Snow Pack in Fire Regimes Amanda Charobee Winter

Snow Pack in Fire Regimes Amanda Charobee Winter Ecology Spring 2012

Introduction Until recently the United States has been fighting wild fires with a suppression policy. In an effort to control the loss of property and life the bureau of land management focuses the use of thinning and prescribed fire projects hoping to limit the fuel supplies to their historical ranges. (Mc. Kenzie et al. 2004)

Introduction Continued • Fires remain a threat as they are primarily driven by weather conditions, not fuel. • Global warming/Climate change has the potential to significantly increase the fire regimes in dry areas like the Rockies. • With each new burn more carbon is released into the air, and respiration decreases leading to temperature increases. • Scientists are predicting a lengthening of the fire season in the western US due to this (Heyerdahl et al. 2008).

A Winter Perspective Though many scientists study snow and its structure few have published much beyond its effects on the ecosystem. The snow is an integral part of the environment • It offers protection to prey from predators (David J. Huggard 1993) • forms an insulated sanctuary for plants and animals • keeps the soil moist as plants give off radiation, which melts the snow. (Sturm 1992) A burned landscape has more sun and wind exposer then a healthy forest, it could produces abnormal snow pack where both flora and fauna suffer.

The Question Do forest fires and prescribed burning affect the structure of the snowpack? Hypothesis: A burned landscape, can act as an ecological health indicator and show us the full extent of damage to the niche.

Methods Pits were sampled in two different locations as examples of a healthy and burned environment: • Healthy--- Mountain Research Station: 9, 600 feet • Burned--- Gold Hill/ Four mile canyon at 9, 200 Within each setting two pits were dug at random: • One in the trees • One in a clearing

Methods Continued • Temperature gradient was formed with ten centimeter intervals. • Layers were tested for • hardness, density, and • flake structure.

Healthy Landscape Forest 70 67 II-A 2 II-B 1 Clearing 46 42. 5 37. 2 III_A 1 25. 7 Hardness II-B 2 II-A 2 II-B 1 Hardness 46. 5 III-A 3 19. 5 III-A 3 III-B 1 0 10 6 0 III-A 2 III-B 2

Burned Landscape Forest 48 II-B 1 45 Clearing 39 II-B 2 ICE 16 26 II-A 2 III-A 3 6 0 III-A 3 Hardness 24 Hardness Depth (cm) II-B 1 7 0 ICE

Forest Areas__ Healthy II-A 2 II-B 1 Burned 48 45 III-A 3 III-B 1 24 ICE 16 6 0 III-A 3 Hardness III-A 3 II-B 2 Depth (cm) III_A 1 Hardness II-B 2 II-B 1

Clearings Healthy 46 42. 5 II-A 2 Burned 39 II-B 1 Hardness 19. 5 Hardness II-B 1 26 III-A 3 II-A 2 10 6 0 III-A 2 III-B 2 7 0 ICE

Summary of Results A Healthy Forest Snow cover: • Deep • variety of layers • contains old snow depth hoar present Burned Area’s Snow Cover: • large layers of ice • Snow is dense • No new snow on top layer Same for both: • Temperature gradient

Discussion • What factors are responsible for the types of layers present in? • How do the layers affect one another? • How will the layer distribution affect the movement of animals? • What is happening to the terrain? • What happens to the lifespan of snow cover, and how does that affect the climate?

In Conclusion • Fires have an observable effect on Snow layers. • This changes how the ecosystem is used by local organisms. • Prescribed burning may be degredating the overall health of the mountain ecosystem.

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