014 Accepted: 11 May 2015 Published: 30 July 2015
Abstract
Mechanical fuel treatments are a common pre-fire strategy for reducing wildfire hazard that alters fuel structure by converting live canopy fuels to a compacted layer of dead surface fuels. Current knowledge concerning their effectiveness, however, comes primarily from forest-dominated ecosystems. Our objectives were to quantify and compare changes in shrub-dominated chaparral following crushing, mastication, re-mastication and mastication-plus-burning treatments, and to assess treatment longevity. Results from analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified significant differences in all fuel components by treatment type, vegetation type and time since treatment. Live woody fuel components of height, cover and mass were positively correlated with time since treatment, whereas downed woody fuel components were negatively correlated. Herbaceous fuels, conversely, were not correlated, and exhibited a 5-fold increase in cover across treatment types in comparison to controls. Average live woody fuel recovery was 50% across all treatment and vegetation types. Differences in recovery between time-since-treatment years 1–8 ranged from 32–65% and exhibited significant positive correlations with time since treatment. These results suggest that treatment effectiveness is short term due to the rapid regrowth of shrubs in these systems and is compromised by the substantial increase in herbaceous fuels. Consequences of not having a full understanding of these treatments are serious and leave concern for their widespread use on chaparral-dominated landscapes.
References
Agee JK, Skinner C (2005) Basic principles of forest fuel reduction treatments. Forest Ecology and Management 211, 83–96.| Basic principles of forest fuel reduction treatments.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Battaglia MA, Rocca ME, Rhoades CC, Ryan MG (2010) Surface fuel loadings within mulching treatments in Colorado coniferous forests. Forest Ecology and Management 260, 1557–1566.
| Surface fuel loadings within mulching treatments in Colorado coniferous forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brewer NW, Smith AMS, Higuera PE, Hatten JA, Hudak AT, Ottmar RD, Tinkman WT (2013) Fuel moisture influences on fire-altered carbon in masticated fuels: an experimental study. Journal of Geophysical Research 118, 30–40.
Brooks ML, D’Antonio CM, Richardson DM, Grace JB, Keeley JE, DiTomaso JM, Hobbs RJ, Pellant M, Pyke D (2004) Effects of invasive alien plants on fireregimes. Bioscience 54, 677–688.
| Effects of invasive alien plants on fireregimes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Busse MD, Hubbert KR, Fiddler GO, Shestak CJ, Powers RF (2005) Lethal soil temperatures during burning of masticated forest residues. International Journal of Wildland Fire 14, 267–276.
| Lethal soil temperatures during burning of masticated forest residues.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Glitzenstein JL, Streng DR, Achtmeier GL, Naeher LP, Wade DD (2006) Fuels and fire behavior in chipped and unchipped plots: implications for land management near the wildland/urban interface. Forest Ecology and Management 236, 18–29.
| Fuels and fire behavior in chipped and unchipped plots: implications for land management near the wildland/urban interface.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hickman JC (Eds) (1993) ‘The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California.’ (University of California Press: Berkeley)
Hood S, Wu R (2006) Estimating fuel bed loadings in masticated areas. In ‘Fuels Management – How to Measure Success’, 27–30 March 2006, Portland, OR. (Eds PL Andrews, BW Butler) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-41, pp. 333–340. (Fort Collins, CO)
Hudak AT, Rickert I, Morgan P, Strand E, Lewis SA, Robichaud PR, Hoffman C, Holden ZA (2011) Review of fuel treatment effectiveness in forests and rangelands and a case study from the 2007 megafires in central, Idaho, USA. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-252. (Fort Collins CO)
Kane JM, Knapp EE, Varner JM (2006) Variability in loading of mechanically masticated fuel beds in northern California and southwestern Oregon. In ‘Fuels Management – How to Measure Success’, 27–30 March 2006, Portland, OR. (Eds PL Andrews, BW Butler) USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Proceedings RMRS-P-41, pp. 341–350. (Fort Collins, CO)
Kane JM, Varner JM, Knapp EE (2009) Novel fuelbed characteristics associated with mechanical mastication treatments in northern California and south-western Oregon, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 686–697.
| Novel fuelbed characteristics associated with mechanical mastication treatments in northern California and south-western Oregon, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kane JM, Varner JM, Knapp EE, Powers RF (2010) Understory vegetation response to mechanical mastication and other fuels treatments in a ponderosa pine forest. Applied Vegetation Science 13, 207–220.
| Understory vegetation response to mechanical mastication and other fuels treatments in a ponderosa pine forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keeley JE (1993) Utility of growth rings in the age determination of chaparral shrubs. Madrono 40, 1–14.
Keeley JE (2001) Fire and invasive species in Mediterranean-climate ecosystems of California. In ‘Proceedings of the Invasive Species Workshop: The Role of Fire in the Control and Spread of Invasive Species’. Available at http://www.globalrestorationnetwork.org/uploads/files/LiteratureAttachments/144_fire-and-invasive-species-in-mediterranean-climate-ecosystems-of-california.pdf [Verified 6 July 2015])
Keeley JE (2006) South coast bioregion. In ‘Fire in California’s Ecosystems.’ (Eds NG Sugihari, JW van Wagtendonk, KE Shaffer, J Fites-Kaufman, AE Thode,) pp. 350–390. (University of California Press: Berkeley)
Keeley JE, Brennan TJ (2012) Fire-driven alien invasion in a fire-adapted ecosystem. Oecologia 169, 1043–1052.
| Fire-driven alien invasion in a fire-adapted ecosystem.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22286083PubMed |
Keeley JE, Brennan TJ, Pfaff AH (2008) Fire severity and ecosystem responses following crown fires in California shrublands. Ecological Applications 18, 1530–1546.
| Fire severity and ecosystem responses following crown fires in California shrublands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 18767627PubMed |
Knapp EE, Varner JM, Busse MD, Skinner CN, Shestak CA (2011) Behaviour and effects of prescribed fire in masticated fuelbeds. International Journal of Wildland Fire 20, 932–945.
| Behaviour and effects of prescribed fire in masticated fuelbeds.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kobziar LN, McBride JR, Stephens SL (2009) The efficacy of fire and fuels reduction treatments in a Sierra Nevada pine plantation. International Journal of Wildland Fire 18, 791–801.
| The efficacy of fire and fuels reduction treatments in a Sierra Nevada pine plantation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kreye JKKobziar LN (2015 )
Kreye JK, Varner JM, Knapp EE (2011) Effects of particle fracturing and moisture content on fire behavior in masticated fuel beds burned in a laboratory. International Journal of Wildland Fire 20, 308–317.
| Effects of particle fracturing and moisture content on fire behavior in masticated fuel beds burned in a laboratory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kreye JK, Varner JM, Knapp EE (2012) Moisture desorption in mechanically masticated fuels: effects of particle fracturing and fuel bed compaction. International Journal of Wildland Fire 21, 894–904.
| Moisture desorption in mechanically masticated fuels: effects of particle fracturing and fuel bed compaction.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kreye JK, Kobziar LN, Zipperer WC (2013) Effects of fuel load and moisture content on fire behavior and heating in masticated litter-dominated fuels. International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, 440–445.
| Effects of fuel load and moisture content on fire behavior and heating in masticated litter-dominated fuels.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kreye JK, Brewer NW, Morgan P, Varner JM, Smith AMS, Hoffman CM, Ottmar RD (2014a) Fire behavior in masticated fuels: a review. Forest Ecology and Management 314, 193–207.
| Fire behavior in masticated fuels: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kreye JK, Kobziar LN, Camp JM (2014b) Immediate and short-term response of understory fuels following mechanical mastication in a pine flatwoods site of Florida, USA. Forest Ecology and Management 313, 340–354.
| Immediate and short-term response of understory fuels following mechanical mastication in a pine flatwoods site of Florida, USA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McIver JD, Stephens SL, Agee JK, Barbour J, Boerner REJ, Edminster CB, Erickson KL, Farris KL, Fettig CJ, Fielder CE, Haase S, Hart SC, Keeley JE, Knapp EE, Lehmkuhl JF, Moghaddas JJ, Otrosina W, Outcalt KW, Schwilk DW, Skinner CN, Waldrop TA, Weatherspoon CP, Yaussy DA, Youngblood A, Zack S (2013) Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS). International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, 63–82.
| Ecological effects of alternative fuel-reduction treatments: highlights of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate study (FFS).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miller C (2007) Wildfire underwriting in California: an industry perspective. In ‘Living on the Edge: Advances in the Economics of Environmental Resources, Vol. 6’. (Eds A Troy, RG Kennedy) pp. 121–125. (Emerald Group Publishing: Bingley, UK)
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) (2013) Wildland fire summary and statistics annual report 2013. Available at http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/intelligence.htm [Verified 29 June 2015]
Norris RM, Webb RW (1990) ‘Geology of California.’ 2nd edn. (John Wiley & Sons Inc.:New York, NJ)
Ottmar RD (2014) Wildland fire emissions, carbon, and climate: modeling fuel consumption. Forest Ecology and Management 317, 41–50.
| Wildland fire emissions, carbon, and climate: modeling fuel consumption.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Potts JB, Stephens SL (2009) Invasive and native plant responses to shrubland fuel reduction: comparing prescribed fire, mastication, and treatment season. Biological Conservation 142, 1657–1664.
| Invasive and native plant responses to shrubland fuel reduction: comparing prescribed fire, mastication, and treatment season.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Potts JB, Marino E, Stephens SL (2010) Chaparral shrub recovery after fuel reduction: a comparison of prescribed fire and mastication techniques. Plant Ecology 210, 303–315.
| Chaparral shrub recovery after fuel reduction: a comparison of prescribed fire and mastication techniques.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Prichard SJ, Sandberg DV, Ottmar RD, Eberhardt E, Andreu A, Eagle P, Swedin K (2013) Fuel Characteristic Classification System version 3.0: technical documentation. USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, General Technical Report. PNW-GTR-887. (Portland, OR)
Reiner AL, Decker ST (2009) Fuel loadings in masticated areas on the San Jacinto District of the San Bernardino National Forest. USDA Forest Service, Adaptive Management Services Enterprise Team. (Sparks, NV)
Reiner AL, Vaillant NM, Fites-Kaufman J, Dailey SN (2009) Mastication and prescribed fire impacts on fuels in a 25-year old ponderosa pine plantation, southern Sierra Nevada. Forest Ecology and Management 258, 2365–2372.
| Mastication and prescribed fire impacts on fuels in a 25-year old ponderosa pine plantation, southern Sierra Nevada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Reiner AL, Vaillant NM, Dailey SN (2012) Mastication and prescribed fire influences on tree mortality and predicted fire behavior in ponderosa pine. Western Journal of Applied Forestry 27, 36–41.
Reinhardt ED, Keane RE, Brown JK (1997) First Order Fire Effects Model: FOFEM 4.0 user’s guide. USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report. INT-GTR-344. (Ogden UT)
Schwilk DW, Keeley JE, Knapp EE, McIver J, Bailey JD, Fettig CJ, Fiedler CE, Harrod RJ, Moghaddas JJ, Outcalt KW, Skinner CN, Stephens SL, Waldrop TA, Yaussy DA, Youngblood A (2009) The national fire and fire surrogate study: effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels. Ecological Applications 19, 285–304.
| The national fire and fire surrogate study: effects of fuel reduction methods on forest vegetation structure and fuels.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19323191PubMed |
Stephens SL, Moghaddas JJ (2005) Experimental fuel treatment impacts on forest structure, potential fire behavior, and predicted tree mortality in a California mixed conifer forest. Forest Ecology and Management 215, 21–36.
| Experimental fuel treatment impacts on forest structure, potential fire behavior, and predicted tree mortality in a California mixed conifer forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Stephens SL, McIver JD, Boerner REJ, Fettig CJ, Fontaine JB, Hartsough BR, Kennedy PL, Schwilk DW (2012) The effects of forest fuel-reduction treatments in the United States. Bioscience 62, 549–560.
| The effects of forest fuel-reduction treatments in the United States.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Syphard AD, Keeley JE (2015) Location, timing, and extent of wildfire vary by cause of ignition. International Journal of Wildland Fire 24, 37–47.
| Location, timing, and extent of wildfire vary by cause of ignition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Syphard AD, Keeley JE, Brennan TJ (2011) Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests. Forest Ecology and Management 261, 2038–2048.
| Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vitorelo B, Han HS, Varner JM (2009) Masticators for fuel reduction treatment: equipment options, effectiveness, costs, and environmental impacts. In ‘Proceedings of the 2006 Council on Forest Engineering (COFE) meeting’, p. 11. (Lake Tahoe, CA) Available at http://web1.cnre.vt.edu/forestry/cofe/documents/COFE_2009_Vitorelo_et_al.pdf [Verified 29 June 2015]
Wolk B, Rocca ME (2009) Thinning and chipping small-diameter ponderosa pine changes understory plant communities on the Colorado Front Range. Forest Ecology and Management 257, 85–95.
| Thinning and chipping small-diameter ponderosa pine changes understory plant communities on the Colorado Front Range.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
