Table 2 Literature that tested the effect of severity on tree regeneration density. Region, severity at which lower regeneration density was observed, and the major findings in relation to severity and its relationship to tree regeneration
From: Tree regeneration following wildfires in the western US: a review
Study | US Region | Severity with lower regeneration | Major findings |
|---|---|---|---|
Keyser et al. 2008 | Black Hills, South Dakota | High severity | Regeneration at high burn severity sites consistently lower than low to moderate severity. |
Stevens-Rumann et al. 2012 | Black Hills, South Dakota | >40% tree mortality | Only 13 out of 50 plots had any regeneration |
Stevens-Rumann et al. 2012 | Southwest | >60% tree mortality | Only 10 out of 60 plots had regeneration across all severities |
Shive et al. 2013 | Southwest | Low severity | Pine regeneration was highest in high-severity burned areas |
Crotteau et al. 2013 | Pacific Southwest | High severity | 6 to 9 times lower densities in high severity sites. Mean density of 710 trees ha−1 in high severity sites |
Meigs et al. 2009 | Pacific Northwest | High severity | In ponderosa pine forest high burn severity sites, no seedlings were observed. In mixed conifer forests, mean was below 500 trees ha−1 compared to means above 5000 trees ha−1 in low to moderate severity sites |
Larson and Franklin 2005 | Pacific Northwest | Low severity | Douglas-fir regeneration increased with burn severity but other species did not vary by severity and seedling abundance was high across all sites |
Coop and Schoettle 2009 | Southern Rocky Mountains | No effect of severity | Compared complete burn (100% canopy mortality) to partial burn (<100% canopy mortality): regeneration patterns varied by fire and species, no strong correlation to burn severity |
Coop et al. 2010 | Southern Rocky Mountains | No effect of severity | Complete burn (100% canopy mortality) had the most regeneration but declined at farther distances to high-severity edge compared partial burns (<100% tree mortality) |
Rother and Veblen 2016 | Southern Rocky Mountains | No effect of severity | Low regeneration rates across all severities, no consistent pattern |
Harvey et al. 2013 | Northern Rocky Mountains | High Severity | Crown and severe surface fire had a median density of 0 trees ha−1, while light surface fires had a median of 167 trees ha−1 |
Welch et al. 2016 | Pacific Southwest | High severity, intermediate severity | Seedling density was lowest at high burn severity and highest at low-moderate and high-moderate severity |