Forest fire cycles and life tables: a case study from interior Alaska

The negative exponential and Wiebull distributions were used to estimate stand survivorship curves for forested sites in the Porcupine River drainage of interior Alaska. The survivorship curve of Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss sites was best described by a Wiebull function, while both functions adequatel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Forest Research
Main Author: Yarie, John
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1981
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x81-076
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x81-076
Description
Summary:The negative exponential and Wiebull distributions were used to estimate stand survivorship curves for forested sites in the Porcupine River drainage of interior Alaska. The survivorship curve of Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss sites was best described by a Wiebull function, while both functions adequately described the Piceamariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenburg hardwood and all sites stand survivorship curve. Fire cycles calculated from the Wiebull distribution were 43, 113, 36, and 26 years for the entire study area, P. glauca, P. mariana, and hardwood sites, respectively. Fire frequencies estimated from a life table analysis were 48, 105, 43, and 30 years, respectively. The relationship between fire cycle and fire frequency calculations is discussed and various management implications are given.