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Table 4 Dominant tree species (current [late twentieth to early twenty-first century] and during the Early Holocene, circa 10 500 to 5000 yr BP) in select locations in the Pacific Northwest, USA, where charcoal analysis indicated increased fire activity in the warmer and drier summers of the Early Holocene. Locations are listed from north to south. These studies were selected to cover a range of geographic locations and forest types and do not represent a comprehensive list of charcoal analyses for the Northwest. For a more comprehensive list, see Walsh et al. (2015)

From: Changing wildfire, changing forests: the effects of climate change on fire regimes and vegetation in the Pacific Northwest, USA

Region (site)

Elevation (m)

Latitude, longitude (°)

Current dominant tree speciesa

Early Holocene dominant tree speciesa

Reference

North Cascade Range, Washington (Panther Potholes)

1100

48.658, −121.04

Douglas-fir, Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, western redcedar

Lodgepole pine

Prichard et al. 2009

Puget Lowlands, Washington (Marckworth State Forest)

~430

47.772, −121.811

Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western redcedar

Douglas-fir

Crausbay et al. 2017

Western Olympic Peninsula, Washington (Yahoo Lake)

710

47.677, −124.018

Pacific silver fir, western hemlock, western redcedar

Douglas-fir, red alder, Sitka spruce

Gavin et al. 2013

Southwestern Washington (Battle Ground Lake)

154

45.805, −122.494

Douglas-fir, western redcedar, western hemlock, grand fir, Sitka spruce

Oregon white oak, Douglas-fir

Walsh et al. 2008

Northern Rocky Mountains, Idaho (Burnt Knob Lake)

2250

45.704, −114.987

Subalpine fir, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine, Engelmann spruce

Douglas-fir, whitebark pine, lodgepole pine

Brunelle and Whitlock 2003

Willamette Valley, Oregon (Beaver Lake)

69

44.551, −123.17

Willow, black cottonwood, Oregon ash, Oregon white oak

Oregon white oak, Douglas-fir, beaked hazel, bigleaf maple, red alder

Walsh et al. 2010

Oregon Coast Range (Little Lake)

210

44.167,° −123.584

Western hemlock, Douglas-fir, western redcedar, grand fir, Sitka spruce

Douglas-fir, red alder, Oregon white oak

Long et al. 1998

Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon (Bolan Lake)

1600

42.022, −123.459

White fir, Douglas-fir

Western white pine, sugar pine, Oregon white oak, incense cedar

Briles et al. 2005

  1. a Species names that are not otherwise indicated in the text: beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta ssp. cornuta Marshall), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh), black cottonwood, (Populus trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray ex Hook.), incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens [Torr.] Florin), Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia Benth.), Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis Douglas ex J. Forbes), sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Douglas), western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don), western white pine (Pinus monticola Douglas ex D. Don.), willow (Salix spp. L.)