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Reproduction of a Serotinous Conifer, the Giant Sequoia, in a Large High-Severity Fire Area

Authors :
Chad T. Hanson
Tonja Y. Chi
Maya Khosla
Bryant C. Baker
Craig Swolgaard
Source :
Fire, Vol 7, Iss 2, p 44 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Giant sequoia groves, located on the western slope of the central and southern Sierra Nevada mountains in California, USA, have been experiencing regeneration failure for more than a century due to the exclusion of wildfires. Giant sequoias are serotinous conifers and have evolved a strong relationship between high-severity fire and reproduction. While this relationship is widely recognized, only one previous peer-reviewed study has directly investigated giant sequoia reproduction and fire severity, and that study used different fires for each severity class. We conducted a study of giant sequoia reproduction and fire severity in a single fire, the KNP Complex fire of 2021, within the Redwood Mountain Grove in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. We found that giant sequoia seedlings are more dominant relative to other conifer species and are growing faster in a large high-severity fire area than in adjacent low/moderate-severity areas. Distance to the nearest live sequoia seed source was not a significant factor in sequoia seedling density. Our results call into question the basis for widespread plans and projects designed to prevent high-severity fires and should reevaluate moving forward with proposed tree planting activities in high-severity fire areas within giant sequoia groves.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
25716255
Volume :
7
Issue :
2
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Fire
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4a599a445ae43938281191d8aa2117c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/fire7020044