Table 5 Means + standard deviations of fuel loads (Mg ha⁻¹), bare ground cover (%), and tree density (stems ha⁻¹) within mastication plots with tree cover ranges of 5–15%, 15–25%, and 25–50%. Data are for sites along a north to south gradient in western Utah experiencing Utah juniper and Colorado pinyon pine expansion. From Wozniak et al. 2020

5–15

15–25

25–50

1-h DWD fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

3.39 ± 2.16

7.04 ± 4.46

10.87 ± 4.49

5–6

1.67 ± 1.59

3.68 ± 2.87

5.38 ± 1.68

10

0.89 ± 0.81

2.23 ± 1.44

3.12 ± 2.06

10-h DWD fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

1.93 ± 1.11

4.44 ± 1.70

6.62 ± 2.22

5–6

2.17 ± 1.16

3.68 ± 1.89

4.46 ± 2.15

10

2.57 ± 2.28

3.98 ± 2.23

5.46 ± 2.96

100 + 1000-h DWD fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

1.37 ± 2.13

1.59 ± 2.84

4.01 ± 2.95

5–6

0.56 ± 0.62

1.24 ± 1.61

2.58 ± 3.27

10

0.94 ± 1.05

1.90 ± 3.07

3.70 ± 3.60

Tree litter + duff (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

5.27 ± 2.72

10.59 ± 3.03

15.96 ± 6.82

5–6

-

-

-

10

0.34 ± 0.59

0.33 ± 0.43

0.53 ± 1.02

Herbaceous fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

0.72 ± 0.28

0.37 ± 0.20

0.30 ± 0.20

5–6

0.65 ± 0.29

0.60 ± 0.39

0.70 ± 0.40

10

1.02 ± 0.35

1.43 ± 0.64

1.20 ± 0.42

Shrub fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

1.84 ± 1.62

0.86 ± 0.70

0.29 ± 0.51

5–6

2.16 ± 1.60

1.69 ± 1.21

0.39 ± 0.33

10

2.66 ± 1.95

1.68 ± 1.31

0.76 ± 0.58

Total fuel load (Mg ha⁻¹)

1

14.53 ± 5.38

24.43 ± 7.74

32.38 ± 11.17

5–6

-

-

-

10

8.41 ± 4.83

12.02 ± 7.12

13.23 ± 7.07

Bare ground cover (%)

1

27.57 ± 11.37

30.51 ± 8.84

28.42 ± 7.91

5–6

22.68 ± 6.09

21.29 ± 7.31

17.93 ± 9.40

10

22.98 ± 6.98

20.13 ± 5.58

17.04 ± 5.36

Tree density (stems ha⁻¹)

1

91.8 ± 85.1

81.6 ± 91.2

77.9 ± 111.7

5–6

202.9 ± 176.9

170.3 ± 172.3

161.1 ± 187.7

10

219.7 ± 161.6

193.6 ± 190.3

159.2 ± 207.9